Verum Rex

Within the cave that her mother had made into a home two years ago, Zerori had made herself comfortable after having gotten… well, a lot done. Her room was actually clean (for once) and the walk down memory lane had turned into a sit upon memory bench. She’d heard that Taori had retired and, while she was happy for him, there was an incessant restlessness in her heart knowing that the Saiyans were without a leader. Again. So, she found her old home in the Saiba Wastes and set to trying to sort out what her thoughts were. Funnily enough, there was evidence that someone else had been here in the last two years.

Two years… it wasn’t exactly a long time but every time she passed by an area, a memory would come unbidden. The table she’d sat at with her mother to eat? A flash of Ise’ face along with her sister as they’d become the first to ever sit with the demonic duo. Her room? Hours spent taking things apart, putting them together in different orientations and eventually learning to meld magic and machine literally made her who she was right now. Laying on her bed within her old room, her legs now hanging off the end comically, Zerori’s single eye stared up at the poster of her favorite comic book role model growing up in Hell, Mercenary Spice.

It was just after she’d let out a burdened sigh through her nose that a blood curdling scream would come from seemingly nowhere. Cocking an eyebrow, Zerori would materialize one of her Devil Coins - the voice of her sister coming through a moment later. Silently, she listened to her words and, at first, she was confused that Zuqetta was making a speech. Until it finally sunk in. Her eye widened, mouth parted in shock that she was actually making a formal challenge to become the leader of the Saiyans. For a long moment, her fingers twitching as the coin levitated above her palm, Zerori was frozen. Suddenly, the coin would be snatched from the air in a vicious movement.



Glowing brightly with a wild look in her eye, Zerori’s grin would stretch painfully across her teeth. “It’s show time.” Throwing herself to her feet a portal would rip the fabric of space right in front of her, her heart pounding within her chest. The feeling she’d struggled to understand, ever since taking her leave so suddenly back on Konats, finally made sense to her now. Twice now she’d expressed her power and twice she’d been dismissed. Erebos didn't want to fight her. Neither Verst or Salvo wanted to fight her.

Not this time. This was her chance to give the blood singing in her veins something to do and since her sister had so ELOQUENTLY admitted to the entirety of the Saiyan people that they were related to Lottus - well, it was up to her to make it painfully clear what that meant.

Stepping through, Zerori would appear in one of her favorite places to hide away years ago when Rosemary was Queen - the rafters above the throne room. Out of respect to the previous King and his wife, Zerori behaved. Standing above the crowds as they gathered, her red eye would shine like a beacon to any that would notice her appearance. She’d watched as a familiar face from Konats would boldly approach with obvious excitement, the fox man Xiao. She tracked him, eye narrowed, before she gave a soft chuff at his own little speech, grinning wryly. “Well, that’s a development. She really is changing…”

As he would levitate up toward the rafters, Zerori would stay where she was long enough to lock eyes with him preparing to eat his meal before she’d give a cute little wave and drop from her place in the rafters. Letting gravity take over, she’d plummet the entire way down to slam into the ground onto a knee. Once she’d stood back up to her full height, having grown even more to a staggering 6’ 3” and finally able to match her mother’s gaze after so many years, she’d address the crowd - more specifically two Saiyans that had barked the loudest since the crowd had gathered - and bare her fangs in a confrontational display.

“How about you save the FUCKING questions and step up if you want an answer so bad! Best way to find those answers? Fuck. Around. And find out.” Already, she was stretching herself thin trying to hold back, tail lashing back and forth as she dared anyone to step up. “Anyone that isn’t challenging my little sister but finds themselves foolish enough to interfere will answer to me. So, please,” Her burn-scared arm raised, grasping the hilt of her sword as the most unhinged giggle escaped her lips. “-find out.”

Funny enough, Zuci had just narrowly missed Zuqetta’s communication. She had been far away at The Brawl Hole, totally not flexing her newfound power by sitting alone and getting a sip at the bar. No one had talked to her, and given that she was sitting casually with blonde hair and an absurd amount of power it was easy to see why. She had spoken to a patron or two she’d been familiar with, but Zuci had purposefully made it hard to look at her by flaring her golden aura at certain points.

“Oh, bartender! Can I get something for free?” She flagged the worker down; they looked nervously around for some sort of help before Zuci laughed. “I’m just joking! Go on about your day! Ah, the joy of being better than your entire species…” Zuci said wistfully as she leaned on the counter. How could this day be any better…?

Well, it instantly got better when Zuci overheard a few Scouters going off near her. She listened intently as Zuqetta declared her intention to claim the Saiyan Throne, and anyone who wanted to oppose her was free to say so. Almost immediately the eyes of everyone in the bar flickered to Zuci, and the Super Saiyan made a show of standing up and laughing with one hand next to her smug mouth.

“Ohohoho! You expect me to rise up to the challenge? If the mood strikes, I will meet your expectations- Get a television in here by the way! Now I have to take time out of my sweet, sweet day to fly over there now! Bye, goodbye!” She said enthusiastically as she flew out the door; in less than a minute she floated above the Saiyan Capital, looking down with a grin at the crowd gathered in front of Zuqetta. She had lowered her power level best she could to avoid immediately interrupting the festivities as she neared the palace, though she mentally admits it’s a little harder to suppress herself than it usually is. There’s a small crowd outside the place, and the guards outside notice her aura and immediately seize up.

Zuci winks to them and walks in without a fuss. She arrives just in time to see Xiaolan hype up Zuqetta. She eyes the creature with mild interest as he jumps up to the rafters. A few people notice the barely restrained Super Saiyan walking up and make way for her. She’s up near the front when two Saiyans who seem like soldiers begin to bark at Zuqetta.

Well, they had something of a point. It’s not like either Amara or Taori ruled long enough to instill long term change, but it was true that they hadn’t exactly put the planet in a much better state than it had been. She was curious as to how Zuqetta would answer, so Zuci did little more than stand there with a smug and entertained grin as a newcomer suddenly appeared.

She… Hm. A Saiyan mixed with something else. Who was also Zuqetta’s sister. Something to ask her about later…

“Now, now,” Zuci says as she steps out from the crowd as if she’s in a position of authority, “at least give our potential leader a chance to speak! She doesn’t need people speaking for her.” She glances at Zerori with a small wave. “And we don’t need suggestions of outright murder while we’re here. I only want to see a fight between our would-be Emperor and whoever chooses to fight them! …And I’m curious to see how she plans on answering the proposed question. We wait with bated breath for your answer!” She says with an overdramatic flourish.

The Palace felt more alive than it had done in months.

Word had been sent that a visitor would be arriving to attend the throne of the Saiyan’s and launch their bid to become their new Ruler…and in fact the ruler of the entirety of Plant given that the Tuffles still answered to Salada under the conditions of their last surrender over Hatchi cutesy of the now vanished Taori, the previous leader of the Saiyan Kingdom.

The Throne room had been unsealed and the palace guard stood to attention at their posts, marking the route from the great gate to this place, resplendent in their polished armour, powerful veterans in their own right sworn to defend the Throne and those who sat upon it. The first to try and bar her path into the hallowed seat of power had received a harsh stare and a rather vocal threat about what would happen to their teeth if they got in her way again.

Jagaimo held no sway with them but after her last interaction with the guard during the visit of Ticoga to their Kingdom’s seat many at least now acknowledged her with a slight nod as she passed, moving amongst them, ignoring the many looks she received from the ‘noble bloods’ in the galleries that looked down on this chamber. Even though the guards allowed her passage around the great hall, most couldn’t hide their discomfort as she passed them by, shifting their stances, shuffling their feet, a few even paling in complexion until she moved on. Most had given up checking their scouters behind her back as word spread through them she was somehow masking her Ki even though they could clearly see her.

She wasn’t here for them.

The young warrior had once sworn to defend that throne, that hunk of cold stone that seemed to mean so much to their people. Not so long ago she’d tried to destroy it in a display she thought might have helped galvanize the Saiyan’s in to realising they didn’t need an iron fist holding their leash, an action that had come to naught when the throne had almost instantly been rebuilt by magical means and a farce of a Throne Duel that had resulted in a monarch that didn’t even want to be there. She still longed to turn that tradition of old to ashes but abandoning tradition completely was always difficult and so she stayed her hand. There were other things to deal with right now.

The aspirant was soon to attend.

They had other traditions that needed to be upheld today, and safe arrival of all to the throne room was one of them. Fighting outside of the Throne Duel was frowned upon and trouble makers would be ejected. Forcefully if necessary. The arena below could house a huge portion of the capital's population but the challengers were free to choose their battleground so for now the grand Oozaru sized gates were kept sealed.

Word had been sent, the contender was here and the crowds were following.

In short order the throne room was filled to capacity, all eyes on the woman that strode ahead of them and up the small dais to the polished black stone throne. Zuqetta strode alone in ehr armour, not the massive powerful figure Jagaimo had faced that first time in that arena underground but the real Zuqetta, the one that had come to see her in her bar not long ago to make amends. She was alone on the dais before the throne when she spoke her words and the young warrior had to admit to herself it wasn’t the most confidence inducing speech she’d ever heard. Opening with the admission that you couldn't relate to the people you were looking to rule over didn’t bode well as an opener but the Lottus name drop got many people talking in whispers. His was a name that every native of Plant and if Ticoga was to be believed, so many other worlds, knew now and associated with this world. It might help her cause that many of them out there secretly worshiped him as some kind of Saviour figure from the old stories, instead of the destroyer he’d been portrayed by many as. Only recently she had learned why his path of destruction took the route it had and in the back of her mind she couldn’t not agree with his reasoning…just maybe not his methods.

Others spoke up too. Some she knew, some she didn’t, and while some introduced themselves she reached out with her senses and committed those she could feel to memory, feeling every facet of their Ki till she knew who it belonged to with her eyes closed.

Someone proclaiming to be the new royal chef, a fox like creature naming itself Xiaolan, offered its support to Zuqetta as a friend before it floated up to sit amongst the rafters high above the throne, a strange creature she couldn’t get a read on as her senses slipped out through the crowds.

A male and female approached the front of the gathered crowd before the throne steps, pushing their way through the others to say their piece, asking how things would be different. Many in the crowd around them seemed to agree with what they were saying…and they weren't wrong. The people had withered and weakened over the years bouncing from one ruler to the next with nothing but ending a half century war to their reign’s.

Zerori was here. Jagaimo could hear the woman’s voice rising in crescendo already in response to the two newcomers. She had no real right to threaten them in that way, not here at this moment and she could see the palace guards speaking to each other around the room quietly. What had been a peaceful crowd so far was being riled up as more and more people spoke their piece…but Zerori was practically demanding violence…something that would draw attention to why everyone had truly gathered here today.

More and more came through the crowds.

Tarro, a Saiyan she knew, arrived with a contingent in tow, speaking up so briefly and then stepping aside to watch. It didn’t look as though he intended to cause trouble but the last time they’d met things hadn’t seemed right. She hadn’t seen him in a while now but even she could tell something wasn’t sitting right with him, but what it was she had no idea.

Jagaimo raised an eyebrow as she felt Zuci arrive even before she saw her…So she’d finally done it and unlocked the key to opening herself to the next stage of power. The golden hue looked strange on her but then perhaps it was simply that it was new to them all? Jagaimo felt her chest tighten a little when she ran her gaze over the woman, that seed of jealousy creeping into the back of her mind, a seed she locked away for a later time. Now wasn’t it. At least she didn’t seem to be trying to incite a riot in the palace grounds, in fact she seemed to be actively assisting in the effort to keep everyone calm…Oh Kai’s. Jagaimo rolled her eyes at the last part of the women's speech. Ever the showman, Zuci just didn’t seem to be able to help herself. Even the first time they’d met, Zuci appeared to enjoy being the center of attention, now seemed to be no different.

The last voice to speak up came softly from a red headed stranger, one she didn’t recognise and also one she couldn’t sense like the other fox creature who had arrived early. Two in one afternoon…what were the odds? Were they related perhaps? She seemed to second the opinions of the others, the two Saiyans and even Zuci, reinforcing the demand to know how things would be different this time.

Jagaimo shrugged to herself mentally. It all didn’t matter. Words and speeches. They could demand and Zuqetta could speak but in the end she needed to make no promises to any of them. If none were strong enough to oppose her then no amount of talking mattered. She would rule and they wouldn’t. If they didn’t like it then they would need to do something about it. Until things were changed, until traditions were broken, this would always be the way. She knew Zuqetta had a plan, despite her age the young woman always had a plan but for it to work she needed to rule and for that she needed to win the challenge and the people needed to follow her.

And so it was that so far no one had stepped forwards to oppose the young woman who had cried in her arms only a short time ago. She seemed far more confident now however. She’d certainly need to be.

Regardless of how crowded the hall had become Jagaimo found herself with a small space around her, people getting close to her shuffling themselves round and moving away as they looked at her uneasily. She shook her head a little in disgust at the weak fortitude of some here. There was worse out there, much worse than her. The small Saiyan moved, walking through the crowd, pushing any who didn’t move fast enough on their own accord gently out of the way with the back of a hand, guiding them from her path. She wore her Shredder Corps armour, buffed and cleaned for the occasion, but forgo the traditional scouter, instead relying on her own senses to tell her where the powers stood. She nodded briefly in greeting at Tarro and Zuci when she caught their eye and strode right past Zerori to the foot of the steps. She couldn’t stop to talk to the woman, and honestly she didn’t know her well enough to even suggest calming it down a little. She just hoped the Demon warrior could hold it together. The last thing they needed was a massacre on the steps of the throne.

She stopped, one foot on the floor and the other on the first step of the throne stairs, looking up to where Zuqetta stood awaiting her challengers.

“Ancient tradition dictates that any of us who is strong enough to take the throne and hold it by strength of arms is fit to rule. This has been the way of things for as long as we have been on this planet and likely carried over from our ancestors when they arrived from our home. You know this as well as all those gathered here.”

She didn’t turn to face the crowds, they could hear her well enough thanks to the technology Zuqetta had placed around the throne room to transmit her challenge to the ears of every person of the planet, stopping short of broadcasting the spectacle as she had done before. She knew from experience there wasn’t a soul here that could sense her no matter what their eyes told them when she didn’t want them to. But this was no time to hide away. Super Saiyan or not, Jagaimo would not hide from this woman now the eyes had settled on them.

“Whatever plans you may have, whatever they may demand from you…”

She waved an arm back at those behind her,

“None of it matters unless someone amongst them steps forward to question your right to rule. There words mean nothing in this moment.”

Jagaimo held the other woman's gaze, unflinching in her sight.

“I question your right to rule. I question your worth to sit on that throne and lead our Kingdom.”

Jagaimo stood like a statue, paused on two steps, her face like stone, eyes fixed on the woman she had come to know better the last few days, someone she might still call friend one day. Some traditions had to be upheld. At least for now.

“And I question your will to carry through with what has to be done.”

For a tense moment, her arms gripped tightly to the hilt of her sword, she stared down the two in a cute little game of chicken. It was only when more would come and approach did Zerori would move her gaze away, capitulating to them for the moment as if she were giving a form of mercy. That and hearing her sister’s thoughts comically mistake the rather fair-looking male Saiyan’s gender in the privacy of her mind elicited a snort that slightly soothed her aggressive nature.

Another fox-like being, a woman this time, had approached with questions that she would leave to her sister to answer while a handful would actually respond to her blood-thirsty threat. Which, technically, they weren’t wrong; she most definitely was out for blood but while she wasn’t as bothered by taking the lives of those that deserved it there most certainly was a line drawn.

After she released the vice-like grip Zerori had on the hilt of her sword, she’d bring her arms across her chest before giving a single shoulder shrug to Tarro, “Excluding the fact that there are WAY more Saiyans than what we’re seeing in this room right now - I really don’t fuckin’ care to kill everyone. I made it pretty clear that I’m takin’ down anyone that interrupts the challenge.” She glanced at Zuci as they arrived, noting her power for a moment before dismissing it in favor of giving them a playful grin, “-It could be you, if you wanted. What do you say?” Zerori partially teased, wanting someone to get the show on the road while slightly distracted with her sister’s passive thoughts about how the woman before her was sleeping.

Finally, in the midst of the clearly upset twins and the questions that they wanted answers to so badly, a familiar face would walk through the crowd with all the confidence of someone that knew exactly what they wanted. As she acknowledged Tarro and Zuci but strode passed her she knew what was going to happen and felt no irritation. She looked over her shoulder at Jagaimo, a grin on her face, as she spoke her piece. Unknown to many, Jagaimo and Zerori shared the same thoughts on Zuqetta’s ability to rule - they’d only just recently managed to understand how to communicate properly (even as Zerori hypocritically kept her little Mind Reading ability a secret). Still, Zuqetta was her sister and if this was what she wanted then she was going to support her decision to try.

Quietly, though not without quickly rising irritation, Zerori said nothing as her sister addressed as many questions as she could while making it clear that she wasn’t going to be able to appease everyone. Maybe it had been own aggressive feelings that influenced her sister - because of course she was a bad influence! - but the antagonistic manner in which she addressed the whole of the soldiers was shocking even to her. While her THIRD slip-up on the gender of the male brought a secret and knowing chuckle out of her, the inevitable consequence of insulting nearly every Saiyan in the throne room stuck its grubby claws into the one known as Cilas.

Unlike Jagaimo, however, he didn’t issue an official challenge.

The moment he stepped forward to rush at his sister, the world around Zerori slowed to a crawl. Half mask disintegrating into motes of darkness, horns growing from her head and a rush of power that would only further push the hybrid into action took up the entirety of a fraction of a second. With power that eclipsed his own multiple times over she would suddenly be in his path, a wild grin leaning down into his face. Black and red energy swirled to life in her hand, “That didn’t sound like a challenge to me.” Before thrusting it upwards in an attempt to throw it into his stomach and launch him away. Assuming no one was a hero the attack still wouldn’t kill him, no matter how tempting her power made it. “Use your words, next time.”

Zuci was happy to see that a lot of people- notable people had gathered and were actively engaging in such an important event. Even non Saiyans had begun to approach and speak! This woman seemed to know Zuqetta; well, the potential Emperor of the Saiyans had been off planet more than a few times to Zuci's knowledge. It only made sense that she would know so many individuals. Speaking of familiar faces!

Zuci mouthed 'Hi' to Jagaimo as she appeared on the scene, waving to her without pointing immediate attention to her casual transformed state; she knew the other Saiyan woman had acknowledged it, and that was all she needed for her daily ego fufillment. As a matter of fact not only did Jag walk right up and begin speaking out in the public crowd, but she outright challenged Zuqetta to a battle! Zuci clapped a little and stepped back, ready to watch the event unfold with glee.

Ah, but for right now the woman closest to Zuqetta, Zerori, had spoken to Zuci. She was definitely saying Zuci should take up the challenge and fight Zuqetta here and now. Zuci giggled and shook her head.

"No, I'll let Zuqetta have her fun. I'm not ready mentally to lead yet, so I'd like her to hold the throne and keep it warm for me until then. I don't mind making sure things go smoothly until then though! It's the least I could do, free of charge!"

Now onto the speech Zuqetta was beginning to give the twins and the whole crowd by extension.

Zuqetta had a lot of things to say. Aw, look at her go! She was happy to see Zuqetta had actual responses ready instead of going for the jugular with verbal attacks. ...Well, she kind of gave them a bit of a verbal attack with the way she threw something of a jab at the guards for only sticking around the palace despite there basically being nothing there. Actually, were they getting paid? Who was paying them...?

Questions for later.

"Hah! Well said there, Zuqetta! You heard the woman- I don't care much for tradition, but it goes against us as a concept to deny her the right to claim the throne through a method other than fighting for it! So, there you have it! And seeing as we have one challenger so far, I say you air out your grievances after defeating her in a fight."

Which she knew they weren't about to do, so. Ah, but they hadn't stopped talking...

Zuci agreed that the way the challenge was set up could be...annoying depending on who won. If she ever decided to go for it she'd probably add some rules and such to ensure that the future leader of the Saiyans wasn't a maniac or incompetent. That said, for the time being questioning her claim was silly- No one else had stepped up until now, and it's not like there was evidence suggesting Zuqetta to be an incompetent ruler. Given all of the future drama Plant was sure to be wrapped up in, Zuci was entirely confident that almost any leader would be better than none.

Plus, worst case scenario she'd just beat up Zuqetta and make room for someone better like herself! Oh, wait a moment-

While Zuci was distracted one of the twins had apparently gone and tried to strike at Zuqetta. Almost immediately Zuqetta's own family member decided to take things into her own hands as she throws her arm out intending to throw a punch straight into Cilas' gut. Zuci rolled her eyes and sprung into action, flashing directly in front of Cilas while holding out her arm in front of her. She would hold Cilas back with one arm while the other caught Zerori's fist in the palm of her hand, barely struggling to push back against it. Having successfully stopped the attack Zuci pulls her hand away and shakes it rapidly a few times- A few days ago that attack would've taken a lot out of her just to block, and look at her now!

"For the record..." Zuci makes some space for Tarro to exmaine the lad; at least someone else cared about another Saiyan's wellbeing. She glances back at the twins and Tarro with a calm and casual smile on her face. "Knowing her personally, I think Zuqetta will make a fine leader so long as she has other people in her corner to help advise her. But you know how we do things. What would you have her do to 'qualify' for it? Last time I checked there's not too many of us on the planet that have experience leading a volatile group of people like us, and even fewer have the power to back it up. Give the girl a chance- You've got no one else to place your bets on, right?"

"And you," Zuci turns towards Zerori with a harsher look in her eye, "we're over ten times this boy's strength without even trying. You're...a bit stronger than me, that I can tell pretty easily. I understand that he made a stupid choice and didn't make a formal challenge!" She raises her voice for the last part and turns to Cilas for a quick moment before turning back to Zerori. "But I'm going to make an educated guess and assume our possible leader- The one I'm pretty sure you want to win- isn't in favor of going overboard on subjects for acting out. Whoever takes the throne today will just make sure he gets punished by his military superiors for the transgression. How's that sound?"

Zuci says it with a smirk; it's less of a question and more something that she's asserting despite the decent power difference between them.

"I mean, I'm an excellent people person, so this is especially egregious to me. Imagine if I started going around punching people in the gut! Just because I'm a SUPER SAIYAN!" Zuci randomly turns to the crowd and shouts at the top of her lungs before turning back aroung again. "Doesn't change the fact that that's going to cause some unrest and trouble all over the planet, especially with the Tuffles. To make a long story short? Don't do it again."

That said, Zuci steps back and joins the rest of the crowd, folding her arms and waiting for the show to go on. She hoped there weren't going to be more outbursts like that- She just wanted to get to the main event and see who'll lead the Saiyans to what would hopefully be a better future for everyone there.