Saiba Sighting (Open)

Zuqetta nearly laughed when Gandigan mentioned never meeting a Saiyan that wasn't a pain in the ass; she could certainly agree with that sentiment, in some way shape or form, it seemed that all Saiyans were pains,but she had doubts that Plant was the cause. Though his next statement left her feeling drained yet again, she'd merely allow him to ramble and rave while she listened patiently... at least, until he remarked on Taori. She didn't know what experience Gandigan had with Taori, but it certainly didn't seem like it was a good one. While she didn't consider Taori a friend herself, and had gone after his throne on more than one occasion, she also had no intention to kill him. When Gandigan made his slip up, Zuqetta's tail would wrap around one of the legs of her chair, crushing it slowly as it expressed her frustration for her.

Was she angry? That couldn't have been the case, Taori was a Saiyan and fit the same bill as Lottus; if he had enemies, then he could take care of himself. Why then was she feeling... well, anything at all at Gandigan's remark? She couldn't say herself, and with a deep breath would try to dismiss the thought rather than dwell on it, choosing instead to focus on his previous statements.

"Wow, the irony in what you've said is nearly palpable-" Zuqetta would begin with a snicker, "-here I am, remaining calm and cool during our little ethics debate here, and you take that as me "being an emotionless husk"? I said before that if Lottus came to attack my home, then I'd kick his ass. So naturally, if he attacks my sister, I'll kick his ass." She'd explain, her previously rising emotions now calming rather quickly.

Her posture relaxed, while her tail unfurled from the now broken leg of her chair; she calmed herself with steady breaths, but at the same time she was naturally calming down as she processed how their conversation had gone so far. It was clear that things weren't going to get through Gandigan's head, his conviction was too strong, but it was surprising that he'd misconstrued every statement she'd made so far, twisting her words to make it seem like she was the one lacking in understanding. Her immaturity made her want to counter him yet again, to correct him on the silly statements of whether his people would help him or not, but she refrained. Even while he hadn't gone out of his way to directly recruit her to fight Lottus, his clear aggression at the fact hat she wouldn't was more than enough to see where his mindset was.

"Man, you've got it bad Mr. King." She'd remark as she looked up towards Gandigan with a halfhearted smile, "I'm starting to think that this is less of a situation in which Saiyans are bred to be the way you think, and more of a situation of you simply want to think of them that way." she'd state, speaking firmly at the end, "The stereotypes have meaning, because right in front of you is a Saiyan who hasn't chosen to simply stand up and punch you in the face, thus breaking that stereotype. I've kept my calm, yet as the conversation continues, it seems that you, Mr. Peaceloving-stereotype, have only continued to grow more aggressive. And yeah, before you correct me yet again as you've been so great at doing so far, I know you never claimed to be "peaceloving"." She'd say, unintentionally feeling sassy towards the end of her remarks.

It was too late to take back the sass, and considering Gandigan hadn't responded well to her previous remarks, she wasn't expecting a friendly response now either. She wouldn't adopt any form of defensive stance however, for the time being their conversation was still just that, a conversation. While she'd gladly meet fist with fist, if a talk was still more Gandigan's style, then she'd oblige. Not wanting to seem like she was simply trying to rile him up however, she'd continue with one final statement.

"Look, I'll stop speaking of my people, because quite frankly I care about as much for them as I do anything else. Saiyans can take care of themselves,and if they can't? Then they die, and that's all their is to it. If an idiot goes out and gets himself killed by someone due to his own stupid actions, I won't lose sleep over it." She'd explain, keeping her tone serious as she spoke, doing her best to show Gandigan respect as proper as she could muster, "I've personally known Saiyan's that weren't pain in the asses, Dion has to be one of the nicest guys I've met, and I know a pair who actually live on Namek that are just as approachable. But this isn't about them, or the Sadalan's, or Lottus or even Taori." She'd say with a deep breath, "Right now, in this moment, this is about you and I, and our opposing view and ethics. You and I are about as much friends as you are with my pup's outside. Heck, from the moment I brought you to the lake you displayed distrust in me, and you've mentioned the Saiyan's meeting their end over and over in one way or another during this whole talk, that shits heavy. And I said before, I ain't lookin' for your sympathy, but even if I hated Namekians, I wouldn't go to their homes and start bullshitting about how they're gonna get what's coming to them. I have a bit more tact than that."

Zuqetta would pause briefly, realizing that Gandigan's words struck a cord with her more than she previously realized, but she would calm herself once again.

"I'll make this clear, not as the voice of my people, but just in regards to myself." She'd say with a sigh, rising from her chair while her tail swept the ground in agitation, "Right now, I neither like nor hate Lottus, I couldn't care less what he does if it doesn't directly involve me. I have no friends on Earth, and so have no reason to go across the galaxy to protect it. But neither do I have any intention to attack it, like I have no intention to attack anything. Could that change? Of course, things change al the time. If my stupid sister decides to go and protect Earth, then I have no choice but to do the same just to keep her safe. But just as the Earthlings aren't likely to come to the aid of the Saiyans if Plant comes under siege, then without reason, I'm not likely to go to their aid."

She took a deep breath, feeling as though she was more ranting than explaining herself, but she truly wanted Gandigan to understand where she was coming from. She hadn't given up on things, but she also wasn't some righteous nut case willing to jump headlong into danger without a reason. She was simply herself, and sought only to interact with things that involved her. One day, that might involve fighting Lottus, but for the moment, it didn't.

"This talk began because I thought we could be friends, and failing that, at least allies of a kind." she'd say with a softened expression, looking towards Gandigan with a bit of worry and pity, "I wouldn't fight Lottus to help a stranger after all, my heart ain't so big. But if it was to help someone I could trust? No, someone close to me maybe? Someone like that would be a reason I'd put my life on the line, but it doesn't seem like you and I are really the type to get along with each other, as unfortunate as that might be."

He'd done it again, a misinterpretation of words, a subtle drop of topics he had no chance in defending. It seemed every time a valid point came up that destroyed his argument, Gandigan with move the conversation away from that on onto a new point he felt he could win. Zuqetta wouldn't bring it up, but she'd certainly keep it in mind. She felt like laughing with the way Gandigan argued, he have certainly made a fine politician on Earth, and it was beginning to make sense as to how he became King of his people, assuming such a claim was true. For Zuqetta however, there was no point in continuing such a debate; it was clear now that he was simply arguing for arguments sake, and that he had no intention of changing his views.

"You're certainly one of a kind, Mr. Gandigan-" Zuqetta would remark, stretching her arms above her head before moving to re-capsule her lemonade set, "New leadership, huh? Heh, I've heard that one before... well, you did mention something about Taori being next, yeah?" She'd ask, narrowing her gaze on Gandigan.

She felt a cold feeling in her chest, and a confusion when it came to Taori. Things seemed simpler when she was younger; as far as she as concerned, she was right, Taori was wrong, and she just needed him to stop being King. Sometimes she felt like it'd have been fine to have literally anyone else on the throne, sometimes it felt like she had to be on the throne for things to change. Now though? None of that mattered; she could run a ship, but she had a council to run her fleet. Taori handled Sadala, if not the whole Vegeta Region on his own; meanwhile, Zuqetta had no idea how to actually run a country, her previously immature self merely thought she did. She couldn't say whether or not she respected Taori, and she especially didn't show him the respect a nation loving citizen should have shown their King, but something was causing a stir within her every time Gandigan brought up Taori.

"Say, I think it's gettin' kinda stuffy in here. All that acidic air, ya know?" Zuqetta would remark as she left the table and made her way to the door, "How 'bout we get some fresh-er air? I can tell ya all about Saiba's and how to communicate with the ones that aren't quite on Ban's level." she'd offer, feeling a bit desperate to change the topic before it gnawed at her further.

Zuqetta still harbored suspicious about Gandigan's intentions regarding Taori, but if he was fine with avoiding the topic, then so was she. The hostile mood seemed to deescalate, and Gandigan was fine with joining her outside. He'd seemingly been reminded of his original purpose by Zuqetta's offer, and Zuqetta was more than happy to show the tricks of her communication. Exiting the cave with Gandigan presumably in tow, Zuqetta would make her way back across the lake and to her pups which could be seen playing at the lakes edge while the mama wolf slept on a boulder nearby.

"I'ma labor a guess and say that besides Ban, ya don't really have any experience with Saiba's, right?" She'd ask as she knelt down to pick up one of the saiba-pups, "For instance, I'd normally wanna ask if you're impressed by my little pups lack of hostility, but if ya don't know nothin' about 'em, then nothin' would seem out of the ordinary for ya." she'd say as she nuzzled into the pup, causing the creature to give a strange, low grumble of sorts as it returned Zuqetta's affection.

"Well, I'll start with the basics; like I said before, Ban is a unique individual. He's pretty much a regular guy as far as I can tell, he just happens ta be a Saibaman." Zuqetta would begin, "Thing is, most saiba's are savage; the basic creatures are grown from seeds and are immediately subservient to the one that planted them in most cases." she'd explain, giving Gandigan a basic rundown of a standard saibaman before pausing to allow him to process the information.

"Eggs?" Zuqetta would question, staring blankly at the Namekian for a few moments before chuckling, "I know seeds might sound a little strange, but they're not chickens or lizards, they're not born from-" she would pause, remembering a conversation she had long ago with Azoth and K-4. Her gaze would narrow, as she hesitated to even ask her next question, "Do you... know how-?" She would stop immediately, shaking her head as her face reddened. She was NOT prepared for this kind of conversation of all things, and so chose to pull back and quickly change the topic.

"I-In any case, purely political, lets stick with that!" She'd say, clearing her throat as she continued on, "So, my pups here are domesticated, they're tamed. It's a minor distinction, but a necessary one." She'd place the pup down before reaching into a pocket beneath her armor lining to reveal a capsule container, "True, my pups wouldn't know about Ban, but once you learn how to tame the Saiba's, you'll be able to communicate with the more humanoid ones to potentially find information on Ban." she'd explain, before popping open a capsule to reveal a box of various good; what she would procure from within would be a pouch, one containing the saiba-seeds she'd mentioned prior.

Even after showing Gandigan her technique for taming saiba-creatures, it would be up to him to master it. She imagined he might have further questions, and so paused before demonstrating how to grow a saibaman. Her biggest concern however wasn't whether Gandigan could figure it out or not, but whether he'd actually find a saibaman anywhere that knew Ban. She'd never searched herself, but Saibamen were also numerous, and even Ban didn't seem to think of his kind as very intelligible. She almost regretted not claiming the throne against Amara and helping Ban to claim the wastes as his own for his people.

"Excellent questions!" Zuqetta would respond enthusiastically, "Ya see, all the saiba-beasts you've seen, my pups included, are normal Saibamen, but rather mutations that occurred naturally out in the wilds." She would explain as she removed a seed and small vial filled with a strange green liquid, "As for where the original saibamen of who knows how long ago came from? I'm unsure, Saiyan records claim we used them for battle during invasions, but there are plenty of counter claims to suggest the creatures were created by the Tuffles, much like Destron."

Zuqetta would use her thumb to create a small puncture in the ground before planting the saiba-seed. She was enjoying the history and science lessons, it'd been a great deal of time since she'd indulged in studies after all. Unfortunately, her personal knowledge on it all had limits, making her less of a teacher and more of a mere informant. She wasn't knowledgeable enough to explain how the seed itself might have been developed, nor could she explain the composition of the liquid she'd proceed to pour onto the seed after she'd covered it with a bit of dirt.

"While speculations go in all directions, one thing is for sure. The Saibamen were produced in amounts far too great for either the Saiyans or Tuffles to handle, and once they were no longer needed, the masses were abandoned here in these wastelands." Zuqetta would explain as she took a step back from the seed she planted; almost immediately the dirt would become disturbed and shake, before suddenly, a head would sprout from the ground, "Being living plant life though, the saiba's were able to adapt and evolve quickly in their environments. They eventually mutated to suit their personal needs, creating the saiba-beasts you see all around!"

"KEEEEE!" The saibaman would cry out as it pulled itself out of the ground.

"This thing though? Just a regular saibaman, and not tasty at all, bleh, any saiba-meat people eat is usually cut from a saiba-beast." Zuqetta would explain as the Saibaman eyed down Gandigan with a murderous, mindless gaze.

The saibaman's eyes would dart back and forth, before it would suddenly let out a bloodcurdling cry. It was slash at the ground beneath its feet with its claws, as if to intimidate Gandigan, before attempting to lunge out at the Namekian... only to quickly be beaten down with a swift fist to its head by Zuqetta.

"You idiot, don't even try it, this guy could eat you for breakfast if he really wanted to." Zuqetta would say to the saibaman as it grasped its head in equal parts fear and confusion, "So then-" she'd begin again, looking back towards Gandigan, "-ready to learn how ta tame it?"

"Similar to a degree, but not the same-" Zuqetta would reply as she moved to approach the mama wolf; the saibaman previously grown from a seed would continue to sit on the ground patiently, still very much confused, "Wulfo!" She'd call out, causing the mama wolf to rouse from its nap on command before rushing to Zuqetta's side.

The mama saiba-wolf towered over Zuqetta, standing nearly eight feet tall while on all fours. Despite Zuqetta classifying the beast as a wolf, and it's pups very much resembling a mutated Earth wolf, the mama wolf had a mane of sorts around its neck much like a male Earth lion. Zuqetta would pet the head of the mama wolf, nuzzling its forehead with her own, prompting the creature to lay on the ground.

"Look at these right here-" Zuqetta would call out to Gandigan, hoping he would approach; if he refrained, she would still try to show off what was hidden within the mane of the mama wolf as best as she could, "-do you see these sacs embedded in her mane? They're like little pouches where she can incubate her offspring for a few days. Occasionally, seeds similar to the one I used to grow that saibaman there will drop into these pouches. Then, the pouch will fill with a fluid, and over the course of about a week, a saiba-pup will grow!"

Zuqetta was clearly rather enthusiastic about the whole thing, causing her to drone on a bit more about her own history with the saiba-wolves. Her first encounter with them being back in the wastelands where she defeated a horde alongside Rensou and Zriracha. After the three separated, Zuqetta had stumbled across a cave which acted as the den to a pack of Saiba-wolves. Unfortunately, the hunters of the pack had been part of the horde she'd defeated, leaving the den unprotected when saiba-raptors came looking for a quick and easy meal. One pup had managed to survive, eventually growing into the mama saiba-wolf she had now. She had no idea back then how Saiba-wolves came to be born, but with what Wulfo grew into, everything now made sense.

"And in case you're curious, I've tried to remove a seed and plant it like I did with this dude here, but it doesn't seem to grow anything. Whatever mutations a saiba-beast goes through seems to be their only intended path to reproduction." Zuqetta would explain, finishing her explanation of her past encounters before turning back towards the Saibaman on the ground, "But now, as for this guy here-" she'd remark, kneeling down to meet eyes with the Saibaman, "-I think he's had enough time to get his bearings! It's about time you give him a name." She'd say, shooting Gandigan a sharp grin.