Swirling Consequences Start

[voidtreckermods]

On day Seven of the Month of Quicksand as passengers are beginning their day there is an announcement over the ICP system. “Attention voidtreckers and passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. Please give your attention to the following message from the void ministry.”

A blurring of the screen and it fades into a video of an elderly woman, skin a swirl of purple and blue sat behind a dark wooden desk hands folded neatly in front of her.

“Greetings crew of the Voidtrecker Express. I am commander Orlaith of the void ministry. As you will be very aware, you were recently involved in a dangerous and somewhat foolish experiment of the tethering system which we assume was initiated by your voidcraft. We received your call for emergency assistance, and were able to stabilise your craft enough to allow it to focus on ensuring crew safety. We are under the understanding that it was a crew member who used the emergency signal given by the Inspection Arm of the ministry, and that member should be commended. So too should you all, for we have reports that the crew of the Voidtrecker Express took part in a risky and difficult anchoring task to ensure the safety of all. As ever, the crew of the Voidtrecker Express exceed expectations for a crew with no formal training.

However, in less positive news, the actions of your Voidcraft have had a ripple effect throughout the void. Worlds that are non void active have reports of seeing void activity in their skies, with residents reporting dreams and uneasy feelings. In void active worlds there are more serious incidents. We have voidcrews in thousands of systems working towards stabilising the void access points.

We understand that after such an ordeal, your crew may be exhausted however we do need your help. System #5739 is a hub world that is extremely void active. It is used to weathering void storms and the barrier between the world and the void is thin. However, it is currently experiencing an unprecedented amount of void activity and world bleeding effects. We need a team to go in and help the citizens there, clearing out any issues and helping stabilise things from within.

The people there know about the void, and are used to void travellers. However, try not to stir up any extra trouble.” The last sounds almost exhausted. Their reputation may precede them.

The video ends.

I assume no one has any objections as voidtreckers have chosen to work with the Void Ministry. Please see your mission briefs. This is not a catastrophe mission."

They have a couple of hours before landing, a few hours to study their briefs and prepare for what is to come. Teams might chat, people might give out equipment gathered over the months, some of the passengers who have been on the train since the very early days of the month of Apple may have advice to give.

Either way a couple of hours later there is another announcement. “Shortly arriving at System #5739. Exiting the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...”

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SWIRLING CONSEQUENCES: START

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WEARY WANDERER ~ FOREST ~ SCRUBLANDS ~ FARMLANDS ~ COMMS

QUICKSAND 7-10 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION TASKS/REWARDS

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ARRIVAL

The train shakes as the view of the void leaves its windows, giving way to a cloudy and wet sky in its descent. There's a small bump, and they land on a set of tracks that lead them uphill. Grassy mounds can be spotted on either side, occupied by sheep, goats, and the occasional six legged antelope grazing. In the farther distance are secluded farm houses, or small clusters of buildings.

Things don’t seem so bad, until the clouds spark with colour that sends animals running, far skittish for anything they're used to.

The sparse hills give way to more trees as the train weaves through them, until finally comes to a stop at a small station, no more than a raised platform in the woods. With a sigh, the train doors open, and passengers can walk out into the clearing. Once everyone who wishes to leave disembarks, the train sets off once again, flying up into the air and out of sight.

"Oh good. You’re here!"

Looking over, voidtreckers will spot a young girl at the edge of the clearing.

"Ma said we should expect some void heroes any day now. She’s put some stew on."

And she’s off. For any who wish to follow her, she leads them to an inn, The Weary Wanderer written on a sign. It’s a large inn, larger than might be expected in such a remote place, and the innkeeper Albany quickly organises rooms and food for any who wish it.

“Well, there’s a whole lot more of you than there was.” She takes in the group after Maia explains that they are from the Voidtrecker Express. “Storms are getting worse, we’re getting reports of stampedes, landslides and monsters coming through the colours.” She explains. She has some maps of the area and happily allows her main common room to be turned into a planning station. She’s clearly used to void travellers.

THE WEARY WANDERER

The inn has a large and open floor, the entrance close to where a fire crackles, chairs and a table beside it. To the right are places for eating, and kitchen doors that lead in and out, while to the left is where a counter separates another route to the kitchen, and to the family's own private quarters. By here too are the stairs leading up into the bedrooms, with some also available on the ground floor.

There's enough room for the voidtreckers to squeeze into the front at once, and the tables can be joined to create a more team atmosphere.

The problems are everywhere it seems. Farms need help, dralite chicks need rescuing, and their parents reassured before they go on a murderous revenge spree. Voidtreckers can stay or plan or jump right into things - the forest and scrublands are the closest to reach with both behind the inn, while the farmlands will take half a day to reach. Alabany will mark on the maps where to go for the farmsteads, or ones she knows about, and allow her inn to be used as an intiial base.

For those whose skills lie more in cooking and maintaining camp, she will happily take their help in the kitchens, or suggest They go down to the nearest farmsteads and lend a hand there. It'll take about half a day on foot to reach the nearest few, but many hands are needed. They will have better tools for moving debris and making repairs; she has a few, but not enough for everyone, and she'd rather they be used around the forest if anywhere. She needs those!

Albany will warn about the dralites, and to plug your ears if you're going through the forest. Their screeching can stun and slow people even at a distance, and with everyone worked up, it makes it hard to get through. They happen to like bugs, and a fruit called matts - similar to dates, fruits that grow off certain small trees in the forest.

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YELLING HEIGHTS: FOREST

Location of: Dralites, young and old, their nests; monkeys, voidblobs (uncommon), fruit cups and purple stars. Displaced people.

The Yelling Height's forest reach spreads far, wrapping around the lower third of the great Ciyesia mountain and its budding fellow heights, with trees as tall as redwoods making up most of its wood. This gives plenty of space for travellers to move through, but the treetops create thick canopies that shroud the world below, the dots of penetrating light visible in contrast. Against some trees can be found what look like bushes, and there's plenty of them around, along with moss; but looking closer, these have hollow middles, made up of pin needles, twigs, feathers and all sorts. Some have been ruined, some have eggs inside.

High-pitched cries can be heard echoing, but it can be hard to tell how far, or what distance they come from - there's too many, making what should sound distressing, sound like a racket. While there's paths that can be followed, some of the wood has fallen, with ways disturbed by rubble that's tumbled all this way down from the mountain. There are signs to aid - those that haven't been knocked over - to give some sense of direction. Still this wood is hard to navigate, and Voidtreckers will want to be careful about rushing in without a plan. Trouble lurks in all manners...

Dralites can be found scattered around this forest, big and small - Albany will tell them as much. The youngest are easy to locate, unable to fly, and make a lot of noise. Slow-moving and dragging their heavy wings, they need help moving with any speed. They can be found alone, or attracting the attention of the great chinchillas or monkeys (who see them less as prey, and more as something to bully and take out their frustrations on).

Some will accept help from the first person that approaches them, jumping on them and wrapping their wings around their neck or head, clinging on and accepting them as their ride. They will need to be returned to their nests, and will reject any nests that aren’t theirs. It'll be very similar to escorting a toddler, often throwing screeching fits if they don’t think their helper is trying hard enough, which can make it difficult for people to move around.

They are hard creatures to please, even so more the adults who are furious that their nests have been disturbed. As large as a sheep with larger wings and powerful talons they might just swoop down and grab smaller unsuspecting voidtreckers and carry them to their nests as workers to help fix them. Some of these adults may be near their nests, or will be seen swooping around above-head at startling speeds, searching for their young.

There are eggs that have gone missing too. A place they can hatch safely is essentia, since they can easily become pray or be snatched by the monkeys who live in the forest and steal from the inattentive.

As well as helping the dralites, there are herbs that can be collected here. Purple Stars are leaves that grow at the top of tall trees. These can be found deeper into the forest, and are different from the other trees by their branches only growing at the very top, their bark stripy. They will need to be climbed, or flown up to - not getting startled by adult dralites is essential, or becoming target practice to the monkeys. They have rocks.

Deep in the most dampest sections of the fores, Fruit Cups grow in a tangle around spider plants, that will ensnare the unwary into it’s sticky grip. For every few flowers, there's a wide trapping of the spider plants, vines impossible not to get stuck to. But as difficult as they are to collect, they are useful, and the potions they make will be handy to the communities that require help. Some voidblobs have gotten trapped here too, and they'll become active once people get close.

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YELLING HEIGHTS: SCRUBLANDS

Location Of: Farm animals, some voidblobs, great chinchillas, farmers in need; ruined paths, craggle leaf. Some dralites, mostly adult. Displaced people.

The trees eventually give way to a mix of rock and dirt, stone jagging up from the ground underfoot that travellers will need to watch out for. Vegetation is littered around, patches of shrubs as often easy to catch the eye as grazed grass poking out around mossy-coated stone. There are paths, or were, but only the remains of them can be found, the area reshaped by landslides.

Animals can be found isolated or in some groups, spooked by any newcomers around, and the odd shepherd trying their best to get their herds under control. But there's further trouble than blocked paths to deal with - because these jobs can never be simple.

The farmers' plans are to bring the grazing animals back down to the lower ground and to their farms, but they'll need help clearing up paths and guiding them off the mountain and back to their farmsteads. Not only will it mean moving debris and locating animals, it will also mean protecting them from the predators in the area - and other trouble.

The horned goats, often a worry on these slopes, have grown even more aggressive. They ram into herds and farmers alike, even attempting to send them rolling. They need driven off, away from the herds. The chinchillas are also more aggressive, running rampage through the hills and attempting to down the livestock and to take them back to their nests.

There will also be sightings of the voidblobs for the more unfortunate, dubbed such by the locals. Gelatinous and luminescent, they are a mess of what were likely multiple creatures that have been fused together, patches of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour. They attack indiscriminately and without reason, and are difficult to take down, never responding to blows of any type. You only know when they're taken out by when they stop moving - otherwise, they will continue.

During the first night there is a disturbance on Ciyesia. Trees are felled, the mountain seems to rumble and more animals flee, spilling panicked down the mountain to the farm lands below. For whatever aid is giving to the area on the first day, this event causes more damage to the surrounding areas.

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LOWER LANDS: FARMLANDS

Location of: Voidblobs (common), great chinchillas, a few horned goats; ruined pathways, farms in need; people to craft balms and potions, access to tools.

While not as high as the Ciyesia mountain, nor as shrouding as the blanketing forest, the rolling countryside shows its sloping and uneven distance, varying fields split by tones and sandy paths - or what should be sandy paths. But the damage to the earth is noticeable, chunks of the various mounds ruined, broken at parts. You can see trouble, ensuing or approaching, just by looking around long enough.

And the biggest trouble will be reaching it.

Buildings squeeze against fields and fencing, separated far from anyone that could be called a neighbour. But there's a few of what can be called villages, where trades are conducted and visitors are sure to stop. There's usually a singular inn, but people looking to call on the help of a void traveller to help with this mess. They can promise hot meals and some goods in exchange, but first needs to come the help.

Though moving the herds closer to the farms is a sensible idea that doesn’t mean the farmlands themselves are safe. Landslides have cut communities off, some of the chinchillas and horned goats have made their way down the mountain and angry dralites stalk the plains looking for their young.

The shaking of the earth and the landslides have caused damage and debris. Trees have been felled bolders moved, barns and houses have been damaged. There’s a big clean up operation required. Farmers have wheelbarrows and shovels and Albany has some more that can be borrowed. It will require a team effort to clear the roads and make sure essential supplies get where they are needed.

Most of the farms and villages have protections in place, but they are overstretched and exhausted. Villagers take turns patrolling, protecting the herds and the people from creatures should they be goats, chinchillas or the new and terrifying void blobs.

Extra people to set up perimeters are very welcome, as are those who can drive the creatures back into the forests. It’s not just the homes themselves that need protecting but also the paths between them, so voidtreckers and others can deliver supplies to the further afield communities.

Making the herbal remedies will mean finding the right people for it, but locating the villages is a good bet. Tinctures and teas are the best method, boiling the plants and breaking them down over hours. Even if you're not experienced, people being around to help monitor the pots and bottle them will be helpful. The craggle leaf are good as they are to feed upset livestock, but also as medicine, for helping against the voidstorm's headache-inducing effects.

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FROM THE VOID...

DISPLACED PEOPLE: Once or twice a year, people can be found in the Yelling Heights, wandering around dazed and confused, hailing from a whole other world. Since these storms have begun there have been at least two a day, perhaps more that have yet to be found. They have no memory of arriving, some might not even have memories of who they are, or where they come from.

For now they need found, gathered in once place and care given to them.

VOIDBLOBS: The voidblobs, as they have been dubbed by those who have seen them, are truly monstrous creatures. Perhaps once multiple creatures they have been fused together, a mess of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour these creatures have one instinct and that is to kill.

They are rampaging, strong in their urge to destroy. Fighting them is difficult as nothing seems to slow them down until they die, it’s hard to know how hurt they are and injury doesn’t seem to stop their brute strength or will to kill. They rarely will stop and fight either, requiring a team just to keep up with them as they will lash out and fight but keep rampaging on, drawn towards groups of people or creatures. They can be found anywhere.

VOIDTEARS: For now, it's Red Team's task to find these tears and secure a perimeter on them - a difficult enough job that will take the first few days of the mission. They aren’t visible except in the storms, and so finding them requires braving them, where the wind sings with void music, rain pouring with hail, and a strong sense of unease growing until it too unbearable to endure. But the exact point of the tears must be found: a spot where the kaleidoscope of colours shines down onto any under it, only visible in that area.

STORMS: These are scattered around the lands, never moving despite the clouds that do. In the storms, the voidtears pulse with colour. Being near them is uncomfortable, and there is always the risk of a voidblob coming through. Being near the voidtears for too long even outside of voidstorms will lead to headaches, and so it is wise to rotate who is guarding them.

THE FIRST NIGHT: Late into the first night, there will be loud noises, the earth rumbling and a worrisome show of lights as the full moon hangs in the sky above. There may be word from fellow voidtreckers what's going on, but either way, this disturbance will bring out trouble into the night, breaking fencing and some buildings that were on their last legs.

OOC NOTES

OOC Post ~ Questions ~ Shenanigans ~ Tasks Check-In & Mission Rewards
This log lasts for 7-10 Quicksand, with the next log going up on the 21st March (11 Quicksand). Please remember that we will be determining the progress of the mission by task objectives being fulfilled, so PLEASE visit the task objectives toplevel and let us know what your character has been working towards! We accept handwaves (especially if your character is around but you're on hiatus), but actual thread links will count more towards success!

An extra list of prompts for ideas, arranged by team (click):

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RED TEAM

You've either wandered into a group of voidblobs or see some approaching. They're annoying on their own, but as a group, they can cause serious damage.

The voidstorms are easy to find by the literal storms they bring, but the tears themselves? They're a pain to, only visible once you're right under them. How will your character persevere in the search? Flying, if you can, might seem the quickest option, but a closer level to the sky seems to make the headaches and disorientation worse.

You've somehow been convinced into fixing up a fence during watching the perimeter. Yes yes, that's important, but the area is clear for now, and what if an animal gets loose? More hands will get this done quick.

BLUE TEAM

What kind of people will you find out there in the wild? Someone desperate for an offer of aid, or someone suspicious, distrusting? Are they even human, or some other race - or sentient object?

The dralites aren't good at in any way but wailing. But their eggs are unique, obsidian in appearance. So if you see a monkey carrying any such thing, or see one being carried by a great chinchilla - that's no lucky lump of goal. That's your way of calming down the ticking time bombs of angry parents.

PURPLE TEAM

Farm work isn't your chore, but the farmers need all their herds before they go anywhere, so you're getting involved whether you want to or not.

Make a good impression on the farmers, and they're likely to help you out. Need to borrow tools? Or can you convince the farmers to let you and your friends borrow some, passing them onto the people who need them?

ORANGE TEAM

Herb collection is hard enough with tall trees and spider plants but watch out for the monkeys who want to steal the prize.

Once herbs are collected they can be made into potions. They aren't too difficult to make and Albany has recipes if asked.

Herbs aren't the only things monkeys want, there's a group converging on a dralite nest, those eggs look very shiny.

ALL TEAMS

Distance is a real concern. Who will go where, where are places and people in need? Scouting is a good idea, and so is organising who will be best, where. ... or, you can just go and do your own thing.

Image Sources: Top header - Tavern - Farmlands - Void coours

Comments

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks felt his adrenaline surge, and his heart in his throat as the giant fist came down. A defiant scream was torn from his throat, and it took him a bit to think, and not panic... At least his first instinct was to look for her ki, sure he wouldn't find it!

Then his eyes were widening again, and he was slowly floating down to the ground in shock. She was alive--he could sense her, and now see a hint of her cradled in the giant hand. Oh thank kami--she was getting through to him.

[ballseeker]

Bulma might have lost her footing with the way the ground shudders around her if not for Vegeta's very big ... hand? paw? in a sense cocooning her. The noise of his fist hitting the ground stifles the shriek of surprise she looses, too, though she's mostly just thrilled to not be a pile of goo on the ground that used to resemble Bulma Briefs.

Thankfully the shock of being lifted in to the air doesn't seem to take any wind out of her sails.

The moment that she's aware of where she is... she's right back at it.

"This is not what I asked for!"

[renegadeprince]

What starts rumbling up from his throat sounds like it's going to be another roar, and one no doubt very loud for how close Bulma now was. And while it started as a growl, it morphed into words, though it sounded like a struggle for him to get them out. "Stop. Your. Hollering. Woman." Being able to even form thought, let alone words, was still a struggle, Vegeta feeling the Oozaru still trying to claw control as he pushed it back.

He gives a sharp shake of his head, trying to force it back deep into his mind, closing his one good eye while he did, and when he reopens it he looks around as if seeing the location for the first time. "Where are we?" He knows he had thrown himself away from the cabin, and it didn't look like that area, he can sense them off in the distance. Good, they had kept him away from them.

[nutkrusher]

"Far enough from everyone else that they didn't get hurt," Cassie says. "Close enough to everyone else that Yondu can still get help."

The rifle's back in its shoulder sling. For now, anyway.

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks cautiously let himself power-down, and float up to where he could be on level to speak to his Father. "We'll get him the help he needs, but so far all the damage has been to the countryside, Father. We're on a mission, for the train. Remember?"

[ballseeker]

"You first!" She's happy that he's actually speaking words at least, instead of roaring in her face. It's a happy sign, and she's trying not to get ahead of herself even as she cracks a smile at him. Vegeta is back, even somewhat.

"System #5739.. thankfully you got away from the train." A little sigh, and she shifts ever so slightly, trying not to wince at the way her body feels sore after that whole massive hand grabbing her up thing. She's sure he didn't mean it, so she won't complain for the moment. "I'm glad you're back to yourself some."

[renegadeprince]

Good... good, that was good, he had gotten away from them all. This could had been far worse.

Though the mention of Yondu quickly brought Vegeta back to the fact he was missing, looking around as he paused to sense out his ki... which was rather low right now. "Get him back. I'll have to stay here until the morning." As tempting as it was Vegeta wasn't going to destroy this planet's moon just to transform back. It was a pain, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

Or so he thought, continuing to talk, "You should all head back, I have control of i-" Which was interrupted with what was almost a sound of pain from Vegeta, something suddenly feeling very wrong within him, or at least not anything he's felt before or expected. Maybe some consequences of the mix of Oozaru and Super Saiyan, he's really not sure, but right now, "Trunks!" A bark out to his son, almost as a command to get Bulma if anything happened.

Before a flash of bright light, and a moment later there is no more Oozaru standing there. Instead Vegeta is back to his normal size, though... certainly not his normal form, having lost his hold on Bulma with the sudden size change. Quickly getting over the shock of it, he snapped his arms out to catch her again as she dropped. What the hell just happened?!

[nutkrusher]

Cassie's eyes shut at the bright flash, only to widen again as she watches Vegeta shrink and...get differently furry? She's confused enough at what she's seeing that she doesn't dive for Bulma. Thankfully, she doesn't need to.

She DOES need answers, though. And she's coming down to ground level to get them.

"...alright, I wasn't told about THAT. Did you know you could...uh, whatever the fuck it is you've got going on right now? What do we call this, a weregibbon?"

She gestures in the general direction of whatever the fuck his deal is.

[light_of_willpower]

As soon as something seemed to be happening, and especially with that bark of his name, Trunks was moving. Diving to catch his mother, holding her secure and floating a few feet away just in case. His own eyes were wide as he watched the transformation.

"I wasn't told about it either Cassie."

[ballseeker]

"Did you want some company?" Yes, Bulma is offering to camp out with Vegeta to make sure he has some company for his night alone, despite how dangerous that may be. If anything, she'd just shown she is ever more powerful when it comes to Vegeta, considering she'd been able to at least somewhat call the giant ape to heel. Or at the very least shout him down, which is basically the damn same.

.. At least until Vegeta's transforming again, and the very solid feeling of his hand beneath her disappears in a moment's notice, and Bulma is left to flail and (of course) scream as she drops.

Thankfully Trunks is fast to catch her, and Bulma takes a moment to catch her breath, momentarily green around the gills at the sudden drop. The questioning about Vegeta, and all these different forms, though... it's a great opportunity to draw her mind away from thinking of how she could've been splat on the ground at the moment.

"Wasn't there that uh.." A pause, as Bulma snaps her fingers. "That uh.. golden ape legend?"

[renegadeprince]

A nice offer, just clearly shoved away with that... unknown transformation Vegeta just went though. He's also grateful that Trunks was there, a hand going out to Bulma, as if to check on her, as they headed back down to the ground.

Then those questions. "I... have no idea. I've never heard of any tales regarding... this." Vegeta looking over himself to see those changes. He can certainly feel it though. It's like... somewhere between Super Saiyan and Oozaru. Not like God form, there was that rage that came with Oozaru in the background, that need to destroy and fight... but not to the same extent as what he had just been through. The fur and clothing change was also strange, "It's almost like fusion." He muttered out, considering the change in outfit the fusion dance produced.

Vegeta turned his attention back to Bulma, a slight nod of his head as he considered it, though still mostly distract by... this. "I am not sure... even with that, it never mentioned something like this happening." ...did that make him the first with this? Did he finally get a one up on Goku?! And that idiot isn't even around to rub his face in it!

"...we should head back." Yondu needed help, and Vegeta... needed to work out what... what was happening.

[light_of_willpower]

At least it's a controlled descent to the ground, before Trunks is letting his mother get to her own feet. "I can sort of just barely sense you, Father. If that helps. What's fusion?" Because that was a new concept to this version of Trunks

[nutkrusher]

"It does feel a lot different from any other form I've seen you in," Cassie says.

"This, uh...Saiyan Shower Drain Destroyer form."

[ballseeker]

"I'm fine." Bulma reassures as Vegeta reaches for her, making sure she's steady on her feet (she's still not used to drops like that, after all) before thanking Trunks for grabbing her. Of course he would, but still.. she doesn't miss that he goes above and beyond to take care of her and make sure she's well and not a smushed bug on the ground.

Vegeta brings up fusion and Bulma's face scrunched some in both thought and confusion, willing to entertain it, but.. it's not really the same in the strictest sense so far as she could tell. "Fusion.. but how? Fusing the Oozaru with something less.. giant ape?"

Look, she's stretching here, but she's trying.

"There's either a dance or a set of earrings that can fuse two people together into a combination of both. With your father and Goku, it's either Vegito or Gogeta." So far, anyway.

[renegadeprince]

Cassie's smart remark gets her a look at least, showing his lack of amusement to it, but also acknowledging her sense of humor. Considering what he had asked them to do and what they had done tonight... he can give her that at the very least. As silly as that naming was.

As for his fusion comment, Vegeta first answers Bulma, "I was thinking more the change of clothing... but... yes, it's almost like that." That... actually feels like a good way to put it, a fusion between Oozaru and Super Saiyan. As for Trunks' question, that was more complicated to go into, at least right now, though Bulma's overview of it was a good start. "I'll explain it in detail to you later." Another time when they weren't on mission nor dealing with the fallout of what just happened.

For now, "Trunks, can you take your mother back?" Vegeta would grab Yondu, after checking he was stabilized enough to move. He's about to move off to do so, then stops for a moment, before, "Thank you. All of you." If they hadn't been here... thing would had gotten very messy.