Dark Descent

Nervan’s neck crackled like a firework as it suddenly snapped into a further tilted position at Russ’ reaction. Their face ever the same, a blank eerie stare. “Well that wasn’t very nice.” They didn’t seem to register the extent of extra weirdness they had just displayed moments ago, but they didn’t pressure Russ either. Maybe the Saiyan just didn’t know how to share that power of his own accord? There could be a lot of explanations.

If that wasn’t going to work, perhaps the very source of the affliction was indeed the best bet. Lottus at least explained how he conjured such things— or as far as he knew anyway. Now both of these Saiyans were busy fighting!

Nervan tilted forward, and then turned on a dime, thinking about what to do next, then they saw Lottus had been struck quite handily. Those injuries look like they stung, and would do so for a while, maybe he was bleeding too? Blood was the essence of a mortal being. Maybe that could work, if it was fresh enough?

With a shrug, Nervan began to search for any evidence of Lottus’ blood left behind, if successful, they would attempt to extract some vague portion of that maddening power if it even existed there...

---

Budoshi raised a brow at Tarine and put his hands on his hips. That was a loaded and vague question. “Why what?” There could be a few answers, may as well answer as many as possible. “Why’d I kick your ass or why am I asking for your name? I mean... I told you why as I was fightin’ ya.”

“I didn’t appreciate that you decided to butt in, so I took it as a challenge.”

“Very well. This challenge is accepted. Prepare yourself.”

“Then you didn’t take it seriously, and I said that I didn’t need some rando saving me when I knew what I was getting into. Like, do what you want, but don’t try to stop me.”

“You did not mean to what, exactly? Disappoint me as an opponent? Speak up or shut up. Fight or run. I do not care what you choose for yourself... However, you do not choose for me. Nobody other than myself has that right.”

“And it was pretty shitty of you to put yourself down that hard when all I said was to butt out. I don’t know your past, but if you cling onto it that hard, you’ve got no future. A Tuffle is what you are, not who you are, and I will not accept any argument on that. I wouldn’t have put it as... Violently as that other guy either but he had a point. Stop limiting yourself, man! Living like that sucks, trust me.”

“Do not twist my words. I do not give a shit about your past. Your triumphs, your failures. All of it means nothing to me. Do not be a moron. If you are unable to run, if you are unable to fight...Your only remaining course of action is to grow. Think less about what kind of Tuffle you are, and more about what kind of person you are. It all starts there. Deny yourself that, and all you will ever know is failure!”

Budoshi idly scratched the back of his neck, he thought he was being pretty straightforward the whole time. Evidently, he didn’t notice how... Bitter, cold and un-Budoshi-like his language had gotten earlier. “Anyway, you took that strike like a champ, I think. You’re pretty tough, and that— despite everything else about you that honestly ticked me off a bit there— deserves recognition.”