Interlude
The Wake of the Gray
(Collab between @Crow @York @Alex Azure @Hahli Nuva @Sark )
And so, the group of Toppo, Ben, Schala & Will arrived at the Universe 11. This particular city seemed to be shining bright for a good morning.
"The other Pride Troopers will need to know one way or another," Ben says,
"let's find them fast."
Schala couldn't help but stop to gaze in awe at her surroundings... But when Ben spoke, she quickly nodded, picking up her pace.
It wasn't the first time she found herself in unfamiliar surroundings, but she couldn't help but feel nervous about the prospect about meeting new people.
Though, since she was here on Jiren's behalf, so to speak, she managed to fight back her fear, and move on, although she hadn't quite worked up the courage to speak up just yet.
"They will come when they are called..." Toppo muttered, raising his fingers into the air. With the flex of a mental muscle, a wave of Justice Flashes rained from his fingertips, burning the sky a glowing orange.
"At the end of days, you can take the warriors from the Pryde, but you cannot take the Pride from the Warriors"
Across the rooftops, a wave of red flashes danced, leaping from the skies to the earth. Within moments they began to quake and blur, taking on the form of 9 proud titans.
"Toppo!" The first called, hunched over his anvil.
"So you've finally returned to Universe 11, huh?"
"Finished you little 'Repentance Act', have you? Belmond's been down our necks ever since Jiren and you skipped world"
"So what's it like out there, Toppo? What's it like beyond the twel-"
Cocotte stilled her tongue, smiling down towards the warriors at her feet.
"Oh, I see you've brought some guests! Some friends from the Great Beyond; Travelers... Welcome to Universe 11"
Toppo listed off his old friends one by one in a state of disbelief, his eyes becoming 2 yellow moons.
"Dypso, Kettol, Cocotte... Are there only the 4 of us left?"
"You've forgotten, Toppo...? We all parted ways after the Tournament. Without your leadership and Jiren's strength, what did we have? Zoiray and the others... they didn't want to follow anyone in your stead... So I've been leading the Pride Triad the best I could... But evil thrives again in Universe 11. Tell us; did you find Jiren? Your last messaged felt like a lifetime ago..."
"Dypso... You rose to the plate in my moment of greed, and for that, I owe you my thanks. The Pride Warriors will return, that I promise you. Zoiray will feel nothing but shame when we return to the front lines... with or without Jiren"
"Without... Jiren? You mean...?
"Jiren... he lost his way. He turned his back on our Justice and found his own... and the price of his realization was a body count to rival Xeno's... come... we have much to discuss and much to plan. My friends and I... we wish to honour the man he was, not the misguided man he became. He deserves a burial... He deserves our pity"
Wil flew silently, taking in the sight of the Pride Troopers and how they dealt with Jiren's death. She didn't know the man very well, but she knew when one had friends close enough to be called family.
"I remember being so angry at him. So rage filled. I thought he was just some misguided strongman, but I was wrong. Jiren believed in his path, that it was the one true way to perfection and peace. Even if he was fighting for darkness, he still thought he was walking in the light."
"He was a warrior, and after all that's happened, I can definitely see what you all see in him. I'm really glad to have met him. Towards the end of it all, he lead me away from a violent option and towards the mercy that I thought I rid myself of, through his words and his heart. To think I started off knowing him as he who seeks power and power alone..."
Ben then extends a hand for a little handshake towards the Pride Triad.
"Ben, Ben Tennyson."
Following Ben's lead, Mason added his own thoughts on Jiren.
"He believed in his path. That conviction is not something I can deny. I admire somebody who will put everything into their role. I think we all can agree that his perseverance and will are what made him so strong. Although he went down the wrong path, his heart, like Will said, thought himself in the right. I don't blame him for being fooled. The multiverse lost a great warrior."
"My name is Mason Moretti. I had the... privilege? Honor? ... Fate. I had the fate of meeting Jiren, along with others of the Great Beyond. Traveler is probably the best way to describe me."
Mason was more hesitant to put out his hand for a handshake. Instead he put his hand up for a high five. The concept that a high-five might not exist as a gesture in this universe failed to cross his mind.
After her initial awkward silence, once te rest of the Pryde Warriors arrived and introduced themselves.
Offering them a polite curtsy, she bowed her head.
"I'm Schala... Schala Zeal. As far as I know... I'm all that's left of my family..." She said, then seemed to stop as she heard the talk of Jiren, reminding her of the reason she came in the first place.
Raising her head, one of her hands instinctively clasped at a pendant that was no longer here... At the place it once hung near her chest.
"But... That's not what I came here for. I came here to honor Jiren..." She added, a sad smile crossing her face as she continued.
"It's true he lost his way... It's true his ideals lead him to do some... Regretable things... But in the end... Before he left this world... I think he... Became the man he used to be... ... One last time."
Of course, meeting him in Avalon was... Strange in many ways, after he had passed on. Even though the reality she had met him in no longer existed, perhaps... Some aspect of Avalon still remains. After all, her pendant had yet to return to her, when the multiverse as it should be was reformed...
"Even if I didn't always agree with his decisions, I hope he found his peace..." She said quietly.
Her gaze shifted to the sky above her... As if she might find Jiren's soul somewhere amongst the stars, or a place beyond even them.
Will could only float on in silence as she watched the rest of her friends and Jiren's allies mourn his passing.
Cocette spoke with heavy words and an even heavier heart, her words weighed own by grief.
"I shall grieve for your family as you grieve for mine, Schala Zeal. We welcome your candour and honour. Should you search for one, you will always have a home in Universe 11"
"Fate..." Dypso hesitated
"Fate is the only way I could think to describe knowing Jiren. He had the purpose we all lacked in the old days... that drive, that will... the same zeal you all saw within him. Whether you knew him for years or days, you understand him as well as anyone could..."
After a moment of silence, the Pride Warriors took in the moment, coming to terms with the sudden news. The thought of living in a world without Jiren filled them with a new sensation; fear. Watching Jiren fall to Goku and Frieza had chilled them once before, but even then they had known the under different circumstances- had Jiren not tired, had he not been forced to hold back in the name of mercy- he could have overcome each foe separately. He was still strong. He was still the mightiest warrior in their world. Even the only warrior to match him had been equally good.
But the possibility that even a power as great as Jiren's could be matched and overcome in the wider universe was a possibility they would not admit easily. That one of their own had not only been defeated but
killed by a greater evil... what hells existed beyond the Circle of Zeno?
"How..." Dypso's whisper cut through the silence
"How did he die? Who... what evil took him from this world?"
"Me" Toppo spoke without hesitance or fear. His words were no longer restricted by regret or confusion; he had long since accepted the path he had taken. His old friends would need to do so too. They were too smart to be lied to and too proud to let secrets be kept from them. The truth was the only way.
"A woman named Othinus sought to destroy the multiverse and recreate it in her image. Her means were cruel. Her goal was, in many ways, selfish. She sought to undo all the progress mortals have made in the hopes of undoing the evils that had wronged her. She recruited a team of powerful warriors to assist her. Her own Pride Warriors: DIO, Pucci, Marian...Jiren... Her Revanites stood by her side throughout her pilgrimage of destruction. In the end, Jiren stood against us. He delayed us time and time again. He bought Othinus time. He sold her his soul. In a last-ditch effort to protect our home, I gave my life to destroy our fallen friend. I surrendered the Hakai. In the end..." There was no use in telling them of the world reborn. There was no use in complicating the matter with tales of a world that never was
"In the end, we saved the multiverse. Were our roles reversed... I take comfort knowing that he would have done the same for me. I released him of his burdens"
"Oh really?" Dyspo spat
"Then how are you here, gloating to us? Are you proud of you victory? That's you've finally surpassed Belmond's first choice for an heir? You're really growing into the boots of the Destroyer now, aren't you, Mr.Leader?"
"Calm yourself, Dypso" Cocotte threw her new leader a look that could shatter glass, seeking to force his anger back into his belly
"If Toppo is to be believed, then Jiren abandoned justice... no, he abandoned our justice. These Outsiders speak highly of Jiren's character... perhaps... Perhaps he simply found another path... a not a right path or a wrong path, but simply a different one? One that cost too many lives for Toppo to let go on unchecked..."
"Of course Toppo would say that! Toppo the Coward! Toppo the Traitor! Toppo, the Lapdog! And we're expected to just take his word for it? So tell us, Old Killer, how did you defy death a second time?"
"Even... even a God can show Mercy..."
"I should have known" Fury burned behind the hare's eyes
"I should have known that Belmond would protect his precious protege!"
"Hold your tongue, Rat!"
"Why should I? Can't you see it, Toppo? Has your power blinded you? Belmond is grooming you. He's been doing it from the start! Even since Jiren turned down your seat, he's been setting you up to become Jiren two-point-oh! A grumpy old fool with too much power! You'll never be half the man he was! Jiren would never take orders from that clown!"
"And you would defy the Destroyer? I don't recall you raising an objecting hand to him ordering us to join the Tournament!"
"If I could harness the Hakai, you could stake your life that I would! He blows up planets, Toppo! If there was a poster boy for Evil, it would have Belomd's sick red grin printed across its centre!"
"I hate him as much as you, Dypso! If not more so! Don't convince yourself that I am the villain! If you were there... if you could see the look in his eyes... that I'd stake my life in turn that you would be standing beside me now!"
"Perhaps if you didn't insist on going in alone, then maybe we wouldn't have play these stupid speculation games! Admit it! You left this world under the Destroyer's Orders! You were sent out there to Assassinate Jiren the Grey, knowing that Belmond would bring you back if you failed! And admit that you're proud to have done your job!"
"I'll admit that I was proud to have defeated Jiren! I at least have the sense not to lie to myself! I am proud to have died for something I believe in! I am proud to have helped save the whole damn multiverse from an evil you didn't even know existed! Get your head out of the dirt, Rabbit! There's a whole damn multiverse out there, and the only thing stopping you from exploring it is your own fear!"
"Fear!" Dypso's power surged, engulfing him in a tower of purple flame
"My Super-Maximum-Light Speed Mode will show you true fear, Coward!"
"Dyspo, stop!"
"Both of you, no!"
In a flash, the last of the Pride Warriors collided, desperately trying the part the parrying fists of the 2 old leaders. Perhaps they were fighting to defend their own pride? Or perhaps it was some sort of assertion of power or dominance? Or maybe they were simply fighting as a means of venting, a futile attempt to release the steam of grief.
As the four fists met at the centre of the clearing, a dancing foot protected them from a wrist shattering four-way collision.
"What happened to Jiren was a tragedy in every sense of the word" A 4th voice sung apathetically, almost condescendingly so
"But I assure you, Lord Belmond has played as little role in recent events as he could. He lent Toppo his strength whilst he was locked in a difficult fight, nothing more; should he have interfered any more, he would have violated more multiversal laws that I care to acknowledge. Should he have tried, as the Angel of this world, I would have stopped him... I trust that this puts your conspiracies to rest, Dyspo?" She raised an eyebrow, starting Dyspo head to toe. Not wishing to receive another scalding from the Marcarita- or worse, a beating- he lowered his head and relaxed his arms. He turned his back on his old friends.
"I remembered the first time the 4 of your crossed fists- or should that be palms. It was some Earthing team building symbol, with a name I can't quite remember. You-know-who and I were watching from the Kai's Realm... The 4 of you all looked so happy- the founders of a brave new era of Heroes..."
"Those days are as dead as Jiren... now let's get this damn funeral over and done with... the sooner we bury the casket the sooner Toppo and I can settle our depts..."
"Dypso... Don't be like this...Please"
Turning to the Outsiders, Marcarita gifted them a squinting smile, spinning her staff between her finger and her thumb.
"I'm sorry about the Pryde Triad... as you said, they saw much of themselves within Jiren. No matter who he became, you are all right; he remained a symbol to many in Universe 11... and unless there are any other affairs you wish to settle, I can transport us to the funeral site: a nice, quiet spot on Jiren's homeworld. Simply touch my staff, and I will arrange the rest"
"I have heavy doubts that he would like the sight of this."
Ben crosses his arms as he watches the bickering simmer down with Macarita's intervention.
"To see you all squabble like this over him, I mean. It's evident that he's a major reason why you all stuck like glue, would he like the sight of what are essentially his brothers and sisters that show concern and respect for him, that which he essentially served as a core for, falling apart like this?"
Ben approaches Marcarita, touching her staff.
"Time is of the essence. Let's set it all up."
"Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. Doesn't really matter what he likes anymore now, does it?"
Upon touching Marcarita's staff, the Outsiders would find themselves transported across the universe in a cone of light, reappearing in the heart of a wild wasteland before they could fully comprehend what had just happened. Wherever they looked, all they would find were endless empty plains, separated only by fleeting freckles of dry grass.
"This is- or was- the site of Jiren's home. During his youth, the world was conquered by a group of outsiders. They were thorough, to say the least-- there is a reason his family cannot be in attendance..."
Gliding across the plain, Marcarita came to a stop at a humble hole in the earth, delicately dug out into a delicate 2.5m by 1m scale. Beside it sat an unmarked brown bird coffin, sealed with a silver fitting and engraved with the mark of Belmond.
"Jiren was never one for physical possessions, and in the absence of a body, we have had to resort to grave measures to find something to burry... if you would excuse my choice of words. Beneath the lid lies Jiren's cloak, found in the possessions of his old teacher's kin. Accompanying it is a holorecording of the Tournament of Power, one of the few remaining recordings of the Warrior, and a pair of his boots, also salvaged from the tournament arena. They're hardly the objects that most represents his character, but the life Jiren lived left us in a tight spot"
Approaching the coffin, Marcarita paused in a moment of confusion, a hesitant hand hovering over its lid.
"Strange..." She muttered, raising the oddity towards the sun
"I could have sworn that this wasn't there earlier..."
"Do any of you recognise this? Its some sort of... necklace? Or maybe it's some bizarre Earthing eyeglass?"
"Anyway, I suppose we should get on with the proceedings. There was no formal funeral structure among Jiren's people, maybe it's best if we keep things simple:
If anyone wishes to say some final words, you're welcome to do so-- take all the time you need. And when you are ready- when you've said your goodbyes- please, place a handful of dirt on top of the coffin and give it your blessing. Once that has been done, we can lower it into the earth and Jiren can be laid to rest. Does anybody in particular wish to start us off?"
"I kept this for him," Ben says to Marcarita as he unveils the ripped piece of Pride Trooper uniform.
"I believe this represents Jiren the most out of all of these items - his Pride Trooper uniform, or what's left of it, would naturally represent his allegiance, his pride, his very own definition of what makes a Pride Trooper a Pride Trooper, and the journey he will take to uncover it."
He looks at Toppo for a bit.
"You can take the warriors from the pride, but you can't take the pride from the warriors."
Ben then places it down with Jiren's other possessions, only to see a very familiar looking necklace that Macarita pointed out. He looks to Schala for a bit, then back to the coffin.
"Correction - perhaps there's something else among this that might also represents Jiren best. The piece of the uniform represents his pride, bonds and journey with family, but there's something here that represents his true happiness, emotions from Jiren that can only be achieved upon attaining his ultimate wish... his destination.
Journey and Destination. Both are just as important, one cannot exist without the other."
Ben then bows his head in respect, speaking few more words. What he needed to say to Jiren was said in the realm of the living. Now, he wanted Jiren to enjoy peace and quiet.
"... goodbye Jiren..."
He places a handful of dirt on the coffin to signify Jiren becoming one with his planet once more, tears being shed onto the dirt to moisten it with life.
Mason was the next to step up and say something. He stood next to the makeshift grave and spent a few moments in silence, searching for words.
"Jiren, you journeyed with us with nothing to lose but your life. You gave it to what you believed in, even if it led you astray. The gods of the great multiverse lead people this way and that along the thread of fate, but you made a choice. You took fate into your own hands, and that deserves much respect."
"Some people get a second chance in life. Others get their second chance in death. Wherever your soul rests now, I hope it is doing well. Let's meet again in another life."
Mason Moretti scooped a handful of dirt and held it high. His aura, his ki, glowed in his hand. He let the dirt fall atop the coffin, carrying bits of his aura with it.
"A little bit of energy for you in the next life. Memento vitae, Jiren, and memento mori. We'll remember your life, and your death."
Schala gave Cocette a grateful smile, nodding a little.
"Thank you... ... I'll keep that in mind, should something happen to the place I now call... Home." She said.
Of course, it was going to take time to shake the strange feeling she got whenever she spoke of the Coalition as her 'home'. Perhaps in some ways, she had never truly forgotten the Kingdom she had lost.
As Toppo and Dypso began to quarrel, Schala clenched her fists, preparing to intervene... Even if she risked getting hurt herself.
However, the timely arrival of a fifth, who introduced herself as Marcarita avoided what would have likely been a chaotic scuffle. It was probably for the best that Schala never was given the chance to intervene in this case.
"Jiren thought he found a way to end all conflict... Ironically enough, what he sought most... Through the battles we fought him in... Was to grant us all eternal peace... ... The least we can do in his honor, is to grant this ceremony our peace... For his sake..." She said, before bowing her head as she reached to touch Marcarita's staff.
Truth to be told... She too, had seen at least part of herself in Jiren when she had fought him numerous times. His struggles... His anguish, his beliefs.
Perhaps... Were it not for the situation, they might have been friends.
As she felt herself being transported across the Universe, not unlike the transport methods used by the Coalition to some degree.
She took a moment to soak in her surroundings, eerily reminiscent of what remained of her Kingdom... That now rested at the bottom of the sea it once soared over... Along with her people's hopes and dreams.
As she listened to Marcarita begin to list off the few items she placed within the coffin, Schala's mind started to wander to the Tournament of power. Though now wasn't the time, she would like to have a copy of the footage of Jiren's battle.
Of course, it was difficult to forget him after having faced him herself, but... Something to remember him by would be nice, as he wasn't one to leave many things behind it seemed.
However, she was quickly jolted out of her thoughts when Marcarita held up a very familiar necklace. Feeling her heart leap a little, then sink, she frowned... Not sure what to make of its appearance here.
Making eye contact with Ben for a brief moment, she spoke up, the surprise evident in her face.
"Yes...! That's... ... My pendant. The last bit of my Kingdom I still had with me... ... I once used it to store magical energy... And operate the technology we once had... ... And for a while, I thought I needed it to traverse dimensions..." She said, frowning a little as she stared at the pendant intently.
"I left it with Jiren... In a moment I wasn't sure I could win against Othinus... Nor save the multiverse... As a memory of a time, and place long gone... But... ... Just like before... It must have found a way back to me..." She added, her hand reached out to the pendant, feeling a certain amount of magical energy still emanating from it, but in the end... She retracted it, a realization dawning upon her.
"... I think it belongs with the rest of Jiren's possessions... Like Ben said... It represent's Jiren's destination... Wherever he may be now..." She said, then she paused, looking around at the planet around her.
A sad, yet hopefull smile crossed her face as she looked to the sky above her, before she too bowed, putting a hand on the coffin, as if she were saying goodbye to Jiren one last time.
"If Jiren were here, he would no doubt wish for us to mention his strength. It was how he had always characterised himself. He sought to be the strongest in the room, in any room, in any universe. And whenever he said this to us, whenever he explained his motivations or his goals, I had always presumed his means to have been driven by envy. I thought he had fought for Pride, just as we all did. While we were fighting for glory or 'Justice', I've come to learn that Jiren was always fighting for... guilt. Shame. He was weighed down by all the burdens he was forced to carry, and the only way to lessen his pain was to redouble his carrying capacity. After all of, I admit to regret. I regret not finding a way to reach out to Jiren. I regret not finding a way to understand him, to get him to open up to us all. I keep asking myself 'what if?". What if I had done more? What if I had asked a different question? What if I had had the courage to follow in his footsteps? But now, they just feel like wasted words. Empty, wasted words, spoken to a ghost at a funeral.
So Jiren, I'm sorry. Beyond that, I'm sorry that I never got to tell you how sorry I was. I'm sorry that you were forced to endure the life that you did. I'm sorry that you had to endure the tragedies it contained. I'm sorry that I couldn't have done more- that I couldn't have been more. I'm sorry that I couldn't have known you better. I'm sorry that there's now no time for me to tell you that you are loved. You are loved and missed by all of us. We don't care about what you did. We don't care about the Gray or your philosophies or passion. We never needed your strength. We needed you. We still do. And now that you have reached your destination- now that you have found your peace- we won't let your spirit be resigned to memory. You live on in the three of us... no... all of us. The lived you touched and the strength you have lent to all will shine on long after you are laid to rest. My the Otherworld Bless You with Mercy, Old Friend"
With her palm raised to the sky, Cocette released a Purple Power Impact, its light burning into the skies above.
"I was the fastest in the universe... once upon a time. Now that I say it aloud, it sounds so bizarre. So smug. The idea that I could once consider myself unmatchable... I suppose that title was an old habit that failed to die, even when Jiren showed up. The day Belmond assembled the Pride Warriors for the first time- the first moment I laid eyes upon Jiren- I was struck with excitement. The very idea of an ally who could match me was enough to get me to join the team. And whenever we fought- in every battle in every world we liberated- Jiren and I raced side my side. We were equals. We were perfectly matched in power... Only once Goku truly began to push him did I realise how much power- how much speed- he had been holding back. To protect my pride- whether out of strategy or kindness- Jiren withheld his potential time and time again. In doing so he made me feel wanted. He made me feel valued. He made me... part of this team. And now that I'm its leader, and now that our numbers are so small... it's no longer the team I once knew. Because... The Pride Warriors aren't the Pride Warriors without Jiren. Your presence, however cold or down-right terrifying it could be, was the cement that brought us together. It was the rock that we built upon. It was respect. It was admiration. It couldn't be bought and it couldn't be sold. I know that you would fold your arms to our sentiments now, so I won't go on for too long... Yes, that'll be my excuse to shut up before I upset myself. But Jiren, if you were here now, I'd salute you. Simple as that. You have earned your place among the stars, Jiren. God Speed"
With his palm raised to the sky, Dypso released a Grey Power Impact, its light burning into the skies above.
"I've had a lot of time to think about what I'd say to Jiren if he were still here. A lifetime, in fact. As Othinus commanded the universe to dance in on itself again and again- amidst all that pain and chaos- it was all I could think about. Could I bring myself to face him? Could I look him in the eyes and confess to what I did to him? I haven't slept since then. Maybe I'm afraid that I couldn't do it. Maybe I'm afraid that the next time I close my eyes I'll have to have the justice I deserve. Or maybe, the one thing that worries me more is that Jiren has forgiven me. He told me so as we burned together. He accepted his fate. He accepted his freedom. He looked me in the eyes and stared back at me with eyes free of hate or fury. He was... at peace, for the first time in years. The storm in his heart seemed to have passed. That was the kind of man we met in the Otherworld: a man unrestrained by his guilt and grief, and free to live out the rest of his days a liberated man. It was the hero's welcome he had always deserved. I trust that, in his passing, Jiren has returned to that place. I trust that he has returned to his Nirvana.
But even the world he made wasn't built for him. He sought to build it for us all. A sacrifice. A gift that we could not bring ourselves to accept is a gift none the less. It was so easy for us all to call him a traitor. We were so quick to brand him as evil, or as unforgivable... myself included. But he never turned his back on us. He never fought for the Revanites. Even though he stood by Othinus' side, he still stood for us. He still stood for Justice. For Freedom. For Liberty. For Goodness and Soul. Fate is the cursed one for pitting us against him. Fate is the demon for forcing his hand to strike against us. Not him. And the day he made that impossible choice, the day he stood by Pucci and turned his back towards me, was the day a sin greater than murder; I anointed him as an evildoer. I will cast my pride aside now as I did then. You did not deserve that branding. You did not deserve that disgrace. You did not deserve to be fate punching bag nor the God's scapegoat. You were, are, and always will be a hero. My hero. And my friend. I pray that we meet again soon... though your spirit rests beyond our world and beyond the reach of our Gods, I pray that whoever's realm you fall in to sees the man you truly are. I pray that they see Jiren the Gray for the mighty soul he truly his. So long, Brother... enjoy your prize"
With his palm raised to the sky, Toppo released an orange Power Impact, its light burning into the skies above.
As silence settle in the air, the Pride Warriors bowed in unison. At long last, Jiren was at rest. His journey was at a close.
With a wave of her staff, Marcaritta lowered the warrior's coffin back into the Earth until it too was lost in to a sea of dust.
"Then this.. this is it" Toppo smiled "Jiren is finally free, and wherever is spirit dwells... I'm certain that it is happy... I'm certain that it is no longer so... troubled" With tears drying from his cheeks, Toppo turned back towards his new allies... no, he turned back towards his friends. "Ben, Schala, Manson, Will... we have all endured so much together. We have face death and hell and still stand strong. Should you the world need us again- and I am certain that it will- the Pride Warriors will be at its disposal. Out there, in the deepest, darkest depths of the Mutliverse, things are changing. Darkness is brewing, growing. As long as the Revanites are at large, we cannot share in Jiren's rest. We can not allow ourselves any more time to grieve; we must instead use this time to push on. To fight with power unrelenting"
Toppo flattened out his robes and turned to face the burning suns of Ki that shone above them. Orange. Purple. Grey. They all seemed to dance around each, their proud lights merging to form a blinding, burning whirlpool. At its heart sat a flicker of whiteness.
"I know what I must do. What we must do... Dypso... Cocette... We must reform the Pride Warriors. We must put our differences aside and repair what we have lost... though Jiren can never be replaced, we can still find courage without him. Our Universe still needs us. Our Multiverse needs us"
"You're... Don't make me say it, Toppo... But you're right..."
"Thank you, friend" Pride swelled within him "I knew that you of all people would understand the scope of things. Justice shines above all else. For its sake, we cannot fight any longer. There are forces out there that dwarfed Jiren- that dwarf even our combined might- so we must assemble and even greater army. We must return to the OMDA. We must return to the Coalition with our New Fighting Force. Marcaritta, send word to Universes 6 and 7. We'll need all the hands we can get. Tell them of the World Beyond our 12 Worlds. Tell them of Jiren's fall. Even if the Gods cannot help us, the Mortals still might. Son Goku. Vegeta. Gohan. Hit. Frost. Kale. We could use their power in the fight to come. Grant them membership into our force, should they accept it"
Marcaritta scowled
"You cannot form an Organization of your own, Toppo. You lack the power. You lack the influence..."
"It wont be an Organization, Angel. It will be... a Team. A team of... 'Super Heroes'. Pride Warriors without Pride. A Warriors for a New Era of Multiversal Justice...The New Warriors"
"But Belmond would never-"
"Belmond is a man bound to a single world. There are much greater things at stake here. This goes beyond him. It goes beyond us all"
With a fist over his heart, Toppo tuned back towards the Outsiders "I will stay among the 12 Worlds, for now, to rebuild our powerbase... and when the time comes- when the Coalition calls us all back into Active Duty, the New Warriors will be ready to strike, with hope in our hearts and justice as our shield. And when we are ready, we will be at your disposal; you have saved my life many, many times since we first met, I hope to repay those debts to you one day. Ben, Schala, Manson and Will... thank you, for everything. Thank you for hope"
Ben follows suit as Jiren was being sank into the ground. He rose a single hand and charged it with mana, releasing a pink glow of energy into the sky.
"You will be remembered..."
And so, it was time.
"So, I guess this is where we all part for the time being, huh?"
Despite this, Ben, based on his mannerisms seemed to have
something to share with
someone before he considered parting.