In. Out. In. Out, Cooler thought passively in rhythm with his breathing.
His eyes wandered before him, taking note of the decreasing digital numbers of the elevator as he rode it down. As his eyes strayed from the miscellaneous objects in the confined compartment, they finally landed on his reflection in the metallic elevator doors. He self-consciously held his breath as he watched himself, only to finally have the stare down broken when the doors pulled open.
With a sigh, Cooler exited.
In no time, the prince found his way outside and walking through the compound's open courtyard. As he walked, he made note of a group soldiers running drills, and he was positive that he'd seen invalids move with more purpose. One of the soldiers was so out of shape that he couldn't take three steps without doubling over to catch his breath. Two others had the picture of boredom scrawled across their faces as the moved about lazily. And another couldn't be bothered with getting off of the ground to join in the exercise.
Of course, all of the soldiers managed to find their motivation when one of them made note of Cooler watching them. They suddenly found the urge to move as a purposeful unit under his scrutiny, but even then they looked pathetic.
Cooler grunted irritably and turned away from the scene before walking on.
A deafening bang rung out over the wilderness before a mighty plume of dirt and smoke spewed into the air.
Two more sonic booms rung before a figure was launched out of the smoke and across the sky. Quickly, another person darted out of the smoke and gave chase. The two super-beings suddenly began a rapid cat and mouse chase over the sky, occasionally meeting with thunderous blows. Their mid-air battle was brought to an end when one tackled the other out of the air and crashed them explosively into the ground.
Looming over the crater that had been formed, Cooler stood over his opponent and looked down at the unmoving clone that he had made. Dawned with his own battle scars and a particularly ugly gash on his cheek, the prince turned his head to spit a bloody lump out to the side.
"This is pointless," he groaned and turned away as the clone vanished behind him.
Gingerly, Cooler walked over to an isolated mound of rocks. Taking a seat, he looked down the length of his body at all of the wounds he'd suffered in his bout of training, and he sneered.
"Three days of this and nothing to show for it."
It wasn't all true. His daily visits with the doctor had pointed out his better lung capacity, which meant he could handle intense strain for longer periods. As for his power level, though, that was another story.
In a fit of anger, Cooler slashed his hand through the air and ignited the forest in front him in a fiery explosion. Unfazed by the rushing winds, the prince watched passively as the fire danced in his eyes.
"I will lose. We will lose," Cooler spoke woefully. It was a hard pill to swallow, but at the current standing, this PTO invasion was doomed to fail.
Goku was easily a match for Cooler before his illness. Now, the Super Saiyan was sure to be his superior. That fact wouldn't be so bad, when considering the presence of King Cold. But now, there was another Super Saiyan, who could – at best – be a thorn in their plans, and at worst, be a rival to their father. And Vegeta and the rest of the Earthlings were for sure strong enough to defeat all of their forces.
Cooler had hope that he could muster the strength for one more fight – for one last battle against the Super Saiyan – but with each session, he had only come to learn more and more that he wasn't going to survive a third match. And that's assuming that his father doesn't learn the truth of Frieza's absence and turn on the prince.
"Things were supposed to be better," Cooler sighed before lifting into the air and flying off.
"Where is Onen?" Cooler asked, pointedly. His crimson eyes stared at the massive screen in the command center where an unsure and nervous Commander Flambé looked back at him.
With all that had transpired recently, Cooler had put all thought of his Cooler Command aside, trusting that his right-hand would keep things running smoothly. That and he'd forgotten about his instructions for Nosa to keep an eye on Frost. His bastard sister was up to something, he was sure. Upon actually attempting to reach out to Cooler Command, the prince was more than surprised to find Onen replaced with his commander that was supposed to be scouring the galaxy for new and interesting new abilities for Cooler to learn.
"He isn't here, my lord," Flambé returned, cautiously.
Cooler sighed. "I know that. Why is he not there and where has he gone?"
Flambé turned to speak in a whispered tone with a fox-looking soldier to his right. Cooler watched with growing frustration, but before he could voice his irritation, Flambé returned to him.
"Lord Cooler, nearly three months ago, Commander Onen embarked on a mission to cleanse three refugee planets in the fourth quadrant."
"And why would he do that? I had plans to handle that myself once I returned to Arcos," Cooler demanded.
Flambé shook his head. "I cannot explain why Onen felt the need to complete this mission. When he asked me to oversee the command center, I had assumed his mission had come at your request. He left HQ with a small squadron, as well as, Troops L and R."
"Fine," Cooler grouched. "Patch me through to his outpost, and I will get to the bottom of this mission of his."
Flambé shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I cannot do that, my lord. We haven't been able to connect with Onen's crew in nearly a month." The commander paused to take a look at some papers in front of him. "This absence of communication comes after a report of two vacant refugee planets. I have been somewhat concerned with their safety, but have been unsure of how to handle the situation."
Cooler took a moment to consider the information. "Send a small scouting team to their last known location and once they've landed, have them update command on regular intervals so that we can keep up with whatever is going on out there. I choose to believe they may have lost some of their equipment in the cleanse. Onen, Leek, and Riva are no weaklings."
"I'll do that at once, Lord Cooler," the commander nodded. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No, that will…actually," Cooler paused as he remembered Nosa. Last he'd seen the Yadratian, Cooler had tasked him with keeping an eye on his half-sister. It was a wonder what he may've learned. "I would like to speak to Nosa. Patch me through to the #### frequency."
"I'm afraid the Yardratian joined Onen on the cleanse as well," Flambé replied.
That surprised Cooler. "Keep me updated on what the scouts find. I want to know what the hell they're doing on this damned mission," Cooler snapped and cut the connection before Flambé could even reply.
As the screen went black, Cooler reclined in his chair and thought over the news. His lieutenants, Leek and Riva, weren't especially powerful, but they should've been able to handle most all of the threats on these refugee planets, based on the preliminary reports he'd seen previously. But surely, with Onen and even Nosa, they couldn't have dared crossed anything that could actually give them a problem.
I'm sure they're fine, he thought and stood from the chair.
"I want to be notified immediately of any updates from command. Do you understand?" Cooler said as he gave the chair back over to this command center's leader. The soldier responded as to be expected, and Cooler took his leave.
In his walk back to his room, Cooler was brought through a breezeway connecting two buildings. The surrounding windows greeted him to the cruisers hanging over the compound like an omen, even more had joined since the last he had checked. The prince wanted to be concerned with the plight of his soldiers, but he was far too consumed with his own at the moment.
We don't have much longer to wait. Releasing an audible sigh, Cooler stopped walking and drew closer to the window, resting his weight against the frame as he looked blankly out into the distance. Soon, they would be departing for Earth and judging by how his training had been going thus far, he wasn't ready for a rematch with the Super Saiyan.
He'd found himself regretting the fable several times, but he also couldn't think of a better alternative. What else was Cooler to do? He was blindsided by his father's presence and Frieza's capture was the best lie he could come up with on short notice. There was the option to tell the truth, but given Cold's response to the last time Cooler told him that Frieza was dead, the prince didn't want to chance an enraged outburst from his emotional father at the time.
You may have actually been less bothersome when you were alive, little brother.
A raucous noise pulled Cooler's eyesight down to the courtyard below, and he looked upon the soldiers. They seemed to be going over some training procedure, but Cooler could tell that they were still giving little effort. Some were joking around with dopey smiles on their faces while others were moving at such a lackadaisical pace, they might as well had been doing nothing. Their carefree spirits in the presence of Cooler's inner turmoil printed a scowl on the prince's face. They were lazy, out of shape, and completely unfit for even the simplest of missions. It was no wonder they were deposited out here, so far away from the HQ. These would be the men that would charge a planet against two Super Saiyans and they would be dispatched of with ease.
"Lord Cooler!"
The prince turned at the call of his name and made note of a short creature running down the thoroughfare towards him. By the time the soldier reached him, it was desperately out of breath, making Cooler irritably grunt. "What is it?" he demanded.
"Your father. King Cold. He has asked…For your attendance." The creature spoke between gasps for air before finally straightening up and speaking fluidly, "The king is calling a meeting with the leaders and sent me for you."
"A meeting?" Cooler pondered aloud. "Well, let us go then." The short soldier nodded in approval and turned to lead Cooler to the gathering. It only then just hit Cooler that he hadn't seen his father since they had actually landed on the planet nearly a week ago. The prince didn't have to think too hard on what this meeting would be about, and the prospect of departure bothered Cooler for more than one reason.
This invasion was going to be a disaster. Their men were useless. Cooler stood little chance against Goku. And to top it all off, their rescue mission for Frieza was a farce. Little imagination was needed to guess how King Cold might respond when that information would be uncovered.
This will be fun.
"Our troops have reported back, your grace. They have secured the soldiers for your call to arms and are currently in the midst of gathering more supplies for the war. In less than three days, they should be back and your army will be ready to move at your command."
Cooler listened to the report with meager interest. More sheep for the slaughter, he thought. Surrounding him were other high-ranking soldiers – a few commanders, several captains, and even a general. One at a time, they spoke and relayed the news of the ongoing war preparation.
While he wasn't particularly invested in information presented here, a part of Cooler couldn't repress the pride he felt in being in that room. His involvement in these kinds of talks had become scarce over the years as Frieza gained more control of the PTO until eventually his absence had become permanent. Now, for the first time in a long time, he felt the first hints of the PTO's full power at his command – not just a segregated sector, not just a few discarded soldiers that his father and brother didn't want. Finally, he had a seat at the table and that was a feeling that he didn't know he missed this much.
"By how many will these added soldiers bolster our numbers?" King Cold asked, sitting at the table's head with Cooler by his side.
The General offered a momentary smile. "My king, I think you would be pleased to know that we will have a force of 500,000 strong for this charge against the Saiyan monkeys."
Cooler knew that his father had aimed to gather a formidable force, but even that number surprised him. He cast a glance to the king, and noted the slight smirk as he took in the information. It may've been the first sign of a smile Cooler had seen on his father since the fabricated news of Frieza's capture.
"Excellent. As soon as my son has been secured, I want them to burn that swamp bucket of a planet to ash."
Maybe it was the concoction of problems swirling around in Cooler's head or the strange sense of authority he felt being there, but the prince couldn't help making an observation to the room. "1 million men mean nothing if ten enemies can cut them down in an instant. I watched this planet's soldiers train previously and I've seen children look more capable. I feel I should just assume we will get more of the same from the other planets in this quadrant."
"Our apologies, your grace, our men aren't used to such plans. We don't see much action out here so far from HQ," one of the planet's commanders said.
Cold had opened his mouth to offer a retort, but Cooler spoke before his father could. "The PTO has a strict training regimen that all outposts are expected to adhere to. You and every other ranking soldier at this base are to blame for the less than optimal quality of your men, not your lack of action."
"Yes, my lord." The commander bowed in apology.
A triumphant smile crept onto Cooler's face, but one cursory glance at the leer on his father's face promptly wiped it away.
Cold allowed an awkward silence to settle on the room before he addressed the soldiers again. "Cooler makes a good point. These Saiyans have my son. No matter the number, I do not aim to throw meat suits at my foe. I want soldiers. I want warriors. I want killers. These men will be trained for the war to come, and you all will see to it. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, King Cold!" they collectively replied and then promptly took their leave once Cold had them dismissed.
As the room emptied, Cooler moved to stand, but his father stopped him.
When the final soldier had cleared the entryway and the door shut behind him, Cold turned so that he and Cooler were eye to eye. "I understand that it has been a long time since you worked under my command, but let me be clear, Cooler. You will mind your tongue during briefings. This isn't Cooler Command. I lead. You follow."
The prince nodded. "Yes, sir," he said and then stood as Cold gave him his dismissal. Cooler reached the room's door, but paused before turning back to his father. "Is there a certain group of soldiers that you would like me to work with?"
Cold offered Cooler a bewildered glance before snorting humorously. "You will join me in this charge to save your brother because I consider this whole mess your fault to begin with. That is why you even have a place in these briefings. But no, you will not have a hand anywhere else in these plans. That way I can be sure that your incompetence won't find some way to ruin everything. Now, for the last time, you are dismissed."
Cooler walked out of the room, trying his best to fight the small feeling lording over him. He wanted to be surprised by his father's words. But, truly, he couldn't. Even without Frieza there to stand in the spotlight, King Cold still found a way to shove Cooler aside.
He released an audible sigh once he'd stepped out of the building and into the open courtyard. As he stood there, a group of soldiers jogged by with one of the captains leading them elsewhere. He watched them passively, making note of a gathering of the men further out across the compound. They were already putting King Cold's demands to work.
"Sheep for the slaughter," he said to himself, knowing full well that no amount of training these men could do would put them anywhere near a threat level for Goku or his friends. At least they could make for a distraction.
As it seemed, war was inevitable. In three days, Cold would have his army and after maybe an extra day of loading supplies and last minute preparations, they would be en route for Earth, a journey of two weeks. As tumultuous as his life felt right then, Cooler couldn't avoid the fact that very soon, he and Goku would be meeting on the battlefield again. Was he ready? No. Could he win? Most likely, no and now that he was dealing with this illness, he didn't even have the option of blowing up the planet and fleeing into space again. Was there any scenario in which Cooler could come out of this situation with some kind of victory?
Cooler watched the soldiers beginning to run drills and a smile crawled onto his face. "…maybe," he said before turning and walking away.
"Is that all that you've secured? That's a fraction of what I projected!"
"If not for Hatchiyack, I wouldn't even have that many for you. Be grateful."
"Who do you think you're talking to?" A fierce slam accompanied the tense words.
And while the voices in the background continued their angry banter, their voices had been enough to rouse Frost out of unconsciousness. It was that sharp slam that made her amber eyes jolt open. With a start, the princess whipped her eyes around, taking in the dark and gloomy surroundings of a laboratory.
She made a move to lift her head from the table that she lied on, but was shocked to find herself unable to move. A flash of panic overcame her, but she tried to push the worries aside as she summoned her energy. But, it was to no avail.
"Let's put your bloated ego aside for a moment, Dr. Muu, because I actually do have other information to convey. One of those PTO dogs managed to escape my grasp. I believe he found a way off planet, and by now has likely returned to their HQ. We could very well have the entirety of that damnable organization on the hunt for us soon."
The figure scoffed. "Let them come. Send their best and we will welcome them home like all the others. Oh look. She's awake."
As Frost panicked on her table, she listened to the soft thump of footsteps coming her way until finally a figure loomed right over her. The light beaming right behind the man skewed his features ever so slightly, but she could make out his blue-tinted skin, his fiery-orange hair, and the dark shades covering his eyes.
The two of them locked eyes for a moment before he flashed a sinister smile. "Welcome home, Frost."
Offense was written all over the princess's face, but before she could form a retort, the table beneath her started shifting upward. In a smooth motion, the table contorted and moved around until Frost was seated upright and facing the man who dared to greet her.
With a better view, Frost could see just how massive the laboratory was. In the distance, she could see little, robotic creatures mulling about from station to station with an array of gadgets spread across the benches. She could also see the orator for the other voice that had helped to wake her via the massive screen mounted against a far way. The man was grotesque and Frost partly wished that she had been spared the sight of him. But finally, and most importantly, her new view offered her a very terrifying view of the Crusher Corps, each of which was spread out around the lab on their own tables and clearly unaware of the creatures that were busy experiment on them.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions," the man before her went on to say before stepping over to pull a chair closer. "And I would love nothing more than to tell you about the new life that you have ahead of you."
"Where am I?" Frost finally asked.
"Home, my dear," the man said pointedly. "My name is Dr. Myuu, and this dear fellow on the screen there is Dr. Raichi. Together, we are the architects of your new life."
"What are you talking about? This is not my home. And I have no new life. My life and my home is on Arcos, with my people."
"You've taken an Arcosian! Are you a fool? Their biology is far too complex to support Baby," Dr. Raichi spouted.
Myuu offered a confident smirk. "This new Baby strain has been updated and thus far, he has taken perfectly."
"What…baby?" Frost said with a hint of disgust.
"Your Baby, Frost. My Baby. Our Baby!" Myuu replied, spreading his wide in a grand show.
Frost was feeling sick. "You're a freak! Screw you and your damned –"
All of sudden, Frost's mouth snapped shut and her words died in her throat while Myuu watched her dutifully. Offering the slightest incline of his head, Myuu asked a question. "Tell me, Frost. What do you think of Baby?"
"He is the greatest gift," she spoke instantly, to her own shock and horror.
Back at the screen, Raichi offered a deep chuckle. "Impressive."
"Of course. In fact, I believe it may be time to stop our hiding." Gingerly, Myuu reached out a hand to stroke Frost's jaw. And while the princess's eyes looked beyond panicked, she could do nothing to pull away from his touch. "It's time the whole universe learns of the greatness of my Baby."
The soldiers followed through their rounds of training out in the fields of the planet. They were busy in a bout of sparring at the moment, grouped into pairs as they fought. And while some took their training seriously enough, many more threw punches and kicks with an air of nonchalance. Looks of bored were in plenty, and even the commanding soldier walked around the lot, and seemed too bothered with properly whipping them into shape.
However, all of this changed the second that Cooler materialized right next to the commander.
Jumping back in shock, the terrified soldier had a moment of panic before he blew at the whistle hanging from his neck. He made an attempt to offer some half-attempt at coaching the soldiers, but Cooler had seen enough.
The prince took a few steps forward, allowing the commanders words to die out as they all watched him steadily. Cooler walked into the group of soldiers, absently looking back and forth amongst them. His eyes darted from face to face as he observed them until he finally reached the center of the group.
"You don't care," he announced. "You don't care about me. You don't care about my family. And you don't care about the PTO." He turned as he spoke, casually looking over his audience. He half-expected someone to offer a rebuttal, to actually tell him that he was wrong. That was what usually happened when he gave this speech.
He continued. "And that is fine with me. You don't have to care about us. What you do have to care about is yourself. You see, gentleman, in a few days we will depart this planet and we will march on our enemies. They won't care about you or your feelings. What they will care about is punishing those that dared to invade their home. They will fight you. They will kill you. And they won't think twice about it. You have to ask yourself: do you care enough to fight for your survival?"
Cooler eyeballed one soldier, a creature with the features of a snake, and walked closer to him. The soldier audibly gulped as the prince appeared before him, casting his eyes away in Cooler's presence. But when the Frost Demon placed a hand on the man's shoulder, it finally looked to him and they locked eyes. "You are here because you were meant to survive."
While the soldier gulped again, Cooler turned back to the enraptured audience. "You are all survivors! You've withstood agonizing battles, horrible conditions, and for many, utter genocide. And yet, you remain. Are you really willing to let some sniveling monkeys and pathetic Earthlings take away your survival?
"Whatever you think of me, my family, or the PTO know that we only demand you fight for us. You get to choose whether you die. And I ask you on this day, that you choose no."
As Cooler continued to stand amongst the soldiers he could see the look of determination washing over them all. Slowly, he watched each of their faces set with that hardened look he'd come to know all too well over the years. There were many differences between Cooler Command and the rest of the PTO, but none more apparent than the motivations of the soldiers. Frieza and King Cold allowed their men to live, but Cooler's men allowed themselves to live with Cooler's blessing.
The illusion of choice is better than no choice at all, Cooler thought with a confident smile.
"Now then, I have a drill for the lot of you. Make me bleed and you'll have first-class accommodations in the Great Tower tonight."
Cooler had a fraction of a second of peace before the stomp of boots filled the air and they swarmed. He offered a cheeky smirk before disappearing just as they washed over him.
Cold sipped casually from his goblet as he looked out over the distance, his crimson eyes pointed to the horizon as his mind wandered. He thought of Frieza and feared what horror he may be enduring on Earth. He thought of that damned monkey, Vegeta, and of how many times he'd suggested Frieza kill him like the rest of those Saiyans. And finally, he thought of Cooler, who he'd gone without seeing since the meeting a few days ago.
A small part of him wanted to feel bad for how he spoke down on his son. Making Cooler feel bad wasn't a point of pride for the king, but the boy had to learn his place. After all, no matter what he does or says, it is Cooler's fault they are in this situation. If he'd done what he was supposed to do, Frieza would be safe and that damned planet would be exterminated.
"Your grace," a meek voice called.
Cold cut his eyes to the left, making note of the little solider out of his peripheral, who was timidly standing in the doorway to the balcony. "What is it?" the king replied and returned his vision to the horizon.
The soft tread of the soldier's footsteps announced its movement to Cold' side, and there he stood to offer a stack of paperwork to the king. "I have the final reports for the preparations." While Cold took the stack and casually flipped through it, the soldier continued. "All recruiting ships have returned, fully stocked and equipped for invasion. All commanding soldiers have been debriefed on the mission specifications. And all other soldiers have had their equipment fully calibrated for battle. Sir, I do believe that your army is finally ready."
That brought a smile to the king's face. "Marvelous," he said before taking another sip from his wine.
The soldier opened its mouth to speak once again, but their attentions' were drawn upward as a group of soldiers suddenly flew into the sky. They were a chaotic frenzy of beams and mini-brawls before darting out into the distance to carry on their sparring.
"They're lively today," Cold grouched.
But the king's annoyance went over the soldier's head as he was drawn to the balcony's railing. It looked out into the horizon for a moment before casting his glance down into a courtyard where even more warriors battled. "I haven't seen our men this energetic in years. It makes me miss my younger days," it marveled.
"It was a good thing I had the commanders begin a rigorous training regimen, then. The gods know these soldiers could've used it," Cold said as he stood and held out the papers for the soldier. "Here. Inform the leaders that I will hold one more briefing this evening to go over final departing plans. No need to invite my son to this meeting. He will not be needed."
The soldier nodded in confirmation to the command. "Very good, your grace. I think it's a good thing that Lord Cooler won't be needed. The men have been really enjoying his evening bouts against them. I don't know if it's the prize he offers or the thrill of sparring with the prince, but the soldiers eagerly rush out into the fields to contend with him every night."
Cold had been partly ignoring the soldier as he walked back into his room, but just enough of the words managed to catch his attention. Turning back around, the king said, "My son does what?"
Cooler flew through the night's sky at a lackadaisical pace. He enjoyed the slight throbbing of his muscles from that evening's spar. Seven soldiers that night had actually managed to draw blood from him – a far cry from the one or two from the previous nights. Maybe he was being generous with them, or maybe they had managed to improve with only a few days of intense training.
Sure, he had to basically use none of his power to make it even remotely challenging, but that was just as good for them as it was for him. Cooler had to rely almost entirely on his own martial arts skills, and that proved to be the most intense workout he'd had since arriving on the planet. And for the first time since Cold made plans to invade Earth, Cooler was feeling a sense of excitement. A plan was forming, one where everyone got what they wanted. He just had to sow a few more seeds to get things in place, and that brought a joyful smile to his face.
As he descended on the balcony of his room, he toyed with the thought of bringing some of the soldiers back with him to Cooler Command when all this was finally over. He would really have a lot of work in store for him to get that back up in proper running order thanks to Onen's little departure.
"Those idiots had better contact me soon," Cooler hissed in annoyance as he stepped into his room, only to stop dead in his tracks at the figure casually lying across his bed. "What are you-,"
"We have a lot to talk about," Nosa replied.