Reawakening [CHALLENGE]

“NO!”

Her voice cried out across the old stone arena, the railing under her fingers shattering into splinters as the sudden shock of what she felt rippled through her. Around her, spectators who had been leaning on the handrail watching the match in the Hole found themselves toppling down into the sand tens of feet below when they no longer had anything to lean on. Her outcry stunned the entire crowd into silence, the chants and cheers ceasing when her voice boomed out and she let her mask slip, her natural power ballooning outwards from her in a wave that buffeted against those left standing, pushing them back till she was alone on the platform.

Everyone was staring at her as she stood above the Hole. The match below had stopped, both combatants looking up, unsure whether to continue with their match or not as the entire crowd fell silent, those who had fallen into the arena rose groaning and grumbling quietly as they picked themselves up again from the surprise fall. A few amongst them wore scouters, watching the numbers rising rapidly…suddenly realising the readings they were getting weren’t from anyone here…not even the bar owner who had floored a few of them with her outburst.

Jagaimos clenched fists shook, her knuckles white as shards of broken rail disintegrated in her grasp. Her gaze locked dead ahead but she saw nothing as the waves of power washed over her senses like an ocean. She’d been looking for him, holding out that he’d return to Plant but when Zuqetta had left to go to Namek she’d known something wasn’t right but she’d been refused permission to go along. She could have disobeyed, but Plant had enough problems still without its entire leadership structure and part of its council vanishing off at a moments notice. There’d be a pulse here and there over the last few days, weak and distant, almost like trying to listen through water for a sound you knew was out there.

But now it screamed out. Lottus was here, on Plant and there was nothing peaceful about the explosion of power she could feel. Scouters across the arena wailed, older models cracking and shutting down as they were overwhelmed, those with newer models quickly disengaging them before something went wrong. Those few who could sense Ki at a distance had fallen to their knees, shuddering as tidal waves of invisible force rolled across the surface of the planet and crashed down on them.

Jagaimo herself felt sick. Something was incredibly wrong. Other powers were converging in the direction she could feel him, powers far stronger than anything of the usual sort that lingered on Plant. Other Super Saiyan’s maybe? Aliens? There was a long list of people that wanted the big Saiyan out of the picture…Where in the Hells was Zuqetta? She’d promised to look out for him!

The boards under her feet shattered as she pushed off, showering those below with yet more splinters, the aura of purple around her flicker as she streaked through the skies, dark tail whipping out behind her like a banner, mane of hair rippling in the wind. She was to far along now to fit into any official uniform she owned, instead the flexible loose namekian style tunic and pants becoming her garment of choice, purples and blacks shading the garment and flowing around the swollen tummy that was now impossible to hide.

One hand wiped something off her cheek as the winds roared past her ears.

She could see him ahead now in the crater of his awakening. He was hard to miss, glowing like a sun in the wastelands…and in that moment it was easy to see how some had come to believe he was a god reborn when he first ascended over Hatchi. He was magnificent…and terrifying…and wounded…

The injuries were almost immediately apparent, spear like implements protruded from his body at strange angles, embedded in his back and thighs while crimson liquid seemed to seep from his open mouth…blood dripped from wounds like they had just opened, as if the man had been through some horrendous ordeal. She’d heard scattered reports about what had happened on Namek, about Yancong, statues and the Arcosian Emperor but she was still piecing it all together, Zuqetta had been unavailable and it seemed more than a few who had followed her on the operation to the planet were keeping quiet about what they saw. She would figure out the details later, Zuqetta wouldn’t lie to her even if others would.

But there was some else here, another Super Saiyan if the hair and aura were anything to go by, this one seemingly uninjured as she stood there. Her own power dwarfed Jagaimo’s but still didn’t flare as brightly as the injured Lottus. The newly arrived Saiyan warrior still she had no idea who this person was holding her guard against Lottus, but her stance screamed violence almost as loudly as the big Saiyan screamed physically into the air.

Her Lottus needed help.

Whatever was happening, had happened, he was in no condition to fight someone like her alone. He didn't even sound like himself. Even over Hatchi that first time hadn't been in this much of an animalistic state. The man had fought and planned and countered. All she saw in those eyes now was a creature running on the instinct of a lifetime of pain that had taught it to survive at all costs.

The young Saiyan woman slammed into the ground, breaking up the stone and earth underfoot, a short distance ahead of the screaming Lottus, pushing the cascade of power assaulting her through her senses to the back of her mind and glaring at the other woman, hands drawn up to defend herself. Her hair flew in every direction, flung about by the conflicting Super Saiyan powers and her own Aura trying to keep her stable between them. She needed time, time for Zuqetta, time for someone to come and help calm him down enough to talk.

It was like standing in a hurricane, but her voice rang out clearly, even as it took most of her strength to stay standing so close to raw power unleashed.

“DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!”

---

Being the only soldiers on patrol when the giant fuckoff wave of pure power CRASHED over the wastes sucked. Celari and Cilas spared only a passing glance before jumping to action, scouters shrieking warnings as the two sped toward the site of the disturbance. The two slowed on approach, wary of potentially triggering whatever immobile unchained maniac that was causing the surge. Unfortunately, that meant they were late.

A SECOND explosive power had arrived on scene before they, and another much weaker one after that. All three could individually smear one of the twins on the pavement like butter, but they pushed on regardless. Seeing LOTTUS of all people, bloody and beaten while another Super Saiyan looked on with unmasked contempt... evoked mixed emotions in the two. "Zuqetta was supposed to be retrieving him." Cilas said calmly, face set in stone as he assessed the situation. "Clearly, something in that plan went awry. We need to... step in." Celari, usually the lax one of the two, looked hesitant. "Right now? He's in a damn rage! And that woman in the gi looks ready to pain the city with his blood."

As much as it pained Cilas to help the fabled Planet Eater - the orchestrater of the attack that inadvertently led to Vigarde's death - he had to. "Good soldiers follow orders," He muttered darkly. "And... Aunt Rapini would want us to try." And try they would; "I'm not saying you're wrong, but if either of those two decide they want us gone? It's lights out. This isn't like Zuqetta where she was restraining herself from killing us. No matter how much stronger we've gotten, a single hit, and it's over."

"Call the Monarch," Demanded Cilas in a tone that brokered no argument. "Tell her we found Lottus." Celari nodded and stepped away, leaving Cilas to come closer to the conflict - a 'safe' distance away from the Super Saiyans, and further back then even Jagaimo. The rolling waves of power were enough to buffet Cilas, the Saiyan gritting his teeth and enhancing his voice with Ki loud enough to be heard: "BY THE WILL OF THE SAIYAN CROWN, STEP AWAY FROM LOTTUS OR FACE ITS WRATH!"

Celari didn't have Zuqetta's personal line. That was reserved for close friends and family, so she resorted to the emergency hotline, hoping the monarch would hear it: "ZUQETTA! Emergency at the abandoned city in the wastes! Lottus has been found in bad shape and appears to be unstable. Immediate backup required-! An unknown appears ready to engage in battle with him!" Now they could only hope the scouter call reached Zuqetta - and Zuqetta reached them - before anything serious happened. She flew to land by Cilas' side, eyes protected from the storm-force winds by her scouter band.

"Lottus! I don't know if you can hear me right now through your rage, but Zuqetta is coming!" If he tried fighting the gi-wearing Super Saiyan, there wasn't much the twins could do to stop them. "Hail," She'd address Jagaimo. The woman was clearly in distress, but wasn't in much of a position to do much about the situation either. "...I really shouldn't be saying this, but if the stranger tries killing Lottus, say the word and we got your back. Right?" Cilas nodded silently, staring forward.

That promise was immediately tested as ANOHTER Super Saiyan - this one they both recognized from the previous crown challenge - showed up and immediately ignited hostiles by attacking Lottus. The blast was weak (relatively speaking) but would kickstart a rampage without a shadow of a doubt. "Celari!" Cilas snapped, eyes flashing yellow as he darted forward. "On it!" A quick flash of Blutz Waves rebounding in her scouter forced her into the Great Ape form, the empowered Celari immediately projecting a barrier around Cilas that the wrathful soldier immediately combined with a silver barrier of his own.

Their combined effort was barely enough to intercept Zuci's blast in the nick of time, both barriers warping and shattering as Cilas was thrown to the side painfully. He skidded across the ground, skipping like a stone thrice before landing with a tumble and a wheeze. "YOU ALRIGHT!?" Cilas pushed himself up, wiping dirt from his mouth with a sneer. "Never better..." He grumbled. "What's the big idea!?"

The clouds, darkened and terrible, spiraled above in a rage, moving about in a threatening display as if the heavens would come crashing down at any moment. Lottus, the perpetrator of the terrible energy that flared out of control, shaking the earth with his measure while the skies screamed. Lightning fell at random, buildings struck and destroyed, the atmosphere heavy with hate and power in equal measures. Fighter and liability alike showed to confront the threat; a couple defenders seeking peace, a pair of soldiers merely doing their duty, a woman scorned who sought vengeance, and a friend seeking the monsters safety.

A chaotic, dangerous scene was beginning to unfold out in the Lost Metropolis; while Sadala, enjoyed a relatively peaceful day. The departure of those who flew off in the direction of the terrible building power had raised some brows, but the city had been otherwise unfazed. Bars continued to serve drinks, recruits continued to train; soldiers took up positions around the city in secret, battle ready as the blackened clouds stretched from the wastes, reaching the city boundaries.

Advanced scouters could pick it up with ease, the gathering of warriors and the monster in their midst. It seemed at first while worrisome, the situation would be handled without issue; yet from above the city of Sadala, a new arrangement of clouds would accumulate and darken the sky. Scouters would chime of an energy from within the walls, a pillar of golden light exploding from the palace. Soldiers would turn, but would be too late to witness the departure of their Monarch as she blasted through the skies, causing an explosion of wind pressure that damaged surrounding buildings.




A boom, then another, and a third; Zuqetta streaked through the skies at speeds she'd never matched. Her body wreathed in both magical energy and her Super Saiyan aura. As Lottus screamed, Russ' name echoing to the heavens, his guests arguing and interfering with one another, Zuqetta's power would unfurl to alert the group of her presence above, a massive bolt of lighting flashing in tandem with her arrival.

The sky, as terrifying as it had been before, was nothing more than a mess of rampaging clouds; as the flash from the lightning died down, what would be revealed above would be an innumerous display of blades that loomed overhead threateningly. Despite her small size, the energy that flared around Zuqetta would make her easily noticeable above; her gaze sharp and focus, her eyes darting between each of the participants in this gathering. She was without her royal attire, garbed in nothing more than the spandex she'd been wearing for training and some few bandages covering prior injuries.

Her gaze would focus on Tulse for just a moment, would the Saiyans be blinded by her vendetta yet again, or would she follow orders this time around? Quickly she shifted her attention towards the twins who'd already prepared themselves for a fight, without them, she might not have made it here considering how her new training was going. Gira, for all she suffered, wouldn't be here to kill Lottus, of this Zuqetta was certain; she was unsure of what Zuci might do if push came to shove, but she knew for an undeniable fact what it was Jagaimo sought here.

Zuqetta would lift her hands above her head without giving a word to any, before dropping them quickly; blades above would change in direction, all aimed at one spot, Lottus. In an instant, a torrent of blades would crash down upon him violently, split apart just enough to avoid any strikes against his vitals. In unison, Zuqetta would rush downward through the torrent of blades, taking one in her hand as she dropped down upon Lottus.

Two shields would materialize, each shooting out towards Jagaimo and Tulse in an attempt to push the two away.

"TULSE!" she'd scream, "THIS ISN'T THE MOMENT FOR YOUR REVENGE!!!"

A scouter appearing on her face as she attempted to begin pushing Lottus back, Zuqetta would speak, ["Cilas, Celari, keep Tulse out of this so she doesn't get herself killed!"]

"Zuci, Tira, leave this to me!!" she'd yell, holding faith that the two weren't here to take down Lottus. She'd give one more push that would cause the area to erupt would a violent pressure of wind; the ground well below disintegrating from the two Super Saiyan violent aura's, her intention being to push Lottus away from the metropolis and out into the open wastes.

Gira hadn't squared up with Lottus for long when others began to arrive on the scene, none of whom the young Saiyan had met before. The first to arrive was a young woman by the look of things. She put herself between Lottus and Gira, something that the Saiyan teen didn't quite expect. Based on what she was saying, it appeared that she believed Gira was here to hurt Lottus. While the young fighter couldn't exactly say that she wasn't going to hurt the other Saiyan, she had no plans to take his life. Even at the peak of her anger with him and before falling in love with the queen, it was something that she simply couldn't bring herself to do. She, Marimba, Cello, and Cabasa fought him on Namek and it took everything they had to beat him. It nearly cost Marimba his own life in return. Even then, her thoughts were with her friends. If it came down to vengeance and protecting those she cared about, she would pick the latter every single time. With a deep sigh, Gira smiled at Jagaimo.

"Relax. He's in for a world of hurt, but he'll live. I'm gonna make sure of it." Gira figured that alone wouldn't be enough to soothe the other Saiyan's worries, so she tried something else.

"We've got a score to settle, him and me. He killed someone I care about, and i'm not about to let him do as he pleases here. Besides that, if you know Lottus like I think you do, then you have to know that he's not just gonna quit at a moment like this. He needs someone to calm him down first, and the only way we're gonna do that is if he can't fight anymore." She turned her attention back to the raging Super Saiyan, a conflicted expression coming over her face.

"He's my girlfriend's cousin, too. He means a lot to her. So... no matter how I feel about him... no matter what he did to me and the people I care about... i'm gonna make sure he lives. Maybe even someone like Lottus can change, too." Gira narrowed her eyes at Lottus. She was so focused on the current situation that she didn't see her very own rival, Zuci, fire a blast in Lottus's direction. By the time she realized what was happening, though, the attack had already been blocked by a pair of other Saiyans who arrived on the scene. It appeared that one of them had gotten hurt by the blast, but their energy still burned strong. It would take more than that to finish them. They voiced their support for Jagaimo if Gira attempted to kill Lottus, causing her jaw to drop and her face to contort in frustration. Yet again, someone was standing in her way. Stopping her from doing what she believed was right. Even if they meant well, Gira wasn't in the mood to hear it.

"Dammit, i'm not gonna kill his dumb ass!" Her anger flared along with her power, her golden aura growing with it.

"Aren't you guys supposed to be protecting this planet!? You're Saiyans, right!? Well, Lottus is a danger to everyone right now! The planet, and you! We've gotta stop him, but that doesn't mean we have to kill him. Either help me, or stay out of my way! I don't have time to waste with you!" Gira glared at the three Saiyans. The young Saiyan's words and tone would have surprised her if she was in the mood to care. Even as a Super Saiyan, with her emotions running high, it was rare for her to speak that way to someone who wasn't pure evil. After everything that happened with the Mazoku and the battle on Namek, she was done simply doing what others told her because she feared hurting them. It was about time she asserted herself.

Turning next to Zuci, the young warrior ran her fingers through her glowing blond hair as her rival pointed to it. That was when Gira noticed that Zuci had also attained the legendary transformation. Gira gave her rival a weary smile, the exhaustion evident in her eyes. Gira had clearly been through a lot since they last saw each other.

"You're a Super Saiyan too? Well, guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're my rival after all. It's good to see you've been training just as hard as me. We'll have to catch up later. But first..." There was something she had to handle before anything else. Her gaze flicked between Lottus and the other three Saiyans. If she had to, she'd fight all of them. Even if it would be a losing battle. She was confident in her strength, but that was part of the problem. She'd be as gentle as possible with the weaker ones, but she still couldn't control her power very well in this form. As a Super Saiyan, it was all or nothing for her.

That was when Tulse approached. Gira remembered the other Saiyan from the battle on Namek. Based on the look she gave the Saiyan teen, it appeared that Tulse wasn't a member of the Great Saiyagirl fan club. Gira acknowledged her with a nod. She mentioned something about a "blutz generator," but Gira had no clue what kind of device that was. Her tail was removed when she was a baby, so she never had a need for such a thing.

That was when she sensed a familiar power approaching. She couldn't miss Zuqetta's energy. Ever since she delved into the queen's mind, she felt a mental connection with her that went deeper than anyone else. She saw it in action when they unleashed a combined attack against Yangcong, but it appeared that the connection went deeper than combat.

As soon as Zuqetta landed after her assault on the raging Lottus, Gira wanted to rush over and hold her tightly, hoping that would put some of these emotions to rest. There was no time for that, though. Zuqetta called for Gira and Zuci to leave this to her, causing Gira to shake her head vigorously as she thought about what might happen if she did that. Zuqetta was strong, but Lottus was unpredictable like this. She wasn't about to leave the queen alone with him. The last time she did that... Gira stopped herself from finishing the thought. It didn't matter. What mattered now was that she had a choice this time.

She didn't even think about it. As Zuqetta rushed off with Lottus, Gira followed behind in the air. It was a good thing, too, because Lottus wasted no time in attempting to get the queen back for that earlier attack. Imposing herself between Zuqetta and the attack headed towards her, Gira formed a pyramid with her fingers, placing them in front of her chest.

"BANZAI BUBBLE, ASSHOLE!!!" A translucent bubble of energy appeared around Gira, Lottus's attack clashing with her shield instead. Gira could tell as soon as Lottus's Wrathful Terminus smashed into her bubble; she wouldn't be able to stop it completely. That being the case, she was content with protecting Zuqetta with her own body.

Gira’s bubble of energy shattered into millions of radiant shards as the attack overtook her. She gritted her teeth in agony so hard that she thought they might shatter like her shield, but she wouldn’t give Lottus the pleasure of hearing her scream. As an explosion triggered from the clash in power, Gira would be momentarily obscured by the smoke. After a few moments, however, the smoke cleared and Gira was revealed. The top layer of her gi had been completely burned off, her black undershirt being the only thing left on her upper body. Her pant legs were shredded as well. One of them to her upper calf and the other to her lower thigh. Her arms and legs were covered in burns from where she defended herself and blood dripped down her forehead and into her eye, forcing her to close it. In spite of her injuries, Gira was smiling, her chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed deeply. Gira lowered her arms, wincing from the pain of moving them.

“That all you’ve got? You’re slipping, Lottus. Come on, show me the power you murdered Gan-sensei with. Cuz I refuse to believe he lost to a wimpy attack like that.” Gira talked big, but that attack had easily shredded through her defenses and managed to deal a not-insignificant injury to her. Still, the warrior got what she wanted. She protected her beloved. She looked back at Zuqetta to make sure she was alright, giving her a shaky thumbs up and a small smile.

There was a lot to unpack here.

First of all, Zuci couldn't help the look of pure bewilderment that appeared on her face when her small blast was intercepted by an unknown party. She looked over in disbelief at the familiar Saiyans from the challenge for the crown, both transformed and having been thrown to the side by her blast. After being asked what she deemed to be a question so silly it left her speechless, her attention completely diverted from Lottus to them.

"...WHAT?" Zuci yelled out with her fists clenched. "I- You- GO AWAY!" Zuci waved her hands dismissively, unable to comprehend the idea that they just shielded someone like Lottus. Jagaimo alone was throwing her mind off but these two were downright confusing. Before she could ponder if half of Plant had just gone crazy overnight however, a familiar voice boomed from above. She had expected a lot of people to be drawn to this but her mind was starting to get overwhelmed having to bounce so many-

Wait a minute.

The woman above was speaking sense at least, but was that...? When she looked at Zuci and called out her name it suddenly came to the Super Saiyan just who that was. She would stare up at Tulse for a good five seconds before yelling out:

"HAH!" She grinned arrogantly and pointed a finger at Tulse, clearly flexing her Super Saiyan status at her former acquaintance. Now wasn't the time for such things obviously, but the Super Saiyan simply couldn't help herself. "No worries on transforming my friend, I- Ugh, we are more than enough here!" Her gaze flickered over to Gira. "Why not get a handle on those buffoons over there for me? Thank you~!"

Right as Zuci got done being herself, a great power that eclipsed hers soon rocked her senses from high above. It was about time for Zuqetta to come; hopefully she proved that her anxiety of what would happen with Lottus was only in her mind. The young monarch immediately used her powers to generate a myriad of swords, and on cue Zuci lifted herself up in the air so as not to get caught up in the collateral. She did hear the request of leaving things to her, but-

"Apologies," Zuci called out as Zuqetta's attack bore down on both Lottus's body and the ground below, "but not when the opponent is someone like him! But no worries- I won't KILL HIM at the very least! Punish me how you like later!"

Zuci had easily kept up with Lottus while he was being blown back, but the presence of Jagaimo tailing along kept her from immediately following up on the offensive. What the hell was she in the way for?! Zuci had no idea these two even knew each other on a personal level, but that fact barely mattered in her mind as she tried to look for an opportunity to attack. It was only when Lottus shot out a blast from his mouth towards Zuqetta and the landscape that Zuci nearly doubled back to intercept.

She was happy to see Gira blocking the attack; she was hurt, sure, but that was expected in a fight like this. Zuci glared back down at Lottus and a floating Jagaimo who she could barely hear from her location. Whatever she was saying wouldn't matter though; he was weak and vulnerable, and letting this slip woul have been foolish on Zuci's part.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY! OF ALL THE PEOPLE TO DO THIS FOR- I AM NOT WAITING FOR HIM TO 'SAY HIS PIECE'!" Zuci shouted as she flew straight down towards Lottus with her fingers clasped together for an axe handle. Her hands burned with bright purple Ki through her golden aura; ordinarily she'd have shot a blast, but with Jagaimo in the way this was the only way to ensure she wasn't caught up in it. She aimed directly for the top of Lottus' head as she came crashing down towards him.