[Dragonball Victory] [Dragonball Victory] Chapter 1: The Quest Begins..

[z-Datura]

Datura was basking in her own fierce joy at her dramatic win. When the crowd began to chant her name, she was visibly taken aback. Her black eyes were rimmed with white as she stared down at the chanting humans. The Saiyan was unsure how to respond; her people didn’t strive for or receive such acclaim. “Hmph.” Her grunt was followed by her crossing her arms. “I just did what Saiyans do.”

,,

Feeling uneasy, she floated back down to the ground, glaring at the decimated remains of her former opponents. She was pleased to see that she’d gotten all of them, even shredding the bodies of the dead. As the earthlings said, “she still had it” if “it” was the ability to commit carnage on an insane level.

,,

As her boots settled into the blood-soaked and gibblet-splattered sand, a man came running up. “I’m Horace Enkleson, and I have a question for you.”

,,

“I’m not mated and have no wish to be.” Annoyingly, that was usually the question that Datura needed to field, and she was already turning away from this dark-skinned gnat.

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“No no! Do you have representation?” The man circled around her, brave enough to persist but wise enough to not black her path.

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“Representation of what?” Datura asked cautiously.

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“Representation for your skill. Get you some face-time and some publicity money.” Horace grinned. “I’ll make you famous and wealthy.” He thrust a card at her. “Think about it, Datura, and call me.”

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She took the thick paper and shoved it into a pocket. “I will think upon it.” She’d also have to find out what a “manager” was and what it meant.

[Justin OOC]

Medical responders were showing up and started tending to the wounded, but there were so many, Tetsuko herself healed slowly, the nanites working to restore her.

,,

The two fighters at Darrik's feet both moaned, one from waking up and acknowledging failure, the other, Genichiro, from being prod with a foot. "Yeah."

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He looked Up at Darrik and Vela. "Not here, too many ears." "The Namekian looked at him. "We should go to the Island Gen, leave these strangers out of it."

,,

"We can trust them Dorn, At least I think so."

,,

"if you're wrong..."

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"Then it's on me."

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He looked up and began to stand, as the Namek did too. "We need to get that Android, the Beppan, The Saiyan, and that Witch, We can get everyone together, and then go somewhere where we can talk about why that attack just happened."

,,

Both their minds were impenetrable, and the look on their faces said how important they believed this was. The Namekian, Dorn, seemed quite angry regarding this.

,,

Gen looked to Vela and Darrik. "Do you mind coming with us?"

,,

The Crowd was still chanting for Datura, yet very few seemed to want to get too close to her, and with great reason..

[Tetsuko Ueda]

Tetsuko felt the openings in her body cavity close, a temporary sheath of nanites furiously working on her outer skin and pulling loose wires, cords, and hoses in place. She could tell she was thirsty and once again hungry. Her hair was evn consumed a little to fabricate a temporary replacement for lubricant she lost in the fight. Also the full extent of her sabotage after her tournament match started to become apparent.

She staggers to her feet, looking at her practically destroyed outfit when a Capsule Corporation technician runs up with Tetsuko's personal effects. "Miss Ueda... are you?"

"I'm fine, dear. Are you with the relief team?"

"Yes... although I really can't do anything for a while yet."

"Very well... I'm going to get changed, I can't head to where I'm going looking like a shipwreck survivor."

The technician giggled. "They actually put the modesty program up to a high threshold, didn't they?"

Tetsuko sighed. "This doesn't look cute."

The technician blinked as Tetsuko deployed a capsule tent from her bag and started to change her clothes. For an android wearing already destroyed clothing that doesn't take long. When she stepped out, storing her tent back into a capsule, she seemed a different girl. "There we go."

She puts her bag over her shoulder, handing the damaged remains of her original outfit to the technician. "That material is... substandard for wilderness exploration."

A medical technician runs up to Tetsuko. "Miss... we need your help. There is a group of children trapped under some rubble near where the terrorists got into the arena."

Tetsuko needed no prompting. She teleports to where she saw the cluster of young auras, and starts to examine the rubble. In a matter of seconds she sees just the proper I-beam to move, followed by some damaged wall rubble. She then waves over a couple of the rescuers stunned by Tetsuko's strength. "There, the material remaining will not collapse as long as you move that piece of wall away, and if you move this there should be a large enough hole to get to the children."

The rescue crew nodded and got to work as she took care of the heavy lifting. Once she was done, she spotted Genichiro. She teleports to his location, and brushes off her new outfit. "Sir? Seems your fine, is your friend alright?" She said, nodding to the Namekian respectfully. "I'm Miss Tetsuko Ueda, By the way."

She smiled. With all the chaos and tragedy around her she was a symbol of calm confidence again.

[SalmonMax]

Vela was taken aback by the question. Did she mind coming with them? Wasn't that exactly what she'd been pestering him about ever since he'd mentioned his teacher? It was so irritating not being able to see his thoughts. And a little funny, if she admitted it, how quickly she'd gotten dependent on reading people's minds since leaving Kaz.

,,

Maybe he was just being polite. A great deal of Earth courtesy, she had come to realize, revolved around carefully studied stupidity. Perhaps it was a way to show another person that you are not a threat to them, she didn't know.

,,

"I do not mind coming with you," she replied carefully, making sure there were no double meanings or places to twist her words, in case that was his plan.

[Karren Gaunt]

"Yo. Hope I didn't miss anything," called out Serrana's voice from above, the green fighter dropping next to the group with a smirk and a crackle of fading power.

"I was off getting myself some tender loving care after that nice bout of exercise," she added with a chuckle, jerking a thumb at herself and her immaculate condition, a few minutes of letting the planet do it's thing enough to knit up her flesh fine and new. Still felt more than a little drained, but that'd come with some rest.

"Seems like you did, too, robot. Good to see you made it through to the other side," Serrana finished, "These the guys you were worrying about during the match?"

[Tetsuko Ueda]

"Yo. Hope I didn't miss anything," called out Serrana's voice from above, the green fighter dropping next to the group with a smirk and a crackle of fading power."I was off getting myself some tender loving care after that nice bout of exercise," she added with a chuckle, jerking a thumb at herself and her immaculate condition, a few minutes of letting the planet do it's thing enough to knit up her flesh fine and new. Still felt more than a little drained, but that'd come with some rest."Seems like you did, too, robot. Good to see you made it through to the other side," Serrana finished, "These the guys you were worrying about during the match?"

"Yes, but it seems they have improved their overall military and covert strategem since my last tactical update. Either that or I have been caught knowing but not in practice."

She brushed off her skirt. "While the overall damage I had suffered was non-critical, I have logged a successful attempt at sabotage after my technical crew did their repair work after my loss in the tournament. I was not at optimal integrety."

Some grayish material oozs out from the last open wound on her skin before it pulls in a loose wire then closes. "My Nanotechnical internal repair circuit is operating at crisis levels currently, but I should be at safe functional parameters shortly. It woudl seem your medical condition is optimal, as well, Serrana."

She smiled. "Were there any survivors?" She glared. "I want to interrogate them."

A couple relief workers looked at Tetsuko with a puzzled look. "Oh... not like that..." Tetsuko said, waving her hands with her arms up. Trying to reassure that she wasn't going to turn into some sort of intelligence agent bent on torturing anyone. "I'm just very much not happy. Someone chose to attack aplace full of civilians. I just want to do what I can to get to the bottom of it."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "That, is my current motivation."

[Justin OOC]

Genichiro nodded at Vela's reply, and Serrana's as she descended. "Good now there's only two more I need to get." He was still hurt, but seemed to flicker and vanish, Reappearing beside Datura. "I need you to come with me, so that we can discuss why so many just died in this attack." He reached out, and touched her shoulder, once again they flickered and appeared by Kelage, and her minion. "I need you to come with me."

,,

His tone brooked no arguement, and once again he flickered, and was back with the main group. "Everyone Touch someone else." It was Dorn who spoke now, and out of a sense of shock at so forceful a command, they all complied. Gen and then everyone else flickered, and then vanished before the eyes of a few EMT's.

,,

When they appeared again, they were on a small Island in the Western Ocean, a single house built upon it. There were some trees, and the entire Island was roughly the size of a football field. Gen fell forward face first onto the sand out cold again. Dorn sighed. "You idiot of course Four was too many after two fights. Especially transmitting us all here at once." He knelt down to pick up the fallen warrior, and began heading for the house. "Come on, all of you, We might as well go get comfortable. No need to keep the old man in suspense."

,,

For everyone else, the sensation of teleportation was a unique thing, a mix of infinite speed and not moving at all.

[Tetsuko Ueda]

For Tetsuko, the sensation of being teleported by someone was disturbing... the fact she wasn't in control triggered every safety interlock that expressed as fear. Not that she had any time to protest.

Tetsuko adjusted herself, and seeing Genichiro taken by the Namekian, she called over. "I am trained in some medicine. Will you need assistance with Genichiro?"

She had a look of concern on her face. After all, the man helped all brought to the island in his way, perhaps more than should be expected as those brought to the island could have assisted in the crisis on their own. The least she could do is make sure Genichiro was comfortable... but something told her on the Namekian's demeanor that she should ask first.

Tetsuko started to process a new sensation. Regret.

She fell silent, looking at the ground, a expression of dissapointment on her face.

[SalmonMax]

Vela had experienced teleportation before; it was how every Khazrak stardrive worked. What shocked her to the core was not the bizarre sensation of instant travel, but the fact that this one man had done it without any augmentation whatsoever...even if it had come at great cost to him. It took Vela a moment to realize she'd sensed no psychic signature or resonance...he'd done it by some other means. Still impressive, but without a baseline to compare the feat against it was harder to tell how impressive.

,,

She paused as the machine-woman tended to Genichiro, then decided to accept the suggestion of the other alien. In so doing though, she got another sickening jolt. They were on an island. In the ocean. It was, she'd read, a giant pool of water that covered nearly 3/4's the planet's surface, and could be miles deep in places!

,,

Kaz was dry. Arid. Not a desert in the same sense that Earthmen used the word, but perhaps more like it than not. There were, Vela understood, lakes here and there on Kaz...near the cooler polar areas mostly. Otherwise just pools and small streams...most seasonal in nature. Life either dug for water, or roamed ceaselessly in pursuit of it.

,,

Vela could face down giant combat robots with heavy weapons...but the idea of being immersed in so much water that it covered your head was unnerving. Just being close to it was a constant reminder of how awful it would be.

,,

And it was all around her now. Everywhere. One big wave would sweep them off this tiny island and plunge them into the cold, dark depths.

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She sucked in the breath she'd been holding, and nearly choked on it. Her fists were clenched, her shoulders slightly hunched...it was a good thing there were other things to see here, or the humiliation would be almost too great to bear.

,,

Forcing the fear away...she could simply levitate out, right?...Vela prowled to the front door of the house and knocked sharply.

,,

Once inside, she'd be better. Walls would help.

[Karren Gaunt]

Serrana was taking in the view. Much as she academically knew that oceans made of water were normal compared to Beppa's oceans of molten lava, the idea of an open body of water that wouldn't burn most people to a crisp still tickled her sense of wonder. She grinned and finally got moving towards the house, grinning down at Tetsuko.

,,

"Come on. We just won a fight and are getting to meet a guy who'll probably send us into more fights unless I'm reading the vibe totally wrong. Cheer up!"

,,

And with that, she moved on, long strides eating up the distance to the door, hair moving in the salt-smelling breeze and a happy anticipation in her eyes. And here the green fighter had been fretting about needing to go home soon as the tournament had been over. Showed her the value of being negative.

[Tetsuko Ueda]

"R... right. Genichiro's friend might need our assistance."

Tetsuko kept her eyes downcast. Her tactical computer started to sort out every error she made... at least in terms of trying to help Genichiro instead of choosing a Mecha to battle. Tactically, taking down a high-level threat was an ideal maneuver, but one should think of assisting other tactical assets as much as eliminating major threats to yourown assets in the field.

Or was her own tctical program suspect? Or pherhaps...

"It would seem it's not that I have much to learn, but that I have what one would consider "book learning" but no real-world experience yet. And Genichiro almost paid the price today. And now he put his own health on the line to bring us all here. This... must be more important than we realize."

"And with the evidence currently before us, I would surmise the Neo-Red Ribbon Army is part and parcel to this crisis requiring our assistance."

Tetsuko's spine stiffened up again. She realized she indeed survived sabotage and the onslaught of a war machine and was the victor. Genichiro and his Namekian friend needed them... although his friend didn't seem like he wanted to admit that. "Whatever this is..." she said following the others. "...Hopefully we will be in the condition to face as fast as possible. Although with scenery this beautiful, that should help with our convalescence."

She saw Vela's consternation. "Miss? You seem troubled. Is everything alright?"

[z-Datura]

Datura watched her former opponants with a sense of disbelief. Not one of them knew what was going on – her included – yet they were all too eager to follow after Genchiro without as much as a second’s hesitation. Idiots.

,,

Still, her ride was unconscious and she wanted to have words with him about things like permission and courtesy. Cracking her knuckles, the tall Saiyan stared out over the water, wondering how long it would be before someone told her where the closest land was. Not that she was worried about finding it, but Datura liked to know where on the planet she stood.

,,

Running her tongue over her teeth, she turned and walked past the hesitating group into the small hut.

[Justin OOC]

Inside the house, Datura was the first to see a wizened bearded man Coming downstairs, wearing sunglasses indoors. "Roshi-sensei, There's been trouble.."

,,

"I know, I know. the NRRA attacked the tournament." "Genichiro pushed himself too hard teleporting everyone here."

,,

"Everyone?" He looked at Datura, and nodded. "That's a whole lot of wom.... Saiyan.."The Lecherous gaze was hidden by his glasses, but he was intently sizing her up. Dorn seemed uncomfortable and cleared his throat, getting the old man's attention. "As I was saying, Gen's unconscious, one of the Corps' androids has him on the beach. I brought some others as well."

,,

Roshi nodded. "Fine fine, have them all come inside out of the wind, I'll go get something for my foolish student." He looked at Datura, "Make yourself at home, without putting holes in the walls, or breaking anything preferrably. I know it's a difficult urge to resist.." There was something to how he said it that implied heavily that he really did know this.

,,

"Roshi-sensei, They took it."

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The old man stopped. "I see, so the secret has gotten out, then, hasn't it."

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"I'm affraid so."

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"No helping it now then, soon everyone will know." He continued on, giving others time to get inside, "Lay Gen in one of the chairs, I'll be back in a moment." He opened a door and Descended a flight of stairs, and the door closed behind him when he was no longer in view.

[SalmonMax]

Vela gave the machine-woman a stony-faced look. It was likely, she decided, the thing did not understand the insult it had given her by asking a question like that. In any event, she didn't want to defile the home of a teacher by destroying it here.

,,

Fortunately the Saiyan stormed into the house directly, giving Vela a reprieve from trying to figure out how to respond to that question in a way that didn't involve telekinetic beatings.

,,

When the old man within said what seemed to be an invitation, she stepped inside as well and looked around, getting a feel for the layout and contents before venturing farther in.

[Karren Gaunt]

Datura and Vela having entered before her, Serrana had no problem heading in and leaning against a wall, waiting for the entertainment to begin, arms crossed over her chest. A nice little place. Simple. A few amenities without being too luxurious. The kind of place you'd expect a retired champion to maintain back home once the money stopped rolling in.

,,

A good sign over all.

,,

"Sooo... Just so I know. There *is* a good reason we got borrowed here in such a hurry, right? Besides that little mess at the arena, that is. Seems like warlord business more than fighter business to me. Mind you, humans could be using their masters as warlords judging by how the crowd let those guys walk all over them until miss fuzzy tail picked 'em off," rambled the green fighter happily with a nod at the Saiyan before adding, "There any food in this place? I'm starving."

[Tetsuko Ueda]

Tetsuko took this moment to sit down.

,,

"Serrana, the Red Ribbon are a terrorist organization. Pure and simple. Their goal, to break it down to the simplest component, world conquest."

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"Those humans are corrupt, greedy warmongering, monsters."

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There was actually a tone of... contempt. "Like blazes I would led the Neo Red Ribbon rule anything. I wouldn't trust them managing a "fast food" restaurant. Yet alone a world government like they desire."

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"Unless..." She stroked her chin. "...Their contempt for innocent life would fit the profile..."

[Justin OOC]

Roshi looked at the bevy of beautiful women brought into his home and onto his island by his student, and chuckled. 'Because My student is kind to an Old Man." (Vela, Read his mind atm, I DARE you. ::evil ST laugh:

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He looked to Serrana. "The fridge and pantry are fully stocked, just get what you want. It's all human food though, so you'll have to make do. As to why you were summoned here, the object they stole is one of a set, which can be used to alter the very nature of everything, however the possessor wishes. The NRRA cannot be allowed to gather all seven of those orbs."

[SalmonMax]

Vela did not have a complicated mind, but the connection seemed clear to her.

,,

"Your student, Genichiro, has some impressive abilities for his limited strength," she said. "I seek your teaching. Will bringing back this 'orb' be a suitable trial?"

[z-Datura]

“What do the orbs do?” The question was asked with idle curiosity, and the Saiyan asking it seemed more interested in the cabinets and the food within than she was with the answer. But anyone who could read body language knew that the woman was actively interested in the response. “We should probably know what the cost is before we run off on some errand. After all,” she added, turning around and leaning against a counter, “for all we know, it’s how the old man gets his porn.” She smirked and bit into the apple in her hand, the crunch of the ripe fruit loud in the room.

[Tetsuko Ueda]

Tetsuko blinked.

"I concur with our Saiyan cohort, I am in the dark in regards to these orbs you need protected. To be honest if they pose such a threat all that would reallyneed to be done is to destroy one of said orbs."

She adjusted her har a little bit. "Then again, I highly doubt any collected orbs can cause a fundamental change in time and space. It's against the laws of physics."

She crossed her arms. "But anything to have another crack at those Red Ribbon. My patience with them is at an end. If collecting these orbs is to show we can be trusted, then I am more than willing to assist."

She starts formulating a list of common foods that can be used to restore her nanites and to accelerate her restorative function. "Now, I am requiring some of the foodstuffs in your pantry to fully set in my repairs and to restore my lost lubricants and hydraulic fluids." She starts looking through the fridge. "Oh... an Alcoholic beveredge! Excellent! I can process the alcohol and other enzymes... Sorry I must be boring you. I'll attend to my sustenance."

[Justin OOC]

When Roshi returned, he nodded. "If you can retrieve them, then yes I will teach you. I do not know what, But I will teach you things you do not already know."

,,

He smiled at Datura. "The Orbs when gathered together, and upon saying the proper chant, summon forth a Great Dragon, Shenron, that will Grant three wishes within its power. Some of those it's granted are amazing in scope, some have been, Somewhat "less" so."

,,

He looked at Tetsuko. "Physics really need not apply when Saiyans and the Dragonballs are around, I assure you."

[z-Datura]

“Sooooo, let me get this straight,” the Saiyan growled. “You want to train us in something, anything, so that we can go and find magic wish-granting balls?”

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“Yes.” Roshi nodded.

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“Dragon balls?”

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“Yes.”

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“Balls… from a dragon?” Datura stared at him, willing him to give a sensible answer.

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Alas, that was not to be. “Yes, the Dragonballs.”

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“All right,” Datura sneered, bouncing her apple on her hand and peering around the small hut. “Where are they?”

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The old man’s bushy eyebrows rose in confusion. “Where are what?”

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“The candied cameras.” Datura looked very proud that she’d caught onto the trick of hidden cameras before they were revealed to her.

[Tetsuko Ueda]

Tetsuko turned from the fridge, a Bannana in mouth and some farious fruits and things, and a can of beer in the other.

"Wha... wha's dat 'bout camwahs?" She said, the bananna awkwardly in her mouth.

She drops the bananna into her arm, cradling it. "And as for Physics, Sir... I guess I am a hypocrite as my design stretches credulity with a layman's understanding of physics. My Shrodinger's Parodox Circuit is mind-bending enough if you don't know 11-Dimension Quantum Physics."

She looks over the area with her radar and other senses. She smiled, trying to reassure Datura and the others. "I do not think that he is intending to decieve."

"At least... I hope."

[SalmonMax]

Vela listened to the old man, and her spirits fell with each word. She wondered how long it had been since Genichiro's former teacher had taught. How much damage age had wrought on him in the meantime. His insane ranting about dragons and wishes could only be a sign that his usefulness was at an end.

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Or...perhaps...?

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"Your words aren't making any sense," Vela said flatly. "Is this a test?"

[Justin OOC]

Roshi smiled knowingly as he went over to Genichiro, popped a bean in his mouth and worked his jaws abit then rubbed his throat to make him swallow. The Results were instantaneous. The young man's eyes opened, and he sat up immediately, seemingly completely reinvigorated. "Those things taste horrible."

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Roshi nodded. "That was the last one. We'll have to go to the tower to get more, if you want them."

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He nodded. "So you've told them about the Dragonballs then?"

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"Yes."

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"They don't believe you then, I assume."

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"Two For Two."

,,

Genichiro turne dto them. "Okay, I know it all sounds fishy, but trust me, the Dragonballs are real. They're not some skyfaring reptile's junk, they're a mystical tool made to reward the worthy. That little Yellow orb with red stars is one of a set of seven that when gathered will grant nearly any wish within the power of the Eternal Dragon Shenron."

,,

Roshi chukled. "And I will start training all of you, if you can find one, recover the rest, and I will complete the training."

,,

He looked to Vela. "Everything is a test, one way or another. Knowing that sometimes helps but not always."

[z-Datura]

Datura’s eyebrow had risen even further. “You offer training from a doddering old man talking about dragon balls as compensation?” The Saiyan laughed rudely, her brown eyes narrowing. “I didn’t arrive on the planet yesterday. I’m not some slack-jawed idiot from a backwater world who’ll believe anything said by a native. So far, all of this sounds insane. The only collaboration of your… story is that someone bothered to steal the damn ball in the first place.”

,,

“So what do you want?” Genchiro asked.

,,

“I want proof. I want a reason to stick my neck out.” Datura crossed her arms. “I really don’t think I’m asking too much.”

[Tetsuko Ueda]

Tetsuko weighed the tactical options.

If Red Ribbon is wasting their time and resources chasing a fable, then this could work to my advantage. It will provide a lure to face them on my terms. And even if these "Dragon Balls" are in fact capable of fundamentially changing reality... What would I do if I could change reality?

Perhaps bring those that were killed by the Red Ribbon during that attack would be... acceptible..."

Tetsuko massaged her chin. "What would happen if we had control of these orbs? How would we decide who would use them? Or even for that matter would we do so? The ability to change reality is a very... huge responsibility."

She munched on her food, a look of curiosity on her face. Then a thought crossed her mind.

"Datura... it's not like we're doing anything better with our time... and think... you'd get another crack at those Red Ribbon terrorists. That is what makes me want in on this. Any endeavor to bring them to justice I am willing to help."

Sitting down she nodded to Roshi."I'm in. I got no reservations. But I do have a question... how do we find something the size of a large croquet ball on a average-sized terrestrial body? Err... I mean how to we find the proverbial needle in a haystack?"

[SalmonMax]

"I agree with de Saiyan," Vela said after glancing at the machine-woman briefly. "You ask a great deal and offer someting we cannot know de value of until too late. I have to make de most of my time. Show me dat doing dis ting is de best ting I can be doin' right now."

[Justin OOC]

Genichiro sighed. "Sensei, you're the only one who remembers."

,,

Roshi nodded. "Alright, don't delve too deeply, you may not like the rest." He looked at Vela. "I want you to read my mind, and look at the memory that I am seeing right now in my mind. If you cannot trust your own power, then it is all lost anyway." he looked to Datura. "Would you trust the words of another, or be willing to allow Vela here to show you what she sees in my mind?"

,,

"Not in the slightest."

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Roshi sighed, then you will have to trust her words.

,,

For Vela she felt a tiny hole open in Roshi's defenses, and a very vivid memory come to the fore, the summoning of Shenron, to revive someone called Goku after he died.

,,

the balls began to glow, and there was a brilliant flash of light as a seemingly engless giant oriental dragon with emerald and gold scales streamed forth, coiling against black clouds darker than pitch. brilliant Ruby red eyes peered down, and a booming voice with eternal bass spoke. "I am the Eternal Dragon, I will grant 1 wish to those who summon me, now state it, that I may grant it."

,,

The wish was made, and its eyes shown with scintillating light. "Your Wish is Granted."

,,

There was another flash as the balls rose into the sky and then shot off as streaks of light to the corners of the globe. He proceeded to play through what he had seen of the battle through Baba Yaga's crystal ball, of the battle against Vegeta and Nappa, until Goku did indeed return, alive, well, and stronger than ever before.

,,

The memory ended there, and he nodded. "Do you now see what sort of potential the balls offer, Vela?"

,,

He looked at Tetsuko. "I have one means to track the Dragonballs and locate them, Thankfully some had the presence of mind to recreate before they were lost."

,,

[SalmonMax]

Vela was quiet, reviewing the images in her mind. It wasn't impossible to falsify such things; to substitute imagination for memory...but she was no newcomer to shared memories and telepathy. Lying was difficult. Telepathy was multivalent, conveying emotion and intention and context within itself. And imagined events were never as full-textured as things that had actually happened. The mind only invented over a certain threshold of detail...smaller, subtler things were ignored, making such images feel flatter and less realistic when shared. It wasn't impossible to falsify, but Vela was fairly sure she'd be able to tell if it was.

,,

But the vision, if true, re-ordered her concept of the universe and the possibilities within it.

,,

Visibly shaken, she finally replied, "What is this 'dragon?' Why does it have this power? And having it, why does it use it so irresponsibly?" She looked back at Roshi, more and more upset. "None of this makes sense...but I believe that you truly saw what you showed me. It is...it is..." Vela searched for the Earth word to sum it up. "...travesty. If this is true, the Universe is lost to chaos."

[Tetsuko Ueda]

"To some observers, that would seem the case, Vela."

Tetsuko adjusted her hair."But everything is to the mind of the beholder. As for a means to find these Dragon Balls, sir, I indeed would be interested to find out about this "way" to find them. Is it some sort of device?"

Eating her food she watched everyone. Something about this situation was indeed odd. In fact slightly dire. Perhaps her seemingly selfish interest to have another crack at the Red Ribbon wasn't the right mindset... perhaps to defeat the Ribbon she had to take a different approach.

"We will also need to be at our best condition in order to fully take on this task. I may need some tools to insure everything is in working order with me. Simple tools will suffice. That and access to a computer with access to the world network so I amy report back to Capsule Corporation and send my tactical data to them and report my suspicion of sabotage earlier."

She adjusted her outfit. "I hope I am not imposing here..."

[Justin OOC]

Roshi smiled. "No one knows why the Dragon was made, and If there's someone who can say why it can do what it does, well, I don't believe he's going to share that information. He hasn't since he made it."

,,

He shrugged. "It only uses the power when the Balls are gathered, and they've not been gathered in nearly three centuries."

,,

He moved to get a drink. "As for the Universe being lost to Chaos, well that's happened before too, and the dragonballs were instrumental in setting it all right. In the end things will balance out."

,,

Genichiro looked at Tetsuko and sighed. "We don't have the net here. This place is somewhat unique, and more a "retreat" than command center. I can teleport us to the mainland if needed so you can get what gear you need. Thing is, We don't want you reporting this. The more that know about the dragonballs, the more sought they'll be. At the moment, we've got no idea who knows exactly so we're trying to prevent further spread. The only reason you were told is that we need your help to prevent anyone from gathering them all, and honesty is simply the best way to get that."

,,

He looks to Datura. "As for real proof, each dragonball grants a special boon unique to it, to the one possessing it. Help us locate and recover one, and you may have possession of it to see for yourself if my words are true or not."

[z-Datura]

Datura’s eyes narrowed a moment as she studied the Earthling. He was sincere, she decided, with the usual arrogance of a Saiyan who decided that no one was dumb enough to lie to one of them. Liars tended to meet drawn-out, bloody screaming deaths.

,,

“Done,” she said, nodding, “so long as that deal still includes training with the geezer.”

,,

“I didn’t think you were interested,” Roshi stated, his bushy eyebrows drawing together in mild confusion.

,,

“I like to keep options open. If you do turn out to be worthy of instructing me—“ She certainly had the order of that sentence confused, but it seemed par for the course—“then I will want that training, and will not have it denied based on some twist of human wording. So do we have an agreement?”

[Tetsuko Ueda]

"Very well, I can wait for now to return to headquarters. We then return to my previous inquiry; what is this means of locating that you spoke of a few moments ago?"

,,

She straightened her blouse, and brushing some crumbs off of her skirt from a hastily created sandwich she just completed eating. People could now see her body was returning to the way she looked before the attack... well almost everything as her hair was now short. "And thank you for the offer of a teleport, Genichiro, but... I'd rather have full control over my quantum entanglements, personally. Matter of preference over your stated skill."

,,

With the slight tremble in her voice, people would mistake her for being afraid.

[SalmonMax]

"I also agree," Vela said with a quick look at Datura. "You said you had a device that can track the orbs. With that, there will be no problems."

[Justin OOC]

Roshi nodded. "I agree to give you custody of one of the dragonballs, and train you, should you accomplish this task." He smiled "Besides, it will be fun to have some others here, it's been very quiet."

,,

He produced a small compass-like device from a pocket, and handed it to Genichiro. "This is the only extant Dragonradar I know of. Without it, finding the balls is almost impossible. Do not lose it, as it cannot be Replaced."

,,

He turned it on, and it began to beep, then stopped, as an indicator pointed North. "The closest one is in the Northern wastes. "You should make your way there as soon as the four of you are ready. The others will have another task perhaps."

,,

Roshi nodded, and Genichiro looked to them. "Are you all ready to go? Mass teleport is by far the fastest way there, and we can fly once we arrive after that."

[SalmonMax]

Vela nodded quickly, trying to get in ahead of the Saiyan this time.

,,

"Yes. Bring us as close to the location of the orb as you can."

[Tetsuko Ueda]

"Hmm... fascinating." She said, stroking her chin. "It is unfortunate I cannot take a look iside the device so I can figure a way to dublicate it and install it into my hardware. It would be a force multipler."

,,

She sighed. "Although finding one means we control the fate of the collection... And perhaps another may be close by... Alright. Anyone consider that we should take come supplies? The northern wastes aren't exactly... condusive to life. Might be a consideration before we head there so suddenly."

,,

"And I... think I... will find being teleported acceptible."

,,

Ummm...

What is the climate in the Northern Wastes?

[Justin OOC]

Genichiro nodded. "There should be no duplicating of it. It is already an extremely dangerous tool to allow to exist."

,,

He looked at the Android. "Can't handle a little Cold, Tetsuko? We won't be there too long, with any luck."

,,

He had them all place a hand on each other's shoulder, as he touched Tetsuko's, and smiled. "Here we go." The four of them Vanished in a flicker of light, and Roshi didn't smile. "We've not completely Failed yet. Dorn, take the others to see Baba, she might be able to help contain this."

,,

The Namekian warrior nodded. "As you say, I just know that Dende won't be happy that things will go this route again."

,,

Roshi sat down in his chair, The Sorceress and actor would have their parts to play, "Will it be Shenron, or will it be him, now?"

,,

(End chapter 1, 7 cp to everyone still here)