Episode Eighteen
'Know Your Enemy'
Mai had felt sympathy for Trunks as he took his verbal lashings from everyone on the bridge, but that didn't mean she regretted the part she'd played in it. He'd acted recklessly and they couldn't afford that, not from someone with power like his.
And beyond that she felt more betrayed than relieved to see him. She'd thought at breakfast the other day and that evening that he valued her input, that for no reason in particular apart from maybe just being a genuinely great guy he recognized that she had something to contribute and had let her do so.
But now . . . it was like nobody could accomplish anything unless they were a fighter with such and such power rating, or battle level or whatever it was. It made her mad. Sure she hadn't destroyed the Androids but she'd fought them, she'd saved people, she'd done what she could and she'd never felt like it'd been for nothing.
But that was clearly how he saw it.
No. Don't go deciding on his behalf what his opinion is, she scolded herself. Maybe he really did do it with the best of intentions, maybe he's so used to fighting his way that he doesn't understand there are other ways.
So she didn't chastise him any further. Besides, she could tell he was regretting his decision something fierce by the time she was sent to collect him the next day.
Apparently Captain Videl had decided that if Trunks wanted to behave like a child he would need a babysitter, and Mai had been the one she chose for the task. Mai wouldn't pretend she was thrilled with it of course but not because she was still angry at Trunks when she was sent to bring him to the mess for breakfast.
She still felt . . . off, when she was around him. Her stomach still went aflutter when he got close and she didn't like it.
Since Videl had brought half her platoon, or rather two squads on this trip leaving the rest to guard the Arcosian prisoners the rooms on the ship that had been officers' quarters were mostly empty so Trunks and Mai each had their own room. They were nearby each other but not scandalously so, the distance was very suitable, Mai thought.
Still it meant that she didn't have much time to prepare herself mentally for the task that was being in the Golden Warrior's presence. She shut her eyes to steel her nerves and knocked on the door to his quarters just as he was opening it, her knuckles rapping on his forehead instead until she opened her eyes and realized what she was doing.
Of course he moved out of the way after the confusion at the first couple of strikes wore off, but Mai cried, "Oh no! I didn't mean to-"
"You all really are mad at me, now it's attacks outside my door." Trunks told her. She'd later realize he was joking once she got over being absolutely mortified.
"I wasn't paying attention, I'm so sorry, Trunks sir." She lowered her head in apology.
"No, it's fine I shouldn't have been . . . standing in the doorway . . . when I opened it." He said, clearly trying to find some way to share the blame even though he didn't need to.
But then Mai realized he did. "Well you were confined to your quarters until I came to get you, remember? Why were you coming out?"
"Well I sensed you coming so I assumed you were coming to get me." Trunks explained. Part of her felt a strange sort of thrill at the thought that he could sense her presence, let alone that he'd been so eager that he'd come to the door even before she could knock, but he went on to say, "I'm eager to get out there and talk to Captain Videl today. I know I messed up but we've got to move forward from that, don't you think?"
Mai frowned. "Do you understand why everyone is mad at you, sir?"
"You don't have to call me sir." Trunks said, scratching his head, "And sure, I understand it."
Mai waited for him to elaborate and when he didn't she said, "Would you mind telling me? Just so I know that you do understand?"
Trunks folded his arms irritably, "Isn't it enough that I say I understand? You don't have to treat me like a child, you or Captain Videl."
"We're both much older than you," Mai told him.
"Well you don't look it." Trunks told her. She could feel herself blushing at the compliment even though he'd obviously meant it as a comeback. Still she wouldn't be deflected that easily.
"Thank you, sir." She said flatly, "But before I vouch for you with my Captain I'm going to need to know that you really do understand."
Trunks nodded. He said, "I get it, you think I rushed off without thinking, you're upset that I pretended to go along with the plan even though I'd already decided to come along."
Mai stared at him, his eyes were entirely too blue. Perfect blue eyes to match his perfect blue hair—Stop!
"And what else?" Mai asked him.
Trunks frowned. "I . . . I'm sorry, what else did I do?"
Mai frowned too. She told him, "You insulted everyone on this ship and certainly everyone on the other ship as well. By being here you're not just turning your back on Earth you're telling everyone very subtly that we're not good enough on our own."
"That's not it, but why shouldn't I offer my help when I can?"
"Because Earth needed it more." Mai said sharply. "You're right, you're not a child, but you're also not a soldier. I am. When you know your enemy wants something the worst thing you can possibly do is give it to them unless you've got some way of turning it on their heads and everyone with a mind to think recognized that this whole excursion seems like a trick to get you away from Earth."
"The mission's too important to risk," Trunks tried to tell her but she spoke over him in a manner she never would have thought she could and only a strange sort of desperation to bring him down to the person she thought she could see rather than the stuck up hero he was acting like drove her on.
"Exactly, a mission we couldn't ignore against an enemy too strong for anyone but you. It reeked of a trap but we had to go, and we thought of a way to accomplish the mission without needing to risk Earth but you threw all that planning away. You gave the enemy what they wanted and even if your presence is more than they could have planned for, even if you're able to turn the tables on them quick enough that they won't get away with what ever it is they're planning on New Namek whatever they might have planned for Earth can still happen because the only person there with strength like yours is a bounty hunter who showed up at exactly the same time as the person who told you about the obvious trap in the first place!"
Trunks frowned, "Are you saying you doubt Cargo or Cauliflora?"
Mai shook her head, "What reason does Cargo have to lie? But wasn't it awfully suspicious that the enemy left ships where he and a few others could get to them? Left them alive at all really if they weren't there for the Dragon Balls? It almost seems like any old planet would have sufficed for them, doesn't it?" Mai asked and Trunks nodded slowly.
She lowered her gaze, she couldn't look into those eyes. She whispered, "Cargo shows up, knows how to get to Earth because of the bounty that soldiers have no reason to have lying around in their Pods, but he finds out about it and gets to Earth because of it. Just when he does someone, a bounty hunter, almost as strong as this General you're all expecting shows up too? Chillax tells your mother the PTO would never harm the Namekians wantonly, so what if it's not the PTO we're going up against? Did you think of that?"
Trunks shook his head, "What are you saying?" He asked her.
"What if Cauliflora isn't just a rogue bounty hunter? The bounty on Earth isn't for you, it's for humans! So she gets her crew to attack some random world, they don't know what it is or how important it is but they attack it anyway, maybe in masquerade as PTO soldiers, maybe a few of them wear horns and pretend to be Arcosians or maybe there are Arcosian mercenaries. They leave enough of the natives alive in the hills that eventually some of them will try to escape, and what's this? Space ships left lightly guarded with coordinates to the one place that can help them? Well how convenient."
Trunks shook his head again but now it was in denial, "Cauliflora's not an enemy, she's a loyal Saiyan, she spent years looking for any of her own kind she's just glad to not be the last anymore."
"Maybe that's so," Mai admitted. "But before we could have watched her, gotten a feel for her and if necessary Turles could have handled her. But even if she is loyal then that means that there could be a lot of bounty hunters who'll turn up at Earth trying to collect human heads. Do you think she can fight them all off? How will she find time to train doing that? How will she face down this General Boreal if he shows up? What if he has help when he shows up? Are her eccentric friend and the old Hermit supposed to watch her back if the General shows up with one or two other Arcosians?"
Trunks looked at the ground. "I know I made a mistake . . . I'm sorry I didn't have more faith in all of you . . . but we have to move forward, we have to try to turn my blunder into a win for our team."
"Only if we're on the same team." Mai told him.
Trunks looked at her and he said, "I want to be. Are you still willing to be on my team?"
Mai couldn't make eye contact with him, but not for the reason he probably suspected. She just nodded. She told him, "If we can work together more openly we've got a chance of making this really work. Captain Videl doesn't want to hear you tell her how you being here is really an asset, she already knows your strength is an asset, she already knows having you along removes a lot of the danger in this mission. She knew that the moment you took your helmet off, so don't try to educate her about the benefits of having you along."
Trunks asked, "So what should I say to her?"
"What you told me; that you're sorry." Mai told him. She held out her hand to shake his, "If we're on the same team we've got to trust each other. That means that even if the Captain and I aren't super strong fighters like you and your students you have to believe that we're still useful . . . just in a different way."
Trunks took her hand and shook it, he told her, "I am sorry, and I will do my best to make sure you never feel useless again."
"Then by all means," Mai told him, "it's breakfast time so let's go to the upper deck and join the Captain."
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Breakfast wasn't that awkward, but that didn't mean it wasn't at all.
At least it wasn't as awkward as Trunks had expected. It helped that Mai had gotten through to him and helped him to understand what he'd done wrong, he'd have to thank her for that. Apologizing to everyone had gone a long way towards mending bridges or fixing fences or whatever the expression was.
"So I think we should keep your presence on board a secret," Captain Videl said. She'd finished her breakfast but remained at the table while Trunks and Mai ate theirs. Trunks was immediately not fond of the MRE rations they were eating, more specifically the powdered egg portion of them.
He supposed the rice was acceptable, if not particularly enjoyable but he was careful not to let his dislike of the food show so that he wouldn't seem like he was looking down on the soldier lifestyle.
He forcibly swallowed a mouthful of not-really-eggs and probably-not-actually-rice and asked, "Why is that, Captain?"
"Right now your students are working their tails off, they've known they'd need to get as strong as they can before the end of this trip so that they could stand on their own without you . . . if they know you're going to be there to help them they might slack." Videl said simply. "I think it'd be better for everyone involved if you're our trump card, if we keep you a secret even from the others."
Trunks thought about it and nodded, "I guess that makes sense." Besides, I'd hate for them to think I didn't have faith in them the way Mai and the others did.
"Plus it'll be a great surprise for the enemy if we need it." Videl said. "Still better to keep your power level low, leave them uncertain about where you are."
"Yes ma'am." Trunks nodded.
"How are you enjoying that MRE, Master Briefs?" Videl asked with an amused grin.
"Oh . . . uh . . ." Trunks hesitated, he didn't want to be insulting but he didn't want to lie either.
Mai said, "I think she's asking how you're enjoying it, because they're awful."
Trunks breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, "They really are. But I'll survive."
"Don't be so sure." Videl said gravely, "After all you wouldn't be the first to fall to the military's most deceptive weapon."
Trunks laughed in spite of himself, even Videl allowed herself a laugh at her own joke and most of the other soldiers at the table joined in. It was a lot better than the stony silence he'd expected.
He glanced at Mai, thankful for their chat, their eyes met for a moment before she quickly looked away.
Breakfast wasn't that awkward, but that didn't mean it wasn't at all.
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Anavill had taken to caring for Gurein's bonsai collection with Rhyce's blessing . . . mostly because Rhyce herself believed she would have killed them all within the week. In truth a small part of Anavill worried that she would kill them even sooner but after three months of caring for them she had a sort of confidence that if Trunks ever did make good on his promise to bring the others back to life Gurein would not be disappointed in the treatment his collection had received.
Besides, it was something she could still do even in her . . . condition.
She heard the knock on the door and tried to expel the sour thoughts that had been entering her mind at just that moment. She knew who it was of course, her parents wouldn't have knocked and Schip had gone to outer space.
"Come in Master Roshi."
The door opened and the old Turtle Hermit chuckled, "I guess these visits are getting pretty routine for you, eh?"
"I guess." Anavill said flatly. "You're not here to ask about the island again, are you?"
"No, no, that's in good hands for now. But there is something else; the new Tournament. I've been asked to judge it."
"Oh. Congratulations." Anavill told him without enthusiasm.
"Thank you, I'm glad you see it as a positive thing . . . because I need a co-judge."
"You do not." Anavill accused.
"Oh yes I do young'un," Master Roshi told her, "And both Bulma and the King agree it should be you."
Anavill stared at him in shock. "Why?" She asked, "So they can see me and know exactly how they could end up?"
"Exactly." Master Roshi said, shocking her. He adjusted his glasses and said, "Let the fighters in the tournament see a brave young woman who risked it all for the Earth without demanding reward, let them see a girl who went from some morning martial arts classes to the strongest fighter we trained—yes you were the strongest—and let them see that even with all she's been through she's still there doing her part and more and let everyone who enters for the wrong reasons feel ashamed when they realize what the job really requires."
Anavill looked down at her immobile legs and whispered, "And what does it require?"
"A hero. And not just any sort."
"A super hero?" Anavill asked with a slight smile.
"Got it in one." Master Roshi told her. "So will you help me?"
Anavill sighed again and looked at the bonsai trees that reminded her of her fallen friends. She hoped Gurein would be happy with how she'd treated them . . . but she could almost feel the disappointment he and Pastel and Bocan and Soda would feel with how she'd been treating herself. She nodded, "I'll help you, Master Roshi."
Roshi chuckled, "I never doubted it! Come on then, the limousine's waiting!"
"Limousine?" Anavill gawked.
"That's right, when I told Bulma I was bringing you back today she sprang for me to do it in style! A hover limousine with a full bar . . . which of course you're too young to access but I'll do it justice!" Master Roshi chuckled.
Was he that sure I'd come back this time or has he had the limousine every time? Anavill couldn't help but wonder.
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Schip was barely able to leap into the air to dodge Sharrot's punch in time. After just their first week of training and travel the Saiyans were already starting to catch up to him.
Or at least they were as long as they worked together, and Sharrot and Telluce were experts in teamwork, as Schip was quickly reminded when Telluce appeared behind him to try to kick him out of the air. Schip managed to dodge that too, just in the nick of time and grabbing Telluce's leg threw the taller youth into Korrard before the sickly looking Saiyan could do whatever his part of the three pronged attack was.
The upper deck of the Capsule Ship Defender One was much larger than the lower sleeping deck and recreation deck, but it still wasn't that big, there was only so far to run or evade the opponents and they had to be careful not to destroy the whole ship with their training.
Schip had to admit it was unnerving fighting three opponents at once. He knew he was still stronger than all three of them, but their tactics could get the better of him if he wasn't careful. He wondered if it had been anything like this for Master Trunks when they'd trained together and he'd sparred with all of his students at once.
He was still able to come out on top though, but they were definitely closing the gap faster than he liked. Soon the four of them would be training in fifty times Earth's gravity, the amount that he had considered his maximum before. From there they'd be moving on together into sixty and seventy and so on.
Trunks understood they adjusted to the heavier gravity faster than he did because for them the change was less extreme, what was fifty times Earth's gravity for him was just five times Planet Vegeta's gravity for them, and he could understand that the difference was—
He was caught up in his own thoughts when Korrard, having jumped out of the way of Telluce sprang towards him like a bullet. He dodged to the left only to run into Sharrot who grabbed his wrist roughly and flung him over her shoulder to the ground bellow where Telluce, having rolled to his feet waited to greet him with a kick to the face.
Ship barely managed to roll out of the way of Telluce's kick but he still hit the deck hard, he felt bones crack and he lay on the ground coughing and unable to get up.
"What was that?" Sharrot demanded, "You lost focus, Master!"
"Y-yeah . . ." Schip coughed.
"Can you move?" Telluce asked him, kneeling down besides him. It seemed training had come to an abrupt halt.
Schip was surprised and more than a little uncertain. He knew the Saiyans only respected strength, he knew that in order to keep them from walking all over him he had to stay stronger than the rest of them so he tried to hide the fact that he was injured, but they were all acting . . . almost like they were concerned.
Sharrot and Korrard floated down to the deck and looked him over. Korrard said, "You threw him too hard, Sharro. It's a good thing he dodged Tell's kick or he could be a goner. Here, lemme see."
"I'm fine!" Schip insisted but the scrawny looking Saiyan ignored him and Telluce and Sharrot took his left and right arms respectively and lifted him to his feet. His chest hurt and he coughed while Korrard inspected the damage, poking his ribs to illicit a cry of pain before Schip could properly steel himself.
Korrard nodded, "Thought so, broken ribs. Hold him still and keep a lookout, don't want anyone catching us."
"What are you doing?" Schip wondered. Were they going to finish him off? What could he do? Rhyce and her team would be down below and Kodva and his team would be asleep, Turles was probably asleep too.
There was no one who could help him as Korrard held his hands up to Schip's chest, warm white spheres of light forming in his palms as he did. Schip took a deep breath and prepared to be blown away or incinerated something.
But instead he felt better almost immediately. His ribs stopped hurting, his chest stopped hurting, his pain disappeared in an instant. Korrard was clearly under a lot of strain as he worked, but for as much stress as he seemed to be under Schip's evaporated until he could stand unsupported.
Korrard panted a bit and asked, "How's that?"
"What did you do?" Schip marveled, patting his chest.
"Patched you up, just don't tell anybody." Korrard said.
"You can see now why Kor's not the best fighter," Telluce explained, "it's not really . . . what he's cut out for."
"I had no idea, why didn't you tell me you could heal like that?" Schip asked. "We've been talking and supposedly bonding for a week and you never even hinted you could do this."
Korrard shrugged, "It's not something Saiyans are supposed to be able to do."
"He thinks it's embarrassing." Sharrot translated.
Korrard blushed, "Well my energy does kind of the opposite of what it's supposed to do. You two blast something and it drops down, I blast something and it hops back up!"
"We're not a race of healers," Telluce explained, "and healing is harder than hurting, it takes a lot out of him. It's kind of a secret, we wouldn't want people to abuse it."
"But you're trusting me with it?" Schip marveled.
"Of course, you're a team leader." Sharrot shrugged. "You up for more training?"
"Y-yeah . . . definitely." Schip said, scratching his head. "But what do you mean abuse it?"
"Well you weren't hurt that bad," Telluce told him, "but I'll bet even you can recognize how easy it'd be to bring yourself low then make Kor patch you up for the extra boost of strength."
"No, not really." Schip admitted. "Wait, you mean you guys get stronger when you get hurt?"
"Of course, if a Saiyan Warrior is brought to within an inch of their life and recovers they'll come back far stronger than before. It's just tricky to pull off without dying, a lot easier if there's someone who can stabilize you and heal you right on the spot though. Wait, you mean you Earthlings don't get Zenkai Boosts?" Telluce blinked.
"No, when we humans get hurt we're just hurt." Schip shrugged. "My friend Ana got hurt really badly three months ago and she had to stop fighting because of it."
That got a look from the three Saiyans that seemed to border between shock and horror. He wasn't sure what shook them more, the revelation that someone had been hurt and not gotten stronger from it, or that it was possible to be hurt badly enough that you had to stop fighting.
"Wow, then getting beaten is just a waste of time for you Earthlings, isn't it? No wonder you fight so hard to beat the three of us all the time." Telluce said.
"I thought it was just to show off, like you didn't respect us." Sharrot admitted.
Schip laughed slightly, he wouldn't have called it showing off but now it seemed a bit silly to admit that it was because he didn't trust them even after a week together. He scratched the back of his head and admitted, "Well . . . it was more because I'm the teacher, I'm supposed to get you all ready for New Namek. And losing isn't a waste of time if we can learn from it, it's just better not to."
"Oh." Korrard nodded, "That makes sense I guess."
"But I think we've been fighting longer than you have, Teach." Telluce said, "So you might want to start having Kor here watch your back instead of attack it, you know? It'd even us out a bit better, strongest and weakest against the two intermediates."
"More balanced, better training, better results." Sharrot said.
"Yeah . . ." Schip said. He hesitated and asked them, "I don't know if this is a rude question . . . but why don't Saiyans just use Zenkai Boosts all the time to get stronger?"
Telluce scoffed. "Because no true Saiyan Warrior likes shortcuts, we like to earn our strength. A Zenkai might be okay once in a while, like a scar it shows you've been through something intense and made it out okay," Telluce said, indicating his own scars.
"But as a way to cheat and get stronger without real effort? Not the Saiyan way. We don't take shortcuts, we work for it, that makes it ours, something we can be proud of." Sharrot agreed.
Schip nodded, "That makes sense." He smiled, "All right then, let's try again and get stronger together."
To Be Continued . . .
On the Next Episode of Dragon Ball COED . . . Bulma and Master Roshi discuss the problems of Trunks' absence and the upcoming tournament with the King, but they're interrupted when a band of bounty hunters arrive in the city. It's up to Roshi, Tathy and Cauliflora to put down the attack, meanwhile interested eyes are watching Earth . . .
