Shana (W) vs Trunks (Ref: Chad)

The time had arrived. It was the day that Okibi never wanted to have to see. Hell, he would have denied the very occurrence if he didn't see it for himself. His host, once a valiant warrior for the Conclave... She had grown corrupt. Even going as far as to kill an innocent. It wasn't even that. The frightening part was Shana's indifference to it. Unsure what to do, Okibi stayed silent. Rebuking her would do no good. If anything, it would worsen the situation.

Upon crimson wings, Shana continued her flight, sometimes doubling over her own trajectory as if she had no planned destination. When Okibi reflected upon it, even he had no idea where she was headed. After a brief hesitation, he finally spoke up.

Shana?

"What?" Her answer was curt. Her brown eyes were still fixated in front of her, yet to Okibi's horror, they were glazed over. It was as if she was watching something that only she could see. Perhaps in her confusion, Shana did have a plan. Whether it had any relevance to where she was now was something that Alexstrasza wouldn't even know.

Where are you going?

"Going?" Shana replied, sounding confused. The wings across her back flapped once, causing the host of fire to accelerate a bit.

Yes, Okibi tried to keep the exasperation out of his voice. The last thing Shana needed was him biting at her heels. You just said yourself that we should avoid leaving a large footprint in this timeline, didn't you?

"I guess." Shana sounded as if she didn't really care what happened while she was stuck in the past. She swerved slightly in her path to dip down. With brown eyes, she stared at her own reflection in the ocean.

Then perhaps we should seek out Korin... Although Okibi didn't want to rely on the cat-like demigod's guidance, it was the only thing that he could think of. And if Korin didn't know, at least Kami was only a small flight away at the lookout that loomed above both Korin's place and Numbus' Realm.

"Fine." Thankfully, it seemed that Shana knew where that was. She altered her path slightly and began making her way East. But soon, a new sensation caught Okibi's senses.

Crap! Koman- Erm, Trunks is making his move! Quick, hide your power! Our only hope is trying to convince him that you're from this timeline! Shana sighed as if all of Okibi's orders were giving her a headache. She stopped above the ocean though and after a few moments, the host of fire's power began to drop.

After another fleeting moment, Shana's eyes flickered open. They were clear once more. The human crossed her arms, and the black cloak around her form folded slightly, hiding the blade strapped to her back. That was fine to Okibi. The last thing he wanted to try to explain was why Shana possessed Komand'r's blade.

Word of Shana: 489/489

Actions:
Free: Ki Suppression (Strength suppressed to ~49%)
1: Flight (0 FP)
2: Flight (0 FP)
3: Flight (0 FP)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Trunks waded through the crowds of the North City market. He was starving and the scent of frying foods filled the air wasn't making it any better. It caused his mouth to salivate profusely. Over the heads of numerous citizens, he spotted the word BURRITOS printed on a sign. That was it, he couldn't take it anymore. He needed a snack. The vendor was quick and to the point, asking for what contents Trunks wanted, all the while rolling burritos at a rapid pace.

The burrito was soon forged, Trunks's tongue already jumping for joy. Trunks produced a few zeni bills from his pocket and forked them over. Within seconds he was handed a burrito in a foil wrapper and a pile of change was set into his palm.

Slipping the change into his pocket, he used his free-hand to take a deep bite of the burrito. His palette was slammed with the spiciness of the beef, followed the cool crunch of lettuce, and was finished off by the savory warmth of melted cheese. By the time he had crossed a nearby intersection, he was halfway done eating it.

As his foot touched the curb, he felt a rumbling from his chest. For a moment he wondered if it was indigestion, but then when the jittering proceeded, he knew it was the Chronarium. Stepping into a nearby alley, he unzipped his jacket and looked beneath his shirt. The multicolored gems on the brozne disc were pulsating.

Another anomaly? he wondered. The last time he had touched it when it was doing this, it had transported him in the center of Senton City where a Vora had been attacking Shana. Luckily, this time he wasn't wearing only swim shorts. He finished his last bite of the burrito and tossed the wrapper on the ground. Taking the Chronarium in his grip, he felt the world around him distort, like ripples within a pond.

Within the blink of an eye, he was standing in the middle of a blazing hot desert. Going from the moist cool air of North City to the dry heat was a bit of a slap in the face. The blowing sand didn't help much, as he covered his eyes so the particles didn't get into them. After a moment of recovering, he started looking around. It was just desert, endless desert, not sight to see but sand dunes.

Turning around to his right, he saw a massive crater of pure glass. His eyes widened. It was certainly out of place.

Reaching out with his senses, he felt a ki signature moving away from the area. It was very familiar. Shana?

It seemed Shana had unleashed a massive amount of energy, and he guessed it to have been fire attack, by the glassing. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something orange walked over, investing a large slab of rock. Half the rock had been glassed, but the other half was still intact. The rock was a dull brown, the color of sandstone. The orange coming from behind it. It was a tattered shirt, flapping gently in the breeze.

The Half-Saiyan was repulsed when he took a closer inspection. It was a corpse and half of it had been incinerated, leaving only blackened flesh on raw bone. But the other half, which had been behind the boulder, was still intact. The orange gi bared the kanji of Kame House, meaning the man had been a pupil of Master Roshi.

Despite the horrific wounds, Trunks examined the face. Even with only half it to go by, he recognized the man. He was a legendary martial artist and had once been involved romantically with Trunks's mother, Bulma.

Yamcha? Trunks thought, his mouth falling agape. Looking on the horizon, his eyes narrowed. Shana, did you do this?

The young Host of Fire was still moving away at a rapid pace. Trunks's white aura blazed around him as he blasted off. With miles to cover, he mustered all the speed he could to catch her. Eventually he felt her shift direction, headed East. Trunks changed his own trajectory to one that would directly intercept her.

Shana's figure started as a black speck in the sky, but as Trunks neared he could see her crimson wings. He flew several dozen feet in front of her and came to a screeching halt, his arms and legs splayed wide, as if they would somehow block her passing.

“Shana, what are you doing?” he said, his voice thick with irritation. “Also, do you want to tell me what the hell happened to Yamcha?”

Actions:

1) Powered Flight → +3 FP
2) Powered Flight → +3 FP
3) Powered Flight → +3 FP

9 FP gained this turn.

WC: 770

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

To Shana's displeasure, (shown by the furrowing of her brow) It didn't take Trunks very long to confront her. The crimson wings kept her suspended so effortlessly that the human didn't even need to exert any energy to stay aloft. The Half-Saiyan had positioned himself in front of her with his arms spread eagle as if it would be enough to stop her from escaping. She quirked a single eyebrow as he began to speak. His voice... It brought a slow and dull anger to Shana. Of course, in this timeline, he wasn't the new Komand'r just yet. But the human still felt sore about this man taking Blackfire's place after...

Don't start thinking about it, Shana. Okibi's warning growl reverberated within the young teen's mind. Okibi had set up a silent link as to not alert Trunks.

“Shana, what are you doing?” Trunks started, a hard look crossing his face. “Also, do you want to tell me what the hell happened to Yamcha?”

Shana opened her mouth, then closed it once more. A small pause shifted into existence before Shana spoke. "Yamcha?" she asked before Okibi snarled at her.

Enough! Let me do the talking! Shana glared at the gateway clasped around her neck with a bit of resentment in her brown eyes. Although she didn't need the now useless piece of junk, it was about to work in Okibi's favor. It would be simple for the god of fire to manipulate his presence. Instead of having to show himself in order to interact with the outside world, the lion-like spawn could remain within his host's body and speak through the amulet.

"Koma- Erm, Trunks."

And you thought I was going to give us away? Shana could hardly resist poking at Okibi at his blunder. She folded her arms across her chest and stared at the lilac-haired man that Okibi was addressing. It was a good thing that the Half-Saiyan wasn't the current host of Skoll. Because even after almost a year after Blackfire's death, Shana refused to address the warrior by the same title that her mentor had carried so vigilantly. Perhaps it was only a childish mutiny. But Okibi knew the real cause. Even if he hated to admit it.

"We... found a Vora in the desert. I figured it would be good practice for her to face one after..." The god of fire trailed off, frantically trying to figure out how far in the past he and his host were. After another moment, Okibi could only make an educated guess based off of Trunks' power. "Yes, after the one Shana engaged at the school..." Once again, Okibi trailed off ungracefully.

Shana let out a sigh, growing bored of Okibi's clumsy antics. Floating sentinel-like over the ocean wasn't her idea of what she was supposed to be doing. Her brown eyes glinted dangerously. The quicker she got rid of Trunks, the better.

Settle down, Okibi warned as if he could detect Shana's growing impatience.

"Erm, yes. But I have to side with Shana. Who is this Yamcha you speak of?"


Word of Shana: 517/1006

Actions:
Free: Ki Suppression (Strength suppressed to ~49%)
1: Flight (0 FP)
2: Flight (0 FP)
3: Flight (0 FP)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

“Yamcha?" Shana asked.

Her voice sounded meek, almost faint. While, Shana had always seemed like a shy girl, he wasn't used to the lifelessness. Trunks furrowed his eyebrows. Something seemed very different about Shana. It was in her eyes, there was a darkness there. Perhaps something bad had happened to her. He was starting to get wprried.

"Koma- Erm, Trunks,” Okibi's voice emerged from the bracelet around her wrist. "We... found a Vora in the desert. I figured it would be good practice for her to face one after.”

Okibi, Trunks thought. He wasn't used to the God of Fire speaking directly to him. Below, the sea roiled violently. White crested waves rose up, as if they wished to challenge the flying warriors.

The thought of another Vora was a very scary thing. There weren't supposed to be Voras, not this early. Their presence meant only one thing. By him coming back, something had changed—drastically.

Great, you damn fool. You might have just summoned the Vora before they're supposed to come.

That could have been why the Chronarium had alerted him and transported him to the crater site. He didn't understand how the device knew of the presence of Vora. Hell, ever since the Grand Elder Guru had given it to him, Trunks learned little about the mysterious artifact. The only thing he knew is it could transport him through space and time.

Shana sighed. Trunks studied her and saw her lifeless eyes shift, a spark of deadliness gleaming within them.

"Erm, yes. But I have to side with Shana. Who is this Yamcha you speak of?" Okibi continued.

“The half burned corpse at the edge of the crater, back there in the desert. You two glassed the poor guy. He might have sensed your ki and came to investigate. To be honest, I have no idea how he got there. It might have been the Vora who got him before you arrived and your blast just sorched his body.”

He paused, his eyes falling to the churning blue below. “As far as that Vora goes, it being here concerns me greatly. We should talk to Blackfire That's two occurrences Earth so far, and they are no coincidence. Something is about to happen, I can feel it.”

Actions:

1) Flight → +1 FP
2) Flight → +1 FP
3) Flight → +1 FP

3 FP gained this turn.

WC: 383
TWC: 1,153

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Shana's anger was growing. Okibi could sense it. It felt like razors pricking against his flank. Talking normally to Trunks was hard enough without having to wade through Shana's rage on top of it. The air seemed to take a sharp incline upwards around Shana's form as if the host of flames was preparing to kindle an aura. Such a display of power would not be good.

Easy Shana, Okibi begged his host, Just stick with my plan for a few more minutes...

“The half-burned corpse at the edge of the crater, back there in the desert. You two glassed the poor guy. He might have sensed your ki and came to investigate. To be honest, I have no idea how he got there. It might have been the Vora who got him before you arrived and your blast just scorched his body.”

Okibi cleared his throat. "Yes. That would likely seem to be the likely scenario that transpired. I felt no presence here, and neither did my host..." After a small pause, the lion-like spawn of flames decided to try and get his host to communicate a bit. "Right, Shana?"

Shana said nothing. To Okibi's annoyance, she only continued to bore her gaze into Trunks as if her cold eyes would be enough to send him flying off. If Alexstrasza hadn't of sealed her power away to protect both herself and the Conclave from her dying mind, the simple gaze may had been enough.

“As far as that Vora goes, it being here concerns me greatly. We should talk to Blackfire That's two occurrences Earth so far, and they are no coincidence. Something is about to happen, I can feel it," Trunks continued, letting his gaze fall to the ocean below. But before Okibi could think of a response to try and thwart the Half-Saiyan's concerns, Shana suddenly narrowed her eyes.

"That won't be necessary," she spoke, her words chilled. As if the heavens themselves were fearful of her emotionless voice, a chilled wind blew across the sky. The ocean's surface broke as a wave was produced, releasing a spray of salt water into the air. Although it splashed against Shana, the host of fire didn't so much as flinch from the cold liquid.

"That Vora was ridiculously weak. As the rest of them both were and are. Blackfire does not need to be disturbed."

Idiot! Your past self wouldn't say something like that! Okibi's snarl slammed into the host's mind like a runaway truck, yet the young teen didn't pause.

"Now get out of my way." The child clenched her right fist as if in warning. Okibi let out a small growl. Whatever cover he had worked to accomplish was likely gone by now, thanks to his wayward host. But if she insisted on being hostile towards Trunks, even Okibi could do little to stop his host. All he could hope for was that she wasn't getting ready to attack. But judging by Shana's steady increase in power, even that hope would be dashed soon enough.

"Um, what my host means is that we have some... important matters to attend to. We must be going," Okibi offered weakly as if he was still trying to hide his host's growing irritation.


Word of Shana: 545/1551

Actions:
1: Flight (0 FP)
2: Flight (0 FP)
3: Flight + Threaten (0 FP)
Free: Ki suppression released to 60% Strength

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

"That won't be necessary," Shana said, her voice laced with iciness. "That Vora was ridiculously weak. As the rest of them both were and are. Blackfire does not need to be disturbed."

Last I checked, Shana was just a little more powerful than myself. Even if it were a lower level Vora, neither of us have the power to call them ridiculously weak, Trunks thought to himself.

"Now get out of my way,” Shana said, causing Trunks's mouth to fall agape.

"Um, what my host means is that we have some... important matters to attend to. We must be going," Okibi chimed in.

“Wait,” Trunks said. He felt a strange nervousness growing within his gut. He didn't know if this was really Shana. “I am really not sure could be more important than a Vora appearing, but I am assuming it is some sort of Conclave mission. Komand'r deserves to know about this though. I wasn't there, so at least tell me what happened, so I can report back to her for you.”

He didn't know what else to say. Shana's attitude had made a complete three-sixty. Double checking her ki signature, it felt the same as he remembered. So, he wasn't dealing with some sort of doppelganger or body snatcher.

A powerful gust of wind buffeted them, which caused Trunks to sway in the air. He sent a pulse of ki to steady himself, all the while locked on Shana, who had been unaffected.

What the—he thought. Last I remember, she scarcely knew how to fly.

The wind had also caused her cloak to flutter wildly, revealing the shining hilt of a sword behind protruding behind back. He recognized the flat pommel, the crisscrossed leather grip, and thin hand guard. It was Blackfire's sword; simple and deadly, just like the Host of Lightning. And somehow, Shana had gotten her hands on it. Trunks knew it wasn't likely that Blackfire would have just loaned it out for no reason; she was a Saiyan after all.

It was then being summoned by the Chronarium began to make more sense. It had been been alerting him to an anomaly. This time, however, that anomaly had not been the Vora. It was Shana!

Trunks leered at her, but chose not to speak to her directly. It had seemed Okibi had been more reasonable so far.

“You know I am not a fool Okibi, I was chosen to be the Guardian of Time. A post delegated to me by the Grand Elder of Namek. While I have not fully realized my destiny, or what it holds for me, you should know what I am capable of. How did you travel to the past, and what the hell is going on here?”

Actions:

1) Flight → +1 FP
2) Flight → +1 FP
3) Flight → +1 FP

3 FP gained this turn.

WC: 458
TWC: 1,611

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Everything Okibi had worked for was crumbling away before the fire god's eyes. Whatever Shana's cover had been was now gone. Trunks leaned forward slightly and began to speak. “You know I am not a fool Okibi, I was chosen to be the Guardian of Time A post delegated to me by the Grand Elder of Namek. While I have not fully realized my destiny, or what it holds for him, you should know what I am capable of. How did you travel to the past , and what the hell is going on here?”

The stunning accuracy of his spot-on perception was enough to mute Okibi. For a solid moment or two, the lion-like deity was unsure of how to respond. Swallow his pride and admit it? Or continue putting up a front that the Half-Saiyan was likely to see through?

"Erm..." Okibi tried to stall a bit longer, but it was his host who answered first. And although the god of fire would have likely embraced the intervention with open paws, it only brought a sickening horror to his mind.

"I said. Get. Out. Of. My. Way!" Her voice was harsh with undisguised anger. Each word was sounded out as if she were teaching a new word to a child. But the sudden storm of ki and fire that engulfed her small frame was hardly fit for a child. A chaotic fusion of crimson energy and billowing flames, the power of the aura was enough to send Shana's cloak off completely. It spiraled through the air as if aloft on its own wings before falling slowly to the ocean below.

Fire danced within the host's eyes as her entire body tensed. "Shana! No!" Okibi didn't even bother muting his voice from Trunks' ears. At this time, there was little to no point in trying to hide his host's growing illness. "He's not our enemy," he pleaded with her, trying to shine the light of sanity into her clouded mind. "Just let me talk to him..."

"No!" Shana spat out, venom dripping from her voice. "No more talking! Do you think I care what happens to the other hosts after they betrayed me?"

"B-betrayed?" Okibi was genuinely taken back from the fury rolling off of her tiny figures in waves. "Shana, nobody has betrayed you!"

"I said enough!" Shana's voice boomed with the energy swirling around her body. Her eyes fell on Trunks, and Okibi's hear lurched. There was nothing he could do for Shana, but there was only one thing he could do for Trunks.

"Run boy! Get away from here!"

As if the host of fire was going to allow that to happen. She suddenly blasted forward with every ounce of power she could muster. Thankfully, it wasn't too frighteningly much thanks to Alexstrasza's magic. The goddess had sealed away her power in hopes to protect both the rest of the Conclave and Shana herself from her own dying mind. Yet the human had managed to break the seal once before. Okibi wouldn't have been surprised to see it shatter a second time. The only question was when... When would that seal break?

Within a whisper of a second, Shana had already appeared above the Half-Saiyan barring her way. Both of her hands were clasped together above the flame-infused human girl as she brought down the thunder in the form of a mighty hammer blow.

"Move, boy!" Okibi roared out, trying desperately to give Trunks some kind of warning.

Word of Shana: 587/2138

Actions:
1: Flight + Lightning Aura (18 FP) (Strength + Endurance boosted by 18%)
2: Powered Flight + Rush Attack (Martial Efficiency)(Lightning Aura 1/8)(3 FP)
3: Flight + Lightning Aura 2/8
Free: Second Wind


Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

"I said. Get. Out. Of. My. Way!"

Trunks had hit a sore spot, that was for sure. This future Host of Fire was not the same little girl he knew. While she didn't look much older, he had a feeling she had been through more than some people had in their entire lifetime. It was her eyes, which were often said to be windows into the soul. She had a thousand mile stare, and within it he saw grief, pain, and agony..

I don't think she's from my time line, Trunks thought. Shana was an adult in my time. Maybe she's from the new future that I created by my coming here.

Things were getting really sticky. By traveling back in time, Trunks had changed everything. It was going to be a new conundrum and he feared what else would slip through the net of time and space.

Finally reaching her boiling point, Shana's power erupted, her body wreathed in an inferno of fiery ki. Trunks was blown back by the force, putting his arm out in front of him to block some of the blinding light.

Shit. I couldn't beat Shana just a few weeks ago. If this version of her is from the future and thinks Voras to be small fries, then I might have a serious enemy on my hands.

"Shana! No!" Okibi shouted, his voice booming, even through the roaring of the flames and wind. "He's not our enemy. Just let me talk to him.”

"No!" Shana said, her voice laced with insidiousness. "No more talking! Do you think I care what happens to the other hosts after they betrayed me?"

But, I'm not a Host?

"B-betrayed?" Okibi said. Trunks could hear the surprise in his voice. "Shana, nobody has betrayed you!”

"I said enough!" she roared.

"Run boy! Get away from here!"

Like a burning missile, Shana launched her self Trunks. He had not been expecting a direct attack, not from her, even despite her aggression. She brought her arms back, forming her fists together into single sledge and came down, hammering his skull. The power of the attack sent him plummeting towards the dicey seas below.

Trunks's face pulsated with pain and he was sure her fiery ki had burnt him a bit. Not really eager to get soaked, he sent out a pulse of ki, like an air break, and came to a halt right above the water. A foamy wave crest licked the bottom of his boots.

“You've made a foolish choice,” Trunks said, his eyes narrowing at Shaha. “I don't know what the hell you've been through, or what you're doing here. Nor, do I know why you just lashed out at me. But, I will not let you hurt anyone else, not in this maddened state. You're coming with me, back to Blackfire, one way, or another. So, make this easy on yourself and give up, or I will knock you out and drag your ass back there.”

To back up his words he unleashed his power, a white aura encompassing his form. Droplets of sea-spray dissipated into to steam as they touched it. A concave appeared in the ocean below him, as the water dispersed under the pressure of his growing ki.

After reaching full power, he sent out a pulse in all directions, his aura expanding until it was a blazing column. The remaining power swirled around his form as he vanished. Below where he once resided, the ocean rushed in back in, filling the gap in a rush. The waves collided and pillar of frothy water that shot up towards the clouds.

He re-appeared at Shana's side, immediately throwing a flurry a punches aimed at her torso, attempting to stagger her. Veiled in in flames, he could feel her aura scorching his hands, but he pushed through with his attack. After the the pummeling, he sent a heavy elbow aimed at the center of her back, hopefully with enough force to send her flying towards into waves below. Maybe a little dunk in the ocean would cool down her temper tantrum.

Actions:

- Take hit (gained +4 rage.)
1) Flight + Power Up (Str: 1,886; Ki: 3,723) → +19 FP
2) Flight + Speed Burst + Pummel (Spd: 3,628) → +16 FP
3) Flight + Rush Attack (Str: 2,263) → +6 FP

+41 FP gained this turn.

WC: 677
TWC: 2,288

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Okibi wanted to spit as Shana managed to get the hit in, causing Trunks to plummet toward the ocean below. Thankfully, it didn't seem to hurt him enough to hinder his escape. If he was going to attempt to escape, that was. And by the glare he administered to the host of fire, escaping was the last thing on the Half-Saiyan's mind.

“You've made a foolish choice," he spoke, coming back up to eye level before the ocean could swallow his form up. “I don't know what the hell you've been through, or what you're doing here. Nor, do I know why you just lashed out at me. But, I will not let you hurt anyone else, not in this maddened state. You're coming with me, back to Blackfire, one way, or another. So, make this easy on yourself and give up, or I will knock you out and drag your ass back there.”

"You fool..." Okibi hissed out, exasperation gushing out from his voice. "You can't fight her! Get out of here! Do you want to forfeit your life?"

"If you think you can put a scratch on my body..." Shana spoke, her voice carrying the chill of the coldest winter. Her arm trailed across her chest, pointing at the thick and reinforced leather that protected her torso. "Then just try..." Her eyes glinted as Trunks vanished. Even with his burst of speed, the human's eyes tracked his movement through both sight and senses. His power had spiked a fair amount, yet it seemed not to worry the young teen.

With dull eyes, Shana twisted slightly as her opponent flickered into existance beside her. The crimson wings at her back stretched as her body tensed. With a powerful gust of wind caused by their mighty flap, Shana evaded the first strike with frightening efficiency. Her form became little more than a searing bullet of flames as she vaulted over his form, allowing a blast of wind to ascent her halt as she tried to take his back. Before the Half-Saiyan could reposition himself quick enough to continue with the assault, Shana already had struck first, aiming her counter at the back of the time traveler's neck in the form of her knee.

Even with her movements as fluid as possible, Shana was puzzled slightly as the Half-Saiyan managed to get behind her. His arm was arched back as if he was preparing a final strike. At first, the human was unsure what to do. Hell, at this point, she wasn't even sure if her counter had landed as the tide of combat had continued on so swiftly. But almost like it was a decision made on a subconscious level, Her right 'wing' tilted slightly and her aura exploded outwards once more, pushing the flames that wreathed around her body to a new level of fury. She spun around, the crimson wings closing in on her lithe body. They exploded out once more as she began to drop from her altitude, halting her movement yet again.

With a tiny open palm, she caught Trunks' elbow within her hand. Only a small trace of pain was visible on her face as the powerful blow sent its kinetic energy up her arm, causing her shoulder itself to vibrate slightly from the force. With an explosion of raw and discharged force, Shana was sent staggering backwards, waving her arm to loosen up her muscles that had tightened up from softening the blow. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Perhaps the battle wouldn't be as one-sided as she thought.

The host of fire was still unsure of what the future Komand'r's plan was, or whatever strategy he was concocting at that. But she knew her's. And although the range between her and him would have likely crippled any melee assault she could muster upon him, (at this range, the Half-Saiyan would likely be able to defend himself properly despite the growing obviousness of the gap in speed between the two combatants) the new range would actually work in her favor.

A sinister sneer crossed the Vessel's lips. The cold look carried a foreboding message of doom. With the powerful flames still wreathing around her body like a cyclone of kindled combustion, Her form flickered out of existence for a split second. She appeared only feet before the man she was attacking, body stretched out horizontally like a torpedo. Yet even that would hardly be able to describe the speed and power of her next attack.

Wings folded back like a peregrine falcon, the host of fire dive bombed the Half-Saiyan. With head bowed, she attempted to ram the crown of her head into the center of his face.

Word of Shana: 788/29263

Actions:
1: Flight + Speed Burst + Lightning Aura 3/8 + Counter Action 2 (Agility: 5198) (20 FP gained)
2: Flight + Block Action 3 + Lightning Aura 4/8 (1 FP gained)
3: Powered Flight + Dragon Rush + Lightning Aura 5/8 (21 FP gained) (Agility: 4428) (Strength: 3440)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhqsTy0W9sk&feature=related

You fool...You can't fight her! Get out of here! Do you want to forfeit your life? The words of Okibi resounded within Trunks's mind.

His bell was ringing, that was for sure. He had not been expecting such a swift retribution, the back of his skull pulsated with a fiery pain, he was sure some of his lavender hair was singed. The elbow made impact, but to his dismay it was with Future Shana's hand instead of her back. A swift block for sure, but Trunks wasn't impressed, not yet.

The force of the strike had sent her flying backward. Trunks rolled his shoulder, loosening up muscles within his arm and cracked his neck, which was stiff after taking the hammer blow and the subsequent elbow.

“You have a fair amount of confidence,” Trunks said. He was of course referring to her earlier taunt about him just trying to land a hit on her. “But, you've forgotten one of the first things Blackfire taught you. That is—never underestimate your enemy.”

She was giving him a scowl, like an angst filled teenager who had her privileges taken away. It was so hard him to take her seriously, being a little kid. But, as he learned in his last bout with the present Shana, she was never to be underestimated. The girl could explode with god-like power at any second. To win this, he needed to control the pace of battle. He needed to make her work for it.

“Unless, you're holding back on me. If so, that won't do you any good, not if you wish to escape. I will deliver you to Blackfire, one way or the other.”

Future Shana sneered at him and then vanished from sight. Trunks didn't bother trying to track her movements, not with his eyes. Instead, he closed them and relied on his senses. Everything slowed around him as he focused on her ki signature.

Relax yourself, being tense will do you no good, he thought, letting the anxiety of the coming attack flow out of him. Feel, react!

The words of his former master gave him the confidence he needed to pull of his next maneuver. Future Shana appeared in front of him, like a flame wreathed bird of prey, using her own head as a cannonball. While it required a miracle of speed, he was able to slip away at the last second. But, he needed to be sure that she remained committed to her attack, so he projected a image of himself stilling floating there.

He blinked back into existence several feet above her. She was vulnerable in this state, her back to him. While he knew she was fast, he doubted she would be expecting his next maneuver. He delayed it for just a second, so she had enough time to pass through his after image and find his position. In this case, he wanted her to see him, to anticipate his next attack. The more she thought she knew what he was doing, the better.

Hopefully with her attention on him, he project a second image, this time of him pursuing her with a flying kick. But, in reality, he was on the move, coming in slightly to the right with a crushing straight arm punch aimed at her chin.

He would give her no time for respite, no time for her collect her thoughts. Behind him, his newly re-acquired Saiyan tail was twitching furiously. It was one of his big weaknesses. If Shana knew enough to grab onto it, he would be in for a world of pain.

Inside of his chest, his heart was thunder and his excitement was lightning. The Saiyan part of him was awakening now with thrill of battle upon him. The elation he felt at facing a such a foe was unnatural, sadistic even. Trunks could barely keep this thirst for bloodshed under control. His mission was not to kill her, or to maim her. No, he needed to subdue the titan of flames.

Ha! Maybe Okibi was right. I might just be throwing my life away. I never thought I would ever be trying to take down the Host of an Elemental God. That's for sure.

It didn't matter at this point, he pushed away his fear to steel himself for what he needed to do. Trunks had sworn himself to being the protector of time, the guardian. It was now he who watched and waited for those who would disrupt the flow events with unwarranted chaos and destruction.

Dammit, you know she killed Yamcha. Look into her eyes. There's no remorse, no emotion in them. He was simple cannon fodder.

With a howl of rage, the young Half-Saiyan unleashed a barrage of swift punches at Future Shana. One punch after another, he sent them at her torso and face, forcing her to have to use full motion if she wanted to block. Yes, he was going to make her work for it if, especially if she decided to defend herself against his onslaught.

Actions:

- Take hit Action #1 (gained +3 rage.)
1) Flight + After Image + Evade Action #3 [Agi: 4,702] → +27 FP
2) Flight + Illusion Attack + Strike → +14 FP
3) Flight + Machine Gun Fist (Rank 2) [Str: 2,112] → +32 FP

+73 FP gained this turn.

WC: 833
TWC: 3,121

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

---

“Unless, you're holding back on me. If so, that won't do you any good, not if you wish to escape. I will deliver you to Blackfire, one way or the other.”

"Yes, you keep saying that," Shana growled, mildly annoyed that her last attack did not hit. "But you have yet to do so..."

Shana! That's enough! Back off before...

"Before what?" Shana spat at the god of fire. She was tired of his constant bickering.

Before you do something you regret! Okibi finished. Too absorbed in the conversation that Okibi was forcing on her, the host of fire had forgotten to keep an eye on the Half-Saiyan she was warring with. It was a mistake swiftly punished. Her eyes locked onto Trunks' image. He was flying towards her with a kick. Just after Shana had brought up her proper guard, the host realized that the only power source alive besides her own was to her right. Just as she turned her astonished gaze to the Half-Saiyan, a heavy fist crashed into her chin.

Although Shana had been hit with harder attacks, it was still enough to send the human reeling slightly. Just as she repositioned herself, the lilac-haired man was upon her again with a roar. His fists came crashing down upon her like meteors. Despite the human's attempt to swat the more punishing blows aimed at her face, it was a poor attempt at best, and soon, she was sent down crashing into the waves below. The frothy waters swallowed her like a grave and her form momentarily disappeared from sight.

When Shana reemerged, she looked angrier than a wet cat. A column of flames erupted from the ocean, pushing away the waters themselves at the magnificent heat. Like an elevator, it allowed Shana's form to emerge from the ocean. The column of flames was pushed away with a powerful blast as her wings extended once more. A trickle of blood seeped out from the corner of her mouth and the girl wiped it away, her eyes narrowing. The aura of flames was gone, thanks to her dip in the ocean. Shana hadn't been fueling it with her energy to keep it from being extinguished.

"Fine. You don't want me to hold back? Then I won't..." The young teen held her right arm out, palm facing upwards. A medium sized ball of crimson flames leaped to life within her grip. Instead of using the burning ball of fire as an attack though, the human allowed the fire to disperse, traveling over her arm like a ripple. It traveled to her torso, down her abdomen, around her legs, and even over her hair, evaporating every molecule of water clinging to her body.

She clenched her fists at her sides and let out a pulse of crimson energy. Her power began to spike, but strangely, peaked only moments later.

"W-what?" The confused cry came from Shana's lips as she unclenched her fists and glance down at her own palms in wonder. Something had gone terribly wrong. Once again, she allowed an aura to blast around her form. Again, it netted the same results: nothing. She couldn't push her power any further than it already was! She had hit a wall! "What's going on?"

"A-Alexstrasza..." Okibi spoke aloud, sounding hesitant. "She said you were becoming to volotile. You were like a ticking time bomb... She sealed your power..."

"What?" Shana shrieked at the amulet. "She's betrayed me too?" Before Okibi could answer, fury lit up in the human's eyes. "That witch!" she snarled. "She can burn with the rest of them, then! I don't need my full power to dispatch of this half breed!"

"Shana..." Okibi tried to intervene, but Shana only looked up, mustering every bit of hatred that she could bring forth into her gaze, and rested it on Trunks. "Yes..." she hissed. "I hope you've been paying attention below you..."

With those ominous words spoken, the ocean below began to churn. Not with waves, but with steam. As if an underwater volcano had erupted, the surface began to bubble and steam, hissing furiously as the heat below began to rise. With a powerful roar, multiple streams of flames suddenly erupted from the watery grave where Shana was sent down in moments ago, swathing through the air towards Trunks like a hot knife through butter. A seemingly never ending stream of flames continued to erupt from the area as the attack continued for several more seconds. In the time that it took for the flames to hopefully reach their mark, Shana had extended her left hand, palm faced outward, and thumb bent at the top joint slightly.

Within her grasp, a crimson orb of supercondenced ki radiated violently, churning upon itself as if the volatile mass could have erupted at the slightest touch. It was a move. No, a signature attack of her fallen mentor.

"Perhaps you'll recognize this attack," Shana spoke, her voice as calm as the eye of a storm once more. "But if you don't..."

"You fool!" Okibi roared out. "Are you trying to kill him?"

"Big Bang Attack!" Shana cried out, sending the powerful and speedy orb of explosive energy at Trunks.


Word of Shana: 872/3835

Actions:
Free: Extinguish Lightning Aura
Free: Release Ki suppression
1: Flight + Vanity Action(0 FP gained)
2: Flight + Flaming Torrent (36 FP gained)
3: Flight + Big Bang Attack (45 FP gained)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Floating above the crashing waves, Trunks took a deep breath. Droplets of sweat had gathered on his brow and his limbs felt rubbery from exertion. He had truly thrown down the gauntlet with his last barrage. But, he knew that his opponent was far from finished, as the Host of Fire was not a simple foe.

He could feel her ki in the deep blue below. It was churning rapidly, most likely with her rage. Within seconds a pillar of flames heralded her arrival, her fiery wings extending out in an aggressive display. The hatred painted on her face was astounding. Never before had he seen Shana look such a way. She wiped blood away from her chin, scowling at him.

"Fine. You don't want me to hold back? Then I won't..." Shana said. She was soaked to the bone, her dark hair matted on the side of her face. Flames formed into a sphere above her palm, and broke apart, swirling around her frame.

Like war drums, Trunks's heart was pounding in his chest. She was going to show him her true power. He knew this was the terrible part of him, the one despicable piece of himself he wished he could destroy. It was his Saiyan blood bubbling for the challenge of a powerful foe. Every fiber of his body yearned to see hers strength, to know what he had to overcome. It challenge of battle that called out to him.

A pulse of blinding red light emanated from her body, only fade a moment later.

"W-what?" Shana said, her face lit up with confusion. "What's going on?"

"A-Alexstrasza..." Okibi's booming voice emerged. "She said you were becoming to volatile. You were like a ticking time bomb..She sealed your power,"

"What? She's betrayed me too! That witch! She can burn with the rest of them, then! I don't need my full power to dispatch of this half breed!"

And with that, it all came crashing down around Trunks. He visibly sunk with disappointment. Shana wasn't going to get any more powerful. The glorious battle he had been anticipating was over at this point. He shook his head. No, he couldn't let his disappointment distract him from the task at hand. Sure, she wasn't going to unveil the power of a demigod to him, but at least he was facing an opponent he could handle.

"Shana..." Okibi said.

"Yes," Shana replied, her voice nearly a hiss . "I hope you've been paying attention below you."

Trunks glanced down at the waters below, which were bubbling like a pot put on the burner for too long. Red light filled his vision and suddenly he felt an overwhelming heat course over his being as he was engulfed whole by a fiery torrent. While the attack would have normally incinerated him, he opened himself to destructive energy. It was a very risky maneuver. One mistake and he was a dead man.

The spiritual energy that Shana used to create the attack had been created by her with deadly intent. It was the one loophole of using ki energy. It was apart of the wielder's spirit, in all of its manifestations. Therefore, that meant was subject to another person's willpower, if they were clever enough. Closing his eyes he focused his will, creating small spark of his own intent. It spread through her energy, altering it, changing it from harmful, to rejuvenating.

Power flooded his being, swelling inside until it nearly burst out of his physical form. That was the dangerous part. He let out a scream as he wrestled for control of within himself. His body was surrounded by a chaotic blue-white energy. Within moments he was able to bring it back down, chaining and locking it, making the power a prisoner within his core.

Streamers of black smoke trailed off of his body as the aura sputtered out. He had been lightly scorched by the attack, his sleeves and pant legs charred and tattered, but remained mostly unharmed.

“Not bad,” he said with a grin, his eyes still closed. “That power will be useful later on, I am sure of that.”

He then felt Future Shana's ki spike again, both of his eyes flicking open and widening in surprise. A red orb floated in front of her palm, which was extended out flat. Trunks could feel her forcing a dangerous amount of ki into the little space.

"Perhaps you'll recognize this attack," Shana said in her dry, emotionless, voice. "But if you don't..."

"You fool!" Okibi roared out. "Are you trying to kill him?"

"Big Bang Attack!"

When the hell did she learn that move?

Trunks had still been recovering from the last attack and was unprepared to face this one. Plus, with her so close, it gave him little or no time to react. There was no deflecting the attack either, as the Big Bang very nature would explode upon impact.

The crimson orb hit Trunks dead on in the gut. A giant mushroom cloud rose up in the sky and the entire area was bathed in an eerie blood red glow as the power of the attack unfurled itself. The subsequent blast carved a massive crater in the ocean floor, hundreds of feet deep. Tsunamis spread out from the epicenter, pushed by the force of the shock wave.

Displaced ocean water soon came rushing back in, filling up the hole. Trunks plummeted the churning depths below, consumed by the raging waters. Droplets rained from the heavens above, forming rainbows through the smoke and steam as they refracted hazy rays of sunlight.

The pain Trunks had endured was like none other, something like being put through a meat grinder and then being smashed up by a stone block afterward. As he emerged from the numbness it created, he felt a lancing jolt within his side and knew that meant a few ribs had broken. His flesh ached badly as salt from the water made its way into his burns.

Holding his breath, Trunks took a second or two to gather himself at the bottom of the ocean. He couldn't see anything through the silt clouded water, but he could sense Shana's ki above him still. Steeling himself to continue the fight, the Half-Saiyans's white aura began to blaze around him and a frothy rush of bubbles shrouded his form.

He shot out of the water like a missile, leaving behind a trail of white light as he raced up behind Shana. Weaving both hands together above his head, he attempted a full power hammer blow aimed towards the base of her neck.

“That was a good shot,” Trunks said. “But, don't count me out of the fight quite yet.”

Unraveling his hammer fist, he brought both hands forward with his fingers slightly curled. A sphere of white ki appeared where both palms met. It expanded rapidly until it was a white-hot wave that he sent speeding towards her.

Actions:

1) Flight + Ki Transmutation vs. Action #2 → +18 FP
- Take hit Action #3 (gained +5 rage.)
- Power Up fades.
2) Powered Flight + Rush Attack [Str: 1,660; Agi: 3,090) → +8 FP
3) Flight + Ki Wave → +16 FP

+42 FP gained this turn.

WC: 1,147
TWC: 4,268

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

"That's that," Shana stated, sounding indifferent to unloading such a powerful attack into the Half-Saiyan. He had been sent hurtling down into a watery grave, which was perfectly fine to her. It was what he deserved, after all. He carried his title like some kind of award in her time, and the human was more than happy to finally be rid of him. He was no Komand'r. Not like her late mentor was. She peered up at the heavens; they were swirling chaotically from the previous explosion.

“That was a good shot. But, don't count me out of the fight quite yet.” Trunks' voice sounded close to her ear. So lost in her own thoughts, she had simply forgotten to check for his energy. She had assumed that the magnificent destruction of her mentor's signature move would have been enough to do the Half-Saiyan away. Before she could even turn her head to pinpoint the voice, a painful blow landed solidly on her neck. Her lithe form was plucked out of the air and sent hurtling downwards.

Shana let out a low growl, managing to catch herself in mid air before she could take a second swim. There was no way in hell she was about to take another dive. Her neck pulsed with pain, yet it was ignorable for now. She was going to be sore later, that was for sure. But in the rush of battle, there was no time to show pain or weakness.


Shooting a glare up at her attacker, Shana saw that Trunks had sent a sizable beam of energy her way. An aura exploded around her form as Shana struggled to vamp her power up once more. To her delight, her power did climb. And although she wasn't near her full power as the host of fire, it would ensure that her next attack would be devastating. No, cataclysmic!

"Do you think that will work?" she cried out, holding one hand above her hand and the other at her waist. Two more orbs of super-condensed energy formed in her hands, looking eerily similar to the previous Big Bang Attack. "I'll finish you for good with this one! Big Bang!"

But this attack was entirely different from before. The human was not going to make another mistake. No more. Thrusting her hands outward, she aimed one palm of crackling energy at the beam. The other palm was aimed at a slight angle upwards: Trunks' face. She paused just as the beam reached the halfway point towards its path to the human before firing twin crimson beams that roared across the sky.

In almost an instant, the bottom beam had crashed violently against Trunks' attack, bringing the energy to a screeching halt. Shana grunted slightly at the sudden resistance; the amount of power that the Half-Saiyan had put into the attack hinted that he was not as near exhaustion as Shana would have liked. Yet the real attack... The real payload was delivered swiftly in the form of the top beam. It soared over the clashing energy and cut through the air towards Shana's foe.

Okibi seemed shocked into silence, which was fine by Shana. It meant that she could track her attack with careful eyes and be undisturbed while doing so. This time, the human wasn't going to make the mistake of not keeping Trunks' life energy in lock. Okibi knew all to well of the strategic cunning his host could bring to the battlefield. He had certainly fought beside her side enough to see it first hand. But to bring it out like this, even when plagued by her near-insanity... It was mind boggling. He could only pray to Alexstrasza that Trunks found some way to escape. Even if he wasn't a Vessel yet in this timeline, the time traveler didn't deserve to lay dead at the bottom of the ocean.

"Lights out..." she whispered, mostly to herself. Her voice was all but lost in the roar of her own attack.


Word of Shana: 672/4507

Actions:
1: Flight + Power Up (18 FP)
2: Flight + Negate Action 3 (Attack portion Below)
3: Flight + Double Big Bang Cannon (39 FP) (KI: 3348)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

"Do you think that will work?" Trunks heard Shana shout as his ki wave neared impact."I'll finish you for good with this one! Big Bang!"

Another one?

Trunks felt a jolt and suddenly his wave was being pushed back my a much more powerful one. The two streams of energy erupted int a flash of blinding light and smoke.. With his wave being negated, Trunks was disappointed, but ready to launch his next maneuver. However, he was swiftly denied when a second wave cut a swath for the smoke, headed straight towards him.

“Ack, dammit!”

Trunks arms were still extended from his firing his attack, and there was no time to move. So, he slammed both into the end of Shana's energy, halting the wave in mid air. The entirety of his being quivered under the immense strain. Gritting his teeth, he pushed back with all of his might, knowing very well that if he failed, the wave would engulf him whole. His hands and forearms pulsated with a searing pain so bad it made his eyes water.

I need to get rid of this thing, I can't hold on forever.

Carefully, he slid his hands down until they were at the base of the wave. Arcing his back, he heaved upward in a suplex motion, redirecting the wave towards the clouds—which dispersed in as it passed through. For a brief moment, he watched the flickering blue light fade into the distance, the wave headed for the vacuum of space.

Both of his arms sagged at his side like charred up limp noodles. He still had a bit left in him, but he knew that if Shana kept throwing attacks like that at him, he would be done for. So far, he hadn't tried anything that would threaten her life, but that's where the battle was starting to turn into her favor.

She will kill me. Bah, I only want to incapacitate her. This is a big chasm to fill, and she's going to keep running circles around me if I keep pulling my punches, Trunks thought as he floated there, staring down at his enemy. Although her power is limited, she's a good deal stronger than me. The only thing I have an advantage is my better training, but even that's starting to seem a smaller difference by the minute.

“Shana!” Trunks called out, pointing toward a ravished island to the west. It looked like it had seen better days. The tsunami after the Big Bang Attack had leveled most of the trees, and flooded the beaches. Still there was flat ground to work with.

He began to stretch his arms out, working some of the strain and tightness. “You seem to be having a tough time with aerial combat. How about we take it to the ground where you might be more comfortable. Hand to hand combat was always your specialty, was it not?”

It was a gamble. In his time line she had been, but this Shana seemed to be from a different future, so that could have meant she took a different route. Finished with the stretch, he folded his arms in front of him and waited for her response. It was a bit of a test, to see if she thought of this battle as good sport or not. So far she had been so empty, so void of any emotion, other than a few outbursts of rage. More than anything, he could tell it was getting to her that she couldn't simply overpower him. By playing to her strengths, he hoped it would reveal more about her.

Besides, if he could turn the battle from a life or death struggle to a game, than perhaps he would have a better chance. Simply put, he just couldn't bring himself to commit to killing her.

Actions:

1) Flight + Deflection + Block Action #3 [End: 4,386] (+3 Rage) → +23 FP
2) Flight + Rest → -9 FP
3) Flight + Rest → -9 FP

+5 FP gained this turn.

WC: 624
TWC: 4,892

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Shana allowed a low growl flow from the back of her throat. Her punishing maneuver had been defended against. It would have been impressive if it didn't simply piss her off all the more that the time traveler hadn't fallen yet. Still, he seemed ragged. It was as if he were on his last legs.

Although Shana was beginning to feel drained from the massive amount of energy she was pouring out in such short time, the human couldn't help but think she was coming out slightly ahead. And by the dreary silence that stretched on from Okibi, the god of fire seemed to understand the same bleak fact. If the battle were to continue, it likely wouldn't end well for the Half-Saiyan who was seemingly too stubborn to back down. But that seemed to change as Trunks suddenly addressed her.

“Shana!” he called out, causing the teen's eyebrow to quirk. What did he think this was? Break time? The lilac-haired warrior pointed over to a ruined island nearby; it was one that the host of fire didn't even bother enough to notice before. The human wondered why the island looked so tattered, but quickly put two and two together. She hadn't exactly been going easy on her foe. There was no doubt that one of her attacks had caused the destruction. Possibly the Big Bang Attack.

“You seem to be having a tough time with aerial combat. How about we take it to the ground where you might be more comfortable. Hand to hand combat was always your specialty, was it not?”

Shana could only glare at him as he stretched in front of her. It was as if she wasn't even a threat to him! Just the thought of it was infuriating. Yet she calmed herself enough to allow a brief reprieve. "Frankly, I don't care what you do. But if you continue to try and engage me, you will regret it..."

"Shana!" Okibi tried to interject once more. "Leave him be! We're here for a reason, remember? Focus on that!"

"He started it!" Shana spat, balling her fists as if in an attempt to stem the tide of rage threatening to engulf her. "I gave him the option to leave me alone, and he continued to provoke me!"

"Hardly provoke!" Okibi tried to reason with his host desperately. "You're the one that got into a hissy fit-"

"Shut up!" Shana roared out, pausing to allow a pant to escape her lips. Whether it was from the exertion of battle or simply the exasperation of arguing with Okibi was yet to be seen.

The lion-like spawn of fire fell into silence once more. With the silence, Shana made her move. But instead of attacking Trunks, she produced a small vial of an azure liquid from her sleeve. Without a word, the human popped it open and slid its contents into her mouth. With a small swallow, the liquid was gone. She tossed the empty glass vial away. The host of water was a remarkable potion maker, and her rejuvenating medicine had served its purpose.

"Now then," Shana said, letting her cold brown eyes fall on Trunks once more. Her body was beginning to burn with renewed energy. She tugged on the armor she had on before ripping it off completely. She doubted that she needed he heavy material anymore; it was hindering her movement slightly, not to mention making her hot. Underneath, the human wore a light ebony tank top. The armor that was in her hand only seconds ago vanished into a capsule. With yet another flick of her wrist, she produced a second capsule and clicked the button on it. With a puff of smoke, a jacket appeared. The host of fire swiftly threw it over her shoulders loosely. It would provide the same protection as her armor before, yet have offer more maneuverability and provide Shana with cool air. On the shoulder and back, a large logo could be seen: the symbol of Capsule Corporation.

"You wish to fight on the ground?" she asked icily after her swift change of outfit. "Then by all means...." An aura viciously exploded around her, and the human was gone. Her wings, stretched wide only moments before folded in on themselves as the human increased her speed, aiming a vicious hammer blow to hopefully send the Half-Saiyan hurtling towards the island at mach speeds.

"Be my guest...."

Word of Shana: 742/5249

Actions:
1: Flight + Rest (-10 FP) (Power up Fades)
2: Flight + Use Magic Elixir (-25 FP)
3: Powered Flight + Rush Attack (Martial Efficiency) (2 FP)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mcHP1HYkds&list=PLB55116A5FFBCDAC8&index=24&feature=plpp_video

Trunks stifled back laughter. He was quite far away, but he could see that Shana was arguing with Okibi. To any outsider, it would look like she was some schizophrenic. No doubt Okibi was reprimanding her for her behavior. He let them have their little dialogue.

Okibi is a part of her, so if she hast his much inner turmoil it is only so long before her will breaks completely.

"Now then," Shana said after changing some of her equipment and quaffing some sort of potion. "You wish to fight on the ground. Then by all means...."

“Come on then!” Trunks shouted. “Quit dallying and fight me.”

In a blur of fiery light she charged at him. Trunks felt a sold crack across his face, a blow that sent him hurtling westward—straight for the island.

"Be my guest," she said, her voice a fading whisper in the rush of wind. Trunks was moving away at such speeds that her flame shrouded figure dwindled into a mere ember in the sky.

With a grunt he twisted his body around, fighting the g-forces. With an exertion of ki he was able to slow himself enough to make a crude landing. Both of his feet bit down into the muddy soil of the flood plain, sending up thick black slurry. He cut a deep groove in the ground as he skidded to a stop. His clothes were drenched in the thick mud, which happened to reeked with a combination of fish and rotting plant matter Snarling in disgust, he shook himself like a wet dog to dislodging some of it. Clumps flung away from his form, splattering in puddles all around him.

It didn't take long for his opponent to arrive.

He removed his tattered jacket and tossed it. The cool ocean wind caught it and carried it for a good distance before it got tangled up in one of the few palm trees still standing. Clenching both of his fists he began to draw out the ki that he had chained within himself, the very ki that Shana had provided him. A chaotic blue white aura flickered all around him. Bolts of jagged lightning skipped across the entire island, burning grooves into the ground.

The muddy crust shook from the pressure of his emerging ki, stagnant puddles spraying away from him as it released. Giant hunks of rock were torn out of the muck and hurled towards the heavens. He sunk deep, a large crater spreading out in all directions.

Something within the Half-Saiyan snapped as he felt the power flooding through him. He couldn't lose this, there was no way. Too much was at stake. He titled his head back and let out a roar, all the agony of the past, the future and the present resounding through him. Flecks of golden light danced through his aura for a brief second before the entirety of it vanished with a final pulse.

His body was shrouded in a soft blue glow. Both of his eyes narrowed as he brought head back forward, leveling his sight upon his enemy, Future Shana.

“Okibi, don't argue with the child anymore. Let her fight to her little heart's desire” Trunks said. “If she wants to defy the Conclave; slander the very people who protect this universe, let her go. It only shows ungrateful she is truly is. The Shana of my time never acted with so much disregard and would have never disrespected the God of Fire.

You see, she was fierce and loyal. She had earned the title of Iz'roth through her blood, sweat and tears. I don't know what happened to make you such a spoiled brat, but it simply disgusts me. You're no warrior Shana. Without Okibi and the Conclave, you're just just a pathetic human who can't reign in her emotions and act responsible. A true warrior never gives up on themselves, nor do they give up on what they fight for. They do not betray their allies either. I thought Blackfire would have taught you all of this during your training sessions.

Heh, after I'm done whooping your ass, I will remind her to give the Shana of this era a lesson. Maybe I can change the outcome so she doesn't turn into a heartless monster like you.”

It was time for him to bring the pain. While he was sure Shana still had a good deal of power left in her, he wasn't going to relent, not one bit, until he had defeated her. His resolve was set in stone.

In a flicker of motion, he was gone, appearing behind Shana, the air whooshed, displaced by his arrival. He pivoted and brought his leg around in blazing fast heel kick aimed at her lower back. He didn't relent as he dropped it and jumped, sending his other leg up, firing off two snap kicks aimed at the back of her head. Now in the air, he let himself drop, catching his fall in a hand stand. Pushing off, he did three back flips, sliding into a low crouch.

Round two has begun.

Actions:

- Take hit, Action #3 (+3 rage)
1) Rest → -10 FP
2) Power Up & Release Rage (18) [Str: 2,017, Ki: 3,981) → 0 FP
3) Speed Burst + Pummel [Agi: 3,628] → +15 FP

+5 FP gained this turn.

WC: 856
TWC: 5,748

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

The girl allowed her form to drop from the sky, making a point to land on an outcrop of rock that overlooked the muddy battlefield. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. This was where Trunks wanted to fight? She would have preferred the air over this disgusting setting. With another glance around, Shana decided to keep her crimson wings unfurled. There was simply no way in hell she was going to fully land on anything but solid ground.

The Half-Saiyan time traveler had taken off his muddy jacket. Shana narrowed her eyes as his power began to spike upwards. He was pushing himself quite far in this battle. There was no way he could have that much energy, surely...

Trunks began to speak. Shana listened to his words, but didn't really let them sink in. She wasn't all that interested in what the Half-Saiyan said, to be honest. But just before she could open her mouth to rebuke whatever he had been talking about, it was Okibi who spoke. And it was a surprising bit of dialog; it was certainly not what Shana expected the god of fire to say.

"Trunks, you have no idea what kind of hell Shana has been through in these past years. You have no power to judge her as she is now without putting yourself where she's been. That's why she's here. To reverse those events that tore her soul asunder."

What was that all about? Shana asked him, surprised that the god of fire would speak on her behalf.

Nothing... he spoke back. Now would you just leave him alone and get out of here?

Shana sighed and looked back at Trunks. His power up seemed to be complete. Although his power was significantly larger than before, it didn't seem to phase the host of fire. She only watched with careful eyes as he increased his speed, swiftly closing what distance they had. He wished to fight hand-to-hand? That was perfectly acceptable to Shana. After all, it was where she excelled at. Her wings flapped once, causing the human's feet to leave the ground once more. She didn't ascend too far, however. The child only wished to keep her feet dry from the muddy ground below her.

A crimson aura enveloped her body as she whirred around in a blur, keeping up with the time traveler's speed. Her wings discharged small fragments of energy. They fell around the warring child like rose petals before simmering away into nothingness. She brought up both arms in a bar-like block at her side just as the Half-Saiyan's leg crashed into them. There was a small explosion of discharged energy as his hit struck, causing Shana to wince slightly. His strength was greater than before; the kick would have left an angry red welt on her forearm if it were not for the resilient jacket she wore. It didn't mean that she didn't feel the blow, though. Oh no, her arm ached with that attack. Yet Trunks seemed to continue on his assault.

Two swift kicks were aimed her way; both were met with her open palms, the right and left in sequence. They landed solidly on her block, yet were not able to go through fully. The force of his blows sent her back slightly, and the child was quickly forced to reposition herself to go on the offensive whilst rubbing her raw palms to get the circulation back in order.

She went in for a frontal attack. While one could debate that it was a non-creative way to attack, Shana simply didn't care enough about her foe anymore to attack with any sort of complexity. The first blow was a simple attack at his face. She ducked down slightly and turned her body to go with the next attack, a spinning kick at his arm. Positioning herself to face her opponent once more, she aimed a devastating kick at the man's chest to hopefully send him staggering. It was the final attack that she was counting on. She cocked her fist once more as if to attack, yet vanished at the last second. Her feint complete, the young teen reappeared behind him and tried to reach around him to swing an arm over his neck. The other arm shot out towards his right wrist to try and jar it back, essentially disabling him.

It was a maneuver taught to her by Tork'thal, the Vessel of Earth. He excelled at melee combat as well. He had taught her quite the amount of grappling techniques to disable a foe, and this was one of them.

Word of Shana: 789/6038

Actions:
1: Powered Flight + Block Action 3 (3 FP) (Agility: 4428)
2: Flight + Pummel (Martial Efficiency) (0 FP)
3: Speed Burst + Flight + Grapple (18 FP) (Agility: 5198)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

"Trunks, you have no idea what kind of hell Shana has been through in these past years. You have no power to judge her as she is now without putting yourself where she's been. That's why she's here. To reverse those events that tore her soul asunder,” Okibi said.

Trunks's flurry of kicks met stiff opposition. Shana made quick work of blocking them. He grimaced, frustrated was at what Okibi had said. For an Elemental God, he wasn't very perceptive. How could he honestly say that Trunks didn't know what hell was?

“Oh, I do have a right to pass judgment on Shana, Okibi. You forget that I didn't come to the past for a vacation. I know hell, I've lived through it. I watched everyone I loved, everyone I cared for, be torn apart and was powerless to stop it. I've seen entire worlds turned to ash. So, I do know pain, I do know suffering, I live it every waking moment! But, you don't see me acting like a little child who didn't get his way!”

Shana's first kick slammed into his right cheek. Trunks's head snapped to the side and spittle flew from his lips. Snapping his arms in front of him in defensive stance, Trunks caught a heel on the meat of his upper arm, the pain coursing through him Still seeing spots, he was launched backward a few steps by her final kick, which got him in the chest.

He didn't see her feint, but by the time he had recovered she had him in a headlock and arm bar. He fought the hold with all of his strength, but she was far stronger and had the advantage of better leverage. Baring his teeth like a wild beast, he twisted his body, eventually writhing free. Trunks's right arm most definitely had some torn ligaments and major issue damage. He could barely move his fingers.

Despite the immense shooting pain, Trunks brought both of his hands in front of him, palms flat. He tried to ignore the fact that his arms were quivering. The Half-Saiyan had powered up with everything he had, yet she had easily overpowered him. It wouldn't be long now before her strikes would add up and he'd be out of the fight. His only chance now was to win—and win big.

I didn't want to kill you Shana. Part of me hopes that this attack won't do the job. But, I am going to give it everything I got. You're too far gone, and it seems your Elemental God can't view the world clearly either. He only sees your pain, your suffering, and has forgotten that you're not the only one. There is no excuse for letting darkness into your heart. You've become the enemy.

White light swirled around his form as he began to summon an immense amount of ki. Bolts leaped from his finger tips, dancing across the muddy clearing. The ground, already weakened from his first power up, shook violently. It split and crack, forming a spiderweb of endlessly deep chasms. As fissures spread out they reached the beach, sea water rushing into them. Lava bubbled up from beneath crust and met the seawater and creating a cloud of super-heated steam that rose up, screeching like a banshee as it escaped the cracks.

The swirling aura of light became a dome that encompassed Trunks's entire figure, causing his form to vanish from sight. He let out a roar as his ki surged, dissolving the small pillar of rock he had been standing on. Floating now, he continued to power up. The entire island broke part all around him. Heavy winds buffeted the already battered foliage, sending it tumbling into the ocean.

“This is over!”

A wall of white ki erupted forth from the bubble. The remnants of island dissolved beneath the pressure as the wave made straight on path for Future Shana.

“Finish Buster!”

Actions:

- Take hit, Action #2 (+3 Rage)
- Take Hit, Action #3 (+3 Rage)
1) Immobilized
- Power Up fades.
2) Charge Up (+25% FP)
3) Finish Buster + Prayer Beads [Ki: 3,724] → 60 FP (30 gained)
- Now Exhausted.

+30 FP gained this turn.

WC: 658
TWC: 6,406

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Despite her vice-like grip on the Half-Saiyan, he had managed to struggle free after a brief wrestling session. Anger was starting to creep into Shana's being. She was tired of his struggles. Like a slimy fish, he had flopped about, managing to wriggle free of her more powerful attacks and maneuvers. It was coming down to the wire. Shana had more tricks up her sleeves, sure. Yet she was skipping all of those. If it took her most powerful assault to take down the future Komand'r, so be it.

What she didn't expect was for the weakened lilac-haired warrior to attack first. Just as she was crouching to pounce like a tiger killing its prey, he pushed out two arms. Shana could detect a massive energy build up from within her foe's core; it was likely his last reserves, but it made no difference.

The next attack was nothing to sneeze at. The entire island was suffering. First from the backlash of Shana's Big Bang Attack, now it was crumbling further from whatever Trunks was cooking up....

Shana's eyes snapped open in recognition. That pose... That power... She knew exactly what he was about to unleash. There was no point in trying to meet the energy with her own; Trunks had always been better at manipulating Ki than she. If the host of fire attempted another fancy maneuver, she would find herself overwhelmed quickly.

The only viable option was to get the hell away from it. But as the girl reflected on it, even that option seemed moot. She had seen Trunks bend his ki attacks before in her future, what was to say he couldn't do it now.

"Damn it..." she muttered under her breath as the island began to sink into a watery grave beneath her. Luckily, she was still flying. Her wings flapped lazily, not betraying the stress she was feeling in the face of such an overwhelming amount of energy.

“This is over!” Trunks roared as a massive wave of energy exploded out of his hands. Although Shana had seen bigger Ki-based attacks, it didn't damper the danger of the Half-Saiyan's attack any. The pulse of energy exploded from his grasp just as Shana thrust her palms forward. In an instant, the powerful column was pressing against her grasp like a ten-ton locomotive. Shana gritted her teeth as the barrier of volatile Ki bent and contorted through her fingers and outline of her hands. The last thing she needed was for the beam to explode prematurely.

Despite her almost infinite and god-like strength, Shana found herself being pushed back steadily. A crimson aura exploded around her as the child vainly tried to break the seal Alexstrasza had placed upon her power. She just needed a fraction of her strength. Just a whisper. Yet the Finish Buster pressed forward through her guard; soon, Shana found herself only inches away from the Ocean's churning surface.

How... How is he doing this? He should be on his last leg!

That's not just strength powering his attack. It's his will as well... Okibi answered her gravely. The host of fire sucked in a lungful of air just as her form was pushed into the ocean. Water was displaced as her form cleaved a path through it. The beam began to speed up as Shana's strength began to fail.

I can't hold it back much longer... Already, her hands were blistering from the heat of the attack. Her arms were shaking. Pain lanced through the limbs that kept the destructive wave away; but soon, they too would give way entirely....

---

"Do you want to tell me what the hell that was about?" The angry rebuke rang crisply through the lavish corridor just as Shana entered Alexstrasza's temple-like mansion in Eden's Realm. Sunlight filtered through the seven stained glass windows on the roof. Each mural depicted a symbol of the elements that made the Conclave.

Darkness. Light. Fire. Water. Lightning. Earth. Wind.

Even though there were seven elements, only six of them were now associated with the Conclave. With the defeat of Re'shaln only a year prior, the gods of light and wind had been returned to servitude.

"What?" Shana asked indifferently, trying to shoulder her way past the goddess. She already knew what the woman was referring to, but wanted to defy Alexstrasza anyway. Her hair still glowed with a crimson fire; the host of fire hadn't bothered to descend from her transformation. Perhaps it was the rage that continuously pulsated though her body like a current that fed the power. To her annoyance, Alexstrasza moved to the side, blocking her path to the banquet hall. The sound of footsteps behind her announced Komand'r's arrival. Not Blackfire, but Trunks.

"You attacked Trunks!" Alexstrasza was furious. Trunks said nothing; he leaned against the statue of Skoll nearby and crossed his arms. He wasn't harmed. Thankfully, Okibi had stepped forward, stopping Shana's attack before it became to furious. Skoll materialized nearby and sat down promptly, staring at Shana with neutral eyes.

"He got in my way," Shana growled, trying to move past Alexstrasza once more.

Alexstrasza blocked her once more. "He was trying to help!" she hissed. The Conclave has always worked as a team!"

"I had it!" Shana exclaimed, her voice raising in anger. She jabbed a finger towards the time traveler. "And I don't care what you say! He doesn't belong in the Conclave! He's no Komand'r!"

Alexstrasza seemed taken aback by the child's fury. But a knowing look crossed her face. "Blackfire died a martyr's death. Trunks was the worthy successor. I know you grieve her death, but Trunks is the new Komand'r. You'll have to accept it-"

"I don't have to accept anything!" Shana snapped back. "I never accepted anything! I never asked to be a part of this! And now look where it's brought me! My parents died because of it! Blackfire died because of me! I'm sick of it!"

"Blackfire's death wasn't your fault..." Trunks tried to interject. But when Shana whipped her head around to fix him with a hatred-filled, crimson, and cold gaze, the Half-Saiyan fell silent. He had tried plenty of times to sympathize with the girl with little success.

"Stay out of this!" Shana yelled at him, narrowing her crimson eyes dangerously. "And stay the hell away from me..." She turned heel and stormed out of Alexstrasza's domain. Her form flickered slightly as she exited Eden's Realm. But the final threat rang out clearly with her departure.

"...Or I'll make you stay away..."

---

He didn't care... He still doesn't care... The thought was enough. Fury trickled through the Vessel's veins until it threatened to burst out. If it weren't for Alexstrasza's seal, the child would have likely ascended by now. The adreniline rushing through her body was enough to bring the beam to a screeching halt. Somewhere a mile below the surface of the ocean, Shana managed to get the blast under control. No longer did it burn at her hands; the teen had enveloped her own hands with energy.

A single cunning thought crossed the human's mind. This far under the ocean, it was almost impossible to see the surface. Instead of pushing the blast away, she twisted her body with a grunt of effort, sending the mighty beam downwards further. Moments tricked by as the Finish Buster traveled to the ocean's bottom. Miles down even further, a massive explosion finally occured. A powerful wave of bubbles and pressurized, heated water hit the human. She barred her arms across her chest, weathering out the power.

With the blast, Shana rapidly let her power drop. She was running low on air, but needed only a few more moments. Just long enough to try and fool Trunks into thinking that his attack worked. A pillow of bubbled escaped the child's lips and she let her power explode moments later. The water churned about her, then rushed into the empty space where her body once was.

She was exhausted.

She was hurting.

But the power was there. Like a stubborn flame, she refused to be extinguished. Her form blurred as she broke the surface of water, swiftly locking onto Trunks' form. Pushing what speed she had to its limits, she wound around him, lashing out with fierce blows. One after the other they came, carrying all of the fury and hatred she could muster towards this man that dared hold the same title as her late master.

"You're wrong! Now it's over!" Her fists were outlined with a fiery aura, taking an eerily similar shape to Okibi's form. Though the god of fire certainly wasn't willing to aide her in this battle, she would force his power out nonetheless. The final blow came, delivered by the hands of a demigod. She aimed to finish his resistance for good: the strike? A powerful left hook aimed at his temple.

Word of Shana: 1493/7531

Actions:
1: Flight + Deflection + Block action 3 (10 FP) (Endurance: 5064)
Free: Ki suppression to >1%
2: Flight + Power up (18 FP)
3: Speed Burst + Flight + Wolf Fang Fist (32 FP) (Agility: 5198) (Strength: 5640)

Battle Tracker:

Spoiler:

Trunks puttered through the air and landed on a diagonal slab of rock poking up out of the raging sea. The small island he had reserved for their battleground had been reduced to a smoking ruin. Like a hungry beast, the sea had devoured most of remnants, extinguishing fires and cooling lava. All that remained were a handful of jagged spires and a sand bar where the beach had been on the island's opposite end.

The Guardian of Time fell to his knees, gasping for air. A heavy breeze ruffled his unruly lavender hair. Droplets of sweat splattered onto the stone below him and when he slumped forward quivering palms caught his fall.

Using the Finisher Buster had taken everything out of him, leaving him a mere husk. He didn't know if Shana had survived the attack. Dizziness and confusion filled his head, so he struggled to reach out and find her ki signature. All of his injures were a weight upon him and it was all he could do to keep his head up.

Maybe I had put a bit too much into that one? he thought, feeling the knife of regret twisting inside of his stomach. She just pissed me off so much. That wasn't Shana. She cant' turn into that...”

Reaching to his side, he felt for a small pouch on his belt that contained a Sensu Bean. He would need it if he wished to return to Blackfire and inform her what happened.

[i]I'm surprised she's not here already, I mean there's no doubt she would have felt our ki signatures. Unless she left the Earth.

The truth was, Trunks had been so busy with his own things that he hadn't even bothered seeking out Blackfire's ki signature for a long while She wasn't someone he needed to worry about, not a Super Saiyan. It then dawned on him, Shana and himself had actually only been fighting a few minutes. It was strange, how time seemed t slow in battle. He wondered if it was a Saiyan thing, or just him.

Untying the knot, he reached into the bag, his fingers finding the little bean after a few seconds of rummaging.

"You're wrong! Now it's over!" Shana shouted.

Trunks looked up as the Host of Fire appeared in front of him, her body encompassed in flames. He was baffled at her return, he hadn't thought it was possible for her to survive a full powered Finish Buster.

No!

The last thing he saw was the raging figure of Okibi as her fist hit the side of his head and the world went black. The God of Fire's snarling maw and crimson eyes burned into his memory.

---

- Trunks is KO'd

WC: 450
TWC: 6,856

Like a sack of potatoes, the Half-Saiyan fell forward. He would have fallen into the charred sand if it weren't for Shana catching him by the collar. His greater weight was enough to cause her form to sag slightly. Shana felt exhaustion dragging at her limbs; she hadn't been this close to collapsing since her fight with Re'shaln.

"You're quite the bundle of rage, aren't you?" The female voice caused a look of shock to cross her features. She let Trunks go and spun around to see a female Saiyan floating nonchalantly in the sky.

"B-Blackfire..." Shana wasn't even sure what to say. After so many years, her mentor... was here... But the look upon her face was not one of welcome. Her amethyst eyes flickered to the form of Trunks.

"Just what were you planning on doing there? I'm sure it would have been something you would have regretted," she chided harshly. But it was as if Shana didn't hear her. She took several steps forward.

"Blackfire. I've missed you so much-" Her dialog was cut short as the Saiyan suddenly vanished. There was the sound of her landing behind the human. But just as Shana began to turn her head, a sharp pain hit the back of her neck hard. Everything went black, and the child slumped forward.

Word of Shana: 222/7753

Trunks lives due to an intervention.