X Chapter 11 X

Warning: Language, Sexual Content (Light), Graphic Violence

Pinach stood at the edge of the massive crater at the river, studying his reflection in the ice that filled it. He'd changed a lot with time and it was almost unreal for him. The giant saiyan stepped onto the ice and walked to the center of the crater, where he sat. It was time to practice ki control. His body levitated upwards until it hovered only a few inches off the ice. He cringed when the ice cracked. Easy... Easy...

Gradually, his energy reached a state of equilibrium. No power leaked out of his body except what was required to levitate. Perfect. Now I just need to hold it for... let's say three hours. The sun peaked its crown over the horizon, drenching the land with golden light. Pinach could feel its warmth on his pale skin. He honed his breath and focus as the morning mist dissipated.

In space, an attack pod was making its final approach towards the planet...

Komatsuna rested with her arms crossed and her head hung. Her breathing was rhythmic and curt. A robotic female voice emanated from a speaker in the pod. "Awaken, Komatsuna. Arrival to unknown planet #5693-09 imminent. Initiating atmospheric entry preparation." The saiyan raised her head as the pod entered the atmosphere. "Computer, adjust course to that patch of grassland. I don't like the look of those woods." A flap protruded from the pod like an airbrake and shifted its trajectory. "Understood, Komatsuna."

The pod punched through the clouds as a great ball of fire. It crashed into the ground with a big plume of dust. As the dust settled, the pod door unpressurized and opened. Komatsuna dismounted and stretched out the post-landing cricks. She then rose from the crater. "What a miserable landscape. It's nothing but snow, not a single distinguishing feature in sight." Her hand went to her scouter, pressing a button. The scouter beeped rapidly as it scanned for power signals.

After a few moments of this, it beeped loudly several times. "There are a lot of fairly high power levels on this planet. Hmm... Most of them are concentrated in one spot. The highest among those is... 8,300?! That's almost double mine!" Despite the frigid weather, sweat formed on her forehead. "And the second highest among them is no joke either; 7,125!" The saiyan turned her head. "Eh? What's this? A battle power of only 70? How pathetic." She paused in thought.

"It's out all on its own, far away from the others... I wouldn't stand a chance if those two larger powers teamed up on me, not to mention the dozens of smaller powers." She paused once more. "Tch. I hate this sneaking bullshit, but what other option do I have?" Her long bushy hair flapped wildly as she took off into the sky.

Flashing through the air for little more than five seconds, she reached a river. Her scouter warned her that the power reading was close, so she ducked down into the frozen reeds. She would normally confront head on such a weak power, but orders were orders. On foot, she made her way up the river bank, surveying for lifeforms. It was deathly quiet except for the cold wind. After several minutes of hiking, Komatsuna spotted something through the reeds. Above the very middle of a giant crater filled with ice, floated a brawny man.

She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. He has a tail! The bushy thing was floating gently, sticking out from his back. A saiyan?! What's he doing on this backwater planet? She looked him up and down. He was an absolute giant of a saiyan, and much taller than her partner, Tarro. What a hunk... too bad he's got the power level of a newborn. She 'daydreamed' a little longer before her mind snapped back to the business at hand.

Komatsuna stepped out from the reeds and began approaching the unknown saiyan. To her confusion, he made no acknowledgement of her presence. Surely he heard her exit the reeds and walk towards him? Yet even as she stood right in front of him, there was still no reaction from him. What the fuck is he doing? She waved her hand in front of his face. "Hey! Are you alive in there?!" No response.

Her eye twitched. "Are you ignoring me?!" Silence. Her face became beet red. How dare he?! She dashed backwards and took a stance. Cocking her open hand back, she gathered blue ki in it. "Last chance, shithead! I'd hate to have to waste such a fine piece of ass!" The massive saiyan was like a statue, unmoving. "So be it. SKULL JOY!" Her hand thrusted forward and unleashed a bright blue wave of energy. It slammed into the saiyan and annihilated everything in its path for countless yards.

Komatsuna stood up straight and cracked her knuckles. "Well, I warned ya. Tsk tsk tsk." The dust began to settle. She caught a glimpse of something in the smoke, a shadow. Her eyes squinted. "I-I-Impossible…" The dust wafted away to reveal the saiyan male in the same position, as if nothing ever happened. His black jumpsuit wasn't even the slightest bit ripped or battered. Shakily, her hand pressed a button on her scouter. But his battle power is only 70? No! 30,000! Now 150?! 2,000?! The scouter's reading bounced up and down.

Pinach took a heavy intake of air before opening his eyes. He saw a mysterious saiyan woman standing in front of him, looking positively horrified. The woman stepped back as he came closer, touching down at the origin of her attack. She stammered. "W-who are you? What are you?" He stared blankly at her. "My name is Pinach. And it should be obvious what I am, since you're just like me." She just blinked, completely unable to process what was happening. Finally, she shook her head and took a battle stance. "It doesn't matter. I have a mission to complete. And your death is now part of it!"

Pinach chuckled at this. "My death, huh? Just who ordered you to come here? Clearly, they've sent you on a suicide mission." The woman huffed. "For your information, Lord Cooler ordered me to. And he would never send me on a fool's errand!" Komatsuna's mind went back to her conversation with Salza. That motherfucker! Pinach kept laughing. "Well he clearly has this time. Your battle power is pitiful. I think most of the younglings would have a shot at beating you!"

The sweat was pouring down her face. That pompous fuck!... And younglings? What the hell is he on about?! She growled. "I've had enough of this! You just got lucky surviving my attack, that's all! Take your battle power of 70 and stick it up your ass!" Pinach stood deathly still, even as she charged forward. She threw a haymaker at his face. Just when it seemed like it was going to connect, her fist came to a complete stop. Komatsuna was then repelled backwards by an unseen force, sent tumbling and rolling along the ground.

She propped herself up and glared at Pinach, bewildered. He started walking towards her. The woman scrambled to her feet. "Stay away from me, you freak!" He stopped in his tracks, smirking. "If you think I'm a freak now, how about you scan me with that scouter?" Swiftly, she pushed the button. Her eyes widened as she saw the data appear on the display. 30,000... 50,000... 80,000... 190,000... The scouter flashed to 260,000 just before exploding. Komatsuna shook in place, trying to make words but could only murmur.

For a few moments he stared down at her. It seemed like an eternity for her. Why isn't he attacking? Pinach wore a cheeky grin on his face. The seconds dragged on and on. He could finish me right now, so why isn't he?! Gradually, her shaking stopped. She became frustrated. "What's your deal? Didn't I say I was trying to kill you? So why aren't you returning the favor?!" He shook his head and smirked. "I don't fight in anger or revenge. Not anymore. You're harmless to me, not even close to a challenge, so I see no reason to fight you."

This answer blew her mind. "Ok, clearly I was wrong. You're not a saiyan. What saiyan doesn't fight in anger?!" He was quick to reply. "This saiyan. I gave that life up." Everything that came out of his mouth made her violently angry. "No! You're a disgrace of a saiyan! You're a coward!" Pinach shrugged his shoulders and began walking away. "A disgrace? Perhaps. But I'm vastly more powerful than King Vegeta or his elite ever were... And only a coward would finish off an opponent that can't even defend herself." That bit about Vegeta and his elite echoed in her mind again and again. Was he the anomalous power signal?!

He poised himself to fly off before hearing her call after him. "Wait! Where are you going?!" The saiyan turned his head to her. "Back home with the others. You can come along if you want, but keep your hands to yourself or we'll have issues." Then he took off. Komatsuna stood there, dumbfounded. She couldn't believe the stuff she heard from his mouth. A saiyan that cared deeply about others and didn't fight in anger? It was practically unheard of for a saiyan in public to speak of such things; such sentiments were only spoken and expressed behind closed doors.

It made her mad to think of someone so strong being that soft. Yet, there was something inside her that strangely resonated with his words, and that too was driving her crazy. Maybe it was the way he said them. His voice and mannerisms were entirely genuine throughout that entire exchange. He had truly meant it. This both bothered and intrigued her. Just before he disappeared over the horizon, she flew off after him.

The sun was well on its way to its apex in the sky... the camp was alive with younglings playing and older children doing chores...

Iseber was dragging a large elk carcass across camp to be gutted when he spotted Pinach return. He dropped the carcass and ran over to him as he landed. "Where the hell have you been?" Pinach smiled. "Oh, I was at a favorite training spot of mine. And I found something... unexpected while I was there." Iseber looked around him and in his hands. "Found what?" His question was answered when Komatsuna landed right next to them.

He ogled her up and down. Her long hair flapped in the wind. The odd battle suit she wore contrasted with her lightly tanned skin. Her body was thick and toned. Through Iseber's eyes, she seemed to sparkle. He stared down at her for longer than was comfortable. "Iseber, buddy. You ok?" Iseber shook his head and blinked. "Yeah... So who is this?" The woman's face turned red. "I'm right here, asshole. My name is Komatsuna."

He winced. "That's a pretty name." She rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, then cast a sideways glance at Pinach. "Did you bring me here just to hook me up with your friend?" His normally pale face turned a brilliant crimson. "No! I-I just wanted to show you around!" She looked back at Iseber, who was still staring. Fuck's sake. He's just another Been... yet significantly better looking... But that's still a no. "Yeah. Sure."

Pinach eyed the two of them. Maybe killing her would have been a kindness. This is too damn awkward... It's not too late... Several others had begun to crowd around the newcomer. Komatsuna looked around at all the saiyan children. There's this many survivors?! They could have started a whole new Planet Vegeta here and no one would have known! A smaller boy, about the age of five, started messing with her armor skirt; he had never seen armor like it. She grabbed his hair and tossed him away. He landed in the snow and started crying.

Pinach scolded her. "Why did you do that? He was only curious!" Komatsuna pointed her finger at him. "You're raising these fledgelings to be soft! They need a real saiyan education!" Everyone went deathly silent. Her eyebrow raised as she noticed their heads turning in the same direction. She didn't even see what hit her.

Before Komatsuna knew it, she was being pinned down by a saiyan girl half her size. Ginge grabbed at her throat with the intent to rip it out with her sharp nails. Komatsuna was barely able to defend her neck. Ginge fought like a wild animal, going for the kill. She sank her fangs into Komatsuna's wrist and ripped a bloody chunk out, who screamed in pain. Ginge went for the throat again, but was pulled off by Pinach. She screamed and struggled as if rabid, trying desperately to get back over to Komatsuna. Pinach put his arm up under her chin and put her in a sleeper hold. After a few seconds, she fell limp.

Blood was spraying from Komatsuna's wrist. She took one of her arm cloths and created a makeshift tourniquet. When it was applied, she stood up and sneered at the unconscious Ginge. "At least someone here has a saiyan's instinct for bloodshed!" She prepared with her good hand to attack Ginge, but was knocked unconscious by a chop to the back of the head delivered by Iseber. "Both of you need to sleep for a while."

On Cooler's ship, in the hangar, stood Cooler, Salza, Been, Tarro, and random technicians...

Salza was being choke slammed into the floor of the ship by Cooler's tail. "Now remind me again, Salza. What were my orders to you?" Salza coughed up blood. "To assemble a scouting party and-" Cooler cut him off. "A scouting party. Not a single scout, but a scouting party. And what did you do?" Salza hesitated, but responded nonetheless. "I sent ze saiyan by herself." Cooler slammed him on the floor once more. "And what happened as a result of your disobedience?"

Salza cried out in pain but didn't answer. Cooler began slamming him repeatedly on the floor until Salza was unconscious. He left Salza laying face down in a pool of his own blood. The frost demon barked orders at one of the attendants in the hangar. "Take this pathetic fool to the rejuvenation tanks, then throw him in the brig!" His laser focused eyes traversed to the two saiyan males standing at attention. "I don't share my brother's blind hatred for the saiyans. Your people may be barbaric savages, inferior to me, but that has not stopped you from being useful. I won't tolerate anyone who squanders my assets, no matter their rank or race."

Tarro looked ahead, ice cold, while Been subtly trembled with fear. Cooler continued. "Your comrade is most likely dead. Her scouter read a power level of 260,000 before it ceased transmitting." Tarro, with a dutiful voice, inquired. "Sir, what does this have to do with us? If she can't fight, she's dead weight to us now." Cooler smirked. "I couldn't agree more. No, I didn't call you in here just to give you that news. I have a task for you both. It's the same task as your old comrade's." Tarro clacked his heels. "As you command, my lord."

Cooler left the hangar and the attendants got to work preparing two attack pods for launch. Tarro sat down on a toolbox while Been paced around. "What's up, Been?" Been snapped at him. "We lost Komatsuna! Doesn't that bother you?!" Tarro put his chin on his hand. "Pfft, no. Why should it?" Been threw his hands up. "Hello? She was our teammate!" Tarro shrugged. "We've lost teammates before, Been. You didn't act like such a softy back then." Been froze.

"Is it because you wanted to breed her? That's pathetic. You're a saiyan, act like it." Been had no counter to this. An attendant called for the two of them; their craft were ready. Tarro put his hand on Been's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go do this job and get paid. Then you can blow it on something stupid like you usually do." Been sighed and walked with Tarro over to the pods. Something stupid, huh? The tramps that prowled the dining hall were sounding like a better idea by the minute.

The sun was setting over the camp... Most of the children were outside eating and sitting around an obscenely large bonfire that no human mother would allow their child to be around…

Ginge awoke in her bed to the smell of cooked venison. She sat up abruptly and found Pinach sitting on the bed next to hers, eating out of a bowl and facing her. "You sleep well?" The saiyan teen rubbed her face. "What time is it? Why was I in bed?" It then dawned on her. "Where is that bitch?! What happened to her?!"

Pinach set his bowl aside and put his big hand on her shoulder. "It's fine now. Don't freak out, but she's resting in another house with Iseber." Ginge's hair stood on end and she bared her fangs. "Which one?! I'm gonna tear her fucking throat out!" Pinach had to restrain her to keep her from leaving. "Ginge! Stop! It's alright!" Ginge kept trying to squirm out of his arms. "No it's not Pinach! I'm gonna teach that bitch a lesson!" He almost lost control of her, so he slammed her on the bed and pinned her down. "Listen to me! She's not gonna hurt anyone!"

Ginge snarled at him with her face pressed into the mattress. "So we're just going to pretend she didn't throw Arlic?" Pinach sighed. "No. But he wasn't hurt, he was startled. She barely put any force into that toss." She paused for a moment. "Get off me." He raised his eyebrow. "Are you going to cause trouble if I do?"

"Don't treat me like a child!" Her tail slammed hard into his crotch. Pinach rolled off the bed, holding his groin. It didn't matter how powerful he was, that was his kryptonite. She pranced over to the door and looked back coyly at him. He stared daggers at her while writhing in pain. "To answer your question: No, I'm not gonna cause trouble."

Pinach wheezed at her. "You're full of shit!" She put her finger on her chin and grinned maliciously. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Pinach propped himself up on the bed. "I can tell by that shit-eating grin that you're full of it. Don't go starting shit with her." Ginge's demeanor switched from playful to furious again. "Why are you so desperate to defend her?! Who the hell is she? What happened between you two?"

He could see where this was going. "You can't be serious…" She turned her nose up. "I am. Some woman shows up here alone with you, puts her bitchy hands on one of our youngest, and now you're zealously defending her. I want to know what happened between you two." Pinach pinched the bridge of his nose. She can't be serious. He inhaled deeply. "Nothing happened. Nothing like that." Ginge scoffed at him. "Yeah, right. She's the full package. Taller than me, broader frame than me, good hair... A nice pair of-"

Pinach shouted at her, interrupting her and shaking the whole house. "That's enough!... Stop it." She started crying into her hands. He placed his hand on his forehead and rubbed. A long and awkward moment followed. Then, he spoke. "It wasn't all about the kid, was it?" She kept crying. Pinach sighed. "Ginge, I would never do that to you." The waterworks stopped briefly. She looked at him through teary eyes, studying his face. "I know…" Ginge turned and ran out of the house, leaving Pinach standing alone in the bedroom. Then why?

Komatsuna awoke in a dimly lit room. A furnace in the corner flickered. Sitting up, she heard snoring next to her. She turned her head. Iseber was in the bed next to hers sleeping. The woman's face scrunched up in disgust. What the fuck? Where am I and why is this creep sleeping next to me? Her boots touched the floor. Iseber spoke with his back turned to her. "I wouldn't advise going out there unless you want Ginge to rip your face off."

She was completely mortified by his voice. How the hell... Her mind went to Ginge's name, then piecing it together. "Oh, that little hussy from yesterday? I'm not afraid of that whore." Iseber rolled over and gave her a stern look. "First, I'd say your wrist begs to differ. And second, don't use that word around here again. It upsets the big man." Komatsuna looked down at her wrist, which was covered in blood stained gauze. "I don't give a shit about that. She blindsided me anyway. And fuck the big guy, he's a giant pussy."

The male saiyan hopped up and got in her face. "Listen. You don't know how much of a loose cannon she can be when she gets mad. The only reason you weren't vaporized along with hundreds of miles of turf was because we were standing next to you. So I'd watch yourself if I were you." She kneed him in the groin. Iseber collapsed to the floor like he was made of paper.

"I'd watch yourself if I were you. Leaving your guard down: not a very smart move." He coughed on her boot. A smirk spread across her face as she placed it on his head, smashing his face into the floor. Her eyes widened as her foot was forced up. Iseber bucked her foot off and leapt to his feet. She tried to go for the crotch again, but was thwarted. He grabbed her arms and slammed her onto her bed, breaking the frame.

Komatsuna struggled in vain; she was pinned. Iseber sneered down at her. "That was a dirty trick for such a pretty face. You're actually quite weak when push comes to shove." The woman snarled. "Fuck you!" He laughed as she struggled to get free. Eventually, she quit struggling and began staring at him. Iseber became uncomfortable with the look she was giving him. He felt his grip getting weak.

Her hand now freed, reached up to his head and pulled it in. Their lips met and before he knew it, they were making out with her on top. She 'teased' him with her hand, running it along the crotch of his jumpsuit. When she felt him get fully aroused, Komatsuna leaned into his ear and whispered. "Third time's the charm."

Her fist smashed hard into his covered genitals, producing a squeak from Iseber. Komatsuna started to run out, but hesitated for a moment. She glanced back to see Iseber rolled over on his side, folding from the pain. Sorry, kid. Cooler's saiyaness slipped out into the night.