The battle in the distant hearts [OPEN]

It seems like the stranger expected Clove to already be aware of what's happening, though of course he was never notified of what Lottus was planning on doing. "Lottus? Ruined Metropolis Incident? Seems like I've been left out on quite a few things, now," Clove mutters under his breath, thinking on if he's heard of this Lottus individual before. Perhaps he's heard his name a few times in another platoon, but the elder saiyan hasn't met the man just yet. Still, if he's the one leading this sort of attack on Hatchi City, then it seems like he's firmly standing against Amara. After all, she wouldn't dare order an attack against the tuffles when Cheri is in charge.

An accusation springs out from the stranger, asking if he's looking to jump in to join the action or if he plans on killing her. His brow raises up in a bit of surprise before retorting, "I didn't come out here to take a stranger's life, young lady. I-" That's when he was interrupted by the arrival of another person, and an all too familiar face. Dark had arrived at the scene, surprising Clove that he was here and not at the city himself. "Dark," Clove greets, "I figured you would've been in the city."

Dark alludes to the fact that he should've killed someone, possibly referring to this Lottus. "She mentioned Lottus. Do you know who he is? Is he the one spear heading this attack? He must be going rogue. There's no way my daughter would stand for such an attack, not against her." His eyes trail back over towards the burning cityscape, seeing as it's still just too late to intervene in any way. 

Word Count: 292
Total Word Count: 613

No doubt those fears would be true if worse came to worse. He could feel the presence of multiple people who could level cities. Hell, entire continents if they really wanted. His attention is drawn from that stink of power when Clove questions why he wasn't in there. True, this seemed like just the place he would go. The action, especially one drawn by other saiyans. Those auburn eyes lock with the cloaked saiyan for a moment before tugging at one of his fresh armbands. Pulling it off to reveal nasty ki burns that start at the back of the fist and crawl down his forearm.

"Zuqetta and I got sidetracked by a certain Saibaman in a dress while this assault was being undertaken and responded to. He attacked the outpost and threatened to destroy it over the saibaman trade there. Ban hits hard for one of those little squirts, I'll give him that. Otherwise, we would have been there. I'd be right there kicking Lottus' ass myself."
Dark holds this armband in a balled fist while pulling his gaze to the city skylines again. Almost ignoring the small blue lady for a full couple of seconds as she came forward and berated him. Prodding him and trying to shove him away. Far to weak to even budge the youth, that gaze points down at her with a glare. It was one thing to get onto him for being unable to kill him, it was another to assume why he didn't.

"You're lucky that last fight gave me the rush I needed, whatever the hell you are. Otherwise, I'd smack you back to the mercenary outpost for assuming. Lottus is nothing short of insane. The first time I met him he was busy sniffing the destron in the ruined city while murdering people trying to find him. I put an end to that real quick."
He growls a bit, showing sharper than typical saiyan canines at the girl while slipping his displaced armband back on.

"Other people had worse ideas. Before I could finish the bastard I was forced to bring him in. A proper 'arrest', as if he deserved it in the first place. The one thing he learned that day was that he needed a wall to climb and surpass. I am that, to him. No doubt he's acting rogue, separate from the Empire. Most of them within that wreckage are trying to help stop it."
Before he even hit that golden form, the pair were pretty comparable. Lottus was far weaker before, but now that wrathful aura stung his nose. Distracted with talking down to the alien in front of him though it would sideline him like a train. While Papri didn't seem all too shocked by the sudden pressure from this presence, Dark froze up a bit.

"What the..."
He sniffed again, only to be hit with the most power he's even gotten to the displeasure of feeling. And unlike an explosion like she suggested, it didn't go away. If Dark was just irritated at Papri before, he was now actively angry at what he was sensing.

"Is that Lottus?! Clove, you read that?"
Those fists clench into fists as some sparks fly off his tail and hair. He almost popped a vein there from realizing just what he was sensing. Was that what Zuqetta was talking about all this time?

"There's no way! That's some sort of sick fluke! Hrrrrr..."
If he wasn't settled down quickly he might just get wrathful out of habit. How in the hell was it he to be the first to break that wall?

---

The finned woman begins to panic a bit as she feels just how powerful Lottus has become and questions just what a Super Saiyan even is, all before lamenting Hatchi's imminent demise. As she was beginning to break down and Clove had a million things running through his head, trying to process each and every single thing that is happening right in front of him, Dark was becoming more enraged before laughing maniacally and figuring that it makes sense that of all people to become Super Saiyan, it would likely be one of the most unstable amongst their kind. It's the exact kind of pick that the elder saiyan has always feared.

He begins to explain to the stranger, "It was always just a legend, the existence of this golden warrior, that is only supposed to exist once every thousand years. It's so vague as to what the legendary Super Saiyan is supposed to be but... This has to be it. The legend truly is real..." In a sudden burst of pure rage, the gilled lady pulls herself up using the hand Clove extended to her and starts marching off towards the city. Just as Clove was about to protest, Dark suddenly lurches forward and yanks her back down to the ground, stating that she is far too weak to face someone like Lottus.

"Calm yourself, Dark," Clove warns him as he moves to check in on the stranger, all before the younger saiyan bellows out a declaration to the Super Saiyan. Clove was in a bit of disbelief at the naivety of Dark, as if he can possibly match Lottus. "I said calm yourself Dark," Clove barks at him, his eyes suddenly shifting yellow as he himself becomes more wrathful, "You shouldn't get yourself killed either. None of us are powerful enough to stand against a warrior like him. Do not approach him unless you have a death wish." he glances back down at the stranger and asks, "Are you alright, young one?" his hand extended to her once more.

Clove Ascends to Controlled Fury, PL increases from 48,000 to 240,000
Word Count: 362
Total Word Count: 1,465

Dark heaved some deep breaths after his roar, clutching his open-clawed hands back into tight fists. Clenching hard enough to start drawing some blood out from his palms. However Papri took his advice wouldn't matter to him. he already had his eyes set on the prize himself, as it should be. Saiyan v Saiyan. Clove had a more immediate reaction to him getting a bit aggressive and high on fury though. It wasn't the first or last time the older Saiyan had to reign him in. He had been on such a roll recently that nothing really challenged him, Ban fell like the rest of them. Lottus was another wall to climb.

"Don't!-"
He'd turn and squint down at the older man for a moment, hairs remaining on end with the support of his lightning-infused fury.

"Tell me what I should or shouldn't do. Show some teeth, Clove, we should be feeling nothing more than a desire to take down this greatest threat yet! Is it overwhelming? Yes! That's what makes it a Legend! And believe me when I say I will live to see it end."
The cat saiyan was sure confident enough to put up a face. A lot of this was adrenaline talking to him, but in his heart of hearts, his ascension was all leading to this. A saiyan he hated the most WOULD be the one and only Super Saiyan. It made too much sense.

"We cannot be left paralyzed by the awe of it, the overbearing power of it. We will do what we always have, and that is fight."
Papri was showing her own sort of willingness to fight back. Maybe not in the moment, as he suggested, but to build up to it. Literally, almost, as her body seemed to take in moisture from the surroundings and force her into a giant state. He'd pull his serious gaze away from Clove and give her a cursory look upwards, an eyebrow perked in confusion.

"... Huh. Yeah. That's the spirit."

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