"You two aren't getting what I'm saying are you? I'm not saying you'll just [i]become[/i] nobles, I'm saying you'll earn it," Kabocha shot back with a roll of his eyes, as if it was the simplest distinction in the world. "You'll earn it for winning the war and getting rid of Yamate. Once he's gone anyone who backed him is going to lose their power, and people who were against him are going to take over, just watch. And since we're out here on the front lines, beating back his soldiers, I think we'll get some of the better positions." They were too stuck on how things used to work, having to come from a noble family or be born into a lineage. But there were other ways too, with someone in power losing their place anyone could fill in that void, nobility or not. Growing irritated by how the twins were incapable of understanding as much he narrowed his eyes when Choi took a shot at him, grumbling something incoherent before sneering at both of his friends. "If you two stopped feeling sorry for yourselves long enough you could be something more. You're only destined to be what you let yourself be. Know my family's history at all? Think I've always been from a noble bloodline?" Shaking his head Kabocha scoffed and sat back, looking up at the ceiling as he folded one leg over another. "My father's grandfather wasn't nobility until he helped turn the tide of a great battle, and because of that my family was given the rank of a noble family. I'm living proof you can move up in society and you two can too. If I'm going to be taking some seat of power in the new Kortal I can't have some kitchen losers as my best friends, you'll have to step up too and make something of yourselves. Or jeez, just get out of the kitchens! That can't be what you want to be doing for the rest of your lives can it?" Now was not the time to be doubting themselves, they were getting ready to go into battle and had to know where their allegiances lay. Yumi couldn't help but question if the rebels really were the better side here or if they were working against progress all this time. Why had Korian left exactly? Because he didn't agree with methods? She wasn't overly fond of how the Saiyans did things either, running around conscripting worlds, but they had been told why Yamate did it and that much she could understand. Were they and the rebels hurting the efforts to keep everyone safe? Maybe, or they could be giving everyone a better chance by letting them rebuild and empower themselves, she didn't know. Ears folding flat as she rubbed her arm uneasily Yumi turned her head and glanced over at Leto, frowning when she heard his quiet mutterings about what this world meant to him. It was [i]his[/i] world, he'd probably not been here since being conscripted and now they were back, fighting to protect it. How hadn't Korian told him where they would be going? Leto looked shocked that they were coming here and Yumi couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger for the deceit. "We should do what we think is right, whatever side we might fall on," Yumi said as she gripped her harness, the shuttle rumbling a bit before finally settling down and coasting through the sky, heading towards their landing zone. "People on these worlds should be able to decide for themselves who they join, it's not up to anyone but them to pick." Rebel or Saiyan it was an outside force working to lead someone they had no business with, someone who didn't see the people here as anything more than potential troops or hands during conflict. She couldn't let them keep going that route regardless of what their reasons for doing such a thing was. She had an idea then, something that would cause huge problems if anyone found out on Uuonoe but the risks were worth the potential pay off. Leaning closer to Viral she kept her voice low, her eyes carefully watching Leto and the pilots as she spoke. "Viral... Let's beat the Saiyans and then leave, don't tell them about the Rebels. I can't ask anymore people to fight for them." Speed was lowered as she shuttle began its approach to its landing site, a stretch of open land outside of one of the cities. Going in was going to be a mess already as clear signs of battle were taking place in the city before them, buildings erupting in towers of smoke as skirmishes raged on. Trying to keep clear of the frenzy the pilot directed the shuttle further along, some ways from the designated spot to an area near a decline, sitting just above a wide river below. The vehicle didn't set down as the back bay door was opened and a light overhead flashed signaling it was safe to leave, the roar of the engines outside deafening most of the explosions. "Can't land, to dangerous! I'll circle around and find somewhere to set her!" the pilot shouted as everyone began to leave, Leto being the first to rush out of the ship, "Call if you need me!" Leto hadn't heard much of what was said, out the shuttle and on his way to the city before the pilot had even finished speaking. With no Ki to use he couldn't fly but that hardly mattered as he ran with all his might, moving so quickly he might as well have taken flight. His own world under siege even after they had sworn loyalty to the Saiyans, after some of their best were killed and the remainder were conscripted, all to preserve Lioma. What had all of that been for if the Saiyans had come back anyway? Was this because of his defection to the Rebels? No more being made into a pawn by those people, he wouldn't allow his kin to suffer any longer. "Come my friends, battle awaits us!" Leto shouted back at the others, his frame a blur as he surged forward, tearing apart the ground with each deafening footfall, "Hold fast Lioma, your heroes have arrived!" ----- "We've been certain to keep the tree from harm. No one is allowed to build near it, anyone whose home was destroyed when it sprouted was replaced elsewhere, it's become a rather nice place actually. You'll see when we get there." The tree was hugely beneficial to everyone within both cities and no one wanted to ruin that, even those who were still against the changing tides. Everyone finally understood just how crucial that tree and others like it were to their world and how important it was to maintain their natural resources, not exploit them. So much was in the works now and so much would change in the days to come and Yusef was positive it was all for the best. Of course some would resist change but they too would come to see how much better life could be. Sooner or later they would have to accept what had become obvious to him already: the world was bigger than they were and it would provide all they needed if they cared for it, turning their back on the world could only spell their destruction. "Not at all! In fact we're sharing a lot of what we're discovering with our neighbors, for the betterment of our entire species. It's an incredible time to be alive right now my son, there are so many things in the works, so many changes happening. Quality of life will improve, we'll become more efficient, we'll be able to support ourselves and the need for war, for fighting over resources, will vanish. It's unbelievable really but I've seen it with my own eyes, it's coming and a new world will be here before long." Katas would lead their cities and many others in developing technologies to better Kaesstrians the world over, Eslaria was working with other kingdoms to help cease conflicts and to get everyone working towards the greater good and the amazing part was everything was working out. With a bemused smile Yusef folded his hands behind his back, letting out a chirping laugh as he glanced up at the sky. "I'll be out of a job if this keeps up... But I'm okay with that. My father was a soldier, and his father, and his father before him, back as far as I can remember. If we have a world where you won't have to spend your life fighting then I am okay with that." ----- "It's um... Sort of like a ship, I guess? It's more like just a chair on a big wheel, you sit in the chair and they buckle you in, you ride it around the wheel." Sasha had never had to explain exactly what a ferris wheel was, everyone just knew and understood that they existed here, even those outside of Uuonoe. Shu really had come from some isolated place then if he'd never seen anything like them before. Feeling the young Saiyan's hand tighten nervously around her own as they neared the rides she looked back with a calming smile, directing them away from the ferris wheel for the time being. "You want some of the candied fruit first? We can get that then, the rides will be there later. I think I saw some stalls over here before..." Big difference from when they were out earlier in the morning, the suns barely rising above the peaks of the mountains and birds were singing their songs signaling the start of a new day. With the suns now sitting high overhead there were throngs of people out and about now, many of the stalls near invisible as crowds gathered to buy food and other goods. Being sure to keep a grip on Shu so she'd not lose him Sasha brought him to the first stall she could find, buying herself and him each a candied auran. "It's got a bit of a hard shell and its really sweet, you might have to lick it a bit first," Sasha explained, doing so before handing Shu his, "Try it, they're really good." It was nice having someone else around to help with Shu and Takeshi hoped he'd continue to have a helping hand, at least until he had a better idea of what to do himself. Sasha was proving to be a lot like Yumi in regards to how she was with Shu, treating him like a little kid and doting on him. A reminder that people still seemed to be inevitably drawn to his little brother with a want to care for him, something the little guy didn't seem to mind too much. Everything would be just peachy right now if Ricken hadn't had to come along too, and while he got the reason he'd been brought he still had a hard time actually liking him. Watching Shu happily Takeshi frowned when someone grabbed his shoulder, turning his head slightly and shrugging off Ricken's hand in annoyance. "What? Hands off." "Stop looking at my sister, you monkey. Don't even think about it," Ricken growled as he narrowed his eyes, "I saw that a second ago, it's disgusting. Do it again and I'll take your head." Takeshi smiled innocently as he looked away, playing innocent as he shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea what you're talking about, you're imagining things." Maybe he had taken a quick look at Sasha, and who could blame him? When they'd first met he thought she was pretty too, heck a lot of people did, and now that it was just the four of them he could peek here and there. It wasn't as if he was doing anything either, just looking. In the corner of his eye he could still see Ricken tensing up, turning back to the other boy and grinning as he folded his hands behind his head. "You could be more like her, you know? At least she's fun to be around, Shu likes her already too, but you're still a pain in the ass. Then again it'd be kind of hard, seeing that you don't have a chest or anything..." That did it, Ricken had grabbed his shirt and was now lifting him off of his feet and Takeshi just smiled back at him, holding his arm as he raised an eyebrow. "What? I say something?" "Ricken, Takeshi! Cut it out, both of you!" Sasha shouted when she noticed the argument going on, though having no idea what it was over. Her brother did as she asked promptly but pushed the Saiyan back before coming over to join her and Shu. "We're here to have fun today, so let's have some fun. There's plenty of other things to do other than fight with each other, right Shu? What do you think we should do next? Go and see some rides? Look at some of the animals? Maybe go listen to them play music?" Ricken glared at Takeshi for a moment as the Saiyan continued looking smug, an idea coming to him after a moment as a smirk replaced his frown. "I know, why don't we go and play a game, one that has prizes?" he suggested, forcing a smile as he leaned down towards Shu and placed a hand on his head as he'd seen Takeshi do. "They have a lot of different games you can play and compete in for all sorts of things, mostly toys. That seems like something a kid like you would enjoy right? Come on then, let's go try." If Sasha wanted him to try acting friendlier then fine, he'd give it a go. Though he'd make it no secret it was forced as he grabbed Shu by the shoulder and turned him around, a hand at the boy's back as he ushered him along, Sasha at his heels to be sure he wasn't too forceful. Now it was Takeshi's turn to glare as he had to watch someone he didn't care for try warming up to his brother. [i]Good, let him sulk.[/i]