ahrencmeptn-aa

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

When is she gonna get written again, huh? C'mon, this is gettin' ridiculous!

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

"Kyaa.... next time, next time."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

@dayplays replied to your post “Are Mario-based Princesses cool again?”:

all princesses are cool to kidnap-

Kicks down the door. She's back, baby--

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

Are Mario-based Princesses cool again?

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

There's a little laugh that escapes him at the other's words and polite bow, scratching the back of his neck with one hand while the other waves the apology off sheepishly.

"Aw, naw, it's not a big deal! Happens t' everyone!" He assures, despite how bizarre the situation must appear to anyone else, really. "Just glad t' get that part sorted so quickly. Usually it never goes that well..."

Still, the other's words were concerning. Someone'd stolen artifacts of hers and his ki had drawn Blaze to him; thinking he was said artifacts? They must be pretty intense if that was the case... If those were in the wrong hands, it'd be hard to tell what could be done with them, just from that alone.

"Don't know any armed with blades that'd do that..." Even more those that were here, but that wasn't the topic. Brow furrowed, as his attention split to scan for it. If someone could take those, it shouldn't be hard to find.

Sure enough, an unfamiliar but powerful energy was honed in on, along with some strange power he hadn't sensed before. It was definitely alive, in a way, and Goku understood how she could be confused now that they're locked into them.

"Alright, I think I got 'em.. someone's definitely taken them." Suddenly, all that worry shifted into an eager grin, of all things. "So how's about we go take 'em back, huh? Ya wanna take the scenic route or express?"

He's already beginning to stretch, having clearly invited himself on the other's quest for retrieving the artifacts. It was a nice change of pace, and you always learn about someone more on an adventure, after all.

@ahrencmeptn said: “Oh good. I thought it was me.” - Goku to Blaze. Teehee.

My Life as a Teenage Robot Starters- ACCEPTING!

"... no, I do not believe that to be the case. My apologies." The feline, who'd just previously rocketed towards the other riding atop flames before stopping herself, confirms with a nod and an apologetic bow. "You are not the one my assault was intended for."

She felt sure of it on her approach, but it did not take much more than a once-over now that he was standing right in front of her for her to realize her mistake- not just in his appearance, but his energy. It was now clearly not what she'd been searching for.

Her head tilts, curiously.

"Forgive me, you have some inherent power about you, that I mistook for the power of a set of artifacts. Artifacts which, very recently, were stolen from my empire's safeguarding in my home dimension. Reportedly, by someone closer to your... stature."

Which is to say, twice the height of the average mobian.

She'd normally investigate the usual suspect for such a crime, but the description she'd gotten from surviving forces was of a warrior rather an army of machines. By all accounts, someone new.

"You wouldn't happen to know of a powerful warrior armed with blades, would you? I'd assume they'd be a native of this dimension..."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

"Hey! That's me! Goku--"

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

...He never really kept count, honestly.

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

When you rewrite and solve an entire Arc in one thread within the span of a single night.

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

Goku was certainly glad the situation had gone over smoothly, all things considered, and now it was just down to the pitch before getting to the prep. All in all, he wasn't all that worried about convincing Zeno to go along with the tournament itself, so he was just worried now for the prep stage.

Which, of course, led him to seeing the golden cube appear and hover toward him. Goku was never one to really like too much money, even if it would help, and it almost looked like he was going to decline the generous offer granted to him--

(Son Goku, take the cube.)

The telepathic voice made the Saiyan jump, having not noticed his wife was at least semi-aware of what was going on. Which.. well, truthfully, all that meant was now he didn't have to go through the trouble of explaining the situation to her.

"Ah, aheh, thanks bunches." He muttered, awkwardly taking it in his own hand now and offering as much a bow as the cube allowed of him. "Be seein' ya, Zamasu."

"I would not have it any other way. Should we succeed, this may all in time become nothing more in our eyes but the lingerings of a fond memory."

He did not laugh back, but he did allow a smile to return. Narrowly. "I thank you, Son Goku, for having lent me your time and consideration. If we are agreed, and you are to take steps towards our plan, than I shall take my leave, and return to my places of hiding until I am wanted."

He turned on his heel in the air, and lifted his left hand to the air. "If you have need of me at any time, all you must do is think to call me forth, and I shall come. But before I go," he snapped his fingers, and a gold cube about the height of his torso had manifested in the air, hovering slowly towards Goku. "Take this gift, as payment for any workdays that shall be lost."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

Well, when Zamasu had laid it out so plainly, it would be worse to send him back to his home Universe after this. It certainly felt a touch strange, all things considered, to have a certified stranger help fight for his Universe's success; though, he also couldn't deny that everything he had said was also true. It wouldn't do any harm, if he could convince the others to go through with it as well.

"I'd have t' make sure everyone else 's okay with the idea, but when ya put it like that; it's a little hard t' say no."

A little laugh again, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought of something about it all.

"Ya might get through your paces t' make sure you're up to the task.. it'd probably be a good idea t' do team qualifiers, all things considered, if we can squeeze in th' time before the tournament itself. So if we go that route, we'll see how ya do, okay? I don't want t' just arbitrarily choose unless there's just not time for it."

However much strength that smile took to summon, it was gone in an instant. A serious calm once more walling his expression.

"I do not take the lives of my charges lightly enough to be uncertain of this matter. A victory for Universe 7 is a victory for Universe 10's survival, should I fall onto your side instead of theirs, whereas Universe 10's victory does not guarantee anything for Universe 7, should the worst come to pass. Even if I fight for them."

"In order to come as I have, to bring this message to you or to any of the gods, I have had to lose the trust of Universe 10, for which I was the sole successor in line to become Grand Supreme Kai, and should I return, I now risk summary erasure." An attempt at erasure doomed to fail, in any case.

"At once, I have absolutely nothing left to lose by taking this matter a step further and giving absolutely everything I have in the pursuit of the most perfect form of justice visible, and these cosmos have everything to gain. If it is impossible, I will fight for my universe to the best of my ability, but if I am allowed to, I ask of you to allow me to select your team as where my abilities would best lie."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

Goku nodded along. It was true that Zeno could definitely model the majority of it to his preferences if he went along with the pitch in the first place. At the very least, it meant they'd had a solid idea to work off of now. So all that was left was to figure out the beginnings of their universe's team in the meantime that was being made.

Then Zamasu continued--

"Eh?" There's a bit of a pause as he spoke of joining their universe's team rather than that of his own. Goku blinked once, twice, thrice and then finally seemed to regain his voice after the sudden generous offer.

"Are ya sure? We don't know how well Zeno will take this offer, you'd be fighting against your own Universe and who knows what other stipulations he'll add t' the tournament after our initial pitch.." At the very least, he wanted to make sure Zamasu had considered the worst potential outcome before he humored the idea of the Kai joining their team.

He closed his eyes, trying to consider as many details as he could in his mind, hands moving from behind his back, falling to his sides. In a deep breath, after Goku had finished speaking, the divinity's eyes had opened, and for the first time in years, he had smiled. A gesture not only of his own hope, but of assurance towards the other.

"Some of these details are less important for our consideration in this moment than to focus on presentation of this concept to His Omnipotent Majesty; his court could work out many particulars that they fancied themselves, if rules similar to the Budokai Tenkaichi were insufficient to taste.

Teams will likely be limited in their number within this bout, as they were in the Tournament of Destroyers, but unlike said tournament, it will likely be a timed affair, so as to keep the match satisfying for Grand Zeno, and prevent combatants from avoiding participation once on the field in order to win purely by survival and number."

At the same time, such a restriction damages the participation of certain entities such as Majin Buu. It also prevents such entities in other universes from being relied upon too strongly. And it also restricts...

"While we speak on the matter, I find it imperative that should we pursue this route, I would like to place myself within Universe 7's team of combatants, instead of my native Universe 10's. My qualification is thus: I have been noted as the very strongest martial artist among the Kais, Supreme or otherwise, and in the deeply painful path of attempting to save our reality, I had been given the gift of absolute immortality."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

"What's wrong? Can't keep up with us?"

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

"Yeah, somethin' like that." It was good to be back to something more concrete-- viable, at that. If Zeno loved the smaller tournament held by the two, then managing to host one with participants from every universe would be too good to pass up.

"If Zeno sees th' best of the best from every universe, he might even wholesale change his mind on the concept of erasing them altogether. Could really shake the whole system he judges it on up." A bit of a high hope, even he knew, but there was a hope nonetheless. "There'd probably be too many if we wanted t' give everyone a fair shot for a simple bracket-based tourney, though... He's already seen one like that, too, so we'd have t' spice it up."

A pause, tapping chin in thought while he considered. This could work, they were just missing some key details to really make it something they could pitch. All it was down to now was getting them figured out.

"So it'd have t' be a team-based bout, probably; so everyone could fight for their universe at once... If destruction isn't convincin' people, we could use those Super Dragon Balls.. A single wish for th' winning universe'd be a good carrot to compliment th' stick if people refused."

It was a better hypothetical than the neutering of the multiverse's potential at large, but it was a gamble. Granted, so was anything they did this late in the game.

"Ah geez, this is a real brain-bender, but it's definitely somethin', at least." A chuckle, rubbing the back of his head now. "There's a lot of details to iron out, ain't there?"

His features relaxed at Goku's excitement. He was picking up on what the other was putting down, leaning forwards in all too much interest. Would they have been able to use Zeno's love of martial arts to garner his favor, somehow? And if they had, would it really be enough to make that key difference?

"What do you propose we do in exacts, pray tell--Set forth another Tournament of Destroyers, and leverage it as some form of exhibition of our multiverse's worth in his eyes?"

This could work, but he needed more details - some things to help others fall into place. The Super Dragon Balls might convince some warriors from the universes to involve themselves in the tourney, if that was what Goku suggested, but getting them from Beerus and Champa would be problematic at best, though he has done so under their noses once before.

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

A thoughtful hum as the other took a moment to recompose himself. It had been their last shot in his mind, of course, and Goku had slapped it aside firmly. It couldn't have been a good feeling, of course, but he's glad the other is getting his resolve back so quickly. There were a lot of factors going into this, but one thing was clear: it was now or never; and they didn't even know what they were going to do in the moment.

Which brought them to himself, again, because out of all the people in the multiverse: it was somehow Goku who had the most meaningful connection with Zeno. So it would have to be him, out of anyone, to try and sway the God of Gods into doing something either than utterly erase them all.

"Oh yeah, he showed up to that lil' tourney Beerus and Champa held. He seemed t' really enjoy what he caught o' it." He understood now the level of severity that Zeno should be held in, but it didn't truly make him think any less of them. They were just an excited little guy that was getting bored, after all. Bored of the entire multiverse and wanting to toss his toys away, but--

Goku suddenly bolted upright, as if struck, at the revelation. This was like Majin Buu, after all. Just not in the fact that he had to fight him. If he hadn't shown Buu that display of power, he would've never betrayed Babidi, and ergo befriended Hercule... There had to be something there with that comparison.

"Okay!" He said at last, clapping his hands together. "He's bored, right? So we just gotta entertain 'im and make him change his mind. That's super simple, actually!"

Zamasu's lips pursed, expression tensing as he tried to correct his own machinations on the spot, being faced again and again with that reality - mortals would have to lose their sapience altogether, their very mortality that qualifies them for scoring on divine boards, in order to Not be capable of producing devices which devastate them on a grand level. Even if not to Frieza's, than to a level which would shunt a planet's development back too dramatically. Gods above, he's right.

So he nodded in deferential understanding, and turned his head down, gaze cast towards the ground in building determination. They have to be able to do something, so now's the time to spitball. If he can't here, than they're doomed.

"You are correct. What we need to do is somehow convince the Grand Omni-King into better satisfaction with our reality, which would require a concerted effort from every god at once now, or total non-interference in grand acts of creation. Or to convince him to forgive us or otherwise grant us a better chance to correct our course. I do not yet know how this latter effort could be pursued, but it is my understanding that you have a closer relationship to His Omnipotent Majesty than any other mortals, or gods of the universes - whatever happens on that field of attempts, you would be key."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

the power of goku with an iq again, everyone.

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

"No." It was a firm answer, one that may say he detests the idea outright, but Goku quickly realized he required speaking as to why even that last resort had too many holes to be viable.

"While that idea is a good one to remove outliers, it doesn't factor in people like Androids, which could be made rather than born. You can't seal th' potential of a machine and something like that would let them wreak a lot of havoc unless everyone kept their finger on the pulse; which you've said yourself they don't." He's already seen, rather heard, one way that scenario can go. It had almost happened here, after all.

A shake of head, sighing somewhat. It was the last resort, sure, but even it was shaky. They had to come up with something else viable for it to work, else they simply don't have a solution and Zeno would erase every universe left. A slight flare to ki at the troubling dilemma before centering himself again before it got loose from his body in any meaningful way. Chi-Chi would be furious if he ruined the fields.

"So what do we have t' do? It sounds to me like Zeno isn't happy 'bout the universes bein'... what, too unfulfillin' or something like that?"

"It is a bitter reality we face. Between a rock and a hard place, we cling onto every last hard-fought gasp of air available to us."

He's gotten this far with Son Goku, much farther now than he has with anyone else. That fact alone has begun to damage his cool exterior, but he presses forwards with renewed enthusiasm in his voice, and a nod of his head.

"What I have conceived of, on my own, is a plan that should be employed only once we have run dry of other options, as it is the most drastic, dramatic in scale, and difficult to reverse, so as forewarning before I speak, if we are able to conceive of anything else... I would be grateful to work towards its perfection and deployment."

"This plan requires at least myself to be present for it, to remove the strength of every powerful being among mortalkind, and seal away that potential in all of them, in order that I or other gods might rapidly induce the existence of enormous sums of lifeforms without the chance of them being removed, say by a being like Frieza, and removing the potential of a being like that coming into power ever again."

[ahrencmeptn-aa]

It was a lot to take in still, even being aware what was being told to him was the 'lite' version of the story. It's so much to take in that for a moment, all Goku could really do was stand there, arms crossed, and absorb the information. The multiverse was at stake, not from some great threat like Majin Buu, that could be bested through grueling combat and sheer luck; no, it was by a threat that was far trickier to deal with. A force of nature on another level, as terrifying a concept as that was to have to consider.

"So you're tellin' me all of the multiverse is at stake from people bein' lazy?" Perhaps a bit underselling in the grand scheme of things, but the cause being general incompetence when the gods had plenty of time to try to course correct. Well, it left a foul taste in his mouth. Finger tapped jacket sleeve as he thought it over. If the gods couldn't do anything, there wasn't particularly much that Goku himself could think to do; in this very moment, at least, and Zamasu made it sounds like they were down to the wire here.

"Alright, let's hear it. Not sure what I can really do t' help, but I won't just sit around while everyone's at risk like this."

"You are precisely right. It very much is a matter to be discussed with other deities."

Oh it most certainly was, and yet, nary one had been able to heed this warning, nor to take any action to prevent that which looms ever closer and closer to crush them. Every second lost attempting to persuade a deity was a second wasted, so it came now the time to attempt to persuade the very subjects of the quandary: Mortalkind.

"But this knowledge is something which they have routinely, collectively dismissed, and which I now bring to you, in the hopes that we may be able to overcome this. Regrettably, much of the specifics and truths are couched in the language of theopolitics, so I will attempt to grant brevity and simplicity in this explanation."

He lifted his hands out to his sides, above his head, and a microcosm had been created. 18 Spheres containing galaxies, suspended in the vision of a starry expanse of space.

"This is what was once our reality. 18 Universes, all ruled together by the Grand Omni-King. I trust you know him. But something had transpired, long before either of our time. Six of these universes had faltered, their performance in his eyes being worthy of disgust. And for long they have faltered, garnering frustration from His Omnipotent Majesty, until finally..." Six of these universe spheres had vanished, completely erased from existence, while the remaining 12 had been rearranged into formation, as if the others had never existed. "... He had reached the end of his patience."

"Now, we, those which remain, fall upon the executioner's chopping block; we are told now that mortalkind has 'underperformed', that the gods have failed, and we have been given much warning of this for eons, and now just as before, what has come before may soon come to pass once more. But it is not too late for us. Or so I would like to hope."

He closed his hands, dispersing the grand microcosm from view. "I have failed in convincing the gods to turn towards the path away from destruction, but in my studies, I have come to develop a plan, if you understand our plight, and care to listen further."