Less than a week remained. Would it be a week until he was crowned King of the Mazoku, or a week until he left the planet in shame once more? Gandigan couldn't stomach another defeat; as much as it pained him to admit it there was a good chance he would be leaving the planet should his plans go up in flame. This idea had all but consumed him now, and he didn't know how he could possibly face his friends should he be defeated.
But he was confident in his victory now, and growing only more confident by the day. With the addition of Apexle, plus the voiced support of Nero for his new plans it seemed almost impossible that anything would stop them now. With these last final days he wanted to make sure that everything was in order, so he planned to meet with his allies and get everything sorted out.
The first was Marimba, whom was his most vital ally. Marimba had been the one to convince him to become King, and now it was time to help pay him back. "Marimba? Can you hear me? It's time we meet one final time before the day of our ascension. I've brought you a few gifts that I would like for you to collect. Once that's over we can discuss some of our plans. Follow my energy to the Outer Plait, which is where I shall wait for you."
At the end of a tunnel deep underground, Marimba beheld the fruits of his past work with ample satisfaction. Water. Untainted life-giving water. It was one of the largest reservoirs he had ever uncovered since the outer plate's restoration. Marimba stuck his head into the pool, gulping down gallons upon gallons of water until he consumed nearly thirty gallons. His body, which had shriveled and shrunk somewhat from the prolonged exposure to extreme heat during training, expanded fully back to its portly size, with color returning to his skin as every cell in his body was fully rehydrated.
"Better take some for the road."
A large object made its way up the insides of the Mazoku's throat and into his mouth before being spat out into his hand. It was a storage capsule, now coated in revolting slime, but still very usable. Marimba turned the dial on the top and tossed it into the giant pool. Thousands of Gallons of water were spatially contorted and shrunk as it was sucked into the device, leaving the once grand pool wholly diminished.
The Namekian extended his arm inside the now-vacant hole, fishing out the capsule before swallowing it once again. He planned on hooking the capsule up to his ship's water supply, allowing him to take baths on a much more regular basis. Among the last things the warrior wanted would be to stand beside the new king during coronation and make their face scrunch up from his noxious body odor.
Just as he began to think of Gandigan, the black Namekian himself had begun speaking telepathically to Marimba.
"Marimba? Can you hear me? It's time we meet one final time before the day of our ascension. I've brought you a few gifts that I would like for you to collect. Once that's over we can discuss some of our plans. Follow my energy to the Outer Plait, which is where I shall wait for you."
"On my way." The mutant responded.
Marimba kept a broad smile while he made his way up through his tunnel network toward Gandigan's Ki. He was excited and eager to see what kind of gift his soon-to-be master wanted to bestow upon him. Eventually, he exited his network through a burrow, which happened to be so close to Gandigan that he could already see him. With a mighty leap, Marimba closed the distance, landing beside his friend with a ground-shaking thud.
Marimba was expedient in his travels, most likely burrowing through the ground as he liked to. "You too, Marimba." As Gandigan had mentioned, there was a few gifts he had picked up which he wanted to give to Marimba for their upcoming battle. "Before we discuss anything major lets get these out of the way first. It shouldn't take too long, and I think you'll find that what I have shall be of great importance in the coming days. Maybe even vital for our victory."
Gandigan removed a small pouch which had been wrapped around his waist. Reaching inside, be retrieved a small, green bean which he handed to Marimba. "This is a Senzu Bean; I'm sure you've seen them before. They will help you recover from being wounded. I know you might say that I am in greater need of this than you are, but let's be frank: my power is greater. That puts you at greater risk of being wounded, and you are too important to our cause to lose. You must take this."
After that, Gandigan reached behind his back and pulled a small bottle which he had been carrying. "This is Sacred Water. I've been working on the process to refine it for some time. This is the first batch that I created. Use it during battle after your energy has been depleted; you should feel the effects right away. It'll restore some of your energy, and hopefully it'll enough to make a difference." Gandigan handed the bottle over to Marimba before retrieving his final item.
"This flue is called the Olivant. I found it during an adventure I had with Apexle. It took me a while to understand the magic behind it, but I've finally cracked it. Play from the flute and you'll be able to put a curse on your opponent, provided you can get through their defenses. As useful as this could be to me, I may find it difficult to find the right opportunity to play the Olivant. But if I am in battle with some great threat then you might be able to find the right time."
"Before we discuss anything major lets get these out of the way first. It shouldn't take too long, and I think you'll find that what I have shall be of great importance in the coming days. Maybe even vital for our victory."
"This is a Senzu Bean; I'm sure you've seen them before. They will help you recover from being wounded. I know you might say that I am in greater need of this than you are, but let's be frank: my power is greater. That puts you at greater risk of being wounded, and you are too important to our cause to lose. You must take this."
It was a strange feeling for the prideful champion. Being called out as the "Weaker" by another Mazoku. There was almost a knee-jerk reaction to challenge that sentiment, but it immediately went away, knowing the person who had said it. It also felt strange being tasked with such a great responsibility but in a good way.
As things were before, he had none except for that which he had made up for himself. For as long as he knew, the land had been in a carefree, directionless anarchy, where he could spend ample time away from his homeworld or even kill other Mazoku without anyone batting an eye. Yes, the elders may have once approached him, asking for his help in excavating reservoirs, yet that project felt like drudgery to the warrior, and he could have declined it on a whim. No duty, honor, power, or glory was attached to it, unlike what he was being granted now.
Marimba took hold of the senzu bean, examining it closely. It was hard to believe such an extreme and immediate effect could be gained by swallowing such a small and simple-looking thing. But the efficacy of Senzu beans was a well-established fact, known and renowned by practically every civilized world by this age.
After that, Gandigan reached behind his back and pulled a small bottle which he had been carrying. "This is Sacred Water. I've been working on the process to refine it for some time. This is the first batch that I created. Use it during battle after your energy has been depleted; you should feel the effects right away. It'll restore some of your energy, and hopefully it'll be enough to make a difference." Gandigan handed the bottle over to Marimba before retrieving his final item.
The Mazoku warrior obtained the following two items. He could sense an excellent magic coursing within both of them, though the two were polar opposites regarding their effects. Marimba could not remotely hide his wonder or elation, letting loose a wide grin, followed by a laugh of jubilation and an audible "Ahhhhhh!" as he beheld the sacred water sparkling in the sunlight. He could hardly wait to find himself in a situation where he could drink it and feel firsthand its powerful magic coursing through his body. Truly, the package he had received was a kingly gift, and he did not hesitate to pocket each piece he received.
"I am... beyond words. Such an honor it is that you have bestowed upon me."
"I swear to you I will exploit every advantage that these grant me to their fullest. Every additional drop of power and blood will be spent in serving our kingdom."
"Tell me. What are the matters you wish to discuss?"
It was nice not to have to argue with Marimba over the gifts. He feared there might be some degree of pride from the Mazoku that forced him to refuse, but he could see in Gandigan the importance of what was to come. They needed to do everything in their power to ensure their success. "You've earned the gifts, Marimba. If it wasn't for your words of encouragement when I came back from Konats the first time we wouldn't be in the position that we are now."
With that out of the way, the two could get down to business. "There have been a few updates since the last time we spoke about our plans, and thankfully they're mostly good ones. The Tufyan Apexle has returned to Namek; I know you two have a spotted history together, but I trust him as he trusts me. He has pledged himself to our cause, and will be their to support us. I know that the words of a non-Mazoku may not mean much to the elders, but his power will be of great use in the future."
Gandigan, Marimba and Apexle would make quite a team, but hopefully others would follow. "I've also spoken to Nero on the matter of becoming King. He voiced his support of the idea, so we can be sure that he won't try and interfere with anything. With our power we might be able to... stop him, but things will be easier this way. I've attempted to locate Treses as well, to update him on this idea, but I haven't been able to find him. The last time we spoke we left on good terms, so I hope he still plans on lending support."
That was about all for the good news. "There is a... much more serious matter we must speak on however. Recently I traveled to Plant. I wanted to research the power of the Super Saiyan, as well as the threats that Destron may pose to Namek. On the latter I was left stumped, but I was able to learn a lot about Super Saiyans. I was even able to do battle with one, but I'm more interested in what he had to tell me. This Saiyan shared a rumor with me: he said that you were somehow involved in an attack on Hatchi. What can you tell me about that, Marimba?"
The Tufyan Apexle has returned to Namek; I know you two have a spotted history together, but I trust him as he trusts me. He has pledged himself to our cause, and will be their to support us. I know that the words of a non-Mazoku may not mean much to the elders, but his power will be of great use in the future."
Marimba's expression turned solemn upon hearing of Apexle's involvement.
"That guy, huh."
"The first time I saw him was in the Outer Plate. He was killing off Mazoku who could not even touch him and talked down to us like we were all insects. So, I came over and taught him a lesson. At first, I was going to obliterate him but later settled for sending him packing. Either way, an example was made of him."
"Hell, I might have done the same even if he hadn't killed anyone beforehand. Not only did he have no business in our territory, but he reeked of Destron and, needless to say, was incredibly suspicious and unwelcome."
"What pissed me off even more was what I saw of his match during the Trial of Peace. His aura and personality had shifted, becoming even more spiteful and foul. The entire time, he did nothing but flagrantly disrespect the tournament, his opponent, and even Namek with his words and actions. In doing so, he even went as far as intentionally disqualifying himself by stepping outside the ring, flaunting it as he did so. It was an act so devoid of honor that it made me sick to my stomach. And the idea that he entered the tournament JUST to make a mockery of it... it's unforgivable."
"But, In spite of what I've witnessed, I trust in your plans, Gandigan. If you genuinely believe his presence will help found and strengthen our kingdom, then so be it. I'll try my hardest to tolerate him."
"There clearly is something going on between you and him that I don't know about. He made an appearance during the attack on the temple and seemed concerned with you in some way, but I wasn't paying attention to anything he said, and he left shortly after showing up."
"I've also spoken to Nero on the matter of becoming King. He voiced his support of the idea, so we can be sure that he won't try and interfere with anything. With our power we might be able to... stop him, but things will be easier this way. I've attempted to locate Treses as well, to update him on this idea, but I haven't been able to find him. The last time we spoke we left on good terms, so I hope he still plans on lending support."
"I'm glad to hear it. I would much rather have Nero as an ally than an enemy."
"His presence will no doubt counteract any foul moves that scoundrel Shroom might try against us. Without Guru's ability to ward off mind manipulation, that jealous cur could singlehandedly warp your otherwise glorious ascension into an ugly mess."
That was about all for the good news. "There is a... much more serious matter we must speak on however. Recently I traveled to Plant. I wanted to research the power of the Super Saiyan, as well as the threats that Destron may pose to Namek.
On the latter I was left stumped, but I was able to learn a lot about Super Saiyans. I was even able to do battle with one, but I'm more interested in what he had to tell me. This Saiyan shared a rumor with me: he said that you were somehow involved in an attack on Hatchi. What can you tell me about that, Marimba?"
"Stumped? I told you about what Destron is capable of doing if left unchecked. And I'd've thought that Tufyan would be able to fill you in on any extra details."
"Regardless. The rumor you heard is true. I was directly involved in that attack. And I'm willing to bet that the name of the Saiyan who told you about that started with an L."
"Months before the invasion, I was sought out by a Heran Lord named Fukushu. His power was insane, with him being every bit as strong as you are today, maybe more so. He approached me with an offer. In short, he wanted to commission me to join in an upcoming assault on Hatchi City and offered a handsome reward. The premise was that we would plunder the city and wipe out their means of producing Destron. That includes eliminating as many factories, scientists, research data, and manufactured Destron as possible."
"As we talked more, he filled me in on his crew, which went by the name of Clan Bitterbones. Many of them were close to my power or even stronger than I. He also mentioned how he allied with an immensely powerful Saiyan named Lottus, whose strength nearly rivaled the Heran's own. I agreed to join them and had many reasons for doing so."
"First, I had a bone to pick with the reigning queen of the Saiyans, Amara. She had recently backstabbed and murdered my greatest friend and rival at the time, and the wound I bore from that was still fresh in my soul. I wanted revenge, plain and simple."
"The Second was that I was bored, and my training had plateaued. The turmoil within my spirit was inhibiting my growth. Experiencing a real life-or-death battle was exactly what I needed to break through my barriers, and exacting my vengeance on Amara would give me closure to mend my wounded spirit."
"The Third was because I wanted to be useful to Fukushu and his clan. If I made myself a valuable enough asset to him, it would give him a reason to avoid attacking Namek. Back then, there was no "Nero" or "Zhallia" or anyone strong that we know about today. They might have existed, but I had no knowledge of them. As far as I knew, I was the only one capable of defending Namek, and If Fukushu wanted to conquer it, I would be unable to stop him. That is why I had to dissuade him from that using other means, at least until Namek was ready to deal with such a threat, and that involved me becoming stronger, which involved me receiving battle experience and breaking my limits."
"But if the day came when his dreams of ruling the Galaxy were coming to fruition, and he set his sights on adding an indefensible Namek to his empire, I would've been in a position to offer myself as the one to conquer it and to manage its affairs personally."
"The fourth reason was that Tuffles, their Destron bombs, and their rapid and endless technological advancement if left unchecked, would inevitably pose a dire threat to Namek."
"The Fifth reason was because there was a lot of Zeni on the line. Before the Northern Scar was rejuvenated, the battle against dehydration was unending. With that money, I could buy A Starship and numerous Storage Capsules, sourcing, buying, and transporting life-changing amounts of water to my people. The endless hours I spent every day digging for water instead of training finally would end."
"Anyway, Enough about my motives. The attack itself didn't go as planned. Fukushu was slain early on and declared the battle lost, disbanded his clan, and told everyone he didn't care about what they did from then on as long as his corpse was recovered and buried in the sands of Hera. When I heard that, I had lost my respect for the Heran as a warrior."
"I ended up stuck fighting off four different fighters at once, each a problem in some capacity. They ganged up on me, using every dirty trick in the book to try and take me down, from destron gas to sonic attacks. But one by one, I defeated them until only the Saiyan Prince Korado and his Slime Arcosian pet remained."
"Earlier during this battle, a Kai appeared, announcing that Hatchi City was to be judged for housing and producing destron, a crime against nature and a threat to the universal balance. Presumably, at some point, the deity aided Lottus in transforming into a Super Saiyan before vanishing. He might have succeeded in destroying Hatchi city with that power had the winds of fate not turned against him. Another unknown Saiyan allied with the empire also ascended into a Super Saiyan and clashed with Lottus, soon defeating him."
"While the two Super Saiyans were fighting, Myself and the Saiyan prince spoke, and we came to a mutual understanding. If our battle were to continue, both of us would die. Unfortunately for me, he had a death wish. It took a lot of convincing, but eventually, I was able to negotiate a ceasefire with him, and I was able to leave before the rest of the enemy forces caught up with me. The only thing of value that I had to give him was my word that I would not return to planet plant."
"I may not have achieved my revenge or earned a single Zeni. But I came back stronger from the ordeal, armed with a wealth of knowledge about their forces."
{OOC NOTE} OOC: I do want to clarify a subtle yet significant misunderstanding Marimba has about Apexle. Apexle's attacks instantly defeated and heavily wounded a Mazoku, but did not initially kill them. They actually died afterward when they were caught in the crossfire of one of Marimba's own attacks against Apexle, but Marimba was too self-absorbed at the time to realize what actually happened. Apart from that, everything else he says about Apexle here is accurate to my knowledge.
Gandigan was shocked to hear what Marimba had to say about Apexle; none of this was what he knew about. "This troubles me, Marimba. When Apexle mentioned his run in with you he left out a lot of details. The next time I see him I must speak to him on this, to hear his side. I know of his 'relationship' with Destron, and he has ensured me that the Destron within him is a different kind than the weaponized stain used by the Tuffles, and shouldn't be harmful. Really what I meant when I said I wanted to learn about the Destron I wasn't talking about the substance itself, but what plans if any the Tuffles had moving forward."
Gandigan hadn't been able to meet with any Tuffle officials, and the Destron flooded city he visited was quite strangely Destron-free. The mention of Shroom again sent a shiver down his spine. "I will kill Shroom the next time I see him; I have sworn it. As soon as the crown is lain upon my head I shall give the order to have him killed on sight."
The story Marimba told was of great insight to Gandigan, who had very little knowledge of any of these events. "Your motives were admirable, Marimba. You wanted to protect Namek; even if conquering it in the name of Fukushu would have vilified you among the people you could have helped Namek by ruling it yourself. You're right in that the Saiyan I spoke to was Lottus, but the bad news is that he's even more powerful than he was before. Even combining the power of myself, you and Apexle we would still be defeated, and with Nero by our side the odds still a toss up. What's worse is that now I believe he is a direct threat to Namek; something that we'll need to focus on once I ascend."
Gandigan took in a deep breath; even thinking about the Saiyan now made him feel uncomfortable."Lottus has gone mad, or maybe he was always mad. He attacked Hatchi again recently, and has christened himself as a destroyer of worlds. It seems his sole desire is to cause as much death and destruction as possible throughout the universe. He offered me a deal, and I wanted you to hear it out and give your opinion on it. Lottus plans to destroy Plant one day, which means he'll need a new home. He asks that I and my allies help conquer a planet for him to take as his own, and in exchange he would help Namek from potential invaders which in this case would be the Saiyans, whose leadership is apparently quite expansionist these days. I tentatively offered up Konats, as we both have a bone to pick with the Kashvar, and he showed interest in it. Thoughts?"
"Lottus has gone mad, or maybe he was always mad. He attacked Hatchi again recently, and has christened himself as a destroyer of worlds. It seems his sole desire is to cause as much death and destruction as possible throughout the universe.
He offered me a deal, and I wanted you to hear it out and give your opinion on it. Lottus plans to destroy Plant one day, which means he'll need a new home. He asks that I and my allies help conquer a planet for him to take as his own, and in exchange he would help Namek from potential invaders which in this case would be the Saiyans, whose leadership is apparently quite expansionist these days. I tentatively offered up Konats, as we both have a bone to pick with the Kashvar, and he showed interest in it. Thoughts?"
"It's difficult to say, given I've never directly met him. Only ever experienced that maddening aura of his. Most of my info about him is secondhand."
"I imagine a being like him has been stripped of all but power and pride and clings tightly to both. He will follow through with his words if he takes pride in his sense of honor."
"On the other hand, he could easily be the type to stab us in the back just to prove some ideal that he's adopted and lord it over us. Like that in this world, the only one you can trust is yourself and your own strength. "
"All in all, I wouldn't count on him coming through to protect Namek. And even if he did, it may be that he intends to be the one to destroy us himself in the aftermath. So we better make sure to come out of such a battle much stronger than him."
"That being said, worse deals could be made, even if he does not honor his end of the bargain. His involvement when assaulting the Kashvar would be invaluable in ensuring their destruction, especially if big players like Crotona or the Nova Corps decide to oppose us. With the land controlled solely by Lottus, we would have no need to divert our resources to defend it, and once he's out of the picture, we can claim it for ourselves."
A device in Marimba's pants pocket begins to beep repeatedly.
"Of course, even then, there's still the issue of needing to come out of the assault stronger than Lottus. The moment he fulfils his agreement, he's no longer bound even by honor to be our ally."
"Anyways, If that is all, then I will take my leave. I'm baking beans on my ship, and they should be done by now. We can continue this conversation telepathically if you wish."
Marimba leaps into the sky before flapping his wings and soaring away.
Apr 6, 2024 1:21:15 GMT -5
Lottus: Friendly reminder for new folks to check the rules regarding art claims - AI Art is not accepted on Sparking for character sheets.
Apr 17, 2024 14:43:28 GMT -5
Lottus: Hey folks, got a new phone, but verification is preventing me from downloading Discord for now
Apr 17, 2024 14:43:57 GMT -5
Lottus: I won't be available until I get home from work!
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Lottus: Feel free to dm me if needed!
Apr 17, 2024 21:13:47 GMT -5
Dingo: I'll post what you've said here up in the discord so it doesn't get missed!
Apr 18, 2024 19:19:20 GMT -5
Yakito: I am the #1 Tenrec hater (Striker will be struck)