Infinite Justice: Beyond (Marvel,DC,DBZ X/Over, IC, Open)

[The Fallen Jedi]

Upon approaching the aged man, Hiroshi could see that Shimura was within deep meditation, the energy of nature surrounding his body and whirling around him peacefully as he inhaled before he then opened his eyes and smiled "Why of course I did call for you Weary Traveler, I sensed your energy enter the Valley of Enlightenment, or the Eternal Valley as my people call it, here -" Shimura said as he led Hiroshi to the front of the Pavillion as he gestured to the Massive Valley below "This is the Valley of Enlightenment, a Valley that contains much in the ways of Spirituality, it helps calm the mind if one looks not with their eyes, but with their spirit, they will feel calm and at peace." Shimura said with a smile on his face.

The Wayward Sage then turned away and began walking towards the steps that led into the nearby Village, Shimura knew that the weary traveler known as Hiroshi had been traversing the mountains for days in search for a Sage to help him, Shimura wanted the traveler to at least rest and feel welcomed within his land, Shimura's Territory "Come now my wayward friend, let us get something to eat and find a place for you to lie your head down for awhile, I've watched your three day journey and know that you indeed need some rest, follow me won't you?" Shimura said happily, holding onto his Overworld Staff as he walked down the stone steps carefully.

Even if he was tired, Hiroshi was a saiyan, and pride dictated he hold himself up until later when he could rest and eat, he was a nice person, but pride was still important.

"That demon thing you helped me ward off or whatever it's called, he said his name was Garlic Junior, do you know him? You being all spiritual and shit, I'd figure you'd know something about and or of him." He said, almost cursing at the strong rasp of his voice.

Not just a three days ago had he fought Garlics minions, he'd be lying to say he wasn't startled. This Garlic guy didn't sound powerful, but Freiza didn't look powerful, so looks were always deceiving.

As he and Hiroshi walked into the Village, Hiroshi could see that multiple people would come along and greet Shimura wherever he went, unknown to Hiroshi, Shimura was the leader and the spiritual guide of the Village as well as the small Himalayan Nation. Upon hearing the name of Garlic Junior, Shimura did have an inkling of who he was, but had never seen who Garlic Junior actually was "Hmm, I think I've heard of him once before, but it has been such a long time that I really don't know who he is." Shimura replied, a smile still on his face as he walked towards an open restaurant, although not like modern day restaurants, It was of Japanese/Chinese Descent, and one of Shimura's many favorite placed to eat. Shimura then turned to Hiroshi, gesturing him towards the restaurant "Come now my friend, this is one of my favorite places to eat, although It Isn't like places in the United States, they do make good food here." Shimura said, walking Hiroshi into the open restaurant.

OOC: Just Imagine the Restaurant without any chairs and with some snow, considering we are within the Himalayas.

Upon entering the cottage, the keeper of the restaurant quickly turned and walked towards Shimura, a surprised expression on his face "Master Shimura?, Is that truly you?" The man asked curiously, hoping that it indeed was Shimura. With a smile, Shimura approached the man "Why of course It Is my friend, you see, I have a weary traveler with me who requires something to eat, I've been wondering if you could give us the classical meal for here, I'd also appreciate It If you could bring some tea out for us while we wait?" he asked, sitting cross legged in front of a low, japanese style table as he waited for the owner of the store to return, Shimura turned to Hiroshi, gesturing him over "Now my friend, come sit and tell me what brings you here and who or what this Garlic Junior Character is."

[Of The Rnclave]

Even if he was tired, Hiroshi was a saiyan, and pride dictated he hold himself up until later when he could rest and eat, he was a nice person, but pride was still important.

"That demon thing you helped me ward off or whatever it's called, he said his name was Garlic Junior, do you know him? You being all spiritual and shit, I'd figure you'd know something about and or of him." He said, almost cursing at the strong rasp of his voice.

Not just a three days ago had he fought Garlics minions, he'd be lying to say he wasn't startled. This Garlic guy didn't sound powerful, but Freiza didn't look powerful, so looks were always deceiving.

As he and Hiroshi walked into the Village, Hiroshi could see that multiple people would come along and greet Shimura wherever he went, unknown to Hiroshi, Shimura was the leader and the spiritual guide of the Village as well as the small Himalayan Nation. Upon hearing the name of Garlic Junior, Shimura did have an inkling of who he was, but had never seen who Garlic Junior actually was "Hmm, I think I've heard of him once before, but it has been such a long time that I really don't know who he is." Shimura replied, a smile still on his face as he walked towards an open restaurant, although not like modern day restaurants, It was of Japanese/Chinese Descent, and one of Shimura's many favorite placed to eat. Shimura then turned to Hiroshi, gesturing him towards the restaurant "Come now my friend, this is one of my favorite places to eat, although It Isn't like places in the United States, they do make good food here." Shimura said, walking Hiroshi into the open restaurant.

OOC: Just Imagine the Restaurant without any chairs and with some snow, considering we are within the Himalayas.

Upon entering the cottage, the keeper of the restaurant quickly turned and walked towards Shimura, a surprised expression on his face "Master Shimura?, Is that truly you?" The man asked curiously, hoping that it indeed was Shimura. With a smile, Shimura approached the man "Why of course It Is my friend, you see, I have a weary traveler with me who requires something to eat, I've been wondering if you could give us the classical meal for here, I'd also appreciate It If you could bring some tea out for us while we wait?" he asked, sitting cross legged in front of a low, japanese style table as he waited for the owner of the store to return, Shimura turned to Hiroshi, gesturing him over "Now my friend, come sit and tell me what brings you here and who or what this Garlic Junior Character is."

Food.

Kami, he loved food. His trip with Augistine had reminded him just how much he hated the rations they stocked ships with, and his trek through the mountains had reminded him that food was a glorious thing. All of his dreams while he meditated, in an attempt to ward off starvation, had been of his mother bringing him food, which was sad in two ways, but now was not the time for that.

Swallowing another mouthful of food, he began speaking again, all the while shoving his face with food.

"I visited New York City, apparently Mad Max was visiting there, and given what that bastard did to the Namekian elder, I wanted my revenge upon him, to challenge him in single combat. I was sitting there minding my own business when this creepy sucker uses my head to carve a trench out of the highway. We fought for awhile, and a lady came, she killed two and was a pretty big help to me. I get to the last one, Ginger, the strongest among them. He tells me his master, Garlic Junior is going to conquer the wor when the Makyo star comes within orbit of earth, still don't know what that one is either. Then he took a chunk out of my face! Just jumped at me and bit me, I thoguht I was blind for a few minutes, his fang scrapped the bottom of my eye. But everything was fine, after I disintegrated him of course. This Grakic guy apparently keeps blowing up small villages and is becoming emboldened, I can just tell. But even worse, his mi ion shave returned, and I was sure I killed them. I only know three things right now:

- Garlic Junior is immortal, and from what I gathered plans to use the Makyo star to conquer the planet.

- The three Monarchs as they called themselves, Pepper, Ginger and Spice, as well as three lesser demons, Vinegar, Mustard and Cinnamon have returned as well, as well they get stronger when another is killed.

- Garlic is gathering the Dragon balls

And I have to beat him, Garnet had an effective weapon, I'll have to pick up her later, maybe she could help."

Hiroshi took a deep breath of air as he continued scarfing away at the food, waiting for Sminuras response.

[The Fallen Jedi]

As he and Hiroshi walked into the Village, Hiroshi could see that multiple people would come along and greet Shimura wherever he went, unknown to Hiroshi, Shimura was the leader and the spiritual guide of the Village as well as the small Himalayan Nation. Upon hearing the name of Garlic Junior, Shimura did have an inkling of who he was, but had never seen who Garlic Junior actually was "Hmm, I think I've heard of him once before, but it has been such a long time that I really don't know who he is." Shimura replied, a smile still on his face as he walked towards an open restaurant, although not like modern day restaurants, It was of Japanese/Chinese Descent, and one of Shimura's many favorite placed to eat. Shimura then turned to Hiroshi, gesturing him towards the restaurant "Come now my friend, this is one of my favorite places to eat, although It Isn't like places in the United States, they do make good food here." Shimura said, walking Hiroshi into the open restaurant.

OOC: Just Imagine the Restaurant without any chairs and with some snow, considering we are within the Himalayas.

Upon entering the cottage, the keeper of the restaurant quickly turned and walked towards Shimura, a surprised expression on his face "Master Shimura?, Is that truly you?" The man asked curiously, hoping that it indeed was Shimura. With a smile, Shimura approached the man "Why of course It Is my friend, you see, I have a weary traveler with me who requires something to eat, I've been wondering if you could give us the classical meal for here, I'd also appreciate It If you could bring some tea out for us while we wait?" he asked, sitting cross legged in front of a low, japanese style table as he waited for the owner of the store to return, Shimura turned to Hiroshi, gesturing him over "Now my friend, come sit and tell me what brings you here and who or what this Garlic Junior Character is."

Food.

Kami, he loved food. His trip with Augistine had reminded him just how much he hated the rations they stocked ships with, and his trek through the mountains had reminded him that food was a glorious thing. All of his dreams while he meditated, in an attempt to ward off starvation, had been of his mother bringing him food, which was sad in two ways, but now was not the time for that.

Swallowing another mouthful of food, he began speaking again, all the while shoving his face with food.

"I visited New York City, apparently Mad Max was visiting there, and given what that bastard did to the Namekian elder, I wanted my revenge upon him, to challenge him in single combat. I was sitting there minding my own business when this creepy sucker uses my head to carve a trench out of the highway. We fought for awhile, and a lady came, she killed two and was a pretty big help to me. I get to the last one, Ginger, the strongest among them. He tells me his master, Garlic Junior is going to conquer the wor when the Makyo star comes within orbit of earth, still don't know what that one is either. Then he took a chunk out of my face! Just jumped at me and bit me, I thoguht I was blind for a few minutes, his fang scrapped the bottom of my eye. But everything was fine, after I disintegrated him of course. This Grakic guy apparently keeps blowing up small villages and is becoming emboldened, I can just tell. But even worse, his mi ion shave returned, and I was sure I killed them. I only know three things right now:

- Garlic Junior is immortal, and from what I gathered plans to use the Makyo star to conquer the planet.

- The three Monarchs as they called themselves, Pepper, Ginger and Spice, as well as three lesser demons, Vinegar, Mustard and Cinnamon have returned as well, as well they get stronger when another is killed.

- Garlic is gathering the Dragon balls

And I have to beat him, Garnet had an effective weapon, I'll have to pick up her later, maybe she could help."

Hiroshi took a deep breath of air as he continued scarfing away at the food, waiting for Sminuras response.

Shimura looked up upon saying something about the Namekian Elder known as Guru, Shimura knew about Guru due to the fact that he (Shimura) had visited Guru years before for Spiritual Advice "Wait a moment my friend, when you say the Namekian Elder, are you talking about the Grand Elder Guru, because I happened to know him when I was on my spiritual journey across the Universe!" Shimura said happily, pouring himself tea in a cup, then beginning to calmly drink it down "And this Mad Max person, what exactly did he do to the Grand Elder?, I'm curious to know about your journeys my friend, come now and tell me more about your time on Namek, we can get down to business tomorrow because I know you want to rest." Shimura said kindly.

[The Republic of Atria]

"Wait... Why did you tell me your name? Don't you have a secret identity? You know, to protect your family and stuff?" She asked. Alex gave her a funny look.

"Erm... I don't really have a family. I'm a test tube baby." Alex explained. "I chose the name. But yeah, I'm in no danger. I'm practically as powerful as Superman. But for some reason, people practically worship him and I get stared at like I'm chopped liver." He mutters. "Is it my hair? Should I get it cut?"

"Oh... That's sad. I actually like liver now. So what does that make you?" Was this an attempt at flirting with a man who could bench press the entire city of New Attilan with one hand? Yes. Would it work?

Alex's face got hot and red. "That... That's probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." He replied and they both burst out laughing. This was what relaxing and being normal felt like? It was fun. Alex wiped his face. "That was probably the corniest way anyone could ever flirt. But it's the only time I've been flirted with. So I'll take it!" Alex said smiling at the snake woman.

Naja laughed a bit. "I read a bunch of stuff about you online. Everyone paints you as some sort of super powered sociopath. Well, there are a few who don't... But what they do paint you as..." She shivers a bit. "And I mean literally paint you. It's creepy. But that's the internet right?"

"I guess. I think I've only used it like... Once. Too busy either flying away from people or not dying. Hey... You wanna go for a walk or somethin and just get out of here? I've heard cool things about this place. Maybe you could show me around?" He asked.

"Sounds like a date to me." She winked. Alex smiled and followed her outside.

[Kaoiluja]

Vladkaht Jaloki, leader of the Akanksa crime syndicate and heir to the fallen throne of the Basakiith empire, paced slowly through his study, a copy of an ancient tome in hand. The dark cavern expanded indefinitely, the darkness obscuring the endless halls and stairways. This was a good place for him to get back to his roots, and to remember why he fought. These tomes were ancient, documents from the dawn of the Basakiith reign, and spanning all the way back to the first days of primal invocation. They were granted to him by Mirza, god of knowledge and honor, the last surviving deity of his people. They moved with the rest of this underground citadel, which was known for never being in one place for long. In fact, it was not in any place. This was pocket of space made for him and his followers, only accessible by the main entrance.

He was reading a scientific paper by Odifusk Ro, one of the greatest primal mages of the 19th dynasty. He was a visionary, Odifusk. He was a scholar on divination casts, but he managed a way to revolutionize the arts applications to be more than just a method of pre-battle strategizing. He made it into an active fighting style, making one able to see and predict something at a moments notice. This made him quite a formidable opponent, and his unorthodox style was what won him the 2,018th elder mage combat competition. "Eye of the Orphan Sage" was by far one of the most interesting casts in history in Vladkahts opinion. It was not his specialty or particular style of combat, but it was a good read all the same. It is things like these that make me miss the olden days.

He could hear coming up the stairs a set of hurried feet. Vladkaht sighed. There is always someone needing my attention. Never can I get a few good moments to myself. he could hear the shuffle of the person kneeling on the top step. "What is it now?" He droned in a slightly bored tone.

"My lord, I am Felix Alexander Quintera You know me."

Vladkaht turned, for he recognized both the name and the voice. The mans face was obscured by the hood of his red cloak that marked his high rank in the syndicate. It was good that it was Felix that had bothered him. Unlike most of the others, Vladkaht had a legitimate liking for the ambitious man. He had not stayed loyal for profit or selfish gain like some of the others. Felix actually believed in the cause they had, that it was good and right. "Felix. Yes, I would not forget you."

"I bring word of the kidnapping of Senator Bennet."

"Is the man among us in the prisons below?"

Felix bowed his head further. "The operation was successful until an unknown vigilante intervened. He defeated our men and freed the Senator. Tybereus was taken."

Vladkaht grunted in distaste. "Did they at least save the hammer?"

"No my lord. The vigilante was a mutant. He used his abilities to destroy it. I am afraid Tybereus is in quite an unstable condition as a result, my lord."

Vladkaht huffed in exasperation, closing the tome. "At least the primary objective was accomplished."

"My lord, we cannot gain any money from his ransom. How is that so?"

"We want attention, not money. We have garnered the interest of a few local news stations in the past. Now he while country will be wondering who the Akanska are. We want them afraid. In the coming days fear will only grow. The goal is a victorious war, Felix, not glorious battles."

"On a better note, the raid on Oscorps was successful, as you promised it would be."

Vladkaht smiled. "But a few glorious battles are good, yes?"

Felix nodded enthusiastically, admiring Vladkahts words. "But what of the vigilante? He shall surely be of much trouble when he hears of his newfound fame."

Vladkaht thought for a moment. "Find him. Who he is, where he sleeps, how much sugar he puts in his coffee. I want you to get me every bit of information about him that you can. I will destroy his pitiful attempt at being a hero. I will make an example."

"Exactly What shall we do when we find him?" Felix inquired.

"Leave that to me."

[Of The Rnclave]

Food.

Kami, he loved food. His trip with Augistine had reminded him just how much he hated the rations they stocked ships with, and his trek through the mountains had reminded him that food was a glorious thing. All of his dreams while he meditated, in an attempt to ward off starvation, had been of his mother bringing him food, which was sad in two ways, but now was not the time for that.

Swallowing another mouthful of food, he began speaking again, all the while shoving his face with food.

"I visited New York City, apparently Mad Max was visiting there, and given what that bastard did to the Namekian elder, I wanted my revenge upon him, to challenge him in single combat. I was sitting there minding my own business when this creepy sucker uses my head to carve a trench out of the highway. We fought for awhile, and a lady came, she killed two and was a pretty big help to me. I get to the last one, Ginger, the strongest among them. He tells me his master, Garlic Junior is going to conquer the wor when the Makyo star comes within orbit of earth, still don't know what that one is either. Then he took a chunk out of my face! Just jumped at me and bit me, I thoguht I was blind for a few minutes, his fang scrapped the bottom of my eye. But everything was fine, after I disintegrated him of course. This Grakic guy apparently keeps blowing up small villages and is becoming emboldened, I can just tell. But even worse, his mi ion shave returned, and I was sure I killed them. I only know three things right now:

- Garlic Junior is immortal, and from what I gathered plans to use the Makyo star to conquer the planet.

- The three Monarchs as they called themselves, Pepper, Ginger and Spice, as well as three lesser demons, Vinegar, Mustard and Cinnamon have returned as well, as well they get stronger when another is killed.

- Garlic is gathering the Dragon balls

And I have to beat him, Garnet had an effective weapon, I'll have to pick up her later, maybe she could help."

Hiroshi took a deep breath of air as he continued scarfing away at the food, waiting for Sminuras response.

Shimura looked up upon saying something about the Namekian Elder known as Guru, Shimura knew about Guru due to the fact that he (Shimura) had visited Guru years before for Spiritual Advice "Wait a moment my friend, when you say the Namekian Elder, are you talking about the Grand Elder Guru, because I happened to know him when I was on my spiritual journey across the Universe!" Shimura said happily, pouring himself tea in a cup, then beginning to calmly drink it down "And this Mad Max person, what exactly did he do to the Grand Elder?, I'm curious to know about your journeys my friend, come now and tell me more about your time on Namek, we can get down to business tomorrow because I know you want to rest." Shimura said kindly.

"Well I followed Prince Augistine to Namek, on a journey to secure the dragon balls, away from the tyrant Freiza. Freiza… he was slaughtering them by the hundreds, Dodoria, his right hand man, he was my first kill, he… he broke Moori's neck, and I just snapped. After that we kinda danced around Namek, trying to ward off Freiza and stop the Saiyan Okarot from getting a wish. We fought the Ginupyu force,a me for a short period, I was the strongest among us. I was the i yo one present to face down Freiza, we fought and I had the upper hand, until he transformed, a Second time, he beat me around, then blasted out my midsection. Everything after that was fuzzy, I think I died, and this girl revived me, she has something to do with Sayaku, I know that much, but I have to track down that guy first, and lord knows what a task that'll be. Max, absorbed Nail and Guru from what I heard, but either way, they're dead, and he lives, and that alone is to grievious a act to ignore. When I ascend, and fond the power beyond my current limits, he'll die by my hands. That's assuming Garlic, or go forbid Okarot return before then. I've been training my ass off to be able to defeat Okarot if he returns, and I think I may have a chance. " Hirosi said, sitting back with a huff, he certainly was tired, but it was nice to just sit and talk for once, instead of trading insults with an enemy or fighting, as much as he enjoyed that.

[The Fallen Jedi]

Shimura looked up upon saying something about the Namekian Elder known as Guru, Shimura knew about Guru due to the fact that he (Shimura) had visited Guru years before for Spiritual Advice "Wait a moment my friend, when you say the Namekian Elder, are you talking about the Grand Elder Guru, because I happened to know him when I was on my spiritual journey across the Universe!" Shimura said happily, pouring himself tea in a cup, then beginning to calmly drink it down "And this Mad Max person, what exactly did he do to the Grand Elder?, I'm curious to know about your journeys my friend, come now and tell me more about your time on Namek, we can get down to business tomorrow because I know you want to rest." Shimura said kindly.

"Well I followed Prince Augistine to Namek, on a journey to secure the dragon balls, away from the tyrant Freiza. Freiza… he was slaughtering them by the hundreds, Dodoria, his right hand man, he was my first kill, he… he broke Moori's neck, and I just snapped. After that we kinda danced around Namek, trying to ward off Freiza and stop the Saiyan Okarot from getting a wish. We fought the Ginupyu force,a me for a short period, I was the strongest among us. I was the i yo one present to face down Freiza, we fought and I had the upper hand, until he transformed, a Second time, he beat me around, then blasted out my midsection. Everything after that was fuzzy, I think I died, and this girl revived me, she has something to do with Sayaku, I know that much, but I have to track down that guy first, and lord knows what a task that'll be. Max, absorbed Nail and Guru from what I heard, but either way, they're dead, and he lives, and that alone is to grievious a act to ignore. When I ascend, and fond the power beyond my current limits, he'll die by my hands. That's assuming Garlic, or go forbid Okarot return before then. I've been training my ass off to be able to defeat Okarot if he returns, and I think I may have a chance. " Hirosi said, sitting back with a huff, he certainly was tired, but it was nice to just sit and talk for once, instead of trading insults with an enemy or fighting, as much as he enjoyed that.

A Master's Belief

A frown formed on Shimura's face as he realized that the Grand Elder Guru was dead due to the absorption of his and his bodyguard Nail's power into Mad Max's being, yet he wasn't exactly angry at Max, for all he knew, it was most likely a necessity when the warriors had faced off against the tyrannical Lord Frieza, but what had saddened him so was that most likely, there was no successor to Guru's great knowledge and abilities. Shimura looked back up to Hiroshi with a small frown on his face, taking a silent drink of his tea as he then looked up to the snowy heavens "It is very unfortunate to learn of Grand Elder Guru's passing, he was a close friend of mine before I left Namek, he was a very friendly Namekian who cared greatly for his children, It saddens my heart to hear of this sad news Hiroshi." Shimura said with a frown before he looked Hiroshi dead in his eyes "But my friend, I've heard about the power of Frieza and no doubt that It was great, so wouldn't you think that Mad Max would have to do such a thing and absorb Nail and Guru into his being?"

Shimura then brought his palm out, an orb of spinning blue energy forming on his hand, the energy beginning to swirl around slowly "You see Hiroshi, your mind is like this energy orb, although pure -" The Orb of Blue Energy began to swirl with an increasingly black aura "Your Mind is unsynced with your spirit, causing the soul to become eventually corrupted." Shimura said as he closed his palm and slowly stood up "Although it is a slow process for you, the thoughts of killing people and wanting to fight for almost no reason will speed up that process exponentially, you must always ask yourself questions of why people do the things you do, like asking why did Mad Max absorb both Guru and Nail, It may have been because Guru was already almost nearing the end of his natural life and if he died, the Dragon Balls would be petrified, and to absorb Nail would give Max a significant power-up in order to face off against Frieza, you mustn't come to an automatic conclusion and let dark thoughts fill your mind, you must ask yourself why Max absorbed Guru and Nail." Shimura finished with a smile, gesturing for Hiroshi to follow.

[Of The Rnclave]

"Well I followed Prince Augistine to Namek, on a journey to secure the dragon balls, away from the tyrant Freiza. Freiza… he was slaughtering them by the hundreds, Dodoria, his right hand man, he was my first kill, he… he broke Moori's neck, and I just snapped. After that we kinda danced around Namek, trying to ward off Freiza and stop the Saiyan Okarot from getting a wish. We fought the Ginupyu force,a me for a short period, I was the strongest among us. I was the i yo one present to face down Freiza, we fought and I had the upper hand, until he transformed, a Second time, he beat me around, then blasted out my midsection. Everything after that was fuzzy, I think I died, and this girl revived me, she has something to do with Sayaku, I know that much, but I have to track down that guy first, and lord knows what a task that'll be. Max, absorbed Nail and Guru from what I heard, but either way, they're dead, and he lives, and that alone is to grievious a act to ignore. When I ascend, and fond the power beyond my current limits, he'll die by my hands. That's assuming Garlic, or go forbid Okarot return before then. I've been training my ass off to be able to defeat Okarot if he returns, and I think I may have a chance. " Hirosi said, sitting back with a huff, he certainly was tired, but it was nice to just sit and talk for once, instead of trading insults with an enemy or fighting, as much as he enjoyed that.

A Master's Belief

A frown formed on Shimura's face as he realized that the Grand Elder Guru was dead due to the absorption of his and his bodyguard Nail's power into Mad Max's being, yet he wasn't exactly angry at Max, for all he knew, it was most likely a necessity when the warriors had faced off against the tyrannical Lord Frieza, but what had saddened him so was that most likely, there was no successor to Guru's great knowledge and abilities. Shimura looked back up to Hiroshi with a small frown on his face, taking a silent drink of his tea as he then looked up to the snowy heavens "It is very unfortunate to learn of Grand Elder Guru's passing, he was a close friend of mine before I left Namek, he was a very friendly Namekian who cared greatly for his children, It saddens my heart to hear of this sad news Hiroshi." Shimura said with a frown before he looked Hiroshi dead in his eyes "But my friend, I've heard about the power of Frieza and no doubt that It was great, so wouldn't you think that Mad Max would have to do such a thing and absorb Nail and Guru into his being?"

Shimura then brought his palm out, an orb of spinning blue energy forming on his hand, the energy beginning to swirl around slowly "You see Hiroshi, your mind is like this energy orb, although pure -" The Orb of Blue Energy began to swirl with an increasingly black aura "Your Mind is unsynced with your spirit, causing the soul to become eventually corrupted." Shimura said as he closed his palm and slowly stood up "Although it is a slow process for you, the thoughts of killing people and wanting to fight for almost no reason will speed up that process exponentially, you must always ask yourself questions of why people do the things you do, like asking why did Mad Max absorb both Guru and Nail, It may have been because Guru was already almost nearing the end of his natural life and if he died, the Dragon Balls would be petrified, and to absorb Nail would give Max a significant power-up in order to face off against Frieza, you mustn't come to an automatic conclusion and let dark thoughts fill your mind, you must ask yourself why Max absorbed Guru and Nail." Shimura finished with a smile, gesturing for Hiroshi to follow.

Hirshi couldn't stop the swirl of emerald that flashed through his deep Violet eyes. This old geezer dared to defend Max? If this guy wasn't the key to unlocking his power and getting a manageable hold over his power, then he'd probably be through a couple walls already. Not to say that the man didn't have good intentions, Hiroshi could sense it.

"I suppose your right, I'll have to start looking deeper then the surface from now. All these thoughts and nightmares started after some girl saved me in Namek, she has something to do with Sayaku I know it, I just need some… proof?" He gave a sheepish smile at the sage, scratching the back of his head, how onyx hair ruffling as he did.

"So how are you going to help me get this all under control?" He asked, trying to keep the incredulous sound out of his voice.

[The Fallen Jedi]

- Snip -

A Master's Belief

Shimura gave a smile as he looked into the eyes of Hiroshi, noticing the rage over Shimura supposedly "siding" with Mad Max, yet Shimura hadn't done any of the sort, he knew Guru and always remained in contact with the Namekian whenever it was possible, but now that he was dead, Shimura could only be happy that he was now living up in heaven, he then talked telepathically to Hiroshi "No need to be angry at me friend, I knew that the Grand Elder was at the end of his life, I could feel it even from here on Earth and I knew that if he died, the Dragon Balls on Namek would be petrified and would no longer be put to use, I know you are angry about it, but myself and Guru were close friends from the day we met, there could have been no one except for the Namekian called Nail that was closer to Guru than I ever was, but I've accepted that the Grand Elder has passed away, be happy that he does not have to suffer no longer." Shimura said with a smile, leading Hiroshi back to the Pavillion.

Upon arriving back to the Pavillion, Shimura took a step onto the flat wooden ground of the pavillion, watching as the moon began to rise up over the mountaintop "I know that you wish to get onto training my friend, however the night has fallen upon us, so It would be the time for you to rest your body and recover from your travels -" Shimura then gestured Hiroshi to the small hut that was Shimura's home "You may take shelter within my home for tonight my friend, you need not worry about me, It's been about time since I've meditated in the calm peaceful night." Shimura said calmly and happily, sitting down onto the wooden ground of the pavillion while crossing his legs.

[The Republic of Atria]

"So..." Alex trailed off. "Thanks for... Hanging out with me. Most people I hang out with have some kind of hard on for either killing me, telling me what to do, both, or something else. Which is less common, but it still gets on my nerves to a degree. I felt that being normal was... Dumb honestly. Then when fighting became the norm, suddenly not fighting looked a lot better. Sorry, I've really never had someone I was this comfortable talking to before..." Alex says embarrassed a bit.

"It's fine. I had the same problem with people giving me the stink eye. You're sure I don't freak you out?" She asked.

"Nah. I've been in space for so long, met so many aliens, honestly, you're on the attractive scale of things... Um... Figuratively." He said for a moment forgetting that she had scales, and making himself look more like an idiot. At least he thought he was making himself look stupid. Naja didn't seemed to mind. "The English language and it's words that are spelled the same, but have completely different meanings."

She just snickered at the man. It was funny to see someone so powerful acting like a klutz. "Relax. I get that your social skills aren't exactly perfect. But who says they have to be? You said you were a test tube baby. You didn't have parents to teach you. I might not see where you coming from, but I understand it. It's okay. I'm not going to bite." She teased him.

"With teeth like those? Ouch." He said and they both laughed a bit while rounding a corner. Alex bumped into a man he didn't see due to horsing around with Naja, though despite his incredible strength, the man simply staggered a bit. "Oh! Holy crap man, I am SO sorry about that. You okay?" He asked.

"No, no, it was my bad. I was not looking where I was going. Though I must say that you are quite strong, most people I bump into I accidentally break a rib. Wait. I know you. The Golden Guardian. One day I hoped to meet you, though I didn't expect it to be here." The man replied. "I am Thane. I'm relatively new to the city as well."

"Please. Call me Alex, Thane." He said and offered the man his hand. Thane shook it back. Alex was actually in the middle of a conflict. People knew him as the Golden Guardian. He believed he was the Golden Guardian. The conflict being that he insisted that people call him Alex. His human name. A form in which he despised. So frail and weak. It was an identity crisis. Is he Alex or the Golden Guardian?

[Asterdan]

Lúxvalik-Taerr floated on through the clouds, collecting his feelings. He was not sure what to think. What is it that I did to fail so terribly? I have fought for millions of years. How can I be outmatched by those who's lives were like blinks of an eye to him? It was a disgrace. He knew he was probably being overdramatic, but he did not known what that meant. He had no experience wih this kind of emotion. He rarely felt it at all, given his mostly cheerful disposition. He found it strange that Waiyäv would have allowed such a feeling to be within him considering all of the other emotions he could not hope to feel. Now he wallowed in his emotions as he began to question himself and his abilities further.

He barely noticed the dragon coming toward him before he was only a few hundred feet away. It's glittering scales were blinding at first, and he had to adjust his current forms eye makeup before looking at him properly. "Oh, well look at that." He said aloud. He had wondered while flying through this area if he would have the opportunity to see a dragon, and apparently he had received an answer. "Greetings fair dragon. It is a pleasure to be I your presence."

"I am Shimian, the Sleep Eater," Shimian said to the being, "I have heard your cry for help, and as the world I protect sleeps, I felt that I had the time to spare to help you."

Shimian took on his human form as he neared the Outworlder, looking him over and taking stock of what he would be working with.

"Who are you, and what is it you are in need of?" he asked, curious.

"I am the Outworlder, sent by the great Waiyäv , tamer of worlds and bane of all evil, to chart the most distant reaches of the universe." He looked down. "But I do not know exactly what I need. I have been a champion of all people's for time untold, and yet now I find I am nothing I thought I was. I am broken, wise creature, for I have seen that, though my master promised me power to conquer any threat I may face, My power is outmatched by those that are but a speck in the flow of time." He could tell he was rambling. Though he was sure to be as polite and respectful to the dragons authority here, he did not wish to bore the him with his problems, especially when he was so unsure of whether he was overreacting or not. It was an awkward thing, being so unfamiliar with ones feelings that one does not know what it is he is feeling. He decided to get straight to the point. "I believe I have failed my master, for he would not take back his promise. Only through my own inadequacy can these facts be true."

"Outworlder, "Shimian began, "Your master's promise holds true, you are just yet to unlock your full potential. I believe I can help with that. Come to the village of Zinqiu, in China. At the edge of the village there is a temple built into the side of the mountain. If you can find your way there, I will help you expand your powers to their utmost potential. Your master helped as much as he could, but this is a completely different sector of the massive universe, the threats different and far more dangerous. He helped you become the most powerful there, and I can help you become one of the great warriors here."

With that, Shimian's dragon form burst from his human form, returning to his temple. He sat, waiting and wondering if the Outworlder would take him up on his offer.

Peter Bennett

Peter was still waiting on the doctor when his mind drifted back to the Golden Guardian. He chuckled when he remembered how fast he had flown. He felt a strange tingle when he thought about it and how much he wanted to fly. Peter replayed the scene over and over in his head, and the tingling sensation grew stronger and stronger. His eyes began to glow, and a memory resurfaced. When he had shook Alex's hand, his hand had glowed for the briefest of seconds. He didn't know it, but his DNA was rewriting itself to replicate the DNA coding that allowed Alex to fly, which it had learned during the handshake (it had learned the DNA structure that allowed all of the Guardian's abilities, but since Peter wanted only to fly, his DNA only restructured itself to allow him to fly).

Peter had felt this before, and his body had gotten use to it, which was why it was only a tingle instead of the screeching pain it had been when he replicated had replicated the optic blasts and super speed. Of course, Peter couldn't remember this, so the tingling sensation caught him off guard. He stood up, hoping walking would help the sensation go away. Instead he tripped.

Peter closed his eyes and braced for impact. An impact that never arrived. Slowly, his eyes began opening. He looked down as he floated in the air, stunned and surprised. Peter looked up and began to rise. He smirked as saw what he could now do. Did he always have his ability? No, he knew he had just gained it. All Peter had to do was figure out how hid did it.

"Peter Bennett." the nurse called.

Peter went in, the doctor examined him and began to explain.

"You, my friend, are not an Inhuman but a mutant." he explained, "Your DNA is malleable, meaning it can change. It looks like someone saw this and took advantage of it, adding a gene that allowed you to subconsciously control the change. Long story short, you can replicate the abilities of those that you have touched and seen use their powers."

Peter absorbed this, thanked the doc and left, flying through the skies of New Attilan, experimenting with his new powers. He noticed Alex, a snake-girl and purple dude, but was too busy flying around to drop by.

[Rob Halfordia]

snip

Mason watched as Alex was 'socializing' with the inhumans. Mason was starting to piece it together. He had heard from a distance what his name was, and that he was born in a lab. That sealed it. He had to be "Alexander the Great", the genetic experiment gone wrong. Much like Mason himself. Mason was the failed prototype of a being built to replicate powers based only off sight, and, as soon as the extent of this power was discovered, he was set to be destroyed. What was not accounted for, was the fact that he had in fact seen the powers of Superman in action. He managed to escape with some ease. But, he had also learned of several others during his escape. A being with a mixed genome of some of the most powerful species in the universe, and another being with replication powers, albeit much less powerful than Mason's own powers. There was another file though, which was mostly redacted. All that Mason was able to learn from the documents was the name "Nightmare". And now, his curiosity got the better of him. Maybe Alexander had some idea of who Nightmare was.

Mason flew over, well aware that Alex's disposition towards him was not a very good one, but not particularly caring. He spoke in a serious tone, "I hate to interrupt, but could I have a private word with you? And before you say no, let me lead off with a question. Do you know anything about a being called 'Nightmare'?", he said, hoping to gain the man's attention.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

---

Etla nodded at Helen as she said that they would have to get her some more human-looking clothes, and simply followed her as she led her through the streets of Columbus, still marveling at the city, feeling the vibration of the concrete on her feet as the transports of the humans caused it to shake and feeling the looming atmosphere of the city as it surrounded her completely. If the forest had been a vortex of completely new sensations, the city was only slightly less overwhelming, but Etla's Power Core was a marvel from beyond this world and so, even with all of her sensations filled with awe, she briskly walked behind Helen, fully in control of herself.

Eventually, they reached a building in particular, one that seemed to be quite frequented by the looks of it, as several people were walking in and out, though it did not seem particularly crowded, as it was quite large. Watching Helen open the entrance and then walking into the building, she looked around curiously, noticing hundreds and hundreds of garments displayed within the area, clothes of all kinds, even some that she had never seen before in her life, not that this was too surprising considering her background. Either way, she wandered inside as she looked all around, a sparkle in her already unnaturally bright eyes as she gazed at garments of all colors, types and compositions. Once again these humans surprised her, once again in a good way. Still idly moving forward, she stopped upon hearing Helen's voice, saying that they would have to find garments that fit her. Etla nodded to herself upon hearing that. Indeed, it would make little sense for her to attempt to don something that was too small or too large for her figure, since that would likely hamper her movement and make her look bad. Helen did say something about "paying", too, but the Rainborn had no concept of currency nor knowledge of the meaning of the word, and so, she simply took it to mean that she would take care of everything. With that in mind, she turned to give Helen a brief smile and a nod, before heading off into the maze of clothes, eventually finding an employee who helped her around a bit.

A not so few minutes later, and now armed with a greater understanding of the intricacies of human clothing matter as well as a bit of an increase in her knowledge of human interaction, Etla walked back out of the maze of stands and racks of clothes and returned to Helen's side, her attire now vastly different. Instead of her ornate white coat and her black legwear, she wore a white tube top with an unzipped crimson leather jacket on top of it and jeans covering her legs. Her feet were no longer bare either, with the Rainborn now wearing a pair of black boots. All in all it did not seem like her sense of aesthetics differed as much from that of humans as would be the case with different otherworldly species, though her lack of knowledge on the matter of currency meant that she paid no mind to the price of her clothes, resulting in her picking up a couple of clothing articles that were a tad bit expensive.

Blissfully unaware of this, Etla briskly strolled back to Helen, her previous attire nowhere to be seen. "You humans make really pretty garments." She commented with a smile on her face. "I'm done now, so we can go and find your invader, if he's still around, but I'm afraid I won't be joining in the fight. I have very little power currently. I would be more useful if I had brought any Power Cores from home, but my exit was... a bit unexpected, so I had no time to bring anything with me." She explained before snapping her fingers, a small metallic sphere of about an inch of radius suddenly appearing in her hand. "This is all I have, and it's not much use, though it does make me stronger." She stated.

---

After having been running away from the ruined part of the city for a few minutes, Garnet slowed down and began walking instead, panting slightly as she tried to catch her breath, looking around and taking in her surroundings. She had been living in that city for the better part of a year, so she had a good idea of the layout of the city. Thus, it was not too difficult for her to quickly notice where she was and which direction she should head in to go back home. As far as she could see, she was not very far away, so she believed she'd reach it after a ten minute walk or so. Truth be told, she was rather eager to be able to relax for a bit at the place she called home. Her day thus far had been a tad hectic, to say the very least. First she was fired, and then she had to help a boy with a tail and an absurd amount of power fend off against six otherworldly demons who seemed to be able to match him to a degree, one of them having bitten half his face off. The blonde woman shuddered as she thought of that, it was not a pleasant sight at all. Hurrying along, she shook those thoughts off of her head. Best not to think about it too much, she told herself. The aliens were dead, the boy's wounds were likely treated by the green person, and the other man had likely flown off to wherever it is that flying men with strange uniforms fly off to. Everything was fine.

Sighing, she turned a corner and focused on other things. Her boyfriend was most likely home as well, so she could always talk to him about her troubles, not to mention she'd have quite a bit of explaining to do if he happened to have been watching the news at that moment. She didn't think any of the cameras would have happened to catch her at the scene, considering how she was hardly the highest priority target present and how she had been trying to hide from the aliens, but there was always that moment where Hiroshi had shielded her from Spice's attack, and if the cameras did film her, well, she wasn't exactly sure of how he'd react if he did see her there. Worried most likely. Perhaps a little irked as well. He had always been a bit jealous, ever since she'd met him. And she'd have to explain the gun as well, much to her dismay. Though she had been with him for about half a year now, and they trusted each other a lot, she still hadn't brought herself to tell him about Misery and the story behind its presence with her.

Garnet's thoughts were drawn away from this matter as she noticed something strange around her. First of all, while she hadn't been particularly paying attention, now that she thought about it she hadn't seen any other person around for a while. Granted, this wasn't exactly the busiest part of the city but it was still strange to see absolutely no one on the streets... it was unnatural. Her unease was soon raised further, as the corner of her blue eyes seemed to show her moving shadows. She was starting to get paranoid by this point, looking to the sides and over her shoulder to make sure there was nothing following her, her footsteps becoming faster and faster as the moments passed.

And then, when she looked forward, her eyes widened and her heart sank.

Standing in front of her was a shadow, a shadow like the ones that had haunted her for so long after she had taken the gun from its pedestal, two years ago. A myriad of emotions coursed through Garnet as she saw another one of those things standing in front of her, after she had falsely believed that they had finally left her alone. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to shoot the thing until her aching trigger finger seized up and stopped responding. She wanted to run away until her legs gave out and she fell to the ground face first. And she really, really wanted the thing to just disappear, and for somebody to tell her that everything was fine.

But the only thing that happened was that the shadow continued to stand there, in front of the shaking girl whose eyes began to tear up from fury and fear alike. It was tall, taller than her for certain, and it looked like a human being... mostly. It was unnaturally thin, for one, and its hands seemed to end in claws rather than fingers. It was hard to perceive the depth of a shadow, but it looked like it was hunched over slightly. Aside from that, it possessed no other features whatsoever: it was a pitch-black sentient, tridimensional shadow creature. Seemingly turning, it ran away very fast, giving Garnet a momentary respite, and then a sensation of despair as she realized something: that thing was heading for her boyfriend's house.

Steeling her mind, the young woman began running after it, gripping Misery, not caring that she was in public as she had a feeling that there would be nobody around to see her. Quickly she reached the house, only to stop outside, her eyes going wide in horror once again: the house was completely dark, save for a faint light coming out the window, and there was not only one shadow around: there were several, and all of them were converging inside the house. Warily, she made her way inside, praying to a hundred gods she had never believed in at all before that moment as she crossed through the threshold, fearing not for her own safety but for another's as she walked inside, looking all around her.

What she saw was a man, sitting on a sofa in front of a muted TV set on the news channel. Under other circumstances he might have been called handsome, but this was not his best moment: his eyes were open like saucers, and completely devoid of life, his contorted face an expression of pain and terror frozen in place. There was a hole in the sofa as well, curiously lined up with a hole in the man's chest, the TV casting an eerie light on the whole picture, while the shadows seemed to exit through the windows, leaving her alone with the gruesome sight. And it was this sight which caused Garnet to fall to her knees, the pistol slipping from her grip as she began crying. She shed her tears in sadness, she cried out in despair, and she howled in anger, not knowing why this had to happen. Her sobs turned to screams that echoed through the empty, darkened building, though she was not mourning, no. She was furious. Several emotions had assaulted her when she had seen the corpse of her boyfriend, but in the end the one that had prevailed, likely due to the psychological influence Misery had been exerting on her for two years, had been fury.

Picking up her gun, she ran outside screaming, pursuing the shadows, no longer a simple human woman but a vengeful spirit of the darkness who wielded the arcane gun, Misery. Quite the fitting name for an afternoon such as that one.

[The Republic of Atria]

"So, Thane-" Alex was about to speak when he was interrupted by Mason. He was just going to tell him to go away, at least until the name Nightmare popped up. "Hold on guys. I'll be right back in like. A minute." He said and flew into the sky for a moment. "I can already tell you're going to be a pain in my ass, but yes, I know what Nightmare is. The question remains of what do you have to do with him, and by extension, me." He asked. "Wait. Let me guess. You were created to put me down? It's a never ending cycle with those people..." He mutters and rub the side of his head. "Nightmare was created to kill Cosmic threats. Galactus, Thanos, Darkseid... Stuff like that. But he became hyper aggressive and escaped. He was caught and supposedly contained, but then he recently found a way out and now he's killing everything in his path, and I don't think I'm powerful enough to stop him. I don't think anyone is powerful enough to stop him. I was supposed to, but my name isn't Deathwish."


He did feel slightly bad about just letting Nightmare go, but in truth he was still afraid of it, even at beyond his full power. Was a chance to just be normal and NOT have to go around stopping invading aliens from destroying the earth, or saving the universe in general too much to ask for? And with this man, who Alex could just tell was going to get on his nerves in the future, this went from a poor morning, to a good one, back to a poor one again. "So, what do you know about Nightmare, and what do you want me to do about it?"


"Can you them?" Naja asked Thane.

"Yes. As plain as day, Alex is obviously annoyed with this man, but it seems they are discussing some creature who goes by the name of Nightmare. An apparent super weapon gone as wrong as it possibly can." Thane replied.

[Kaoiluja]

"I am the Outworlder, sent by the great Waiyäv , tamer of worlds and bane of all evil, to chart the most distant reaches of the universe." He looked down. "But I do not know exactly what I need. I have been a champion of all people's for time untold, and yet now I find I am nothing I thought I was. I am broken, wise creature, for I have seen that, though my master promised me power to conquer any threat I may face, My power is outmatched by those that are but a speck in the flow of time." He could tell he was rambling. Though he was sure to be as polite and respectful to the dragons authority here, he did not wish to bore the him with his problems, especially when he was so unsure of whether he was overreacting or not. It was an awkward thing, being so unfamiliar with ones feelings that one does not know what it is he is feeling. He decided to get straight to the point. "I believe I have failed my master, for he would not take back his promise. Only through my own inadequacy can these facts be true."

"Outworlder, "Shimian began, "Your master's promise holds true, you are just yet to unlock your full potential. I believe I can help with that. Come to the village of Zinqiu, in China. At the edge of the village there is a temple built into the side of the mountain. If you can find your way there, I will help you expand your powers to their utmost potential. Your master helped as much as he could, but this is a completely different sector of the massive universe, the threats different and far more dangerous. He helped you become the most powerful there, and I can help you become one of the great warriors here."

With that, Shimian's dragon form burst from his human form, returning to his temple. He sat, waiting and wondering if the Outworlder would take him up on his offer.

The Outworlder followed Shimian back to the temple, eager to see what would be waiting for him. As he flew, he came to a strange realization. In fact, it made him falter slightly in his flight. He realized just how much he had failed in one particular area, one he did not think to pay attention to until now, when it slapped him in the face as a reminder of how short sighted he had been.

He had never trained.

He functioned more as a diplomat more than a fighter. His fighting prowess was formidable, but he had always been so preoccupied with his official tasks that he never thought to hone it to a point. Any of his skills were learned as a side trick to his work. He Had never actually taken the time to train himself beyond his limits.

As he entered the temple without a word, he looked expectantly to the dragon man, wondering what he had in store for him here.

[Asterdan]

Peter was flying around when he heard the name "Nightmare". The name triggered some memories, sort of. Peter remembered hearing the name, and he could feel memories trying to resurface, but something was blocking them and forcing them down. He was unable to recall where he remembered it from. Wondering if they could, or would, share any information, Peter flew over to Alex and Mason.

"That name," Peter said grimly, "I know it. I just can't remember how or where I know it from."

"Outworlder, "Shimian began, "Your master's promise holds true, you are just yet to unlock your full potential. I believe I can help with that. Come to the village of Zinqiu, in China. At the edge of the village there is a temple built into the side of the mountain. If you can find your way there, I will help you expand your powers to their utmost potential. Your master helped as much as he could, but this is a completely different sector of the massive universe, the threats different and far more dangerous. He helped you become the most powerful there, and I can help you become one of the great warriors here."

With that, Shimian's dragon form burst from his human form, returning to his temple. He sat, waiting and wondering if the Outworlder would take him up on his offer.

The Outworlder followed Shimian back to the temple, eager to see what would be waiting for him. As he flew, he came to a strange realization. In fact, it made him falter slightly in his flight. He realized just how much he had failed in one particular area, one he did not think to pay attention to until now, when it slapped him in the face as a reminder of how short sighted he had been.

He had never trained.

He functioned more as a diplomat more than a fighter. His fighting prowess was formidable, but he had always been so preoccupied with his official tasks that he never thought to hone it to a point. Any of his skills were learned as a side trick to his work. He Had never actually taken the time to train himself beyond his limits.

As he entered the temple without a word, he looked expectantly to the dragon man, wondering what he had in store for him here.

Shimian returned to his human form as the Outworlder entered his temple. A golden smoke began materializing, one that would place the Outworlder into a deep sleep. This was Shimian's Temple, where he ruled all. Of course, Shimian would have the being sleep-train. Shimian entered the dreams of the man, where he would help him hone his skills mentally, while in the physical world, the beings body would move and fight just as if they were training in the physical world.

"Welcome to the realm of dreams." Shimian said, his mortal form pacing around the Outworlder, "You have faced many great and powerful challeneges..."

Shimian used the Outworlder's own memories to change the dream landscape, showing him some of his greatest feats.

"Welcome to a sector of the Universe that has faced worse." Shimian said, using the memories of all who were asleep to show the Outworlder the threats that have faced this sector.

He showed him Galactus, Thanos, the Sinestro Corps, Frieza. Shimian showed the Outworlder the worst of the worst threats to the safety of the universe.

[Rob Halfordia]

snip

Mason could tell that Alex was getting annoyed, but didn't particularly care. There were more important things at hand than Alex's social life. Mason spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone himself, "Listen, I understand you don't care for me too much, especially after I interrupted your little social expedition. But, you must understand better than either of us the threat that he poses. Up until now, I only knew his name, but now that I know what he is, I've realized that we aren't meant to fight the threat alone.", he said, suddenly changing to a more friendly tone, "But first, allow me to introduce myself. If you read any files when you escaped, you may know who I am as well. The name that I was filed under was Xerox, and I was indeed designed by the same people as you. I am the result of the world's scientists attempting to create a being with near perfect power replicating abilities, and more or less succeeding. You, the living clusterfuck, are one of the exceptions to the rule, along with Nightmare, and one other person, who is also a power replicator. For some reason, our creators hardwired me to be unable to copy the other creations.", Mason said, in an expositional onslaught.

"But, I don't think you or I were meant to fight Nightmare alone. As much as the idea of working in a team sickens me, if we work together, we might be able to find a way to beat him.", he said, as the new guy arrived.

[The Republic of Atria]

"I know my DNA is a mess. It's like that for a reason. To make cloning me more effort than it would be worth. That, and a portion of it was bombarded with an unknown energy. I assume from another dimension and even some magic, but at the same time I don't know. I don't even know what that energy was supposed to do." Alex sighed as a third person arrived. "So much for him being a huge secret. Listen I know Nightmare is a threat looming overhead. But in the event you missed it, I just took out a second space tyrant. And before that stopped another one. And before that, fought Nightmare. He's no joke. Even if we all worked together, I have my doubts that we will succeed. So pardon me if I want a few minutes to myself. And, no offense to either of you, but it seems like you got the leftovers from when they made me and Nightmare. So again, forgive me for having doubt." He said and floated back down annoyed.

Thane was listening to the men talking about Nightmare. He had watched Alex in action. If he was having doubts that he, what appeared to be a human with the power of a Kryptonian, and another human with unknown powers, maybe he should lend a hand. "Go-Alex. If this Nightmare thing is as dangerous as you imply, then it would be in the best interest of everyone to destroy it. I am quite powerful, perhaps I could be of assistance." He suggested. Alex was skeptical. He hadn't seen either of them in action. Other than their claims, he had nothing to go on other than the fact that they seemed eager, and very unaware of what they were getting ready to jump into.

"Alright..." He muttered. "Naja?"

"No thank you. Though when you beat it, come back and tell me all about it okay?" She said and gave him a small kiss on the cheek before walking away.

[Asterdan]

snip

Mason could tell that Alex was getting annoyed, but didn't particularly care. There were more important things at hand than Alex's social life. Mason spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone himself, "Listen, I understand you don't care for me too much, especially after I interrupted your little social expedition. But, you must understand better than either of us the threat that he poses. Up until now, I only knew his name, but now that I know what he is, I've realized that we aren't meant to fight the threat alone.", he said, suddenly changing to a more friendly tone, "But first, allow me to introduce myself. If you read any files when you escaped, you may know who I am as well. The name that I was filed under was Xerox, and I was indeed designed by the same people as you. I am the result of the world's scientists attempting to create a being with near perfect power replicating abilities, and more or less succeeding. You, the living clusterfuck, are one of the exceptions to the rule, along with Nightmare, and one other person, who is also a power replicator. For some reason, our creators hardwired me to be unable to copy the other creations.", Mason said, in an expositional onslaught.

"But, I don't think you or I were meant to fight Nightmare alone. As much as the idea of working in a team sickens me, if we work together, we might be able to find a way to beat him.", he said, as the new guy arrived.

Peter hadn't heard the part about Mason being unable top copy other creations, or even that he too could replicate powers. He listened to Alex and nodded.

"Dude, this Nightmare thing can wait. When the time comes, it'll find us." Peter said simply, then turned to Mason, "I may be able to copy this things abilities and help fight it. All I need is a sample of DNA, at least that's what the doc said. I somehow managed to copy Alex's flight, so maybe, once my memories are back and I know how to really use my powers, I can copy the rest of them. When we fight Nightmare, I should be able to replicate his as well."

[Rob Halfordia]

snippity

Mason started to get mad, especially at the leftovers comment, and quickly dropped to the ground, "Leftovers? I don't know about Mr. Amnesia, but I was made only slightly after you were. If anything, we're all just Nightmare's leftovers, some of which are more powerful than others.", he said, implying something very heavily while glaring at Alex, before changing subjects, "Considering that none of us are really familiar with each other's powers, after we relax for a little while, why don't we go after a slightly less powerful targets first. That way, we could work out any issues we might have.", he said, responding to both Alex and Peter.

[The Republic of Atria]

snippity

Mason started to get mad, especially at the leftovers comment, and quickly dropped to the ground, "Leftovers? I don't know about Mr. Amnesia, but I was made only slightly after you were. If anything, we're all just Nightmare's leftovers, some of which are more powerful than others.", he said, implying something very heavily while glaring at Alex, before changing subjects, "Considering that none of us are really familiar with each other's powers, after we relax for a little while, why don't we go after a slightly less powerful targets first. That way, we could work out any issues we might have.", he said, responding to both Alex and Peter.

"You're a power replicator using the powers of a Kryptonian." He said scanning Mason's DNA. "I'm part Kryptonian. Part Saiyan, and part who knows what." Alex muttered. "And yes, if you mean I'm more powerful than you. Then yes, I am. As for that, I know what I can and can't do. But I suppose a quick training exercise would help. I suppose we could just practice on eachother." This was going to get on his nerves. Mason in particular. Arrogant and annoying, but he was volunteering for a suicide mission, so at the very least he had Alex's respect if nothing else. "Now, a city is not the greatest place to practice for more than one reason. We can and should go to the Sahara. An area the size of a large country but with nothing but sand. Peter, I'm pretty sure Nightmare doesn't have DNA. When I fought him, he seemed more ethereal than anything. Any questions?"

[Of The Rnclave]

- Snip -

A Master's Belief

Shimura gave a smile as he looked into the eyes of Hiroshi, noticing the rage over Shimura supposedly "siding" with Mad Max, yet Shimura hadn't done any of the sort, he knew Guru and always remained in contact with the Namekian whenever it was possible, but now that he was dead, Shimura could only be happy that he was now living up in heaven, he then talked telepathically to Hiroshi "No need to be angry at me friend, I knew that the Grand Elder was at the end of his life, I could feel it even from here on Earth and I knew that if he died, the Dragon Balls on Namek would be petrified and would no longer be put to use, I know you are angry about it, but myself and Guru were close friends from the day we met, there could have been no one except for the Namekian called Nail that was closer to Guru than I ever was, but I've accepted that the Grand Elder has passed away, be happy that he does not have to suffer no longer." Shimura said with a smile, leading Hiroshi back to the Pavillion.

Upon arriving back to the Pavillion, Shimura took a step onto the flat wooden ground of the pavillion, watching as the moon began to rise up over the mountaintop "I know that you wish to get onto training my friend, however the night has fallen upon us, so It would be the time for you to rest your body and recover from your travels -" Shimura then gestured Hiroshi to the small hut that was Shimura's home "You may take shelter within my home for tonight my friend, you need not worry about me, It's been about time since I've meditated in the calm peaceful night." Shimura said calmly and happily, sitting down onto the wooden ground of the pavillion while crossing his legs.

Hiroshi nodded, wishing the sage a goodnight as he shakily stumbled inside the hut, falling face first in the bed, caring little to take off his Gi or parka,it'd be warmer this way anyway. Tomorrow he'd work with this sage to better sync his midn and soul, and maybe inadvertently raise his fighting strength and increase his ability, he still had to find Garlic.

////////////////

Nicky snickered quietly as they floated around the mountain. Sansho and Salt had alreayd taken up positions around the small mountain city state. These plebeians were going to face the wrath of Garlic Junior, and would soon now to their master, the only rightful master of this universe.

Cupping a hand, hellish energy began to swirl in his palm, Crimson and the light fo the void began to crackle with his gathered power.

The barracks, the hut and that old piss on the pavilion were easy targets for the powered up demon. With the Makyo star so close, these idots stood no chance.

All many would see was volleys of hellishly dark bolts expected losing against the mountain side, lighting the night with fire.

[The Fallen Jedi]

A Master's Belief

Shimura gave a smile as he looked into the eyes of Hiroshi, noticing the rage over Shimura supposedly "siding" with Mad Max, yet Shimura hadn't done any of the sort, he knew Guru and always remained in contact with the Namekian whenever it was possible, but now that he was dead, Shimura could only be happy that he was now living up in heaven, he then talked telepathically to Hiroshi "No need to be angry at me friend, I knew that the Grand Elder was at the end of his life, I could feel it even from here on Earth and I knew that if he died, the Dragon Balls on Namek would be petrified and would no longer be put to use, I know you are angry about it, but myself and Guru were close friends from the day we met, there could have been no one except for the Namekian called Nail that was closer to Guru than I ever was, but I've accepted that the Grand Elder has passed away, be happy that he does not have to suffer no longer." Shimura said with a smile, leading Hiroshi back to the Pavillion.

Upon arriving back to the Pavillion, Shimura took a step onto the flat wooden ground of the pavillion, watching as the moon began to rise up over the mountaintop "I know that you wish to get onto training my friend, however the night has fallen upon us, so It would be the time for you to rest your body and recover from your travels -" Shimura then gestured Hiroshi to the small hut that was Shimura's home "You may take shelter within my home for tonight my friend, you need not worry about me, It's been about time since I've meditated in the calm peaceful night." Shimura said calmly and happily, sitting down onto the wooden ground of the pavillion while crossing his legs.

Hiroshi nodded, wishing the sage a goodnight as he shakily stumbled inside the hut, falling face first in the bed, caring little to take off his Gi or parka,it'd be warmer this way anyway. Tomorrow he'd work with this sage to better sync his midn and soul, and maybe inadvertently raise his fighting strength and increase his ability, he still had to find Garlic.

////////////////

Nicky snickered quietly as they floated around the mountain. Sansho and Salt had alreayd taken up positions around the small mountain city state. These plebeians were going to face the wrath of Garlic Junior, and would soon now to their master, the only rightful master of this universe.

Cupping a hand, hellish energy began to swirl in his palm, Crimson and the light from the void began to crackle with his gathered power.

The barracks, the hut and that old piss on the pavilion were easy targets for the powered up demon. With the Makyo star so close, these idiots stood no chance.

All many would see was volleys of hellishly dark bolts expected losing against the mountain side, lighting the night with fire.

As Hiroshi had gone to bed, Shimura stood atop the Pavillion silently, connecting his spirit to the cosmos of the Universe and as he was doing this, his eyes suddenly opened in alert as he noticed multiple energy volley's of dark bolts flying towards the mountainside that was the village, Shimura's eyes narrowed in seriousness as his Jade Aura flared to life, the energy being so massive that it could have been compared to Arctico's own energy while in his transformation and yet it continued to rise. Shimura went to work, banging his Overworld Staff once, the entire valley seemed to come to life, a massive wave of energy wrapping itself around the side of the mountain in order to protect the village. The energy that originated from within the Valley of Enlightenment withstood the impact of Nicky's Energy Barrage.

Shimura closed his eyes as he began to gather the dormant energy within his body, the Jade aura that had already gathered around his body burst forth due to awakening his dormant energy "It's been so long since I've actually had to use my power, but I can't let them hurt my people!" Shimura inwardly said to himself, his aged body beginning to buff up and his wrinkled features beginning to slowly fade away, the Wayward Sage then began to hover a few inches off of the ground before propelling himself forward with extreme speed towards the person who fired upon his home.

[Kaoiluja]

Peter was flying around when he heard the name "Nightmare". The name triggered some memories, sort of. Peter remembered hearing the name, and he could feel memories trying to resurface, but something was blocking them and forcing them down. He was unable to recall where he remembered it from. Wondering if they could, or would, share any information, Peter flew over to Alex and Mason.

"That name," Peter said grimly, "I know it. I just can't remember how or where I know it from."

The Outworlder followed Shimian back to the temple, eager to see what would be waiting for him. As he flew, he came to a strange realization. In fact, it made him falter slightly in his flight. He realized just how much he had failed in one particular area, one he did not think to pay attention to until now, when it slapped him in the face as a reminder of how short sighted he had been.

He had never trained.

He functioned more as a diplomat more than a fighter. His fighting prowess was formidable, but he had always been so preoccupied with his official tasks that he never thought to hone it to a point. Any of his skills were learned as a side trick to his work. He Had never actually taken the time to train himself beyond his limits.

As he entered the temple without a word, he looked expectantly to the dragon man, wondering what he had in store for him here.

Shimian returned to his human form as the Outworlder entered his temple. A golden smoke began materializing, one that would place the Outworlder into a deep sleep. This was Shimian's Temple, where he ruled all. Of course, Shimian would have the being sleep-train. Shimian entered the dreams of the man, where he would help him hone his skills mentally, while in the physical world, the beings body would move and fight just as if they were training in the physical world.

"Welcome to the realm of dreams." Shimian said, his mortal form pacing around the Outworlder, "You have faced many great and powerful challeneges..."

Shimian used the Outworlder's own memories to change the dream landscape, showing him some of his greatest feats.

"Welcome to a sector of the Universe that has faced worse." Shimian said, using the memories of all who were asleep to show the Outworlder the threats that have faced this sector.

He showed him Galactus, Thanos, the Sinestro Corps, Frieza. Shimian showed the Outworlder the worst of the worst threats to the safety of the universe.

The Outworlder looked on in awe at what he saw. He had never done, never seen, never heard of such power weilded by mortal beings. They were greater than he ever knew, and his suspicions were validated in a way more incomprehensible than ever before. He was a dust speck in the desert sand. It was a concept that would normally been terrifying. But thankfully for The Outworlder, h could not feel such things. "What can I do?" He replied slowly.

[Of The Rnclave]

Hiroshi nodded, wishing the sage a goodnight as he shakily stumbled inside the hut, falling face first in the bed, caring little to take off his Gi or parka,it'd be warmer this way anyway. Tomorrow he'd work with this sage to better sync his midn and soul, and maybe inadvertently raise his fighting strength and increase his ability, he still had to find Garlic.

////////////////

Nicky snickered quietly as they floated around the mountain. Sansho and Salt had alreayd taken up positions around the small mountain city state. These plebeians were going to face the wrath of Garlic Junior, and would soon now to their master, the only rightful master of this universe.

Cupping a hand, hellish energy began to swirl in his palm, Crimson and the light from the void began to crackle with his gathered power.

The barracks, the hut and that old piss on the pavilion were easy targets for the powered up demon. With the Makyo star so close, these idiots stood no chance.

All many would see was volleys of hellishly dark bolts expected losing against the mountain side, lighting the night with fire.

As Hiroshi had gone to bed, Shimura stood atop the Pavillion silently, connecting his spirit to the cosmos of the Universe and as he was doing this, his eyes suddenly opened in alert as he noticed multiple energy volley's of dark bolts flying towards the mountainside that was the village, Shimura's eyes narrowed in seriousness as his Jade Aura flared to life, the energy being so massive that it could have been compared to Arctico's own energy while in his transformation and yet it continued to rise. Shimura went to work, banging his Overworld Staff once, the entire valley seemed to come to life, a massive wave of energy wrapping itself around the side of the mountain in order to protect the village. The energy that originated from within the Valley of Enlightenment withstood the impact of Nicky's Energy Barrage.

Shimura closed his eyes as he began to gather the dormant energy within his body, the Jade aura that had already gathered around his body burst forth due to awakening his dormant energy "It's been so long since I've actually had to use my power, but I can't let them hurt my people!" Shimura inwardly said to himself, his aged body beginning to buff up and his wrinkled features beginning to slowly fade away, the Wayward Sage then began to hover a few inches off of the ground before propelling himself forward with extreme speed towards the person who fired upon his home.

Sansho's eyes widened as the energy washed over him. It was like having his legs dipped in magma, like having the skin slowly stripped from your skin, but the large blue hand that gripped his skull told him he'd been saved.

"Oh thank you Emperor Gar- AGH!"

It was messy. However much joy he took in this, it didn't matter, Sansho had made a mess on his arm, an unfortunate side affect of having your skull crushed like an egg. The dark chuckle the demon gave echoed across the now silent valley.

"My my. This is a rather… pathetic attempt at an energy barrier." What happened next defied all logic available to the old sage. Snow, rocks and even the energy for the shield began to distort, and swirl towards the epicenter, the massive blue beast chuckling darkly in the air.

But at the same moment, it all ceased, the demon just, disappearing.

Howling wickedly with dark laughter, he snapped his leg out, the appendage whipping towards the Sage's open side.