House Guest

Though previously disheartened as her thoughts were plagued by her family ties, Calot's words would begin to uplift her. A warmth came to her chest from his encouragement, and she recalled her fight against Taori not too long ago. While Taori's words had been much different, the meaning she'd gleamed from them had helped her to realize the power of the Super Saiyan. Now, Calot was doing the same, reminding her of why it was she was garnering power in the first place. Ascending to the throne was secondary to what she wanted most, to protect Plant and the people she cared about. She didn't consider herself a hero in the least, and had taken the lives of others without hesitation; lives she refused to take however were those of the inhabitants of Plant, not just the Saiyans, but the Tuffles as well. Even the Saiba's remained spared so long as the creatures kept to themselves, though without Saiba-Ban to reign her in, she still very much treated that third of the population as wild animals.

"Hehehe, ya know, you're pretty wise!" Zuqetta would say, giggling a bit as she compared him, "Just like King Taori, and you speak just as curtly!" She'd say, clearly unbothered by his more harsher tones and sharp tongue, "Taori didn't say it like you, but honestly, if it wasn't for him, I don't know if I'd have become a Super Saiyan." She'd finally admit, her face flush with a bit of pride as she smiled up towards the man, "He warned me what my weakness would cause. What would happen if someone came after my sister, my friends, everyone else I cared about. Heh, and he made it pretty damn scary!" she'd explain with a laugh, "I met another named Gandigan who said similar things. I think you'd make a pretty good King yourself considering how all three of you speak!"

She couldn't help but to compare the three, while spoken in different words, each had now warned her on similar threats and the way to use her power. As much as she wanted power, it wasn't until Taori threatened her family did she develop a true need for it, just as Calot was now explaining. Surely, Gandigan too would develop his power should the need arise, it was funny how full circle things were and how similarly those with the ability to rule thought. It made Zuqetta question if she truly had the ability to rule herself, would someone like Calot have not made a better ruler? While she might have amassed power, she didn't have the same way of thinking as the other rulers. Maybe that was the point, maybe she was meant to be different so as to change how things had been done up to this point. Beyond desiring a different way for her people however, she hadn't the know how or experience to lead, to command or guide, and knew this very well. It was why she sought allies, and why she sought knowledge; but even should she remember the things she learned, would this change the person she was?

"Hm..." Zuqetta hesitated at Calot's question, clearly thinking intently on the matter before looking towards him with a serious expression, "What about you?" she'd ask directly, "You're a Saiyan, that makes you a candidate too by our traditions. So can I look to gain favor from you?" She'd ask, unsure if she was wording her thoughts properly, "I already said I wanna make a counsel ta help me govern Sadala, so can't I ask you to help me? Hehe, you're a lot more like a ruler than I am!" She'd say plainly in a rather gleeful manner, her tail now swaying behind her at the thought of it.

As Calot spoke, Zuqetta couldn't help but to empathize and agree; she didn't consider herself to be fit as a ruler in the least. Power was all she felt she had in terms of what qualified someone to lead, but she knew that wouldn't be enough. As it stood, the more she learned about how to rule, the more she felt less and less qualified for it. Calot however, began to make further points and comparisons before remarking on what Zuqetta herself had said; he'd agreed to her request to join her!

Zuqetta's expression would brighten beyond compare, her eyes brimming with light as a wide smile stretched across her face. So excited by Calot's response was she, that she'd completely forgotten to answer his question regarding her friend entirely. Zuqetta's tail would squeeze the leg of the chair in her excitement, crushing it to splinters as she leapt from her seat, rushing towards Calot as she stared up at him full of enthusiasm. "Really!?" She'd exclaim happily, "You'll really come? Like, REALLY really!?" She'd continue insistently before attempting to rush the man into an embrace, happy to have successfully recruited an ally.

Leaping away from Calot following her attempted embrace, Zuqetta would near hop in place with excitement as she began to speak, her tail swaying quickly enough to exert a small force that knocked down the somewhat broken chair. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!" She'd cry happily, "I was beginning to think I was a complete failure at this! Considering how most have reacted so far, I was sure that a causal request like that was sure to fail!" she'd explain, calming down as she wiped away tears of joy that had begun to flow.

Her smile remained as wide and bright as could be as she took a few steps back from Calot, taking a deep breath to calm herself further before continuing on, attempting to sound a bit more "leader-like" as she would put it, "As for moving-" she'd begin, bringing her hand to her chin as she thought about it, "Hmm, not mandatory, but I think it'd help! You have a pretty home here though, so it'd be a shame to abandon it." she'd remark, recalling how she enjoyed the forest surroundings, "You could have a permanent room in the Castle though, this way you could come and go as you please!" she'd remark happily before shooting a more mischievous smirk at her next remark, "And yes! When it comes to ships and finances, you needn't worry about a thing, you can count on me to get what you need moved!" she'd say, giving a quick beat to her chest proudly, "I still don't have an exact date, but I'm sure i can notify you ahead of time as you asked! Do you have a scouter or communicator so I can get your contact info?" she'd finish, her heart beating somewhat excitedly as she blushed, bringing out her scouter, ready to receive "Calot's number".

It was difficult to tell what was going on in the mind of the otherwise stoic Calot, but his previously awkward stare had steadily began to become a rather comforting gaze. This was the first person not to shout in her face at the premise of attempting proper peace with the Tuffles. He was the first not to scoff at the idea of ruling with more than simply power, but agreed with the premise of educating oneself and even filling in the gap that one had with allies. As Zuqetta recalled her movements through the Radditsu district, her every words seemed scoffed at by those who remembered her linage and previous crown challenge. She was a noble, and despite her words, such a thing didn't sit well with those of the lower class who felt deceived by her words. Yet in that same vein, the upper class wasn't much better; mocking her choices that went against Saiyan tradition, considering themselves perfect simply for being of noble blood.

Calot was a breath of fresh air for Zuqetta; sure, she could have received a similar reaction from her sister, but it simply felt different coming from a stranger. She didn't hold Zerori's word to be any less than Calot's, especially with how the rest of her family was to her, but Calot's ideals seemed more closely aligned to her own that any she'd met thus far. It didn't feel as though the man was simply agreeing with her, but was empathizing with her on the truest level, something that drew Zuqetta in more than she realized. It was an acceptance she'd never received so wholeheartedly from any, despite how desperately she'd tried in the past. No longer was she merely following the path set out before her by another in an attempt to receive validation as she had with Azoth or Blizzard; now, she was paving her own path, and the man before her, a complete stranger, had accepted her words.

In her emotional stupor, she'd flinch as words sounded off in her head, Calot having made use of telepathy in place of traditional communication. While initially startled, Zuqetta would giggle before returning a mental response to the Saiyan. 'Hehe, if you could use telepathy, then you should've said so!' she'd say? think? bringing her hand up before her mouth, covering her lips with her index finger as she laughed. Her own gaze on Calot softened as her cheeks brightened a slight pink; could Calot make out her expressions and gestures? She'd been treating him like he was blind, not thinking much on it, but as stupid as she would continuously call herself, she'd begun to pick up on the actions and reactions of the man. How he did it, she had no idea, but it was becoming clear to her that to some degree Calot could see just as well as any other.

'No intrusion, you're a welcomed guest!' Zuqetta would continue with the telepathy, 'So long as you don't mind me being in your head either~' she felt a bit more comforted by the telepathy, almost as thought it was easier to communicate than with words. With Calot switching back to verbal communication however, Zuqetta would do the same.

Rather than return to her technically now broken seat, Zuqetta would casually approach Calot, standing beside him rather closely, but with enough space to not make the man uncomfortable. Her tail swaying happily behind her, curling occasionally as if instinctively trying to grab hold of something. Zuqetta would hold her arms behind her back, looking upon the board Calot worked on with curiosity, though in truth she couldn't help but to feel much more curiosity in Calot himself than in what was written on the board.

"Mnmn-" she'd voice with a shake of her head, "Nothin' I can think of, you can continue your lesson." she'd remark happily, "But I'ma stay up here, better ta see and whatnot." she'd state with another small laugh before glancing up towards Calot, 'Hehe, you truly do stare too much~' she'd say telepathically, 'I don't mind though, your eyes remind me of the moon.' she'd finish, smiling brightly as she flustered slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed to have said-thunk such a thing out loud(?), though, she wouldn't say she necessary regretted it.

Calot was becoming more and more intriguing to the girl, and with his knowledge, would no doubt be a valuable ally. She was excited to learn more about past Saiyan rule from the man, as well as how to at least act out the part of a proper ruler than her previous Arcosian guardians had failed to teach. She at least had the basics of dining etiquette down thanks to Blizzard, so that would at least be one less thing Calot would need to teach. She'd be sure to ask Calot about the disadvantages of telepathy, not realizing yet that when the man said any distance, he may have very well meant ANY distance. While she'd mastered the art of communication across a planetary scale, telepathy across the cosmos was still a difficult for her, something she'd surely express to Calot to be taught.

The mentorship and mutual exchange between the two had only just begun, though what was to come of it could have been anyone's guess~!