DB - Mechi gets a new brand of Salsa

Salsa let out a groan as he felt his vision clear and the darkness around him receded. The fight was still fresh in his mind and so he jerked up to a sitting position, looking around as his hand snapped to the hilt of his fallen blade. He was lucky it was within grasp... or at least so he thought anyway. His train of thought was promptly interrupted by the state of the throne room around him.

"..... What the hell?"

There was no Broly... no massive fight... no old Lord Mechikaboola... no Towa and Mira... no time patrol... at least as far as he could tell anyway... Eventually though his gaze shifted to look at that figure in the shadows and his blade lowered to his side as his defensive posture faded, taking on a more neutral stance. This place felt like home, but sorta disconnected in a way.....



[color=red]”Hmm.. Not quite my dear Salsa. For that, you’d be required to be dead.”[/color] That voice.. It was familiar.. but not. Something was off.

Lord Mechikaboola stepped forth, not a withered elderly thing that Salsa served, but seemingly with youth restored, crimson markings laced about his eyes of a far greater Demon God than he had known. His white hair was lengthy still, spiked up in mass along his back and his robes were more refined. No staff was present, as there was no need for such and a golden horned crown embraced his head. [color=red]”..Now this is the part where you take a knee and thank me.”[/color] Salsa had been impressed by the elderly man’s show of power prior.. but this form radiated with a great deal [i]more[/i].



Salsa's eyes promptly popped wide open at the voice that spoke.... It was very clear who it belonged to but it didn't sound as old as he remembered. Once he stepped into the light though, and even as Mechi was ordering him to take a knee... he took a breath and dropped easily to one knee, lowering his head as he rested his blade flat on the ground across him rather than pointing toward anyone.

"Lord Mechikaboola.... Thank you for saving me...."

It was a tone of relief....  He maintained that stance and his bowed head and considered his next words.

"I take it that if I'm here, and with you looking the way you do... you were able to reach your goal without me? Your wish was granted? I'm fairly certain I was about to die just now...."



The Dark King smiled, as cold and chilling as it was with still his boyish charm even as a man in his prime. [color=red]”Rise. Unfortunately no is the answer to your query. You see, I am not the man you know and yet I am. You come from a lost fragment of time, in which things worked out differently and resulted in.. let us call it a bad end. Rather than allowing you to perish with those you know, I decided to give you another chance in a world far more stable with less encumbering variables. My youth has actually been temporarily restored.. physically. Not quite my power, but it is something I have been working towards. This appearance comes at a price where I am unable to wield it to my maximum advantage without.. aging setbacks. We are time-crossed beings and I would rather not witness one of my Demon Gods perish in any time, so I have brought you to mine. Do not fret about running into your other self here. I mean, you very well may, given the properties of temporal displacement and traversing the multiverse, but I in fact.. unfortunately do not have a version of you alive with us any longer. I have picked you due to your variances in the service of the other me. I feel you’ll be stronger and more capable than the one who came before you.”[/color]

Mechikaboola gestured for Salsa to follow, turning to give him the walking tour of the castle. [color=red]”This is not an order however, but a choice. And it is yours to think upon and make. Entering my services is not something one is to take lightly and you’ll find I’m still as accommodating as my elder self, however there are many other variables in play here.”[/color]



Salsa lifted up to his feet, rising up and then attaching his sword to his belt as he listened to the explanation. "Hmm...." He didn't outright comment, at least not yet. He just seemed to be taking it all in stride actually. A different Mechikaboola... one that he was not technically bound to... but could be if he so chose.

As Mechi gestured toward him, he gave a nod and followed along at his side, keeping a respectful distance as he usually did. His hands resting in his pockets as he looked about and took in the sights of the castle. As Mechi spoke and mentioned variables he glanced toward him. "What kind of Variables are we talking about here? Are Shroom, Gravy, Putine, and the others still around?" Lots to think on apparently....


[color=red]”They are, yes.. as are others. For example, the son of Towa and Mira, Fu, is here with us.. as my grandson and the Dark Prince. We have a strange little truce of sorts with the Supreme Kai of Time and.. of all people, Demigra.. who has joined her side with his sect. A demon named Cazual, who uses ice magic much like Putine, is also among our ranks.. and the Shroom here had a part in not only raising Fu as being his uncle, but has attached himself.. elsewhere. Oh and [i]Dabura[/i]..”[/color] Mechikaboola frowned, straightening his gait. [color=red]”We do not talk about Dabura… and this is why. Ours had been killed long ago and suffered a.. let us call it, a Darkness setback. By dying on Earth, his soul was sent to Heaven where he.. he changed. Just try to ignore his flowers and random boasts and mentions of other unsavory things. Do try his cooking however, especially his cookies. Shroom had gone to steal back his soul and revive him but he was just too late for Heaven’s purifying effects to not have set in. It has been a slow recovery. So we just.. do not talk about Dabura.”[/color]



Salsa quirked an eyebrow at the idea of Towa and Mira having a child... Fu huh? He was also apparently the dark prince as well? That wasn't an issue. A new demon as well in Cazuall... Perhaps time would tell on that one. "Huh... so Demigra's still alive then... sounds like a lot of adjustment..." He then paused in mid step at the mention of Dabura having ended up in earth's [b]heaven[/b]..... only to clear his throat and continue walking as a frown crossed his face. "I see..."

Still.. Shroom and Putine were about so that was good. This seemed like a good place to settle as well. He wasn't certain about the whole truce thing but if Mechi was going along with it there had to be reason for it. "Alright Lord Mechikaboola.... I've made my decision... You were kind enough to pull me from what was apparently a most certain death. I have no issue repaying that kindness with my service. As I served the Lord Mechikaboola from my time... so will I also serve you..."

Sure he could take the chance to be free on his own for a bit... But he'd rather hang around with Shroom and Putine and Gravy again... they were his family... even if they were different versions of his family....as long as things went ok with them he could be fine with this.



[color=red]”Demigra is always still alive, even when dead or defeated. Men such as he and I do not fade so easily.”[/color] Mechikaboola chuckled, picking to walk Salsa down a hall where various portraits were painted and hung.. including Fu over his years of growth, Dabura.. Dabura’s son?! Yes, Beelzebub was a thing at one point. A young Towa and Dabura, as the Demon King was still huge even as a teen and Towa had round glasses.. nerd. There was even a prime Mechi in crimson coat standing besides a.. that was a pre-teen Shroom alright! But he looked.. not right? There was no friendly gait or smile, no chill.. The lad was tense and numb all at once, eyes blank and void of the joy and insanity Salsa knew Shroom to have. It was a huge contrast to the next one of the Demon Gods, where that was more of the Shroom Salsa may have been expecting.. and there was a him, Salsa grinning in honorable pose. That one was a little different, as his hooded ears had more bling and rings to them and he didn’t wear his white scrunched scarf tucked into his undercoat.

[color=red]”Oh?.. That was quick.”[/color] He stepped over to Salsa, then reached out and [sub]wubbed his head[/sub] large hand settled against his hood, tweaking those hidden ears and his hair, a bit of darkness lurching, soothing against Salsa. [color=red]”But pleasantly done, as I had expected. I have missed my young apprentice. And the others miss your presence. It’s simply not the same, not that it will be the same.. but there is no longer a persistent void. While it will come as a surprise to Shroom, the others already knew of my intentions and agreed, as our own Salsa was lost to an incident, a time displacement that was most unlikely to have been survived, perishing with a small sect that some of our others had been part of.. Our diplomatic adviser, Mayo, was head of it and lost his captain, Kai and his daughter Rhoswen in the incident, where a Demigra of another time was quite a problem. Mayo is one of the few elders, and actually physically elderly as well. He can aid you in settling in and explain what happened in more detail than I, should you have interest.”[/color]



Salsa gave a bit of a nod as they walked down the hallway. He glanced up and took in the pictures... Each one told a story of its own in some way. actually chuckling at the sight of Towa with her round glasses... He paused a bit at the sight of pre-teen Shroom, tilting his head a bit to the side "Heh..." And then continued down the hallway as a quiet smile crossed him at the sight of them all gathered together like that looking a lot more normal, or at least triggering familiar memories and sensations anyway. "Yeesh... what was other me thinking with that getup?"

He paused however as Mechi responded to his agreement to join, his head not quite ducking away, almost pushing up into the hand just a touch on instinct. It was soothing and relaxing, and he even gave off a very [sub]faint[/sub] little purring sound before cutting it off by clearing his throat. It wasn't something he did often [sub]if ever[/sub]... and only around those he trusted [sub]to not make fun of him for it[/sub].

Once that hand pulled away he straightened back up and took in the additional information. "I'm glad they agreed then... It'll be... interesting to get to know all brand new versions of them." He paused a bit and frowned at the thought of being lost to a time displacement like that. "Yeesh... what a way to go..." He'll have to tread lightly around that subject probably... that particular mental note filed away for later. "Understood... I'll go find Mayo once I get settled in."



[color=red]”He had a certain thing for anything shiny that was to be worn. I believe he called it.. bling.”[/color]

Mechikaboola smiled at that purr and as dark and evil as he was, he had a.. a genuine hint to his smile. Also a rarity. [color=red]”I look forward to hearing your tales, especially of you and your apprenticeship. I will see where you are at and can take matters from there. I also would like to hear of this.. other me.”[/color]

The Dark King walked onward, coming to a massive staircase that split into two at the top and shared a balcony between the castle wings. [color=red]”To be settled in proper, after our current conversation, I would like you to walk the stairs.. You’ll find yourself drawn over where to go, where you’ll come to a hall with doors. Pick which one you desire, as upon touching the handle, your room will construct itself to your tastes on the other side of the door and be ready for you upon opening the door. That’s the easiest way to create your space. There’s still a few things you need to be aware of.. For example, we are not in the Demon Realm. This realm is called Penumbras and exists in a.. nexus of sorts, accessible through a gateway planet. It is as Shroom calls, a knocked-off. It means a low quality reproduction. It is part of the.. truce at hand.”[/color]



Salsa returned the smile with one of his own, giving a nod at that. "I'd like that... I'm curious to see the differences between the two of you..." At the mention of his apprenticeship, he glanced down at the blade at his side and gave a nod. Once he got settled in, he'd have to hit up the training room and see what all he was capable of when not having to fight for his life. At the mention that they weren't in the demon realm however, it broke his train of thought and he looked up at Mechi again with a quirked eyebrow.

"A knock-off of the demon realm huh? Yeesh... got a lot to learn it seems. I better visit Mayo sooner rather than later... Can't be effective if I don't know what I'm stepping into..." He looked down the hallway at that and a thoughtful frown crossed his face. He gave a nod when it was mentioned where he should go after their conversation was over, looking up at the stairs and the balcony. It was enough to once again trigger familiar sensations, but it was more like an odd sense of dejavu since he had not actually been in this exact spot before... It only looked and felt similar.

He then shifted his attention back to Mechi and lifted his hands up, interlocking his fingers behind his head and stretching a little. "How did this truce come about if you don't mind me asking? The version of you I served wasn't exactly keen on.... I dunno..." He pauses for a moment to look for the right word. "Becoming friendly with the time patrol?"



[color=red]”Well, there was no doubt a pink kai where and when you’re from, hmm? The war was raging on, us against her and Demigra.. She has a fondness for Fu. I seek to preserve and nurture Fu. Demigra despises and fears Fu however, he knows of the kai’s fondness.. When Fu did something very idiotic and needed aid, it was what brought the three of us into working together to seal him, so he could mend and recover from the ordeal. We nearly destroyed the Nexus we found ourselves in. Shortly after, the three of us were summoned by Grand Priest before the Omniking.. It was decided they enjoyed watching us so much that our fighting had to end.. and we were to work together. Part of that came with opportunity for me.. Demigra and I have been not just reinstated as Supreme Kais, but have been permitted out domains. In my case, I am to showcase Penumbras, giving the Heavenly Realms insight to the workings they could not see in the Demon Realm, and show how we can all.. ahem.. get along and work together.. …but truly I’m thinking this is more of a gateway for the rebuilding of the Demon Realm and connecting it to the mortal realm proper.”[/color] His choice of words said there was a lot behind his thoughts and methods. He was plotting, no doubt. [color=red]”They can see almost all of Penumbras.. but not peer into this castle of course. For [i]some reason[/i] it emulates the veil of the Demon Realm.”[/color]

[color=red]”There are also other mitigating factors of the matter, that you will come to learn of in time. These are the most known and pertinent.”[/color]



Salsa nodded as Chronoa was brought up, knowing the pink kai from his Mechi's information at the very least... When he got to the part about the angels and Zeno however just blinked a bit. "Wait wait wait... angels and the [b]omniking[/b] got involved? Jeez..... That's one hell of a story....." He gave an impressed whistle and then his hands lowered back down, instead just resting behind his head for a bit more before unlocking and moving to slide into his pockets at his sides as he looked around at the castle a bit. "Still... sounds like a good opportunity..." And the fact that they couldn't see inside the castle was a good thing to know. It meant he didn't have to watch what he said while within the walls. But it also meant that they were probably being observed from "on high" while beyond them and he needed to be careful without tipping off that he was being careful.....

An interesting tightrope to walk....



[color=red]”..Oh that’s not the strangest of matters either.”[/color] Mechikaboola chuckled at Salsa’s reaction. If he was this shocked over the higher ranking beings getting involved in a system dispute, how would he react to knowing what the other him went through with Shroom and Kayel?

[color=red]”I will be sure you learn of the blindspots that I have made sure to exist in Penumbras. You’ll also now have access to the mortal realm and the planet Earth is one of the areas frequented often. Long ago before it was known to have such delicacies to others, the Demon Realm had already set up gateways, choosing that as one of the few planets worthy of housing our links. Despite things having been broken off prior with the Demon realm’s sealing, we now have full access to traverse where we please so long as we observe to not break anything [i]that matters.[/i]”[/color] Meaning.. breaking other things was juuuust fine. Mechikaboola smirked.



Salsa would definitely be interested in that particular story.... but he wasn't quite aware of that, only Mechi's chuckle. At the mention of other blind spots, he gave a nod of understanding. He'd have to set aside time to understand and map out those blind spots so he could use them to his own advantage. The mention of being able to freely traverse to earth caused him to quirk an eyebrow, and then that smirk was met with a little matching one from his apprentice. "Heh... gotcha... I guess Mayo knows all about what things [b]shouldn't[/b] be broken then?" He didn't need to waste Mechi's time asking about those kind of minute details after all. That's what underlings who specialized in legalese and diplomacy were for...



[color=red]”Quite so. As long as we do not endanger any systematic aspects, anything goes. However, politics come into play. The kai is fond of Earth so we need to just be picky with what we choose to do and enjoy. [i]I do not want her upset.[/i] Now go get yourself settled in a bit and take the day to explore and rest as you please within the castle. I will send Mayo your way. Do treat him as an extension of myself when it comes to respect.”[/color]



Salsa clasped his hand infront of his chest and gave a respectful bow of his head toward Mechi at that. "Of course Lord Mechikaboola.... Thank you again for this new and.... interesting chance..." With that, he broke away to just... go explore the castle and look about. As he did so, he idly pondered how he would form his room...