Through the Gates

The time had finally come, there was no longer anything left to distract Zuqetta from journeying home; back to the Sadala Capital. She'd had a good many experiences up to the point, and just as many fights; as she moved through the air, Zuqetta reflected on what had transpired up to now. From the moment she left her home, alerting the disgruntled lower class and provoking them into destroying her manor; to now, her return from running, her return from seclusion. Things were different now, and while it wasn't as though she had no where to go, it didn't change the fact that she felt like she had little to offer her in Sadala. Vennel, Onnio, and Rensou were all gone; her apartment was likely still in shambles from the rioting, and the vendors she'd made connections with had all seemingly vanished.

What else could she lose?

The gates were in sight, and to Zuqetta's surprise, they were actually manned. When she'd last left Sadala, rioters and looters who were fresh off of Rosemary's mental manipulation had run rampant. Zuqetta had escaped the chaos, wanting nothing to do with her savage kin; the gates had been flung wide back then, and there wasn't a guard in sight. The chaos had been so loud that it threatened to drown out thought and reason; now however, things seemed different. Not just one or two, but four guards were stationed at closed gates; as well, the city from outside these gates seemed quiet, eerily so even.

"Halt! State your name and business!" A rather burly guard would call out as Zuqetta approached; prompting her to drop properly to the ground before continuing forward.

"What do YOU think?" Zuqetta would remark as her tail swayed back and forth behind her.

"Doesn't matter what I think, kid, I'm just doin' my job." The guard would say disinterestedly with a furrowed brow, "So if you don't mind, this'll be faster if you just comply." He'd continue as the guards behind him stretched and yawned.

"Hm, is this check an order by that Taori guy?" Zuqetta would ask, crossing her arms curiously.

"It's KING Taori, kid, you'd do well to keep your lid shut and know your place." He'd respond sternly; clearly having taken offense by Zuqetta's lack of respect, "But... no, this isn't an order of his. We're members of the Restoration Group, tryin' to fix things up after the collapse... What? Have you been under a rock or somethin' this whole time? Just follow the procedure and you can pass, it's as simple as that kid."

Seeing the massive gates of the Sadala Capital cleaned up, and a group of guards with nothing but time on their hands was reassuring. As well, to hear about a Restoration Group; even if Taori wasn't involved, it was nice to know that the craziness had seemed to die down over that past few weeks.

"Okay, okay!" Zuqetta would sigh, "Zuqetta, and I'm just goin' um... home I guess." She would state awkwardly, wondering if that reason really applied to her.

"Sounds good." The guard would say in a relieved manner as he input the information into the tablet he held, "Well then, welcome home Zuqetta." He'd continue with a nod before turning to the gates and pressing the interface to his scouter, "Entry for one."

With the order given, the machinations of the massive gate would begin to clank and come to life with an echoing screech as doors began to widen. There was clearly a greater deal of control now than even before Rosemary's ascension to the throne. Though, as nice as that was, it didn't change the fact that it all came from a bad place. Regardless, the opening of the gates in such an organized manner gave Zuqetta a bit of hope; she wanted to hold that hope tightly to her chest and never let go. If the rest of the city was as organized, then perhaps she'd have had nothing to fear about Taori being the new King.

The gates were open, and she was gestured to enter; surprisingly, rather than being flung widely with pride, the operators opened them wide enough only for the entry of one just as the initial guard had requested. Zuqetta would wave off the guard with a imitation quick salute before proceeding within; once inside, the guards were quick to close the gates back up.

"Heh, what good does that do?" Zuqetta questioned as she gazed upon the closed gates before turning around to proceed towards the lower districts, "People could just fly over it." She mocked as she continued forward.

She was finally here, she was back in Sadala and through the gates. She could here commotion and potential commerce as she walked the dirt street of the lower district and neared the market square. While the noise became more and more apparent, it was clear that things had died down significantly compared to when she had left. Worse than that however, things seemed even quieter than even before the whole Rosemary incident. Something that would display itself fully as Zuqetta came upon the square, only to find nary a stall owner or customer in sight.

"What the heck??"

It had only been a few months since she last participated in an exciting tournament of sorts in this exact area; and yet now, it seemed almost like a ghost town. There were a couple vendors, but rather than yell about the goods they sold in order to attract customers, they were asleep at their nearly empty stalls. As for those who weren't selling, they seemed to meander about without purpose; like zombies almost, they seemed to be lifeless husks rather than prideful Saiyans. It hardly made sense to her, this wasn't what a Saiyan was meant to be; even if she hated the boorish, brutish nature of her kin, it didn't change the fact that it was what made them Saiyans.

She needed to find someone that wasn't so... empty, someone that could explain the situation of the city; it was doubtful that the wandering commoners had much to offer, so she would instead choose to approach a stall vendor. While most may have been sleeping, simply the act of setting up their stall at all meant they must have had a bit of purpose about them.

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