The pain wakes me, and then I sleep, and then the pain wakes me, and then…

Cabba's eyes opened, and every nerve in his body was awake at once. He jumped to his feet, ignoring the agony of stiff, leaden muscles. Assuming a defensive stance, he cast about wildly. The rush of adrenaline roaring through him made his heart beat in his ears, almost thunderous in the near-silence. He found himself in a dim alcove of rock, dry and fairly warm. There were only two exits, entrances into darkened tunnels. The makeshift bed he had been lying on was behind him, a few layers of rough blankets on the dusty stone floor. The entire area was lit dimly in green by bioluminescent fungi lining the walls.

Slowly, he began to calm himself. No enemies. Am I still a prisoner? I have to escape. I can't survive another shock. Sudden and fierce anger rose along with the adrenaline, making his skin cold and his stomach painfully tight. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to focus and carry onward. Choosing the left hand tunnel at random, he cautiously began to traverse it. He stepped lightly, all senses on alert. Something's digging in the tunnel wall to my right, something small. Water dripping – either condensation or I'm under a river. Light up ahead. Wait. Voices. The tunnel looked to open into a larger cavern, a cavern lit with artificial light. A conversation drifted across the crates and ramshackle structures strewn across the cavern floor, easily carrying to the entrance where Cabba concealed himself in the shadows.

"Whis said he was interrogated by Frieza," a female voice said. "He's not going to be a threat, Lemo."

"He's a Saiyan, Cheelai. He could be peaceful like Broly, or he could be like the Saiyans used to be. We can't underestimate him," the male voice said.

"I know," Cheelai said. Cabba peeked around the corner. Whis is working with Frieza. He's the one who was trying to kill us! What kind of hardened criminals are guarding this prison? He caught sight of the two diminutive figures, not even half as tall as the stalagmites littering the cavern floor, and his eyes widened. Or not. They don't look tough, or strong, or anything really. As he watched, the small man named Lemo leaned over toward Cheelai and said something that Cabba couldn't hear. The small woman smiled and nodded, and then both of them looked directly at Cabba. Oh crap.

"We've got scouters, you know," Cheelai said, still smiling.

"Relax, kid," Lemo said. "I know we're wearing the uniforms, but we're not with the Organization any longer."

"I would like to believe that," Cabba said guardedly, stepping out into the light. He shielded his eyes as they adjusted. "The last thing I remember was…"

"The induction board," Lemo said bluntly. "I'm really sorry, kid. Sorrier than you know."

"It wasn't that bad," Cabba said. Even mentioning it filled him with anger again, making his muscles clench involuntarily. Cheelai's scouter beeped. She tapped a button on its frame and then gave Cabba a wary look.

"Bullshit," Lemo said. His lip twisted, betraying his own anger. "I helped design that disgusting thing. Back before I developed a conscience, or part of one anyway."

"Why would you do that? You know what it d-does," Cabba said. He found himself clenching his teeth.

"Why did we do anything in the Frieza Force?" Lemo said darkly. Slowly, the Saiyan nodded. His anger faded, leaving a strange emptiness behind. He knew Lemo's question was rhetorical, and yet he still supplied the answer.

"Following orders," Cabba said quietly.

Just like every soldier. Just like me.

DRAGON BALL EXODUS

Interlude – Cabba's Story

This is a work of fanfiction, using characters from the Dragon Ball series, and is intended to be seen as a hypothetical continuation of the anime version of Dragon Ball Super (immediately following the Tournament of Power). All characters and settings in this work that are not original are the property of the owners of the Dragon Ball franchise.

Day One

The day had stretched into evening. Cabba found himself glad for the company of the other two. The woman was good-hearted and insightful. The older man seemed to know a little about everything, and how to explain it in an entertaining way. When dinner time had come around, Cabba had been surprised to find Lemo cooking an enormous pot of noodles in sauce, along with a salad large enough for any of them to bathe in. He was even more surprised when both of them took a generous plateful and then looked at him expectantly.

"Go for it," Lemo said.

"There's… so much," Cabba said. "That's actually more than I could eat."

"That's about normal for Broly," Cheelai said, grinning. "Actually, he'd probably try to find dessert afterward." They keep mentioning their friend. After the other Universe Seven Saiyans I've met, I'm not really sure what to expect. I hope we can get along, or things are going to go south real quick.

"We Universe Six Saiyans do tend to eat a lot, but not as much as the ones from Universe Seven," Cabba said. "Even without taking ki into account, they're physically stronger than we are. They need more food than we do."

"Good point. Well, whatever you don't eat, we'll store," Lemo said. "Seriously, why are you still talking, kid?"

Cabba, unable to provide an answer, decided to sate his hunger. Despite his protests, he managed to demolish half of both entrees. Cheelai and Lemo stopped eating to watch, sharing looks of amazement. When he set his plate down for the final time, he noticed that both of them were staring at him.

"What?" Cabba asked. He looked down at his shirt. No stains. What's so funny?

"You've got to be military," Lemo said. "Soldier, not officer. Saiyans eat quickly. Soldiers eat really quickly. You just… inhaled that whole thing."

"Without so much as getting a speck of sauce anywhere," Cheelai added. "Did you even taste it?"

"Sort of?" Cabba said, turning red.

"Saiyans," Lemo said. "Kid, you're going to need a nap after that."

Trying to fight off a yawn, Cabba could not disagree. He made to stand from one of the little rocks they were sitting on. Halfway through the movement, the muscles across his entire body locked, sending a jolt of pain through him. A soft keening emerged from between his clenched teeth. What in the fuck is this? Did they drug me?

"Hey, are you okay?" Cheelai asked. She looked over at Lemo, whose lip twisted in anger again.

"Nerve damage," he said. He calmly hopped off of the rock and walked over to a nearby storage container, popped it open, and began to dig around inside while he spoke. "The induction board isn't supposed to be used on a person more than once an hour, or there are… side effects. Of course, neither Frieza nor his men ever paid attention to that. And… there is it. Cheelai?"

Sweat was rolling down Cabba's face. Cheelai stood in front of him, trying to mop his forehead with a small towel. As Lemo approached, she grinned at him and made a rude noise with her mouth. What? He suddenly felt a sting as Lemo injected him with the contents of the syringe he had taken. Almost immediately, Cabba's muscles started to un-knot and the mounting pain began to recede. His legs gave out, putting him back on his stone seat unceremoniously. That feels really good. They should sell this somewhere. Wait, they do. Stalagmites or stalagtites or… I hate caves. Hehe, look at her, she's really green. A goofy smile made its way onto his face.

"Wait, did you give him a dose made for Broly?" Cheelai asked. Lemo looked down at the needle and then smacked his forehead. She shook her head and sighed, looking over at the Saiyan. "Great. He's higher than a satellite. We should probably get him to bed."

"Sheesh. First he gets tortured with a device I helped invent, now I've shooting him up with narcotics," Lemo said. Cabba's eyes lolled and then began to close. He slowly slumped, almost threatening to fall off of his stool. "Welcome to Universe Seven, kid. It's definitely past your bedtime."

Day Two

The pain wakes me up, and then I sleep, and then the pain wakes me up, and then I sleep, and then…

Cabba's eyes opened sluggishly, and he struggled to sit up in bed. I feel like hell. Like I'm made of lead, and my mouth feels like I chewed on raw cotton. And now apparently my nervous system is damaged. And the dreams… is this going to happen every time that I sleep? I guess torture is… never really over.

"You're awake," a deep voice said. Despite his drug-induced hangover, Cabba's senses instantly went to full alert. He looked up to see a tall Saiyan, extraordinarily muscular, with a calm and friendly expression. As soon as he was able to focus his ki sense, his eyes widened. I think this must be Broly. He's really powerful, even more than Goku or Master Vegeta. He looks peaceful, thankfully. "Lemo said they gave you a shot meant for me. Painkillers. You okay?"

"That explains a lot," Cabba managed. It took an effort of will to throw the leather and fur blankets off, and another to stand under his own power. He ignored the outstretched hand from the other Saiyan, who wore a look of concern. "I take it that you're Broly?"

"I am. You are Cabba. Kale told me a lot about you," Broly said. At the mention of his friend, Cabba perked up.

"How do you know Kale? I was only out for… how long was I out for?" Cabba asked, his brow creased with annoyance.

"From the time you were captured until now, approximately four days have passed," Broly said. "During that time, Earth was invaded. Kale and Caulifla helped defend it, as did I.

"Meanwhile, I was locked up by that maniac," Cabba spat. The image of Frieza entered his mind, along with a thrill of white-hot rage. Without realizing it, a golden glow began to light up his skin. "If I get my hands on that evil bastard, he will wish that I was still in shackles."

"Cabba," Broly said. He looked lost for a moment, and then nodded. "Come and spar with me."

"No thank you," Cabba said. "I'm shot full of drugs and my muscles are all tense. I don't think I could manage."

"You will burn through the first," Broly said. "And I will cure the second."

"How?" Cabba asked doubtfully. When Broly didn't answer, he looked up. A large fist was headed toward him, too fast for him to react. Broly's strike landed on his breastbone, forcing him back a few steps but doing no damage. Cabba glared up at the larger Saiyan, who continued to advance. "Stop messing around.

Broly kept up the pace, ignoring his words. He's serious. Two exits. No objects that can be thrown. Little chance of distractions. I have to dodge around him and get out. Cabba was quick, but Broly was quicker. A grip like steel seized the smaller Saiyan by the arm and he was tossed to the ground. No escape. Well, then. I'm not going down without a fight! Cabba rolled to the left and sprang to his feet, his previous pains forgotten. With a shout, he transformed, bathing the chamber with golden light. He entered a defensive stance, only to find Broly standing in front of him with a big grin.

"Still feel bad?" Broly asked. He hadn't even bothered to assume a stance.

I don't know whether to feel grateful or to punch him.

Day Three

Cheelai and Lemo had become a very appreciative audience. It was one thing to watch Broly training, performing calisthenics and shadow-boxing. It was an entirely different experience to watch him training with another Saiyan, especially one with as much combat experience as Cabba. The two fighters had meshed almost immediately, falling into a rhythm of training that was strenuous but not injurious. Broly, obviously holding back his strength, seemed to be using the occasion to experiment and polish techniques he hadn't fully mastered. Cabba was taking full advantage of a borderline invincible training partner, using full contact techniques he wouldn't have dared bring into a sparring match. Fortunately for their audience, the Saiyans weren't just sparring.

"But you're not actually related, right?" Cabba asked. He squinted and then let fly with a carefully aimed ki blast. Behind him, Cheelai watched intently through a small field telescope.

"Good shot," she said. She and Cheelai were perched on folding chairs under the gloomy Vampa sun, watching the two Saiyans practice at long-distance fire support. "Five and four."

"No, we're not," Broly said. He lined up his arm and hand with the target he was aiming for. "It just feels that way."

"What would happen if, you know…" Lemo trailed off.

"What?" Broly asked, still aiming.

"I think Lemo was suggesting that you and Kale go on a date," Cabba said, slightly red in the face. Lemo was pointedly not looking in their direction. Cheelai gave them both a mildly disgusted look.

"No," Broly said firmly. A precise blast emerged from his finger. A second later, Cheelai put a thumbs-up into the air. Broly nodded with satisfaction. "She feels like family, and I feel like family to her. It would not be right."

"You know, from a genetics standpoint, that makes a lot of sense," Lemo said, nodding slowly.

"From any sane standpoint, it makes a lot of sense," Cabba said. "No offense Broly – in my universe, we call your kind berserkers. They tend to keep increasing in power until their own bodies cannot handle it. They… usually do not survive."

"I am aware," Broly said. "I have reached that level of power. Whis taught me how to maintain it without harming myself."

"That's… good," Cabba said. He took aim at another target. "But I'm glad you figured it out. Everybody gets a choice whether to be just or cruel. I can tell that you made the right one."

"Cruelty isn't a choice," Broly said with a thoughtful look. "It's pain looking to make more pain."

Cabba lowered his arm and looked over at the large Saiyan.

"Yeah," he said. "That's exactly what it is."

Day Four

"…and this is Super Saiyan 2!" Cabba announced. His hair flared out and his aura expanded dramatically. Bolts of power shot across his skin. Golden light shot across the cracked landscape and knurled trees, casting the planet's nature in stark relief. Broly watched with an interested expression. Lemo advised me to transform a few times in the day; he says it's slowly reversing the damage to my nervous system. That damn cramp only happened once today, so I guess he's right. I hope he's right.

"That is quite powerful," the large Saiyan said. Cabba chuckled, and then let the transformation fade.

"But not much compared to what you can do," Cabba said.

"There is a difference," Broly said. "You chose to become a Super Saiyan, because you wanted to protect something, or avenge something. I don't have to want anything. I was born that way."

"You didn't really have a choice, then," Cabba said. "If you did have a choice…"

"I would let someone else have this 'Legend'," Broly said darkly. "I have the power of a god, and have learned the hard way that even the gods are not very responsible."

"It's funny to hear you say that. You weren't even at the Tournament," Cabba said. There was a soft pop from behind them. "Actually, come to think of it… why weren't you at the Tournament?"

"Because we hadn't met him yet," Goku said. The two other Saiyans turned to see him, holding a small clear plastic bag stuffed with capsules. Cabba immediately felt tension building up in his muscles. In his mind's eye, he could see himself strapped to the board, naked and half dead… with Goku standing over him. Forcing himself now to look the other Saiyan in the eye was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. He almost expected to see judgment, or pity, and even the thought of it started to make him angry. There was neither, only obvious concern. Cabba was flooded with relief, so acute that it almost felt like a physical force. Trying to smile reassuringly, Goku continued. "Cabba, Kale and Caulifla are kind of worried."

They left me there. I don't want to be angry about this, I don't even blame them. But I'm still angry. I don't want to say or do something I could regret. They don't deserve it.

"I need some time," Cabba said quietly. "How long will it be before Champa-sama makes us go back?"

"I don't know," Goku said. "To be honest, I'm not sure what the gods are doing right now, but even the Pride Troopers are stuck back on Earth."

"Very strange," Broly said. "I don't think Beerus-sama likes the other gods much."

"He doesn't," Goku said. "I think there's something weird going on. I'm done messing with god business for now though. But… okay. I'll let those two know you're safe here, but I can't put them off forever."

"I know," Cabba said, wearing the ghost of a smile. "They can be very insistent. Just, a few days, okay? I need a break."

"No problem," Goku said. He seemed to hesitate. "Cabba? About Frieza…"

"He's going to pay," the other Saiyan said. The quiet certainty in his voice drew alarmed gazes from the others. "I'm going to-"

"I killed him," Goku said quietly. Cabba stared at him. Anger bubbled up from inside of the smaller Saiyan, causing bolts of ki to flash across his form.

"You what?" Cabba asked. Without even thinking about it, he transformed. Goku's eyes widened as the formerly mild-mannered Saiyan advanced on him. "He was mine to kill. I had the right, Son Goku."

"I… he had to go," Goku said. "The only mortals who could kill him were myself or Broly. I don't even think Vegeta could do it, not on his own. No offense, but…"

"No," Cabba said. The glow in his hair faded back into darkness. "I don't want to hear-"

"…he would have killed you," Goku finished quietly. "I'm not trying to be mean. You're just not there yet."

Day Five

You're just not there yet.

The tall, knurled tree was stubborn, its roots sank deep into Vampa's inhospitable soil. The shin-kick that Cabba landed on it, one among many since the sun had come up, barely made it quiver.

You're not there yet.

He kicked it again, harder. A single leaf drifted down from the tree.

You'll never be there.

Forgetting his pace, Cabba kicked it as hard as he could. Almost as if giving polite applause, the tree dropped a small acorn-like seed onto the ground next to him. It sat atop a small mound of other seeds just like it. The Saiyan stopped and crouched, rubbing at his leg. I know Goku meant well, but I can't stop thinking about this. Dammit, every bit of this happened because we were going crazy training for Super Saiyan 3. Dealing with Hit, meeting High Priest-sama, that crazy journey through space, the invasion fleet, and… that. I can't stop now. I just can't.

"He's been out there since the sun came up," Lemo said in the distance, near to the cave entrance. The desolation of Vampa had oddly good acoustics, at least when the wind wasn't blowing.

"Wish I could use the tree like that," Broly said wistfully.

"Probably wouldn't work well. You might as well go join him. Something lit a fire under the kid's ass," Lemo said. "If you're looking for a challenge, this might be a good day."

Cabba stood and turned to regard the two of them, gestured at Broly, and transformed. Grim-faced and surrounded with a golden aura, both shins bruised and dusty, he looked as though he'd just returned from war. The large Saiyan grinned and loped toward him, his long stride eating up the cracked clay. Lemo, sitting on top of an odd piece of scrap metal, was peeling tubers as he tracked the fighters with his eyes, eager for action.

As soon as Broly got within range, still running across the baked earth, Cabba attacked. No holding back this time. I don't think I could really hurt this guy anyway. A storm of jabs and hooks landed on the surprised Saiyan, knocking him back. Annoyed, he fired a pair of intense bolts from his eyes. They detonated against Cabba's left leg, causing it to stiffen and numb immediately. As he desperately tried to shake his extremity back to life, Broly counterattacked. Awkwardly dragging his recovering leg through the air, Cabba was forced to use his ki alone to maneuver himself. He was almost successful. After dodging an innumerable number of blows, one finally landed. A fist impacted with his face, and the world went black.

Pain. Wake. Pain. Wake. Pain.

He shook himself awake, eyes still closed. The past pain and the present pain changed into something new in his delirious mind, something that planted itself deep within him.

"Cabba?" a concerned voice asked.

Have I been wrong about this? Is pain simply power? Is that what it means to be Saiyan? Is this… what Master Vegeta was trying to teach me the entire time?

"Cabba, are you okay?" the voice asked again. A firm hand shook him by the shoulder.

"Y-yeah," he answered, coming out of the reverie. Damn, he hits hard. That was a one-hit knockout from Super Saiyan. Yeah. I know. I'm just not there yet. Dammit. "Let's go again."

"Give it a minute," Broly said. "You're actually hurt."

"I'm not too hurt to fight," Cabba said, shakily rising to his feet. He looked up to see the larger Saiyan looking at him, concern and wariness written on his face.

"We're sparring, Cabba. We're not actually fighting," Broly said. The agitation in his voice made Cabba stop. He took a deep breath. Yeah… I still can't really feel my leg, and my head is killing me. It's just… I'm so damn angry. I don't even care if it hurts, I want to hit something. But… no. He's right.

"Okay, we'll take a break," Cabba said, taking a seat on the soil. Broly sat across from him. In the distance, near the cave entrance, Cabba could see Cheelai talking quietly with Lemo, having finally decided to wake up. The large Saiyan looked at him oddly.

"You really want to become more powerful," Broly said. "Why?"

"You have to ask?" Cabba queried. "I just… do."

"Like Kakarot then, and Vegeta," Broly said, sounding a little disappointed. "Power is… not always useful."

"I mean, I know what I want to do with it," Cabba said. "I'm a protector, a soldier. I really have enjoyed all of this traveling, but at the end of the day the Sadala Army is my home. There are some pretty powerful bad guys that pop up. I have to stay ahead of them."

"That, I understand," Broly said. "I… have been thinking of something. Please do not tell anyone else."

"Okay," Cabba said warily, looking sidelong at the larger Saiyan. Last time someone said that to me, it got weird. Please don't get weird.

"I'm considering accepting Whis' offer. Becoming a god of destruction," Broly said. Cabba's jaw dropped. It took him a moment to recover.

"But, why? You don't like violence, or fighting outside of sparring," Cabba said.

"It's not about violence," Broly said. "Whis let me read one of his books when I was training with them. It explained what gods of destruction were, and angels, and Kais. Gods of destruction rarely if ever actually fight. It's not really useful for them to do so."

"Still, you would be a destroyer," Cabba said. "You would be obligated to get rid of planets and such."

"The objective of destruction isn't to destroy," Broly said, grinning. "It's to remove things that prevent other things from growing. In the end, it's a form of creation."

"Are you quoting that book?" Cabba asked.

"I'm quoting myself," Broly said.

"You've been thinking about this quite a bit," Cabba said. "But that would mean that another god would have to step down, right? Or could you challenge one of them?"

"I do not want to challenge any of them for a position," Broly said. "That is disrespectful. But… there has to be a way."

"Find one of them who doesn't want to be a god anymore," Cabba said. "You have to get sick of it after a while."

"I will call their cell phones and ask," Broly said, grinning. Cabba blinked, and then snorted with amusement.

"Did you just tell a joke?" Cabba asked.

"Cheelai taught me. I try to practice sometimes," Broly replied.

"Speaking of practice," Cabba said. He stood. His leg held and flexed easily. His head felt much better. Between the cooling sweat and the post-fight endorphins, he found himself feeling pretty good. A grin spread across his face.

You're just not there yet. The grin disappeared as quickly as it had formed.

"Let's go again," Cabba said.

Day Six

Cheelai had woken up early. Early, at least, by her standards. Lemo had always been the first up, followed by Broly. But the last couple of days, all of them had been up with the sun. The reason was the seemingly relentless Saiyan who had been dropped into their midst. His appetite, despite his earlier protests, seemed to almost rival Broly's after a day of training, and he trained like a man possessed. Broly had taken it upon himself to force the smaller man to take breaks, keeping him on a pace that allowed him not to damage himself. This morning, the day had become dreary. A wet, slow rain fell from the sky, almost as if it was lacking in enthusiasm. The ground was muddy and slick. The four of them, instead of heading outdoors, went deeper into the caverns in search of training grounds.

"What happened here?" Cabba asked, as they entered a large natural cavern. The floor was cracked and burned, and quite a few fallen stalactites lay strewn across it. The luminescent fungi lined the walls in this cavern as well, but the sheer size of it rendered the lighting dim at best.

"Beerus-sama," Broly said, a flash of anger crossing his face. "This is from when he abducted us."

"That was one of the scariest things I've ever been through," Cheelai said soberly, with a visible shiver. "I don't ever want a god of destruction to touch me again."

"Like death itself tapping you on the shoulder," Lemo agreed.

"This was the event that started the invasion," Broly said. He shook his head as they carefully walked through the debris-littered cavern. "Kakarot found out that they took me, Beerus-sama refused to explain."

"He and Master Vegeta immediately jumped into conflict with both feet," Cabba finished, nodding. "Sounds like them, even when dealing with gods."

"Yes," Broly said. He stopped. They had reached a large bare spot in the midst of the cavern, almost free of detritus. "I think we can train here."

Cabba thought for a second, and then launched into the air and flew back toward the entrance. After a minute, he found what he was looking for and retrieved it. When he returned, the others were staring at him in bewilderment. He set a large stone down in front of them. It was oblong, but flat on the top and fairly level.

"Seating," Cabba said, grinning. He gestured toward the rock. "No need to sit on the floor like animals."

"I sit on the floor every day," Broly said, looking puzzled. I'm not going to laugh. I'm not.

"Figure of speech," Cabba managed. Cheelai and Lemo had climbed onto the rock, which appeared to suit its purpose quite well. Without further hesitation, both fighters put a little distance between themselves and their audience, and then prepared for combat. Cabba transformed into the first Super Saiyan form. Broly simply adopted a stance and waited. "Go."

Broly immediately surprised him by spraying a massive volley of ki blasts, seemingly pouring from every part of his body. How can anybody have this much energy?! Cabba's ki surged as he pushed into Super Saiyan 2 and immediately gave ground, giving the blasts room to disperse. He actually managed to shoot everywhere except where his friends are sitting. That's kind of amazing. Cheelai and Lemo sat in the eye of the storm, watching it rain green light around them. Neither of them seemed frightened in the least. Having escaped from the epicenter, Cabba was able to easily dodge the blasts. When the attack finished, he flew down toward Broly from near the ceiling, a drop-kick coming at well past terminal velocity. At the last instant, Broly saw him coming and side-stepped with unnatural grace, leaving the other Saiyan to strike the cavern floor. A huge spiderweb of cracks emanated from the impact site, sending clouds of dust into the air.

Broly advanced on him in a stance startlingly similar to the one that Cabba had seen Hit use many times. He came up lightly, on the balls of his feet, threw a feint, and then immediately went into a combination. This isn't how he normally fights. What in the hell? Caught off-guard, Cabba ended up scrambling to dodge and weave. Broly with his usual combat style was frighteningly powerful. Broly with this style was far worse – he was unpredictable. As he pressed the attack, Broly grinned down at the beleaguered warrior.

"This is how Beerus-sama fights when he gets serious," Broly said. He managed to clip Cabba's shoulder with a left hook, spinning him around, and then following up with a right hook, rapidly spinning him in the opposite direction. "Whis said it's a lot like the sport of kickboxing, from Earth."

"Wait," Cabba said, his vision whirling. Broly stopped attacking. Time out. I almost threw up. "Have you actually practiced in this style?"

"No," Broly said. "It's just fun to use once in a while."

"So you just saw a god fighting in a certain style, and figured out how to do it yourself," Cabba said. "Without any further training."

"I learn fast," Broly said simply. His absolutely guileless expression made Cabba shake his head in wonder.

Day Nine

You're just not there yet.

Time had taken the sting out of Goku's words. It wasn't a statement anymore; it had become a training mantra. Oddly, despite the scars on his back and the fading tendency of his muscles to cramp unexpectedly, he felt better than he had since the day of the Tournament. I haven't had a chance to devote myself to training like this in a long time. He was fighting in Super Saiyan 2, one of the last battles that he and Broly would have on that day; the sun was getting ready to set. After a series of rapid dodges and managing to land a counterpunch squarely to Broly's stomach, he noticed that the larger Saiyan looked noticeably happy.

"Something funny?" Cabba asked. He crouched to dodge one powerful blow, and then jumped into a backflip to evade the next, launching a series of small ki blasts directly at Broly's eyes. Broly simply put his hand up in front of his face, the blasts dissipating harmlessly against his knuckles.

"You're more powerful now," Broly said. Am I? It's hard to tell, sparring with this guy.

"Still not up to your level," Cabba said. They exchanged a flurry of blows, ending with one of Broly's fists impacting squarely on Cabba's jaw. His head snapped back and he staggered for a split second. He moved almost on instinct as Broly continued to advance, dropping below the next attack and heel-kicking the larger Saiyan on the inside of the right knee. Surprised, Broly's leg gave out momentarily and he stumbled. Cabba leapt upwards, planting one foot on Broly's other knee, and then boosted himself upwards, catching the larger Saiyan's chin with a vicious bicycle kick. He twisted in mid air and then came to a semi-graceful landing. Is he… I can't believe it. I actually knocked him down.

"That was pretty good," Broly said, lying on the floor. Of course, he's not actually hurt at all. Cabba walked over and looked down at him. The big Saiyan looked absurdly peaceful, as if he had chosen to consider that spot for a nap. "Seriously, you're hitting harder now. You're also faster."

"Saiyans adapt to their opponents," Cabba said. "You ah… take a lot of adapting."

"That's what she said," Broly said, deadpan. Cabba stared down at him, and then started to chuckle involuntarily.

"Where did you pick that one up?" Cabba asked.

"I heard Lemo say it," Broly said. "Twice. The second time, Cheelai heard it. She didn't like it."

"Well yeah, it's pretty rude," Cabba said, trying hard not to laugh. "But that was funny."

"You're getting stronger. I'm getting funnier," Broly said matter-of-factly. Cabba couldn't help laughing.

Day Eleven

Their hands locked together in a grapple, both fighters pushed. Bolts of green lightning began to circle around Broly, answered by surges of gold from the fully transformed Cabba. A few days ago, the last time they had grappled, Cabba had been unceremoniously pinned and forced to tap out. Now, although the smaller Saiyan still slowly had to give ground, he was actually able to resist. I know I'm going to lose, but I'm not giving up. Not this time. He struggled and pushed, grunting as he tried to resist Broly's inexorable pressure. He felt his mind become strangely distant, almost delirious, as he focused his entire being on the struggle. There was a strange wrenching feeling inside of him, and he felt himself looking at two different worlds. On the outside, he was locked in conflict with a much larger opponent. On the inside, he found something strangely familiar: the pain from a lifetime of battles, mixed with the rage and frustration of the experience with Frieza, distilled into something fiery and dangerous.

I have… this energy? What is this? It feels powerful, but… it burns. It's going to hurt to use it. Maybe it will even kill me. I don't care anymore. I've been beaten, shot, stabbed, burned, humiliated, and now locked in a cage and tortured. I'm fucking done.

Cabba unleashed what he had found, snarling at the shudder of pain traveling through his body. Broly stared down at the smaller Saiyan in sudden fascination as his hair began to grow out, and his face took on a bestial cast. Suddenly engorged muscles began to force the Legendary Saiyan back, despite his best efforts. Cabba's aura flared and turned wild, throwing off fierce bolts of golden light. Suddenly, an answering light came from Broly, who transformed into his own Super Saiyan form. Once again, Cabba found himself on the defensive. His hair now reached almost down to his lower back, a cascade of golden spikes. His body felt heavy and strong, almost invincible. He could feel the new form draining him quickly, eating through his energy at a startling pace. He didn't care. I'm fighting until I can't fight any more. There is no more giving up.

He pushed back against the legendary Saiyan like a glacier before a giant ram, burning his reserves to hold the surprised Broly in check. It took another two minutes of constant pressure to totally deplete Cabba. As soon as the smaller Saiyan's resistance slackened, Broly let go. Cabba staggered back, his body and hair rapidly returning to normal. He looked up, half-delirious, and grinned.

"I… made you… go Super Saiyan," Cabba panted. He dropped to one knee, every muscle quivering with exhaustion. "I don't care if I lose. I still win."

You're just not there yet.

Fuck that.

I'm exactly where I need to be.

Day Thirteen

"Cabba!" Kale's voice called from behind him. Before him, Broly's face lit up with a smile. Cabba turned to see Caulifla and Kale approaching from the entrance to the cavern, along with Champa and Vados. The two Saiyan women approached him, and Kale immediately grabbed him in a hug. "We were worried about you!"

"Yeah, what's with the silent act?" Caulifla asked. She scowled at him, arms folded in front of her. "You've been here for almost two weeks."

"I… just needed some time," Cabba said lamely. Kale let him go with a skeptical look. He sighed. "Look, I went through some pretty bad stuff because of Frieza, and I needed to recover."

"I'm really sorry," Kale said quietly. Cabba looked up to see her on the verge of tears. The real surprise was that Caulifla was wearing the same expression. "We're really sorry."

"It's okay," Cabba said, smiling. "Actually, I have something to show you."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Vados said. "We need to return to Universe Six immediately. There is a war occurring that all three of you will need to assist in stopping."

"A war?" Cabba asked. Who would… oh, no. "The Saiyans. All of the Super Saiyans. Damn. I only taught people that I trusted, but I think the technique got further than expected."

"Yes," snapped Vados, glaring at him. Champa looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Speaking on behalf of Champa-sama and myself, we would appreciate it if you cleaned up your mess."

Cabba looked at her coolly, and then began to power up. His first two transformations elicited little reaction from the others. But when he pushed beyond, all of them except Kale and Broly stared in disbelief. The Cabba that was suddenly standing in front of them was a small mountain of muscle, with a great mane of gold. His power was so far beyond anything they had felt from him that most of them could do little but gape.

"This is Super Saiyan 3," Cabba said in an unnaturally deep voice. "I had to go through hell to get it, but it should give me the power that I need to end the conflict. We just fought a stupid war. We don't need a second one."

"Damn, Cabba," Caulifla said, shaking her head.

"Sorry Caulifla," Cabba said. He grinned at her, an expression made savage by the transformation. "I knew you wanted to be the first."

"Don't apologize," Caulifla said, a dangerous glint in her eye. "Now that I've seen you do it, I know that I can too. It's only a matter of time."

"No doubt," he replied. "Kale?"

"Not surprised at all," Kale said nonchalantly. "I had a feeling you would be the first."

"Yeah, yeah," Champa said. "Congrats. Now, as Vados said, it's time to get to work. We're going straight to the local galactic region around Sadala, and none of you get to leave until this mess is sorted out."

"Don't worry," Cabba said. "I have a plan."