The Lizard and the Monkey (Kombu)

"Your passion is reflected in the quality of the product you have presented, young one." Frozen commented genuinely, looking around for a napkin or handkerchief... there was none. His lips would have to go un-dabbed for now. "'Brownies...?' AH, those are that square-like product made of that... 'chocolate' substance, yes? I was under the impression your chocolate was best served at room-temperature." Kombu would insist that the difference in quality was quite significant, something the lord made a note of somewhere in the trivia-section of his mind. While he didn't intend to enjoy every bite of cuisine Earth had to offer, he would, perhaps, dabble in some of the finer taste of this world when it suited him. Who knows? Maybe even these mysterious "brownies" might reach his plate one day. 

However, the topic would shift towards the sayain-boy's curiosity, asking just what kind of world Frozen hailed from! AH, a spot of pride in the Lord's heart were this asked only a week or so before. He could feel the pang of anger and frustration SHOOT from his heart and down his nerves, tempting the Arcosian to clam-up and deny the boy his question out of pure shame and vindictiveness alone... But Frozen was a well-practiced gentleman... and such impulses were not befitting of a nobleman such as himself. Suppressing the urge to throttle something, the Arcosian would offer Kombu a well-practiced and polite smile, as if this were a question he recieved often. 

"Ah, my world is one of innovation, equality and strictly enforced justice." Frozen boasted, his chest swelling slightly with pride. "The climate is much more frigid than the majority of your world, tundras, ice-farms and glacier-miners populate the outer-reaches with magnificent boreal forests and ice-plains making up the majority to the heavily-populated regions. My home-world was raised from a collapsing monarchy to a dominion of inter-species cohabitation in a matter of decades under my charge and even to this day, it is my greatest achievement. Even a world as... diverse as this one would, no doubt, admit that it scarcely compares to what I have built."

...Frozen neglected to mention the fact he was usurped by his own kin in a daring and desperate power-play. After all, Kombu need not know he had been displaced from his throne.

"Though, my pride resides most strongly in the justice-system. Crime, no matter how small, is not tolerated. It is punished swiftly... but fairly. Additionally, we have a 'Penance System' in which criminals are allowed to attempt monetary restitution, depending on the severity of the offense, by completing certain tasks assigned to them. These can range from escorting caravans to capturing fellow criminals. In exchange, they are given a small reward for their services and their freedom... In some cases, if done with notable excellence, perhaps an offer of full employment. Of course, the person or persons effected by the crime do have a say in what the attempted restitution should be... though it is, ultimately an authority who makes the decision."

WC: 504
TWC: 4321

Frozen would nod thoughtfully as Kombu commented on the similarities within the justice-systems of their two worlds, at the very least in concept. However, the punishments that the sayain and laid out as examples of his system... caught the Lord's attention. He found it quite... odd that monetary restitution was not a given when it came to dealing with common criminals and that the determination if they were assigned to it came from the judge rather than the criminal. After all, who was the judge to decide if the offender wanted to redeem himself by patching the wound he had made upon society? It felt almost... corporate to have a powerful authority figure rend choice from the defendant. The fact that past history was taken into account when deciding sentence or potential restitution, however, was a fine addition indeed, as evidenced by the understanding nod of Frozen's head and knowing smile upon his lips. Yes, it was important to determine to what degree the criminal has caused damage in the past, how much damage still remained that they were responsible for and what kind of damage they are on trial for now. After all, what good would a set punishment do for a criminal if it failed to deter unlawful behavior in the past. 

...But two big details stood out to the Arcosian: The Planet's justice-system was NOT universal, no doubt leaving bleeding hollows of criminality across the world, and that some criminals, often times, went completely unpunished! The smile on Frozen's face dropped immediately, replaced by a calculating, neutral frown. Indeed? That would explain why he had been plagued by the paranoid, the demonic and the mad since he had landed on this world. If some officials were not effectively preforming their duties and were STILL employed, the fault lies with the men at the top. If this has been going on long enough to have become common-place and almost expected, the governing bodies of this planet MAY need to be uprooted and replaced entirely once Frozen had attained control. While replacing the infrastructure may be simple enough, implanting the morality and view of justice prevalent within the Froza Empire was going to take decades... perhaps longer, depending on how stubborn these humans were.

Kombu would give an example of this rampant injustice, that a mysterious "Black Banner" army was kidnapping governing officials with their only hope being the kindness of strangers! 

...So not only incompetent, but negligent... Earth was starting to stink of a crumbling bureaucracy....

"Forgive me for saying so, Kombu, as I am but a foreigner in your lands, but it sounds as if your planet is suffering from loose and failing leadership." The Arcosian said, gesturing with an open hand to the boy. "Allowing nation-states to govern themselves often leads to inconsistent and failing leadership and, overall, mars the comfort and safety of the planet's citizens. Disunified justice-systems guarantees negligence under the excuse that their land is their own and that non-interference is the best policy when the opposite is true. Your planet is quite... sick, my friend."

Kombu would them point out the small scrap of cloth beside Frozen's plate as his napkin and the Arcosian stared at it oddly. THIS thing... was a napkin? He sighed, scooping it up and using it to softly dab his lips. This world needed more help than its own residence realized...

"All this is to say, my friend, that I have observed so very disturbing behavior on this world as well. Why, just the other day, I was accosted by an odd woman with a sword! And then before, a girl with an energy-creature living inside of her! If these mal-contempts are not regulated, I fear you may face a social collapse, to say nothing of the ramifications of one."

WC: 633
TWC: 4954

Frozen said NOTHING of an outside force coming to rule the masses... and yet, it seemed as if Kombu was implying something... Frozen would snap to attention as these words left the boy's lips, his eyes narrowing slightly, suspicious. Just what did this boy know of him and his motivations? Was he truly sharp enough to peer past his front and see into his expansionist ambitions? Kombu came off like... well... the everyman. He had a hobby he enjoyed, he could take care of himself and he had his political opinions, as backwards as they may be. An elected official that can be re-elected repeatedly? Why, this was worse than he thought! As uncouth as it might be, any ruler knew that the majority of the population is EASILY swayed by propaganda appealing to their values. It mattered little who the man was or what his history would be so long as they had an opponent equally repugnant and a voter-base suitably blind! THIS was the nature of democracy in the eyes of Frozen, the blind electing the nefarious to lead them! 

...And this is why all democracies are destined to collapse into tribalist chaos. 

No bloody WONDER this planet was so utterly disorganized!

"Regardless of who holds the reigns..." Frozen continued, brushing past Kombu's apparent accusation. "...this world is in desperate need of strict authority. After all, we cannot have magic-wielding demon swordswomen running about scaring the population now can we?" Frozen raised the back of his hand to his lips as he let out a soft laugh, a genuine bit of ironic warmth in his chuckle! It was rather ridiculous, was it not? Twice in one month he was accosted by demon-women completely out of their minds... what was next? Stumbling into a witch-coven?

...He stopped laughing suddenly at the thought, his mirth dying in his throat. 

He hoped to whatever passed for a god amongst these humans that they did NOT have witches...

"If I may, Shall I present to you a piece of advice?" Frozen asked, leaning in a bit as if to tell him a secret. "Do watch your back. Even if you have grown up on this world, there is more afoot than I or even you know about. There is a great danger here... bubbling below the surface. I know not what it is... but do not drop your guard." He would lean back again. "It is just a hunch, of course. I have neither the proof nor the wit to delve into it further. Now..." The arocisan would rise from his seat, lightly craning his neck to the side, POPPING its joints.

"Since our lunch has settled, shall we follow it with exercise?"

WC: 451
TWC: 5405

Frozen tilted his head as, once again, Kombu seemed to hit the nail on the head, speaking the quiet part out-loud. He shouldn't have been able to do that, to reach into his head and pick out those words. 'Strange...' T'was but a sentiment he had but the boy plucked it from his mind and used it as a weapon to beat-back the Arcosian's concerns. ...But then, the boy didn't have that knowing look, that face immature conversationalists would have when preparing to deliver their next punch-line. If anything, he had the same defensive look any patriot worth their principles would have. What was going on here...? Once was a coincidence. Perhaps he could let that slide but TWICE...? 

"Strange?" Frozen scoffed, dismissing Kombu's assertion. "I said nothing of the kind. All I said was that your government, as it stands right now, is far too liberal with the control it gives its members. Yours, after all, is not the first democracy I have seen in my time. I would hardly call it 'strange.'" Kombu would then say something about crimes not being witnessed and the Arcosian only sighed and shook his head. He just didn't understand did he, the poor boy? Oh well... give it another decade or so and, when the society crumbled upon its rotted foundations, no doubt they would elect... or rather, raise-up a strong-man to rule and lead them into rebuilding themselves from the ashes. 

"It would seem we would have to agree to disagree." Frozen said curtly, pushing his chair back into place. He would then suggest that there was something afoot here on this world and Kombu, then, would question what made him think this way. "Putting politics aside..." Frozen would say, dismissing it as a point in this topic. "...Your world is in a very precarious place in the Galaxy. Surrounded on all sides by empires, enveloped in diversity that borders on cancerous levels when it comes to intelligent races, officials, from what I observed, being far too weak to confront even the meekest of criminals. While these problems seem small now and, perhaps, vigilante justice sits well in the bellies of the common civilian, it will not last for long. An evil either from inside or outside this world will spawn and come for this place, mark my words, my friend. I fear that, the way Earth is now, your world is too weak and divided to stop it."

Finally, Frozen would suggest they get their spar underway and this seemed to strike a fire in Kombu. He would suggest a new setting, a lake to protect the more fragile environment around them. The lord would cock an eyebrow but not, following the young sayain to his preferred destination.

"I find your concern for your surroundings quite gratifying." Frozen would remark, crossing his arms over his chest as they flew. "Most of the fighters I have known fall very quickly into the trap of tunnel-vision and would care little about what they break. Your conscientiousness must please your master, yes?"

WC: 510
TWC: 5915

Frozen nodded slowly as Kombu revealed he knew more about Frozen's kind that he did of his, musing that the Duke must have, at least, four total forms for him to engage in combat with! He would have been SHOCKED an alien as foreign as he was able to deduce this... had Azoth's name been written all over the statement. Indeed, no matter where he went, it always came back to that man... One might imagine Frozen was his body-double with how often he was compared with him. 

"...Indeed, that is true." The arcosian confirmed, brushing aside his annoyance. "But do not worry, young man. It is rare anyone is able to force me into my final form. It is a sign of great respect that you are able to push me to each level." Kombu would offer Frozen the first blow, an oddly chivalrous choice from what he believed to be a warrior-race. Perhaps he was that confident in his power? Reaching down to his belt and hooking his scouter up to his ear, the Arcosian, upon scanning Kombu with it, would read a rather considerable power of 10,000. 200 greater than what he was currently capable of... in his first form. Still... The gap was not big enough to make a difference... What WOULD, surely, would be the Arcosian's centuries of experience!

"Very well then." Frozen stated, pointing a finger dead-center at the boy's chest. "Let us begin."

Suddenly, thin, blue energy-beam would SHOOT out from Frozen's finger almost as if to impale the young sayain! As soon as the beam left his finger, the Arcosian lord would SHOOT around behind the sayain, his afterimage still present where he once stood, appearing to still fire the finger-beam! Frozen would SWIPE at the back of Kombu's head with his tail, aiming to knock him forward into the finger beam... but settling for disorienting him if his reflexes allowed him to deflect it. 

Frozen was starting light... for now. There was no need to escalate this too fast and scare the young lad! Kombu was, after all, participating in good faith!

Frozen's eyes widened as his tail passed right THROUGH his opponent, the tricky boy having copied his attack strategy! And if he had done so... there was only one place he could be! Ducking low quickly, Frozen would watch as Kombu's foot SLASHED across the air where his head had once been, the loose folds in his pants grazing the top of his horns as he avoided the kick! Frozen would reciprocate by whirling around and delivering a sweeping kick of his own, aiming to take out the legs of the young boy and drop him into the water by swinging his kick near his ankles! Whether or not it would connect, the Duke would SPRING into the air, his eyes FLASHING before twin energy-beams would shoot from his pupils, aiming to BLAST where Kombu had been! The beams would BURST upon contact with the lake, kicking up water and spray in an opaque cloud, masking all within!



"Your speed is quite extortionary." Frozen would remark, raising a hand over his head. His hand would open to the sky, a LARGE blue energy ball gathering in its grip! "...But how strong are you?" Keeping a close track on the young sayain from view of his scouter, Frozen would HURL the energy-sphere at Kombu, hoping he would take him up on his challenge and stand still to take the blast! Some research on the sayain race seemed to indicate that their kind was prideful, arrogant to some degree... And while Kombu had been nothing less than humble and respectful so far, a Sayain's most... defining traits seemed to come out when they were actively in battle!



WC: 275

TWC:

Frozen shook his head as his blast pushed further and further towards the lake beneath, coming to the conclusion that he had used just a bit more power than Kombu was ready for. With a sigh he prepared to lift his finger back up and redirect his blast skywards an- 

"Huh?" 

Some... noise was playing against his ear, almost like vigorous drum-beating pounding against his inner-most ear! He tilted his head, uncertain of where this odd noise was coming from, glancing back down at the blast... and noticing it had stopped moving! No... wait... it was being pushed back up! The arcosian's eyes WIDENED as Kombu LIFTED his blast NOT with a push, but with a volley of rapid punches, HAMMERING the face of the spherical blast flat as each one shoved it up a little higher! Frozen, reacting in self-defense, leveled his finger back down at the blast, preparing to fire a death-beam into it to set it off... only for the sayain, with one last ferocious punch, send his energy-sphere RIGHT BACK at the Arcosian lord! 

"WHAT!?" 

Frozen's hands SHOT DOWN to catch the blast as his own attack SLAMMED into him, his teeth gritting in sheer effort as he was shoved HIGH into the sky! He couldn't stop it... he....

BOOM!

In a brilliant flash of purple, blue and red energy, the ki-sphere exploded WELL into the sky, filling a good pocket of air with smoke and residual ki-strands arching across the sky! 

"How interesting..." A deep voice reverberated from within the smoke. "To think you had it within you to push me to my second form."

A massive blue hand shot out from the cloud and, with a SWIPE of it, the smoke and dust dissipated, revealing Frozen's SECOND FORM! Taller, BULKIER and with an additional set of horns, Frozen slowly lowered himself back down the surface of the lake, a faint aura of blue blazed around him, his arms crossed firmly over his chest. 

"...And despite your already remarkable showing... I can tell you are still holding back some degree of power. Am I wrong?"

WC: 350