Flying Too Close (Open)

    Lottus had no real aim as he flew through the Earth's skies - a fact that seemed to irritate his compatriot quite a bit.

    "Lottus - seriously, what are we even doing?" Rucola asks, relying on her scouter to have her voice reach Lottus' ear through his own. The buffeting winds made talking difficult to hear, after all. "You keep getting into all this trouble. You know Taori's gonna be pissed."

    "Like I care." Lottus replies with a chuckle. "We'll just call it recon, and that'll shut him up. Besides, aren't you enjoying the thrills?"

    "If by thrills, you mean getting blasted and clotheslined into a concussion every time you start a fight, then NO, not really." Rucola retorts grumpily.

    Both Scouters bleated at the same time, causing the two Saiyans to stop in mid flight. Rucola gazes at the number displayed, her mouth going dry. One point six million. Was it that Majin, Megis, again? They had that exact same battle power, the last they had encountered the creature. Rucola blinks, and whips her head around to look at Lottus.

    "Lottus, NO." Rucola demands, knowing it was pointless.

    "Lottus YES!!" the Saiyan responds gleefully. In an instant, he transformed into the golden power of the Super Saiyan, causing Rucola to stumble backwards through the air at the sudden outward pressure. Before Rucola can protest further, Lottus explodes forward, straight towards the source of the massive power displayed on his scouter.

    "Kai's dammit Lottus!!" Rucola shouts, flying after him.

    It wasn't difficult to find the flaming entity - his scouter pinpointed the battle power, after all. Upon arrival, Lottus found a feminine figure rapt in flames, bellowing to the skies as though in pain. He grins - this was another one; another being with great power against which to test himself. Lottus falls through the air, landing on the sizzle grass not too far from Jackie. He gets a good look at her - and recognizes her.

    "Well! You're that Earthling that interfered with Vocado's little stunt back on Plant!" he says, bypassing any greetings. She didn't look to be in the mood for chatting anyway - she looked ready to fight. "Fukushu had you on a little list; along with that hero boy half breed, Russ. Let's see what you can do!"

    Without any further preamble, Lottus launches a crimson ball of energy at Jackie!

---

    Lottus felt a rush of gleeful adrenaline as the blazing woman barrels through his Ki blast and straight down at him. Her heel came crashing down towards Lottus' skull - but meets only his open palm. Even against the raging flames, Lottus is able to completely cancel out Jackie's powerful kick! He allows her to move into a pummeling assault - but intercepts every blow with his own brute strength and speed.

    "Oh ho! This one's feisty!!" Lottus cackles. "I like that rage - show me more of it!!"

    Lottus continued to settle for intercepting every blow Jackie makes, waiting for an opening. Like himself, this blazing warrior didn't seem to have much in the way of actual technique - but the raw power more than made up for it. The harder she went at him, and the more furious she fought, the more it fed Lottus' own battle fervor. With a wide grin on his face, Lottus finally found an opening! Suddenly, the Saiyan would lurch forward, attempting to ram his forehead into Jackie's face!

    Whether it landed or not, Lottus would take up the effort as aggressor, hammering back at Jackie with a series of his own ferocious blows! Rucola would finally arrive, and gaze down at the two with open awe.

    "Who in th' world is that??" she wonders aloud. Whoever she was - she was pissed!

---

This wasn't for fun on her end. It was apparent that whatever defense Lottus put up against her punches and the subsequent kick was enough to make her recoil. The energy put behind them was not nearly enough to break through to the Super Saiyan past it. A low growl escapes her as she tries pushing into the failed strikes anyways, only feeling a bracer and hand clasp down on her body and toss her away. As if it weren't enough to just be thrown away, she was also belittled. No doubt this one was just trying to egg her on further. In the right mind, this probably would piss her off.

But she hardly understood the ridicule past the emotions she could see on the man's face. The way he carried himself and the tone of which the gibberish spilled from his maw. Before she could break the distance between them again someone shouts from the skies far away. They had company. And more than just the Saiyan's tagalong too. She'd be feeling that second company real soon hit her in the back as her focus and senses revolved only around this fight. A sure sniper round would plink into her back before she got a grasp of that fourth power nearby. A sudden jolt in her body would usually signify something dangerous hitting a person. Anyone hit with that sort of power round, even at her strength, would at least hurt.

But she refused. Quickly recovering and continuing her burning movement forwards. Whatever mark was left behind by the shot on her lower back was quickly wreathed in the bright orange of her aura as she flew overhead Lottus and opted for a broader approach to burning him.

"SYAAAAAAAAH!"
Jackie coated her arm in a brilliant fire before swiping it in an arc at the saiyan. Slinging off a torrent of flame that expanded outwards from her in a cone and downwards where Lottus stood, aiming to scorch him and whatever stood near him.

---

    Rucola, still watching the unknown assailant with her scouter, is surprised to see them suddenly burst through the trees - making a beeline straight for her!! The realization made the Saiyan reel back, attempting to fly away from her attacker - but they were significantly faster! Rucola sees the flashing glint of something in their hand, and her eyes widen at the sight!

    "H-hey-!!" Rucola protests - but the enemy was too fast! Rucola felt the needle jam into her neck, and the burn as something is injected into her! Rucola jabs her thumbs at her attacker's eyes, trying to stave them off, and yanks the needle out of her neck. She turns to flee, but her vision blurs - and she begins to fall...

    Lottus follows Jackie as she speeds past - clearly unhindered by the opportunistic shot to her back. She flies fast past and above him, and faces him with a blazing fury akin to the light of the sun itself. Her fury excites Lottus as she rears back her fist, and thrusts forth! A wash of flames erupt forth and towards Lottus - but the Saiyan was too fast for the flames.

    Lottus easily weaves around the flames, vanishing from sight and reappearing a near instant later at the same elevation as Jackie, arms crossed over his chest. He smirks at Jackie, but blinks when he hears Rucola's distress in his scouter. The Saiyan turns slightly, and sees Rucola attempting to fly towards him, only to fall! Not entirely certain of why, Lottus turns his back on Jackie, and flies fast - catching Rucola before she can crash into the ground. Lottus sets down on the grass, leering at Rucola, and then up at Sen.


    "Lottus... I... I can't move...!" Rucola says, her voice heavy with alarm. "He... that guy injected... me with something..!"

    "Right." Lottus says.

    "Hey... I... I need your help..." Rucola pleads, drawing Lottus' attention back to Rucola. His eyes meet Rucola's eyes. "Pl...please..!"

    Lottus smiles down at Rucola, held in his arms.

    "Sure. I know how to help you." Lottus says, a glint in his eyes. He sets Rucola down on the ground, and steps back.

    "...Wha...?" Rucola mutters, trying to look up at Lottus. "Lottus..?"

    "I have no use for a Saiyan that can't fight." Lottus says, a cruel grin on his face. Rucola's eyes widen as the words sink in, and Lottus raises his hand. "Goodbye, Rucola."

    Before Rucola can make another sound, Lottus' hand flashes red - and the ground around Rucola erupts in a bright crimson dome of energy! When the light fades, all that remains is an empty crater. Lottus sneers, and turns to look up at Jackie and Sen. He bursts off the ground and reappears in the air.

    "Now then - who's next?" Lottus says, his murderous cerulean eyes turning between Sen and Jackie. "How about you, weakling? You're a pest - best kill you now, so I can have my battle with this woman without an annoyance!"

   A vile-looking black and crimson energy bubbles up from Lottus' right shoulder, and snakes down his arm, gathering around his fist! Cackling, Lottus hurtles through the air, aiming to drive his energy empowered fist into Sen's stomach!!

---

Jackie digs in and recovers from her distracting assault by following through the movement. Flying past Sen and meeting Lottus who had caught himself mid-tumble. The furious Earthling skids to a stop on her feet, staring down the Saiyan as he spoke some more in his battle craze. Reveling was hardly the word she'd use if she could retort. Jackie could feel her muscles tensing with the anticipation of the coming storm. This was the natural in this fire, and she could feel the tingling crawl up her back as she let out another yell.

"COME OOOOOOOON!"
She was unconsciously trying to keep that focus solely on her. Even if she wouldn't be catching strays for the guy, she put a concerted amount of effort into rushing to meet Lottus as soon as she could and brace against the sudden flurry of melee on the ground. Here, she would be at a severe disadvantage if she didn't put her bountiful energy behind herself. Rather than simply rely on brawn, her fists ignite with ki backing up her sudden counter flurries. Whatever knuckle-to-knuckle clashes they got into, she'd pull ahead from sheer tenacity and use of her power. Her slowness in comparison to the Saiyan was made up for by calculating when to find her own opening.

The kami would go low after a few moments of exchanging blows and rise out from under his guard. She tried to plant a jumping uppercut into the larger man that she'd use to propel herself up into the air soon after. Some distance let her anticipate more with her lacking power and would lead to another opening with any luck, as just barreling through him didn't seem to be an option readily available.

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