Checkmate in Twelve (ASK TO JOIN)

Donût, aka the Unbreakable Mister Steel, was silently fuming as he walked through the halls of King Castle. It wasn't because he lost the election, Donût hadn't expected to win or even get as close to victory as he had. Besides, Chomei was a much, much better choice for President of Earth than the openly corrupt Derry or the possibly insane Yogu. He'd even made strides to just immediately investigate Derry's corruption and start repealing the Accords. Unfortunately for Donût, it appeared that he was somehow tangled up in Derry's scandal. The Mister Steel Presidential Campaign had received dirty money from several of Derry's associates, and it was possible that one of Derry's shell-companies had given money, as well. This, plus the fact that some of the votes for Mister Steel had to be thrown out due to voter inactivity and possibly people lying to get added to the voter rolls, meant that Mister Steel, and his campaign, were now under investigation. Donût, of course, had come straight to King's Castle when called, with legal representation, courtesy of HumDee and DumDee.

    Lottus sneers at the other being's response.

    "You don't owe a pleasure to anything for this." Lottus replies, grinning cruelly. "I was looking for something to amuse myself with - and coming across this little scene is at least markedly better than nothing at all. I have nothing to fear from anyone in the galaxy - so why not stroll about? Let someone try something - I love a good bloodbath!"

    It was at that point that a shadow cast along the ground, and a voice rang out. Lottus turns to the source, ready to defend himself from a meteoric attack - but one never came. Instead, what looked like an oddly dressed hobo stood proudly before them, arms crossed like they were in some kind of comic book. The being spoke confidently, even going as far as to claim that he'd see them leaving in body bags if they didn't leave.

    The attempted threat makes Lottus bare his teeth in an animalistic smile. Neither of the two beings before him were terribly strong - but Lottus had enough experience to be wary of the potentially weak ones. They always ended up being somewhat stronger than they let on. He turns his eyes back to Sitri, still grinning maliciously.

    "All you need to know is that I can slaughter billions and not lose a wink of sleep over it." Lottus chuckles. His eyes turn back to Steel, whom Sitri had identified. "Oh, I'm not here for that insect you call a leader - I've put that bug down with one or two blows before already. But you? If you think you can threaten me, then you must be stronger than you look. So, let's find out!"

    In an instant, a crimson and black aura explodes around Lottus, and his muscle mass and height grow suddenly with it! Lottus bursts off the ground, and aims a curving punch at the side of Steel's head!

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Sitri could scarcely believe that such a comically, unapologetically evil being could exist outside his masters. The Shisenshi, in a rare moment of surprise, broke character by staring back at Lottus blankly as the Saiyan spoke. He was curious. Billions? The Heralds heard stories of a planet eater that had ravaged this quadrant, bringing death and despair to countless souls, but it'd been hard to believe. If Sitri could attempt thanology upon Lottus, the truth would be revealed!

Sadly, Steel.

Sitri watched on with muted interest as the Saiyan attacked. He knew the Earthling stood not even a sliver of a chance. Things would be more fun if he decided to prop Steel up with support to prolong his suffering... but what would Lottus think? He needed to place himself under the destroyer to achieve his own goals. "Am I... being mocked?" Sitri sounded genuinely confused, eyebrows narrowing suspiciously. "What kind of strange lingo are you spouting?" Seeing him get tossed like a salad through several walls was amusing, at least.

Sitri scoffed, twirling and playing with his 'gun' as Steel recovered and came back for round two. "I would focus on the enemy before you," He'd caution the man. "He doesn't need MY help to tear you to bloody shreds." Was... was Steel trying to GOAD them? "Interesting tactics," He'd comment idly. "I'd write it down, had I pen and paper."

As Lottus and Sitri continued to focus on Steel, Steel kept track of something with the HUD of his Scouter-Shades... the evacuation of civilians and low-powered security for the castle. Chomei wasn't on the grounds, it seemed, based on radio chatter and message pings. The castle itself was almost completely evacuated or sheltering somewhere that Lottus and the weirdo with the evil gun couldn't get to them. Central City proper, meanwhile, had been notified and started evacuating and sheltering as well... soon the whole city would seem deserted of people, leaving nobody for the pair of villains to menace or break.

'That's right, ya dumb lugs. Focus on me. Aren't I such a nice, shiny, funny toy fer ya ta break? Ignore tha civilians, they ain't fun...'

After thinking that oh-so-secret thought in the back of his mind, Steel grinned. So long as he could keep his head on straight, he would be able to keep these two from realizing that their chance to spread terror or hurt people had passed. He just had to keep the audience's attention... and Mister Steel was nothing, if not a showman that could pump up a crowd.

"Aw, but tha banter's ma-"

Steel didn't even have time to blink before he was being picked up by his leg. Then kicked into the air by the chin with enough force that he practically flew!

"-favorite-"

His flight was interrupted by Lottus' hand, which stopped Steel at some point just below the ceiling of the great hall.. before shoving him down to Earth at near-terminal velocity.

"-part!"

There was a loud, BOOMING crash as Steel went down through the floor and into the ground... down into a basement... then through the floor of that basement... into a sub-basement that had once contained a bunker during the Pre-Atomic era of Earth. Deep enough that normal bombs wouldn't penetrate, but not so deep that a nuke, or a maniac with a power level of 100 or more, couldn't fry the inhabitants to a crisp. Steel had gone through what appeared to be a desk in a central room, where the former President, or King, of Earth... or whoever had once controlled the castle... could give orders and meet with generals.

Now, one would have expected Steel's mind to be racing with a variety of thoughts, strategies, plans, ideas... SOMETHING. It usually was. But... for some reason... Steel was just angry. In a deep, primal way. A way that overrode all of his senses, all of his conscious mind. A way that left him seeing red, which was odd since his shades had been snapped by the attack.

Steel leaped out of the crater he'd made, screaming at the top of his lungs in a primal war-cry. His fists flew, with index and middle fingers extended... aiming to strike Lottus in a variety of places all over his body. Pressure points and ki junctions, that was where Steel was aiming at.

"I'M GONNA SHOVE MY HAND SO FAR UP YER ASS, THAT I'LL BE ABLE TA USE YA IN A VENTRILOQUIST ACT!"