"How are you holding up, Tien?"
Tien Shenhan looked towards Gohan before getting up from his meditation. When he had heard about this tournament, a part of him had wanted to turn it down (especially considering he hadn't even been Beerus' first pick which annoyed the Crane martial artist deeply on a personal level) but Goku had begged him to join and when Chotazu had joined in (the begging, not the tournament), well, here he was on a Nameless World between universes.
As a pawn in a game between gods alongside Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo.
It was times like this that he missed the days of the World Tournament. Things had been much simpler back then.
A part of Tien's mind felt he should have been flattered, in a way, considering the company he kept. In truth, Tien would have felt better with Chiaotzu by his side or even Yamcha. He knew where they stood. With Piccolo and Vegeta, though, well, old memories died hard as the saying went.
"I'm fine, considering our situation." Tien arched a thick black brow up. "How about you?"
"I'm... Good."
Tien's eyebrow remained arched.
"Alright," Gohan sighed. "I'm nervous, I'll admit. I still remember being turned into Swiss cheese by Freiza and the feeling of powerlessness until Dad showed up-"
"Welcome to my world." Tien frowned. That had come out harsher than he had wanted. "That… didn't come out right."
Gohan smiled weakly before adjusting his thick yellow framed glasses, a habit he had gotten into since he had become a glasses wearer after marrying Videl. Apparently all those long nights his mother had forced him to cram more studying in had come back to indirectly haunt him. But glasses were in the grand scheme of things, minor compared to the world ending threats Gohan had dealt with throughout his life.
"It's nothing. I know what you meant."
The young scholar put a hand on the Crane master's shoulder. "I know we've never been close, before, but for what it's worth, I do respect you as a fighter. Power levels and Super Sayians be damned."
A small smile graced the stoic three eyed man's face. "Thank you, Gohan. How has your training with Piccolo gone as of late?"
Though he mostly kept to himself, even Tien was aware that since Freiza had been brought back to life and Gohan had slacked off to the point where he could barely maintain the basic super Saiyan form that the scholar had returned to training with the Namkian warrior. Tien just hoped whatever training Gohan had been doing until now would be enough to carry them through the tournament.
"For causal getting back in the swing of things? Not bad. For a tournament with another universe, though..." Gohan frowned. "I'd be lying if that part didn't have me worried. Still beats having to do that presentation for work."
"How did you get out of that, anyways?" Tien asked him. "You seemed pretty swamped when your father originally asked you before you changed your mind and replaced Buu at the last minute."
Gohan chuckled. "I'm an adult and I work in an office, Tien. I delegated the presentation after Videl pointed out that the fate of the Earth remaining in its home universe was, honestly, way more important than some silly presentation."
Tien nodded noncommittally. "Fair enough. Still, though," His face returned to its stony stoic stare. "We know nothing of these other warriors. We could be fighting other versions of ourselves, for all we know."
"True." Gohan nodded, glancing over to his father and Vegeta. All of their families and friends had been brought along to watch the fight as well as the Supreme Kais of the Seventh and Sixth Universes.
"But at least the Earth won't get destroyed if we do lose, this time. Just relocated. According to Whis, technically speaking life wouldn't be any different day to day in terms of the sun or the Earth's place in the solar system on a cosmic level. The only big change would be the constellations in the sky."
"Still, I'd rather not lose." Tien replied. "I've lost too many times in my life as it is. Even if the stakes aren't as high as they've been in the past, it's the principle of the thing, the honor of it, that we don't lose this tournament."
Elsewhere, the Dimensional Cube that Vados had summoned finally arrived with the five chosen fighters of the Sixth Universe to the Nameless Planet.
Lord Frost pursed his lips together as he finished the dossier for the third time and frowned. The fact that this... Son Goku had bested his more... tyrannical self on multiple occasions unsettled the ruler of the Frost Force. The rest were a mystery, but that was what his own Saiyans were for. Unknowing pawns while Frost observed their strength in comparison to his own.
"Captain?"
Frost said as they exited the Cube.
Caulifla's back and shoulders stiffened and attention. "Yes, Lord Frost?"
Frost chuckled in good humor. "Please. Just Frost will do. Caulifla, then if you don't mind?"
Caulifla nodded.
"Caulifla, what do you make of these Sayians of the 7th Universe?"
"They appear very powerful, L- Frost." Caulifla said. "But nothing I am sure my subordinates and I, your own greatest, and... whatever it is Sir Hit can do, cannot handle."
"I see. Thank you for your vote of confidence, Captain."
Frost was not above cheating and manipulating his way towards the top, it was of course how he had gotten where he was in life even with his incredible power. Still, it would be best if he fought second to last, followed by Hit as the three pawns did the fighting at first so he could judge where these other Saiyans, this Goku and Vegeta in particular, lay in relation to his own greatness.
"And afterwards, when we win, we will get a reward, correct?" Hit glanced evenly, stone faced, toward Vados.
"Whatever is within the Super Dragon's reach. Which is everything. So yes." The Angel replied.
"I see."
"Tell me, ladies," Frost said, "What would you wish for?"
Caulifla and Kale shared a look.
"I... can't really think of anything." Caulifla said, embarrassed as a faint blush crept up on her cheeks. "I am happy being a captain like my brother, Reso, was before me. He dared me long ago that I would never be able to hold his title, so I proved the jerk wrong. The paperwork's a pain in the ass but there's no greater joy I've found than in leading my subordinates to victory across the universe. Honestly, I'm pretty content with my life. What about you, Kale?"
"Me?" Kale blinked. "I can't really think of anything myself, either. I guess I could wish to become Captain, myself but I could always earn that through my own efforts plus..." Her bronze face flooded with red warmth. "I don't mind keeping the Captain here in check."
"Very funny, Kale." Caulifla muttered, smiling as she said this.
"What would you wish for, Lord Frost?"
"This cube would make a good reward, I dare say. Not as fancy as my ship but traveling in it would allow me to traverse the universe and help trillions more all the easier." Frost lied, telling the do-gooders precisely what they wanted to hear.
"And what about you, Sir Hit?"
Hit glared at Cabba. "My motives and reasons are my own. I'll fight alongside you for today and you have my word it will be to the best of my ability."
"Fair enough," Frost amended. He thought back to his counterpart from the Seventh Universe and what a fool he had been to wipe out perfectly good help in the name of baseless paranoia.
True, the Sayians were a mighty force between their ability to grow stronger from near death, the planet of ten times gravity, and their... transformations. But it was those very same factors that had convinced Frost long ago to train past his own natural power to the point he was the self titled 'Emperor of the Universe'. And even if he didn't have his transformations (his weakest form was a B minus rank whereas most of the universe was around the D grades) that was what his poison was for.
And then there were his Sayians. Loyal lapdogs each around a solid C + if he had to guess judging by their energies. Not including those strange transformations where their hair changed colors, then they were easily B class and higher. They would prove useful pawns, to be sure. The main wild card was the assassin Hit. Where he fit in the broad Power Ranking system Frost's scientists could never figure out. Best case he was A-.
Worse case? They were S Class level, a class that didn't (strictly speaking) even exist.
Until Vados had recruited him earlier that day, talk of the S Class had been pure theory but after seeing that the gods and angels themselves were real, said theory had now become reality. A reality that unnerved Frost greatly, coward as he was at heart.
By the time they arrived at the Nameless Planet, the Sixth Universe fighters had decided the following order: Cabba would fight, then Caulifla, and Kale, Frost, and then Hit.
"Hey there, I'm-"
"Son Goku." Caulifla said, glancing up at the spiky haired martial artist with a bemused glance. "Winner of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, defeater of the head honcho of the Freiza Force. The destroyer of the being known as Majin Buu. And farmer of radishes, whatever those are."
"Huh." Goku blinked, blankly. "You know who I am? But we've never met before, have we?"
Goku considered himself many things but he hoped he hadn't somehow pulled another 'Chi-Chi' as Yamcha had once put it and forgot meeting this strange girl in Frieza Force-like armor.
"Don't be absurd, Kakatrot." Vegeta barked with his usual gruffness. "Clearly this woman has done her research on who all of us are."
"I probably don't need to introduce myself," Gohan said as he stepped forward between the strange woman and his father. "But I'll be polite and do so anyway."
In the crowd of Universe 7 civilians, Chi-Chi beamed with pride.
"I'm Gohan. Goku's son."
"Theoretical physicist, with a dabbling in P.H.D. level mathematics, chemistry and a whole bunch of other sciences, unless I've missed my mark?" Caulifla finished.
Gohan chuckled. "Something like that. I mostly just say I'm a scholar because it's easier for people to get their heads around and it's just easier to say."
"Huh." Goku blinked. "Always wondered what sorta scholar you were, actually."
"But I think you have us all at a disadvantage," Gohan said. "You know us but we don't know your names."
Caulifla smirked, crossing her arms against her armored chest.
"Touche. Very well, I am Captain Caulifla of the Defense Force of Planet Sadala."
"Planet Sadala?"
Caulifla scowled as the so-called Prince came up towards her, a thunderstruck expression on his face.
"Did you say Sadala?"
"What's up, Gets?" Goku glanced at the Vegeta, confused. "What's this planet salad or whatever?"
"Sadala," Vegeta stressed the name. "Was the name of the original home world of our people, you clown."
"In fairness," Gohan said. "Dad wouldn't have any way of knowing that-"
"Zip it, book boy." Vegeta barked as he turned his attention back to Caulifla. He smirked. "So, you are what passes for Saiyans in the Sixth Universe?" He snorted. "I'm not impressed."
"Damn right we are," Caulifla declared, hands on her hips. "I'm Captain of the entire Defense Force and this bronze beauty is my Vice Captain, Kale. Oh, and this my lackey Cabba."
Kale sighed, doing her best not to blush at the 'bronze beauty' comment. "He's Private Third Class, sis, not 'lackey'."
"Lackey, like I said." Caulifla pressed her index finger into Vegeta's gray full body uniform that Whis had made. Depending on how you looked at it, Kale's armor resembled Vegeta's or the Prince's armor resembled Kale's.
"And you, you sorry excuse for a prince-"
Vegeta's brows shot up, taken aback as Caulifla continued. "You are going to answer for the crimes of the Sayians of the Seven Universe as well as your own crimes to boot. As a soldier of justice and Captain of the Defense Force I swear that once we win this tournament and the Earth is within our authority that you will be brought to heel, 'Prince' Vegeta."
Vegeta stared down at the girl for a moment, not sure how to respond.
"Mom?" Trunks looked up to Bulma. "What's that lady talking about?"
Bulma cringed at her son's comment, putting an uneasy hand around the small purple haired boy to reassure him. "It's... complicated, Trunks. Daddy and I will explain once this is all over.
Down below, Vegeta finally defaulted to his trademark smirked. "Is that right? You are going to make me answer for the crimes of my universe's Saiyan people?"
"Yup." Caulifla nodded.
"For the record, our issue is with the prince," Kale explained, glancing towards the Son family members. "You guys have nothing to do with this."
Gohan blinked. "I mean, philosophically speaking you're not wrong, true but Vegeta's a changed person now."
Caulifla rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Wife and a kid and all that jazz. Tell that to the millions of families he wiped out, book boy."
Elsewhere in the stands, floating high above everyone, Champa laughed hard as he nudged his skinnier, lankier twin.
"This is great!" Champa wheezed. "She's tearing into your so-called 'prince' and the fighting hasn't even started yet! Taking her over that stupid looking bear creature was the stroke of genius on my part!"
Beerus scowled. "You're lucky we've decided to let others do the fighting for us, brother, or I'd punch that fat face of yours in."
Champa snorted. "Please, that wouldn't change the fact that my Saiyan has both the moral and physical high ground. What they lack in overt muscles they makeup for in righteous fury."
Champa was, of course, pulling this out of his ass as he knew little of the Saiyan of his own universe but what he had directly experienced within the past few hours. Beerus, however much he hated to admit it, had no retort to the moral aspect of Campa's statement.
"What my Saiyans lack in morality they more than make up for in power." Beerus replied, coolly. "Son Goku even pushed me to a good 10% of my power."
"Bull." Champa said, snorting again. "No mortal, however powerful besides that Jirin guy could give us a run for our money."
"Whis, did Goku or did Goku not manage to fight me and not be instantly killed by my greatness?"
Whis smiled. There was ambiguity to that statement that what Beerus had said was not technically a lie. "Indeed he has."
"W-Well, my Saiyan... are cuter because they're girls."
Beerus wrinkled his nose at his brother's comment. "Really, brother?"
"... Okay, fine, I was running out of things to praise them for, bite me!"
Back with the others, Vegeta and Caulifla continued to stare each other down with equal intensity.
"I will not deny my crimes but as the Prince of all Saiyan I will not let some tailless brat besmirch their honor."
"Honor? Honor!" Caulifla snorted. "What honor, 'Prince'? You came from a race of murders and thugs, no, worse than thugs. Kale and I were thugs once and we weren't anywhere near as bad as you oversized baboons were! We never razed entire civilians to extinction!"
"Tch. I'd expect such comments from a high minded lapdog, wench."
"Ooh, wench, real great comeback there, old timer."
"Sis..." Kale began.
"Zip it, Kale, I'm on a roll. We Sadala Sayians are noble warriors who fight to defend the weak and protect the innocent across the universe."
"Bullshit." Vegeta snapped back. "Saiyans are powerful warriors ruled by no one, their pride an unshakable rock."
"Unless that someone is that Freiza joker you losers can't seem to keep down." Sneered Caulifla. "Meanwhile we're the hope of our universe where as you lot where it's a nightmare!"
"Should we do something?" Goku asked his son.
Gohan shook his head, both having taken a few steps back from the growing back and forth heated conversation. "It's best we not get mixed up with this if we can help it, well, outside of fighting these guys that is."
Elsewhere Tien looked at what was happening with the Sayians and sighed. "And this is why Chotzu and I spend most of our time training or building our dojo."
"You're building a dojo?" If Piccolo had eyebrows one would have been arched up with his questioning gaze.
"Someone has to pass on the knowledge of ki that doesn't involve sexual harassment." Tien said curtly, third eye glancing over in Roshi's direction.
Up in the stands, Yamcha said, "So, did anyone ever figure female Saiyan would look, I'd dunno, brawnier?"
Everyone besides the kids all looked up at him and stared.
"N-Not like Nappa big, but like, slender muscle big? No? Just me?"
"Whose Nappa?" Videl asked.
Down below, a hauntingly familiar voice cut the screaming contest between Vegeta and Caulifla off.
"That's enough, Captain. Please stand down."
"S-Sir Frost!" Caulifla's pinkened face snapped a salute, her anger evaporating in an instant. "I was just telling this dirtbag Saiyan-"
Vegeta scowled, his gaze having shifted from the Captain to Frost.
"About the glory of the Defense Force."
"Yes, I dare say everyone has heard quite a bit about that, by this point."
Frost chuckled as Caulifla's face reddened further to the point it nearly matched Kale's armor in hue.
Frost then glanced up towards the Saiyans. "Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am a being of light and justice. Called Emperor of the Universe by some, though I have never cared for the title, and doer of good. I am Frost, at your service."
"Hiya!" Goku gave Frost a friendly wave. "I'm Son Goku, but you probably already knew that."
"Indeed I did. I've also read of your history with my... Universe Seven counterpart Freizer? Freezer? However you spell his name? Either way, I can assure you I share no such traits with that horrid fellow and his bizarre fascination with men in tight spandex armor."
Both father and son blinked in unison.
"Huh." Goku said. "Never would have figured I'd see the day when I saw a good version of Freiza, even if it's not technically him."
"... And I never really thought about the lack of women in Freiza's army until this point." Gohan muttered. The implications, such as they were, were impossible to see now that they had been pointed out.
"What's what, Gohan?"
"N-Nothing, dad."
"As you can clearly see by the enthusiastic Captain and her second in command, I have no such qualms. In addition to steering the Saiyan away from their potential path of murderous monsters, I have given men and women alike an opportunity to serve in my name." Frost declared, voice bombastic in tone.
"Was Freiza even sexist?" Bulma mused. "Cuz in all the time we were on Namke I can't recall a single girl soldier there."
"The man wiped out planets and destroyed civilizations." 18 said in her usual deadpan. "Somehow I wouldn't put sexist past someone like that. Besides, he's dead. Again. So what does it matter?"
"I mean he was evil, sure." Krillin mused. "But weirdly I don't think Freiza was actively sexist? Then again now that this Frost guy has brought up the armor thing I can't get that out of my head, either."
18 glanced down at her husband and frowned.
"You know what I mean, 18." Krillin replied, face reddening.
"HURRY UP AND FIGHT ALREADY!" Goten yelled from the stands. "All this talking is really boring."
"Eh." Trunks shrugged. "Beats daytime TV anyways. My, er, grandma makes me watch it." he explained when Goten gave him a confused look.
"The son of Son Goku is correct," Whis said as he and his sister floated down from above.
"As amusing as this remarkably philosophical conversation of morality and possible semantically sexism has been, we are of course here to fight. By which I mean you ten."
"Do you both have your order selected?" Vados asked the ten fighters (Hit had wisely chosen to keep to himself and far away from the Saiyan squabble as he could).
"We do, Miss Vados." Gohan said. He nodded towards Tien. "Best of luck out there, Tien."
The Triclops nodded as he stepped up to the ring.
"Cabba, you're up."
"Ma'am." Cabba saluted Caulifla before entering into the ring.
Tien removed his weighted shirt as he shifted his legs and lowered his arms into the stance of the Cane Style of martial arts.
Cabba bowed, polite as he took his own basic, militarized fighting stance.
"Begin!" The alien announcer declared.
Tien shot forward with a two fingers strike, slightly taken aback when it landed and Cabba took the full force, sliding backwards.
"You could have dodged that blow easily."
"Probably." Cabba admitted. "But I wanted to see where you stood. That blow was strong. I can see how you won the... 21st Tournament?"
"... It was the 22nd, and I only won by luck then. But thank you. Now!" Tien rose back on one leg. "Prepare yourself!"
Vegeta scowled as Tien went into a flurry of precision punches and kicks. "This is a waste of time, the tricolops can't possibly win."
Goku frowned. "Maybe. But this Cabba has yet to become a Super Saiyan, plus with all the training he's done Tien's keeping up pretty well considering."
It was true, until this point Cabba had merely blocked and evaded every kick and punch thrown his way.
"You aren't fighting back." Tien commented mid punch.
Cabba leaped over an incoming kick. He smiled politely. "Just wanted to feel you out. Now, it's my turn."
Balling his hands into fists, Cabba let out a sudden cry as his ki sparked in white aura, his power rapidly skyrocketing as the gap between his and Tien's power became all that more evident to everyone who wasn't Hercule, Bulma, or Chi-Chi.
"It's over." Vegeta grunted. "I have no idea why you insisted on him, Kakarot."
Goku just smiled, knowingly. "Just watch, Vegeta. Tien'll surprise you yet."
Even Gohan gave his dad a second look at the martial artist's confidence in his friend.
"You can give up now, if you'd like." Cabba said when he had finished powering up. "You might have a bunch of techniques up your side but not even your Tri Beam will be enough to beat me at my max state."
"This is your maximum?" Tien frowned. "What about Super Saiyan?"
Cabba blinked. "Super what?" His eyes went wide. "Oh. You mean the Holy Soldier State. I'm afraid I haven't gotten that far in my training for that, yet."
"The... Holy Soldier State." Tien repeated. "Where your hair turns blonde and upright, your eyes change to teal, and you obtain a level of power beyond even that of your usual state?"
"Yeah. Do you guys really just call it Super Sayian?" Cabba asked. "Because that seems a tad... generic, if I'm honest."
"I didn't name the form, in all fairness." Tien replied before his expression shifted to a more serious smirk. "But that's good to know that you can't go Super, at least for me."
Cabba eyed him, confused. "I'm afraid I don't understand."
Tien tensed his body and closed all three of his eyes for a moment.
"Kaio ken... times 20."
"Kaio wh-"
The resulting crimson hued cloaked punch set Cabba reeling backwards as he blasted out towards the edge of the ring, blood flying in a rough trail behind him from the broken nose.
Tien's red flooded body vanished as quickly as it had come.
"Time to finally put my years of training to good use, for once."
In the audience, the family and friends of the fighters were all stunned.
"S-Since when the hell does Tien know the Kaio Ken?" Krillin spluttered to Yamcha.
"I don't know, man! I don't even hang out with the guy."
Everyone glanced at Chiaotzu, who just blinked. "What? Tien's always known the Kaio Ken. He just didn't get it up to 20s until just recently."
"What about all the fights he was in, though?" Krillin asked him.
"You mean the first set of Androids that Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo mostly handled? Or the second one, where 18's brother choked him out and never apologized? Or the fact that he only had it up to times 5 at that point and combining that with the Tri Beam really messes up your body? Or the fact that the Cell Jrs were kicking everyone's ass- well, I wasn't there but still- and then there's the fact that the taller Buu sucker kicked Tien and knocked him out before he could use it and-"
"Well he could have offered to help train us in using it." Yamcha said, defensively.
"You could have just asked Goku, too, you know. Or King Kai, for that matter, Yamcha." The chalk white fighter pointed out. Krillin and Yamcha could only glance away shamefully at his very accurate point.
On the sidelines, Vegeta frowned at the technique's appearance as the crimson temporarily vanished from Tien's broad shouldered frame. "You used that same technique on me when I first arrived on Earth, Kakarot."
"Yup. Turns out Tien knew it this entire time. Weird, right? But I guess he either didn't have it at a high enough level to do much against Cell or he got taken out before he could do anything with it like with the Androids."
"That makes sense." Gohan admitted. "I forgot until now but Tien did spend the most amount of time training with King Kai back then so it stands to reason that he'd have that in his arsenal."
Back in the ring, Cabba groaned as he got back up, shaking his head as he shook the stars from his eyes.
"W-What was that?"
"One of my many techniques." Tien replied with a small smirk.
Cabba gave the three eyed fighter an uneasy look, taking a more defensive stance. The 20 times wasn't a major advantage over the Saiyan Private, especially at full power, but it was enough to wipe what confidence Cabba might have had going into the match prior.
Beside the ring, Caulifla scowled. "Great. The human's a walking bag of tricks and Cabba still hasn't unlocked his neck node path to Holy Soldier Beta."
"You're the one who keeps insisting he's not ready yet." Kale pointed out. "Despite all evidence to the contrary." she added in a sing-song tone.
"Tch." Caulifla scowled at her vice-captain. "I hate it when you're right."
"Which is why I'm your second in command, sis." Kale giggled as the two returned their attention to the fight.
Much like Goku had done against Freiza's fourth form of Namke, Tien had mastered the times 20 to the point where he was able to blend it in seamlessly with how he fought. In an instant that Cabba went in with a ki blast, having the higher energy level, Tien would summon the Kaio Ken and bat the blast away with a swift smack from the front of his hand.
After vanishing and reappearing in front of Tien Cabba followed through with a cross jab the Crane Master, Tien's power would rise (literally) to the occasion and he would counter with a pressure point jab to the solar plexs that left the Private reeling in pain.
"You... You are good." Cabba wheezed. His maximum energy level had shrunken slightly as the fight had gone on and exhausted and Tien's blows were starting to add up. "I knew you were skilled, of course, but I had no idea you'd be this strong, Mister Shenhan."
"You are quite the capable warrior yourself, Cabba." Tien said. "I can sense a great deal of potential within you. I think with the right push you could achieve Super Saiyan, or Holy Soldier, as it were."
"R-Really?" Cabba blinked. "I know I'm pretty strong but Captain Caulifla says I'm not quite ready yet."
"I've seen Saiyan fight for years and I've seen Super Saiyan up close." Tien said, extending an index finger as a faintly golden aura began to envelop the tip. "And I can assure you, you're as strong as any of them and in some cases, a far better man to boot."
Vegeta twitched in annoyance at the Triclops' barb.
"Kaio Ken Times 22. Dodon Ray."
The resulting straight beam of narrow energy crashed into Cabba's stomach as he was sent flying clean out of the arena.
"Hang on, soldier." Caulifla and Kale caught their subordinate with both of their hands before lowering him down. "Your captain's got ya."
"C-Captain." Cabba looked up at the spiky haired superior before glancing away in shame. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more."
"It's fine, Private." Caulifla said. "We had no idea how strong these Universe Seven assholes were and three eyes there is just the tip of the iceberg, I can tell."
"Do you want me to go next, Captain?" Kale asked.
"Naw."
Caulifla kept her black eyes fixed on Tien. The three eyed fighter was taking the moment to relax and rest his body for the next match. "This is something a Captain has to do herself."
She stepped up to the plate, which was to say, stepped into the ring and glared up at Tien. The tips of her spikiest hair points only came up to the fighter's nose.
"You do realize that I'm going to have to kick your ass now, don't you?"
"You're welcome to try." Tien said, politely. "But I won't hold back just because-"
"I'm a girl?" Caulifla said, cheekily.
"... I was going to say, wearing armor." Tien lied, lamely, cheeks pink. It wasn't until she had pointed it out that Tien realized that he was, foolishly, going to be holding back however much just due to her gender. The Crane Master made a mental vow to go all out regardless of whatever gender his opponents wound up being in the future. Starting the arrogant Captain.
Caulifla glanced down at her black and pink armor and frowned. "Fair point, three eyes." She proceeded to take the protective armor off leaving only her form fitting battle spandex and causing Chi-Chi to squawk from the stands about indecency as she tried (and failed) to cover Goten's eyes.
Master Roshi simply whistled which got him a smack upside the head from an annoyed Yamcha.
Caulifla tossed her armor out of the ring as Kale caught it before turning her attention back to Tien.
"There. Fair is fair. You're not wearing any armor and now neither am I. And for the record, no, I am not taking this." She pulled the neck of her spandex back with a snap before it snapped back in place. "Off. It's more under-armor then armor proper, you see. "
"I wouldn't care either way," Tien replied, blandly. "But I do admire the gesture."
Caulifla smiled wolfishly. "Of course. Unlike your Saiyans, we Soldiers of Sadala live in a society with honor. We're supposed to act in a civilized manner, using our power and our Holy Soldier States to protect the helpless and save the innocents from all kinds of power hungry assholes out there in the universe."
"Would you mind showing me this 'Holy' state of yours?" Tien asked.
Caulifla gave him a side glance. "You sure, Earther? You're powerful, I'll give you that. But once I enter Gamma mode your little multiplying trick won't help you much there. Not at the level you've got it at. You might have taken yourself from a C to a B+ with that stunt of yours but me? I'm A class, baby."
Tien, however, remained confident. "I'll be the judge of that, Captain."
Caulifla smirked. "You got balls, three eyes. I respect that. Alright, one Holy Soldier Gamma form coming right up!"
The spandex clad woman warrior let out a single cry as her aura flickered in a golden hue and her black hair turned a golden straw blonde while her eyes shifted from coal black to teal in the same instant.
"Wow!" Goku grinned. "So that's the Super Sayian from another universe, huh? Not too shabby I gotta say, her control even reminds me a bit of what you and I had working at the Cell Games, remember, Gohan?"
Gohan frowned in thought. "Right."
Tien, even if he could manage a Kaio Ken Times 30, was horribly out class now with the enormous advantage Super Saiyan gave this Captain Caulifla. But the Crane Master remained unnerved and cool as always. Not even so much as a bead of uneasy sweat rain down his face.
"So this is the Super Saiyan of another universe, eh?" Tien smirked. "It's almost beautiful, in a way."
"Into blondes, are ya?" Caulifla grinned, hands on her firm, fit, hips. "Would have figured you more of a brunette type to be honest."
Tien remained silent as he thought back to Lunch, then Yurin. "I'm not into people in that way," he said simply. "But more importantly: Kaio Ken... Times 55."
"D-Did he just say 55?!" Krillin squeaked before Tien's Ki exploded with what could only be described as a multiplier that surpassed that of the original Super Saiyan form.
Caulifla's teal eyes went wide. "You have got to be shi-"
Her speech was cut off as Tien's left hand sank into her firm, muscled abdomen knocking the air out of her lungs as her aura flickered like a candle wick for just an instant.
