Botched Summonings [Atreyu/Sorrel]

Umpteen miles of discomfort. The sun burned furiously on his back, granules of sand beat mercilessly against his swarthy skin, and his high-speed flight did nothing to ease the searing winds as Sorrel scoured the fated "Fortuneteller's Desert." He had heard many rumors of beings with magical prowess that took up residence in the desert, though he tracked such tales as far back as several millennia ago. Still, he found himself intrigued enough to put himself through the harsh conditions. Then again, such conditions were nothing compared to what he endured as a child. It was still very annoying, but by no means unbearable.

"A witch, huh?" It was one of those things you had to say aloud just to remind yourself of how crazy you sounded. But Sorrel had picked up on a very faint scent. It was an energy signature that seemed to belong to a human. That, and some other creature, something that smelled like a zoan. At least they didn't smell like the combative type. That or, they were making an attempt to conceal themselves. Sorrel hoped for the former. It wasn't like he was scared of conflict, he just thought that such an outcome would be tedious. He had come to ask questions that his fists couldn't help him answer. Sorrel hailed from a unique tribe of Saiyans that practiced special arts similar to what Earthlings considered "magic." Then again, they would consider any ki-based parlor trick as "magic." He simply wanted to know if this witchcraft, which seemed to predate his tribe's founder, had any influence on his tribe's development.

It was not long before the faint scent became strong enough that Sorrel could pinpoint a location. His pace slackened and he soon found himself upon a hut with a strange setup before it. His eyes could make out a curious formation in the sand with a woman standing over it, like something straight out of young adult fiction. Elaborate runic patterns with essential objects laid out for what Sorrel could only assume was a summoning, though he could not wrap his head around what she might be trying to summon. He hovered in place with his arms crossed, curiously awaiting the finished product.

"Holy shit...," he murmured, eyes widening as a green claw seemed to bring itself out of the gateway. He was more surprised that she managed to open a path to something of that magnitude, even if it was just an extremity. He recalled a tale of magical objects being used to summon a giant, wish-granting dragon every now-and-then. The woman's reaction suggested this creature was no genie, as she quickly dispatched her finished product.

"Y'know," he began in a loud attempt to make his presence known while finally making his landing. "Based off the rumors, I was expecting an old hag. But you're waaay too easy on the eyes. Is this a part of the 'magic,' lady?"

Sorrel was actually curious, but he also found it hard not to approach such a skeptical practice without sounding like an asshole.

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The woman certainly wasted no time in rejecting his advance, causing the young Saiyan to wince a bit. He wasn't actually serious about pursuing her, but the rejection still stung a bit. He thought of ways to avenge his damaged pride, only to dismiss those thoughts when he realized he did not care.

"You don't say?" he questioned dryly, though his sarcastic tone was a small hint of resentment for being rejected so sternly. He was well aware that witchcraft dated back several millennia, and probably existed since the beginning of time. He also understood that there were various forms of witchcraft, and that not all practitioners held the same moral compass. For instance, this woman didn't seem like one to sacrifice the living for her benefit like some witches were known for. Sorrel physically shuddered at the recollection of tales of magic salve and the cruel nature that it took to obtain the strange ointment's ingredients.

Even as she questioned the nature of his abilities, he had already formed the opinion that his theory was likely invalid. Or that, if his ancestor had come into contact with witches, then they were of the malevolent variety. His hand waved as a dark ki circled around it before departing it in the form of a sphere. The transparent black seemed to lose its opacity immediately as a gel-like shine reflected off of its surface. The substance undulated as if it were trapped between a solid and liquid state. It began to convulse violently, shaping into a completely black rose. If anyone reached for it and wasn't careful, she may have found herself pricked by a thorn

"Well, one thing we can do is create something from nothing." Although he had already concluded that the origins of her powers held no ties to the origin of his, Sorrel was still curious. There was no harm in seeing where their abilities overlapped.

Sorrel's eyes bore down on the newcomer with a mild hint of contempt. It was nothing personal, he just didn't like to be interrupted. As the witch gave her grand introduction while addressing Atreyu, Sorrel simply folded his arms across his chest and awaited the other Saiyan's response.