A New Source of Power

Through Gira's choice of immediate observation, as strange as it might have been have been to conduct such a serve while in the confines of ones own hospital room, Gira would find her search rewarded! An immediate turn to her left would reveal a thick and fluffy massive clump of bright yellow hair, hiding the face of an individual wearing a familiar pink armor. Laying upon her arms, head resting on the bed, was Zuqetta; as strange as the blond hair might've been, there would be no mistaking the crown and armor she wore, nor the feel of her energy.

She seemed to sleep peace despite being a Super Saiyan, but with a noticeable rise and drop of her energy with every breath. It was strange already to many of the staff that their Monarch was frequenting the room so often, let alone sleeping in it; but that she wasn't hiding her power with her magic put many on edge. All knew Zuqetta to be a practitioner of magic, she made it no secret to hide, and openly shared many such aspect about herself. In truth, she found it next to impossible to use the same means she'd been using to hide the power of her Super Saiyan form however, she simply lacked the control to do so, the fact that she slept in the form was miraculous on its own.

The pseudo sleeping beauty wouldn't continue sleeping for long however, her senses unfortunately sharpened by her intention to remain in the Super Saiyan form, Zuqetta would find herself jolted awake. Her head would lift suddenly, her bright blue eyes locking onto Gira's immediately; a strand of blonde hair stuck to her cheek as she gazed deeply into Gira's charcoal eyes.

"Tira-" she'd say lowly, her energy stabilizing as she properly awoke; though her bright expression would quickly shift to one of equal part relief and sorrow as tears formed in her eyes, "TIIIIRAAAA!!!"

Zuqetta would lunge forward, arms outstretched to immediately take Gira into an embrace, thinking little for Gira's physical condition. Gira was awake; Zuqetta thought back to the reports of the monster that rampaged through Radditsu, and the woman who'd led it away. She recalled witnessing the broken mess that was Gira, her heart nearly stopping as Gira was rushed into emergency care. She visited, abusing her powers as Monarch to remain past visiting hours and well into the morning each day, leaving only to attend few royal tasks requiring her oversight and to clean up before quickly returning.

"You're awake, you're awake!!" she'd shout through minor sobs, attempting and failing to hold back her tears, "Thank goodness, damnit, damnit, DAMNIT!!! You're okay!!! Tira!!!" she'd exclaim, a bit frantic as she rubbed her head into Gira's neck, resting her chin on her shoulder as she stifled the hiccups she felt coming on.

Tulse would've hated it all, and that was fine, Zuqetta didn't care to maintain an image of strength in such a situation. Still, it was difficult for her to maintain her form as relieved as she was; she bit her lip, fueling the lightest bit of anger and pain as her power began to dip, before taking control of her energy once again and maintaining it at the best level she could.

As emotion died down and the crying of the two ceased, Zuqetta would feel Gira begin to pull away lightly, speaking as to what had happened to have her end up in such a state. Zuqetta expression was one of a rather defiant pout, her brow furrowed and face somewhat scrunched. She had to maintain a certain level of emotion to keep her Super Saiyan form active, but this was made easier with what she was beginning to hear from Gira.

Maxsuz...

Zuqetta was nearly a rushed of turmoil, her emotions clashing inside her as Gira spoke of the battle that had ensued between her love and Maxsuz. She wasn't sure what the reports of the ugly dragon had to do with all this, perhaps it was a creature Maxzus had summoned to aid him in his battle, but whatever the case may have been it didn't matter. Zuqetta's first internal reaction was to speak out, chastise and scold Gira; they'd said they'd work together, both with Lottus and with Gira's own friends. She refrained however, it would have been hypocritical to speak out in such a way considering her own attempt to go it alone when they found Lottus; the fact that Maxsuz was the one to confront Gira in her own home only added to the situation being out of Gira's control.

Zuqetta knew this, but it didn't make it any easier to quell her anger.

When Gira would remark on Zuqetta's appearance, while she wanted to take it positively, she couldn't help her initial reaction. Her face still a pout, Zuqetta would avert her gaze from Gira, her scowl intensifying a bit as her tail swept the floor in agitation.

"It's training..." she'd mumble just loud enough to be heard, a reluctant annoyance in her tone.

Zuqetta would glance occasionally at Gira from the corner of her eye, her aggressive expression fading as Gira began to speak further. While her furrowed brow remained, her expression contorted to one of hurt. Unlike before, she did her best to hold back her tears; Gira spoke of not wanted to leave, and Zuqetta would turn her pained expression back towards Gira before pushing forward to rest her forehead against Gira's chest.

"Then don't!" she'd exclaim defiantly, before she'd speak in more of a whisper, "I don't want you to leave..."

It seemed to be one thing after another since leaving Namek; from Earth to Plant, there'd been so much continued conflict. Zuqetta had so much she wanted to tell Gira about concerning it all, but she simply couldn't bring herself to do it. Such things were part of her duties as Saiyan Monarch to address, but all she wanted to be right now, was Zuqetta. She didn't want heavy discussion and planning for some unseen future, she wanted to be as a normal girl would be, and enjoy her time with her girlfriend, as any other normal girl would. Zuqetta shook her head lightly, taking a deep breath before beginning to speak once again.

"Can you walk?" she'd mumble, her voice a bit strained; she'd clear her throat, moving her head away from Gira to look her in the eyes, her expression now much softer than it'd been, "Do you think you can move? If it hurts..." Zuqetta blushed just a bit, giving a smile as she brought up her hand and examined it before looking back to Gira, "I can heal you!" She was enthusiastic, though she knew her healing abilities still weren't quite up to snuff, they'd been enough to close Lottus' wounds a few days prior. Her growing ability to help rather than hurt was something that made Zuqetta's expression incredibly bright; whether Gira needed the additional healing or not however, Zuqetta was ready to ask that the two of them leave this place.

Gira's words warmed Zuqetta's heart, though deep inside there was an anger beyond compare; it would surely take everything she had to avoid confronting Maxsuz herself, if she were to meet him alone, she had no idea what she would do... She had confidence in Gira's words however, and fully believed such a situation wasn't likely to occur. Even if Gira didn't remained precisely by her side, she'd always be nearby, Zuqetta knew this and would give a rather content sigh of relief before finally moving away from Gira.

Despite Gira's enthusiasm, Zuqetta's expression would be someone disappointed, her smile seeming almost sad when Gira mentioned being well enough to walk. Gira would stand, but very quickly it'd show that she didn't yet have the strength to move around. Zuqetta quickly reached a hand out, a look of concern on her face as Gira collapsed, leaning against her to help maintain her balance. Before she could speak up, Gira would make a remark of her own, requesting the previously offered healing, while including a request of her own.

Zuqetta would brighten up two-fold, both excited to show off the healing magic she'd been mastering, and excited to be of the same mind in leaving this place to enjoy each others time.

"Weeeeeeeeell, I still have a meeting with the head of the shipyard and regional tradesmen, gonna have some shipments comin' in that are of absolute priority," she'd say, crossing her arms with a serious expression, playing a bit coy as a smile slowly stretched her lips.


"But I s'pose I can spare some time, hehe-" she'd remark, pulling up her sleeves as she knelt down and placed her hands on Gira's lap, "-sides that, if we're talkin' priority? ..." she'd pause, blushing; a soft green hue of magical energy now permeating from her hands and onto Gira, revitalizing her muscles and mending lesser wounds, "You're top priority." she'd say softly, glancing up towards Gira with wide eyes before giving a warm smile.

Zuqetta would smile, giving a soft and short laugh at Gira's reaction; she found the small moment of bashfulness from the larger girl endearing, but it as the moment of levity more than anything that was bring this smile to her face now. In the briefest of thoughts, stray and without purpose, Zuqetta could imagine a parallel yet entirely different moment like this one. An alternate moment, one where she could have more firmly embraced the old traditions of her people. To see Gira in such a state, there'd have been no talk of dates, in its place would be declarations of revenge and the perpetuation of hate. It'd have been a lie to say Zuqetta felt nothing of the situation, and if the chance arose to get back at Maxsuz for what he'd done, she was sure she'd take it.

The thought would end as quickly as it began however, a twitch of Zuqetta's brow bringing her swiftly back to reality as Gira brushed aside a portion of her bangs. Unbeknownst to her, her smile had begun to fade slightly during her stray thought, freed from it now however, her smile would once more return as she glanced back towards Gira, her current brilliant blues locking with Gira's own obsidian eyes, "Of course!"

The answer felt so natural and obvious to her, her affection for Gira had only grown as time progressed. Their experience on Namek, as much as some few chose to disparage it, had served to amplify Zuqetta's feelings and do away with her uncertainty. While the loss suffered there was regretful, at this point Zuqetta had successfully moved forward confidently. Her encounter with the little orange creature, Panka, certainly help; while the slightest of feelings that what happened to Patchwork was her fault still lingered, outwardly she knew this wasn't the case. If she returned to the moment with the chance to act differently, she could confidently say she would do it all again, as there was no telling what would become of Gira should a different route had been taken... though, she might've sans'd the whole "Tulse Special" if she could.

Zuqetta would blink, suddenly snapping to reality once more as Gira made mention of attempting to stand.

Twice now she'd gotten lost in thought; she'd shake her head for a moment, attempting to shake away the persistent distractions and focused her attention on Gira. The healing aura from Zuqetta's hands would cease and she'd rise, giving a firm nod as Gira went to rise. "Hehe, if ya can't, I'm happy ta carry ya~!" she'd tease, thinking of how humorous it might appear considering their size difference.

As Gira rested a hand briefly on Zuqetta's shoulder, Zuqetta would gently place a hand on Gira's wrist while her other hand rested against Gira's back. She was ready to offer support as needed, but to both her surprise and thrill, it seemed her healing ability had greatly improved! Gira hardly needed an ounce of aid as she stood firmly on her own before proceeded to test her fighting capability, prompting yet another laugh from Zuqetta, "How very Saiyan~" she'd remark, imagining Gira's next request after testing her reflexes would certainly be food.

The look of confidence Gira shot brought a smile to Zuqetta that nearly stretched ear to ear; thoughts of vengeance against Maxsuz or what-ifs of the events on Namek would fade instantly in that moment. She was simply happy that Gira was well, safe and strong as she always was. With Gira back in proper condition though, the girl would remark on starting their date; the idea of the destination however gave Zuqetta pause.

"Oh-!" she'd remark, and excitable smile coming to her face before fading almost instantly, "-right, where to go..."

Zuqetta expression seemed to swap between several emotions at once as she pondered the question; confusion, excitement, nervousness, uncertainly, realization then disappointment as said personal realizations failed to bear fruit. The shift of expressions was swift as she thought to herself the possibilities Plant of all places had.

Unlike Earth, there wasn't exactly much in the way of entertainment on Plant... at least, not what Zuqetta would've considered appropriate locales for a date. The underground arena was still being refurbished, a slow process as Zuqetta was also using it for training so there were no spectacles to yet watch. The palace was simply the palace, and while Zuqetta did want to Gira a tour of the place in the hopes she'd decide to move in, that wasn't exactly a "date" in terms of what Zuqetta was imagining...

Food stalls, the acidic lakes, the vast emptiness of the bluffs; there was also Jaggy's bar, but considering the new resident of the place, Zuqetta chose to shy away from the bringing Gira to the place for now.

Zuqetta crossed her arms, tilting her head as she closed her eyes and tried to think more intensely of a solution. Hatchi would have been a much better place for a date than Sadala, but even tailless, they had an aversion towards Saiyans; though, considering the company Gira would have, even if Gira passed as a human there'd be no denying the uncomfortable gazes the two would receive as the Saiyan Queen walked their streets, assuming of course the initial panic was avoided.

Then, a final realization, one which would snap Zuqetta back to reality with a bright, enthusiastic look. They were to go on a date, the destination wasn't important and hardly had to be Plant at all!

Zuqetta would look up towards Gira with a smile, before shaking her head and placing her index out before her almost defiantly, "Not Plant, we should take this date on the road-!" she'd remark, moving her hand above her to point up, motioning to the sky, "-or, space ways, that is!" she'd explain, returning her attention back towards Gira, "Whaddya say? I know of TON of nice places out in the galaxy we can visit, and got a snug cruiser fit for two!" she'd offer confidently, her tail swaying behind her enthusiastically by the thought.

Her few years as a mercenary had bore unexpected fruit; bistros, galactic game centers, incredible scenic space phenomena, there were tons of places out in the wider universe than Zuqetta could think of for a date. She never imagined her travels would come in handy in such a manner, but if all else failed, there was also visiting the world ship, the Eclipse, home of the Dreadspawn. She wasn't too sure of how she felt introducing Gira to her not so secret mercenary guild; but if ever there was a better place outside of each others mindscapes to get to know each other better, Zuqetta couldn't think of it!

"Hehe, sounds cool 'nuff!" Zuqetta would respond, before suddenly notice Gira trip; she'd rush forward, only for Gira to catch herself and pull Zuqetta into an embrace. Zuqetta blushed, but was more happy than embarrassed; the anxiety she'd felt prior was beginning to melt away entirely, thought the haunting sound she recalled resonating through her mind wouldn't be soon forgotten.

The words that echoed in her mind as she rushed towards the scene, image of Gira's broken form when she was found. A deep seeded hatred towards Maxsuz was steadily growing, but she would suppress the feeling deeply, focusing instead on the here and now. She snuggled against Gira, more than willing to postpone their trip for just a bit to engage in each other's company. Gira's words however, would snap Zuqetta back to reality; the mention of how snug the cruiser would be reminding Zuqetta of a book from her secret stash, causing her face to become completely red.

"Aaaa-heheheehhe, d--- I mean~!! It might!" she'd remark, squeezing tightly around Gira's waist before picking her up and twirling around slightly. In her bashfulness, she'd completely neglected to take her Super Saiyan strength into consideration, but the motion would be quickly before Zuqetta would place Gira back down in the opposite position before backing away quickly. Her face still flustered, she averted her gaze from Gira, quickly turning away and pushing towards the exit, "C'mon, we- we should get this show on the space road!"

Zuqetta would be quick to usher the two out, much to the worry of medical staff who insisted Gira stay longer, though they weren't about to push back against the Saiyan Monarch. Despite the stray thoughts that derived their inappropriate origin from books well out of Ayu's reach, Zuqetta managed to stay on task, leading Gira to the shipyard. Well above the rest of the yard was Zuqetta's personal ship landing, the ship currently docked, one of a much more humble design due to her usual one having been destroyed on Earth, though she wanted to keep this secret from Gira a while longer to prevent worry.

The docked ship seemed to be of a fighter design, sleek and designed around forward momentum. It was mostly silver, with gold wings that were heavily slanted for the least resistance. The cockpit was directly front of the ship, with rather wide view window that stretched along both sides. It was a rather unorthodox design, and especially unconventional for a space-faring vessel that didn't have to worry about wind resistance, but Zuqetta thought it looked cool so accepted it anyways.

"Welp, there they are! I named it, the Star Slicer!" she'd exclaim, her cheeks flush with pride as she boasted a rather enthusiastic smile. She quickly turned to face Gira, her expression expectant, like a child seeking praise; she felt the name was clever, and suited the ship perfectly, "We'll be where ever we wanna be in minutes with this baby, and can see all the sights with ease right from the front!"

It was a mid-sized vessel, but even from below one would be able to make out the command deck through the view window. It seemed spacious, with two seats for the pilot and co-pilot sat side by side directly towards the front. What else was within would have to be seen by entering the vessel, with not much more being seen through the view window besides controls and doors.

"Hmhmhmmm~!"

Zuqetta would hum proudly at Gira's remark, feeling even more confident in the name she'd chosen for her ship than before. She was just as excited to begin showing off further to Gira, but paused as she felt Gira clasp her hand. Her proud demeanor was replaced with a bit more meekness, a blush on her face as she smile, but she happily accepted.

The more wholesome vibe was broken however, as Gira once more displayed her forwardness, causing Zuqetta's subtle blush to escalate as her mouth hung agape. "Gah--- I mean, w-we can-!" she'd exclaim, equal parts confused and embarrassed, "B-but ya don't just say things like that in public!!" she'd insist, brow furrowed as she looked up towards Gira, before she'd glace away with a more submissive expression, "That's somethin'... we just, do spontaneously, ya know?"

She couldn't help but to feel embarrassed, yet still she smile, it wasn't necessarily something she disliked at all. She enjoyed the hand holding, the embracing, the thoughts of where they could go and what they could do. She wondered if being embarrassed was something rude despite how naturally it came, but enjoying it all came just as naturally, so she didn't pay the thought too much mind. Before she even knew it, Gira had whisked her closer to the ship, Zuqetta's magical flight technically always active, she'd been pulled along with no resistance whatsoever. She glanced up towards her ship, then to Gira's befuddled self before laughing just a bit.

"Hehe, I've begun ta incorporate magic into all my daily things for security." she'd remark, lifting a hand which would begin shimmering with her sparkling light magic, "Helps me ta protect... well, everything, not just my private possessions." the underside of the ship with shimmer with the selfsame light as Zuqetta spoke, before the boarding hatch would descend to the ground, "I could... always teach ya how ta do it, if ya like." she'd remark, pushing her hair back behind her ear with her free hand as she looked up towards Gira with a smile.

There were many places across all of Plants that featured protective magical wards, while the entirety of Sadala itself had subtly covered in a thin, invisible veil of Zuqetta's magic at all times so she could be at constant alert. There was plenty more besides, such as the uniforms her Royal Guard wore and the halls of the Palace itself, but Zuqetta wouldn't bother mentioning any of this in the current moment. Such things could be talked about another time, for now, she was much more focused on simply enjoying her time with Gira.

That thought, causing Zuqetta to blush just a bit as she looked away, then back to Gira again. She'd tiptoe, though considering the height difference between the two, it wasn't at all effective; but perhaps would have been effective enough to cause Gira to turn her head. It wasn't as though she couldn't simply hover, and in fact, that would be exactly what she did next! It would be quick and unexpected, Zuqetta would bound up and without anything to prompt the action, Gira would find her lips met with Zuqetta's; failing that, Zuqetta sought to give a simple kiss on the cheek to her beloved, before dropping back to the ground.

"See?" she'd remark, averting her eyes as her face reddened, "S-Spontaneous... n-now, lets head inside!" she'd declare, pulling lightly at Gira's hand as she clutched even more tightly.

Assuming Gira was led inside or led the way herself, she'd find the entrance hatch leading not to the command deck, but to what seemed to be a storage room of sorts. Panels flush with the walls could be easily picked out as storage containers, while a rack secured to the corner of the room magnetically held an assortment of suits meant for space walking. As they boarded, the hatch would close automatically behind them; heading across the floor that was the closed hatch would lead to the command deck, while heading the opposite direction would lead to what would appear to be a rec room, though small, it was outfitted with all the means necessary to live on the ship if one had to.

As the two boarded, Zuqetta would feel her hand squeezed and return the gesture, giving Gira a kindly smile before releasing her grip to attend to the startup of the ship. Startup was made easier considering the facilities of the ship were mostly controlled with magic; a flick of the wrist here and there, and sounds of whirring and other low hums would preface lights activating, an indications of the systems starting up. She was more than happy with just letting Gira explore while she got the ship ready, but Gira had remained; she posed a question, one that momentarily shook Zuqetta as she processed what was said.

"I..."

She paused, unsure of exactly how she should answered; when she thought back to her youth and everything that led her to where she was now, the truth seemed just a bit painful to admit. Relationships were strained, unnecessary hardships were endured, if she'd just been a bit more mature then maybe things would've been different, perhaps better... but perhaps worse. She gave a light shake of her head, there was no use dwelling on it. She reached for a lever; pulling it, there would be a rather loud clank, then light above each entryway would activate allowing freer movement. Zuqetta would turn towards Gira, an unsure expression on her face at first; she'd look Gira in the eyes, giving a somewhat weak smile as she grabbed her own arm in a meek display.

"I... already have, actually." she'd begin, looking away with a small bit of shame before looking back to Gira, "Heh, I guess goin' inta my head doesn't tell ya everything about me, huh?" she'd remark playfully, before turning towards the command deck, "C'mon, it's... actually somethin' I've been interested in sharin'. Somethin' I've been keeping to myself, the only person who really knows might be Russ." she'd explained, "Hehe, and I don't just mean about runnin' away-" she'd laugh, before growing a bit sullen, "Too many know about that..."

As the two made their way onto the command deck, a surprisingly spacious interior with two seats right at the helm, it seemed like a stretch to call the ship a "medium" sized vessel. There were controls to the left and right, properly organized to help coordinate other facets of the ship; but Zuqetta would move past all that, presumably with Gira in tow, making their way to the seats at the front. She'd listen to any other curiosities Gira might have had as she began to get the ship into the air; contacting ground control and getting the okay for launch from a soldier on comms.

Once the two had made it into the air, and then into space; Zuqetta would set course to a location on the starmap that seemed rather far. The two would feel an initial jerk as they left the gravity well of Plant, however afterwards, despite their incredible speed it would be smooth sailing.

"Hmmmmmn--" Zuqetta gave a low hum, clearly lost in a bit of thought; with the auto-pilot now engaged however, she'd turn her gaze towards Gira and smile, "Heh, where do I even begin? Certainly not from the very beginning, you kinda already saw that far." she'd laugh, before then tilting her head curiously as she looked at Gira, "Actually... we never got ta properly talk about that, did we?" she'd question, "You used some strange magic to go in my head, or... something, yeah? I don't recall experiencing nothin', one moment I went to attack you and the next I was on the ground and I suddenly knew who you were... so I'm curious, what did you do? What was all that about??"

Her curiosity was genuine, though it was clear she was attempting to stall from giving the story she'd alluded to earlier for as long as possible. She didn't intend to keep any of it secret from Gira, but she'd hoped a bit more time to steel her resolve to speak on the matter. What she had to say made her feel weak, even if the few that knew would tell her otherwise. Getting her own curiosities cleared up would help her to open up herself.