Homecoming [INV/Dion]

    Saiyans with similar circumstances always seemed to gravitate toward each other.

    Or at least, that's what experience had taught Dion thus far. 

    Another day, another desperate search for something to occupy himself with. Amara had been adamant that he not push himself for at least another week or two despite having nearly healed him to maximum capacity. However, the mental and magical recovery was going to take at least another week or two after that, and the more he exerted himself physically the more he threatened a repeat of what put him in such terrible condition in the first place.

    So, he was relegated to walking amongst the people of Plant, musing on his next move instead of actually taking it out of respect (and concern) for his own wellbeing. If Amara said he wasn't ready for action yet, then he wasn't ready for action yet. Besides, Dion wasn't the type to seek out trouble anyways.

    If anything, trouble seemed to constantly seek him out, but, that was besides the point. Plus, it also didn't seem to be the case, at least in regards to the last week or so spent taking it relatively easy. In fact, a lot of his time spend on forced sick leave was time well spent, what with most of it being used to either meet some friendly new faces or catch up with some fondly familiar ones. He couldn't really complain.

    There was that two, three day span of Dion and Chomei getting caught up on the wrong side of the tracks after a drinking session gone wrong, but, even that ended up with the two of them being better because of it. If anything, Dion's return thus far was proving to be a resounding success rather than some mind-numbingly boring reunion with society. He couldn't really complain.

    And on a day such as this one, there was even less to complain about. Back amidst the jubilant populace of Tarbel Village, Dion once again held within his hand a delectable looking, extra-powdery funnel cake. The doughy goodness glistening in the sunlight as he walked down the streets of the settlement with a content smile upon his face. Truly, nothing could ruin the pace of what was becoming a perfectly peaceful day.

    That was the thought, at least, until in his absentmindedness, Dion for the second time in the span of a few days bumped directly into someone walking past. Again dropping his fried bit of heavenly goodness to the pavement below in a cloud of white, sugary smoke. 

    Sighing sadly, the young man dusted off the bits of powder on his shirt, looking over to who he had bumped into with a sheepish expression on his face as he said in an apologetic tone, "S-sorry about that sir, that's completely on me- please excuse my clumsiness, oh geez..."
    
PL: 40,000 (Mental barriers restrain Dion's full strength) - WC: 487 - TWC: 487

    Rough around the edges, but not necessarily overly callous.

    This other Saiyan seemed to be the other side of the same coin Dion's personality happened to land on. Yeah, sure, it wasn't like Dion couldn't be crueler than even the worst of his own kind- the corruption that once contorted the entirety of his mind, body, and soul showcased that, even if a great amount of his judgment was made murky by the infectious nature of the magically based plague. But right now? Dion was free to act himself, and act himself he was going to do.
    
    Eyes widening in genuine bewilderment, Dion's head tilted as his curiosity only grew with every word exchanged between the two. A very old-fashioned Saiyan who's also never been to Earth before? It was like he checked the boxes for every trope under the warrior race's name. 

    "It's, certainly different, I-I'll say that, haha," came the thoughtful response from the ponderous bartender. "Not as technologically advanced as the Tuffles, b-but not as simplistic in philosophy as the Saiyans...Like they're in the middle of the spectrum as opposed to one side or the other, i-if that makes sense?"

    "Nice place to settle down and relax. Though, I suppose we Saiyans always have trouble breathing down our necks at some point, right?"

    Stifling a small chuckle at the rhetorical offered to him by the Devil's advocate, Dion looked around as though contemplating carrying his little dare out, before saying with a sheepish expression on his face, "O-on second thought, maybe we aren't too far away from those times, eheh. Plus, this place is kinda nice- I'd rather not bother some knuckle-dragging numbskull and disturb the peace."

    Pleasantly surprised by the other man accepting his hand to shake, Dion flashed him yet another warm grin. "Auber, I-I'll be sure to remember that! No last name though...?"

    Considering Dion wasn't even using his actual familial last name, he supposed Auber had his reasons for keeping his family name out of reach.

    "...That's alright, keep your secrets then, I-I don't mind!"

    Dion finally allowed a good few chuckles to escape from his lips as Auber became clearly quite interested in his offering of drinks to a complete and utter stranger. While normally he'd have gone on his merry way at this point, something told him getting to pick at the brain of a more traditional Saiyan's head would be a great growth experience for the both of him. So, shrugging, the charitable cavalier gestured toward the way he just came, stating simply, "C-contrary to popular belief, no, I'm not usually this charitable! Who knows, maybe you knocked a few screws in my head loose when you bumped into me, hehe."

    Waiting for Auber to start, Dion would set his pace to align with his, positioning himself directly next to the Saiyan before asking in an inquisitive tone, "So, you've really, uh, never been to Earth before? K-kinda surprising, if you don't mind me saying. I'd have assumed you were military from that strength and vibe you exuded, y-you know?"
    
PL: 40,000 - WC: 518 - TWC: 1572


    "Honestly? Nine times out of ten is pretty generous." While he liked to believe in the inherent good that every being in the cosmos harbored inside of themselves, Dion wasn't that blindly naive to believe that the rest of he and Auber's shared people would exhibit characteristics even close to that of his own. Dion was an anomaly, a complete outlier in the sea of tradition and conformity that was the Saiyan race, and it was something (while proud of) that wasn't meant to act as a measuring stick for the warrior race's other individuals. 

    As the two began their walk, the young man scratched at the back of his head with a sheepish rhythm, saying in a somewhat nervous, but still clearly invested tone, "People have mentioned that before, yeah- and people have also said much worse about the more peaceful approach, so uh, thanks for not being one of those people, hehe."

    "Considering I was raised for much of my childhood and onward on Earth, hard to believe that I couldn't have been influenced by their teachings and ways of life, right? But even back on Plant, when ma and pa were still around, they always taught me to be better-minded than most- if not anything else, at least a bit more understanding than those we worked under."
    
    Realizing some context was sorely needed, Dion found it surprisingly easy to open up a bit about his past, stating simply to Auber in the same even tone that he addressed him in the beginning with, "We were a very poor family. Our bloodline kinda got into some shifty business with some noble houses, and so for a long while we were trapped in a cycle of indentured servitude. One that, thankfully, stopped with me."

    He wondered if what Amara had said was proving true- that if he were to simply try to be more outwardly confident in himself and his upbringing, he'd come to actually believe it too. Dion wasn't super sure about it still, but seeing as he found it easier and easier every time he tried, he supposed there was some truth in it.

    In fact, it was quite exciting for him to witness in action- inside he was squealing gleefully at being able to verbalize his thoughts without tripping or stumbling even once. Outside, the bartender maintained his calm, yet chipper persona, adding in reply to Auber's noting of last name tradition, "Oh- well, that makes sense, haha. Hofferson is my adopted family's last name, and I wear it with great pride- er, partially, anyways."

    Now that was a can of worms Dion wasn't willing to get into anytime soon. Especially since it was pertaining more to Carro's estranged family past rather than his own. So, instead, Dion patted himself on the back for guessing Auber's background correctly- gladdened by the fact that his ability to read people was still as sharp as ever as he said in a joking tone, "To be fair, it's those looks of yours that made me doubt at first if you were ever military-bound, Mr. Pretty Boy!"

    Clearing his throat, Dion paused for a few moments, making sure he wasn't getting too uppity with who he still considered a fringe friend as he spoke in a bit more of a formal tone, asking the Saiyan soldier, "Is it as harsh as I've been led to believe? Training and on the battlefield, I mean. I've always heard stories, but, never have gotten a firsthand account myself."

    Even though it was somewhat inevitable, Dion tried at least to stray away from the topic of the Tuffle conflict. Politics was far too messy and divisive for the more passive young man to ever care about it more than he needed to, and he doubted anything good could come of it for the two anyways.
  
    As a wise man once said, keep it simple, stupid. Dion was content with the pace of the conversation. Plus, it wouldn't be long before the two stopped by some tavern's doors anyways. What's a few more minutes of small talk?
    
PL: 40,000 - WC: 683 - TWC: 2255