C'mon, Hit Me With Your Best Shot!

It felt like an age to the young Saiyan since the last time she had set foot inside the old tavern on the edge of the Radditsu district, but everything as she remembered it being, even the smell of the place never changed. It had barely been months but to Jagaimo that felt far too long. She couldn’t ever remember being told the place's original name but to the locals it was affectionately known as the Brawl Hole Inn due to the large structure out the back of the building that opened up into the wastes. The drinking hole had been built on the edge of a natural depression and the enterprising owner had decided, rather than get his bar trashed every night by rowdy Saiyan’s, he’d turned it into a spectacle. The natural hollow allowed for a great view from all sides, and the phrase “Take it outside” held a whole different meaning at the Brawl Hole. It also helped that the rocky substrate that made up the hollow seemed to be highly resistant to a lot of impacts and so far they hadn’t had to clear the rubble…but then they’d never had an Arcosian in the pit so how strong was the stone really? Anyone trying to start a fight in the small bar would usually find themselves being restrained and pushed outside by the local patrons and guided towards the makeshift arena as odds were barked out and customers poured out with their drinks to watch the fight.

What had started as an angry shout at patrons to try and reduce the damage to the bar’s furniture had turned into a call that meant Zeni was going to change hands and the entertainment was about to start. The matches had gotten so popular that the owner, an old one armed Vet of the Saiyan-Tuffle war, even began setting up fight cards, anything from one on ones to the grand Free Brawl which was more or less a last man standing scenario. The Free Brawl was always hotly contested as the prize was free food and drink in the Brawl Hole until the next ‘champion’ was declared. It had become quite popular not just just for the free food. Saiyan’s loved to boast and brag and this gave them something to lord over their companions with if they could hold the title even briefly. Rules were always kept simple, you didn’t interfere in someone else’s fight, no weapons allowed, no damn Oozaru shenanigans and you didn’t kill your opponent, once they were down for the count the dispute was considered settled or the ‘match’ was called. Handicaps were rare but they did occasionally make their way into the stipulations. And while they couldn’t be enforced officially a mob of angry Saiyan’s made for quite the deterrent for anyone hoping to cheat.

Jagaimo had rarely taken part in the fight cards and had learnt quickly after her first ‘voluntary’ match in the hole that it didn’t pay to start a fight in the bar. It took a few weeks for the bruises to fade completely but the memory of the beating stayed with her for a lot longer than that. Today was different. The young Saiyan had been back on Plant for a few days now since her return from Arcose and she was feeling the need to get some training done, something was bugging her about her power and the more she thought about it the more she was convinced practicing her skills with others was going to be more productive than her usual method of trying to improve by herself. It didn’t help that something was messing with her ability to alter her Ki, doing whatever it felt like when it felt like. It was becoming more and more regular and unpredictable and if she couldn’t figure it out soon the problem was likely to get her hurt or worse, killed.

The bout she’d signed the card for was a fairly simple affair, 2 fighters drop in, match is over when one yields or can’t defend themselves anymore. They liked a fight but straight up murder did nothing for the morale of the spectators, even if it did sometimes happen ‘accidently’. The young Saiyan warrior didn’t even know who her opponent was yet, which wasn’t as rare as it sounded, quite often the bouts would be set up last minute with no time to find out who you were facing. Just in case she was holding her power output at about half of what she knew she was capable of and while it surprised some of her older friends it also kept a few less friendly parties at bay for the time being. She’d greeted a few soldiers she knew in the crowd and enjoyed a few stories with them before moving off to her drop in point, waiting for the bell the Hole’s owner would strike when it was time to drop in. She’s stripped down out of her armour, wearing a pair of Earthling style combat pants, a vest top, hair left loose like always, one of her hands wrapped up to help brace her still healing injury from Namek The petite warior had decided to go barefoot, knowing from experience that the sand in the pit was often deeper than it looked in places. The clothes were loose and comfortable and she was starting to see the appeal of this shopping spree that Griselda had spoken to her about on her visit to Earth. Maybe she’d have to go back some time and collect some other outfits.

Jagaimo’s day dream was halted when the bell rang and she took a step forward dropping the 20 or so feet into the sandy bowl. She shook her arms reflexively, tensing and untensing her muscles while she clenched and unclenched her fists, taking a deep breath to stop the rush of an upcoming fight from getting the better of her.

The Saiyan woman was smiling while she waited…this was a nice simple life that she'd almost forgotten...