Chapter 13 – Tower Assault
Tomatta strode forward purposefully with Goten by his side, their hair golden and bright and their muscles broader and stronger after a full year's intensive training. Tomatta was wearing the robe that he always wore, the dark, rich red and a purple so dark it was almost black, though it was tattered and worn after its use in the chamber. The fine-looking fabric was riddled with holes, and here and there other dark colours were visible through the tears. The muscular arms he crossed over his barrel-chest, the muscles pushing the skin tight around his frame, as his legs propelled him forward at a leisurely pace.
"What is it, Goku?" Tomatta asked, seeing the look on his cousin's face, in particular the glimmer in the green eyes.
"Brolli's here," Goten answered matter-of-factly, sensing the brute's massive energy level approaching rapidly from below.
"What? Here, now?" Tomatta repeated, bewildered.
"Yes," huffed Vegeta. Tomatta grinned. He had spent a year training for this very fight. Now was the time to see if the skills he had honing to perfection within the Time Chamber were up to any good.
Vegeta looked around impatiently and then snarled. "Pah! Where is that bastard? He could at least give us the common courtesy of being prompt."
"He's a bad guy… he wouldn't be the bad guy if he did what we wanted, would he?" Goten piped. His voice had deepened a little during the year the others missed, and he was defiantly loosing some of that young innocence he had before going inside to train. Goku looked down at his youngest son with a half-smile, thinking to himself.
"Boy, he sure has grown. He looks a lot stronger too. I bet he could give me a run for my money now," Goku thought, his mind wandering away from the deaths of Korin and Yajirobe. "Tomatta must have been a great teacher, maybe now Goten and Trunks could do some real damage against Brolli?"
"Kakkarot! Stop day-dreaming and get your orange-clad ass over here!" Vegeta called over. Goku looked up and nodded.
"I'm on my way!" Goku called back, and trotted over, and was about to jump into the air and dive towards Brolli when Brolli came to him.
One moment, Goku was bunching the muscle sin his leg, ready to leap into the air, the next he was blur slamming against the white tile floor of the lookout.
"What the…" Vegeta breathed, then something struck him hard across the face, snapping his head to the side and almost knocking the Saiyan from the Lookout.
"What going on!" Tomatta growled, powering up. His hair lengthened slightly and a great buzz of energy started to crackle over his body. Goten looked up and Tomatta and then himself powered up, the younger Son's hair not lengthening, but the electrical-like buzz of energy washed over his small frame and he gritted his teeth, channelling all his power together so he could fight.
The blur stopped, and Brolli lunged out of it, going straight for Goku again.
"Hah hah hah! What's wrong, little Kakkarot? Has that big mouth of yours got nothing to say?" screamed the insane Saiyan as his fist swung down, but hit nothing but floor. Goku turned in the air and roared, going stage two and firing a kai blast into Brolli's mass at the same time.
Brolli hopped to the side, the bolt of Goku's attack flashing past his body with a roar. Brolli laughed insanely as he jumped up and began an assault on Goku.
"Dad!" Goten and Gohan shouted as one, and they both launched themselves skywards, heading to intercept the large tangle of kicks, punches and attacks that flashed across the sky.
Vegeta whirled around, snarling to himself and then ascended into a higher power level, going third-stage Super Saiyan and joining the fight. Brolli was putting all his attention onto Goku, weaving forwards and backwards, up and down and side to side as he simply avoided the other two's attacks. Vegeta grinned to himself and decided that he would change things a little. Surging forwards with a flash of energy, Vegeta charged at Brolli yelling in rage, and then flipped in midair right beside the larger Saiyan. Vegeta felt his feet connect with something, though when he righted himself he saw Gohan pin-wheeling downwards and crashing into the floor below.
Vegeta cursed and looked around, locating his target, Brolli. The Prince saw the brute fighting Goku effortlessly, Goten being nothing more than a slight inconvenience in the matter as the youngster's eye-wateringly fast attacks were simply weaved around. One moment Brolli was there, the next he had shifted position, all the while locked in mortal combat with Goku.
Growling through gritted teeth, Vegeta charged at Brolli again, this time keeping his eyes locked on his opponent.
"You're not getting away again! I promise you!" Vegeta snarled, swinging a massive fist around, but hitting nothing but air. Whirling around, Vegeta narrowly missed Brolli's absent-minded counter, and then launched another punch. Again, Vegeta's fist passed through only air, and again, and again. Vegeta pushed himself to the limits, his arms and legs a blur, even to his own eyes. But Brolli was just far too fast. He had never been like this before. During the first encounter, Brolli was large and cumbersome. He was fast, granted, but he had the grace of a house. Now Brolli was a blur in the air, the buzzing, crackling sound of raw power passing in the air as he moved and attacked, leaving a vapour trail to mark his passage.
Tomatta growled, his deep voice coming out as a basso rumble that made his large bulk vibrate. His large fists clenched tightly, the knots of muscle in his forearm tightening with his strength, and then began to grow. Slowly, Tomatta rose from the floor and the golden aura burning around his body blasted outwards. His hair danced wildly in the energy that radiated over his body and then washed across the plateaux of the Lookout's floor. Gohan picked him himself from the floor, dusting himself down, and then looked up as a bright flash left an after-glow burnt into his retina. Tomatta was glowing intensely, and his eyes were burning also, the green of the pupil and iris sending out a pale green glow and casting shadows across the Super-Saiyan's facial features that spooked Gohan a little.
Flinging back his head to the sky suddenly and arching his back, Tomatta let out a terrible roar that stopped everybody in their tracks; even Brolli stopped what he was doing and watched, those lifeless eyes glinting in the light of Tomatta's aura as the sun began to drop over the horizon. The cry became louder and the hair on Tomatta's head, which looking similar to Raditz's when Saiyan and having a slight hint of Vegeta's hair when Super, flashed brilliantly and lengthened down his back.
In the fading red light of the setting Sun, Tomatta shone brilliantly, the golden glow of his aura and the green of the eyes contrasting sharply across the face of Goku's blood-cousin. Brolli turned his attention from Goku and looked at Tomatta with a look somewhat akin to pleasure, then laughed softly.
"What is this, Kakkarot? A new toy for me to play with?" laughed Brolli, narrowing the white-on-white eyes as he kept his gaze on Tomatta. Tomatta returned the gaze, the green eyes shining intensely as the aura flashed and flickered around his great body, the golden hair hanging long down his body.
"No, Brolli. I am here to help destroy you for ever!" Tomatta shot back, rising higher into the air. Brolli merely laughed at the statement.
"So be it, you shall fall with the rest of them," said Brolli, then lunged. Tomatta leaned back and felt Brolli's fist rush over his nose, then twisted, bringing his foot around in a great kick which Brolli blocked with almost no effort.
"Hah hah hah!" laughed Brolli, "you cannot defeat me!" The taunt washed over Tomatta's cold features and he lashed out again, a buzz of lightning hanging in the air as his knee swung up to Brolli's chest. Brolli blurred to the side and sung a punch, Tomatta ducking and kicking out. Brolli spun around the kick then counter attacked with a kick of his own, sending the golden boot of his right foot into Tomatta's gut.
Tomatta winced lightly and then grabbed Brolli's foot as it tried to dig deeper into Tomatta's body. Then with a twist and a roar, Tomatta heaved and brought Brolli upwards and around in an arch. Tomatta gritted his teeth and then released the Brute, sending the Saiyan hurtling to the floor of the lookout. Brolli flung his arms and legs and stopped himself in midair, but was sent hurtling back to the floor as a lance of purple energy crashed into his gut. Brolli smashed into the floor of the Lookout, sending out jagged cracks as the impact rocked the entire structure violently. Gohan powered up and leaped skywards with the others heading upwards shortly afterwards.
Brolli's form rolled back over and then hopped back to its feet, landing with such force as to create two small craters in the ground where the feet hit.
"Hah! Is that all you've got!" Brolli cried up to Tomatta, who hovered in the air, open-palm pointed at the Saiyan beast.
"No, I have a lot more than that to show you!" Tomatta shouted back.
Goku leapt at the opportunity that Tomatta had just given him, and lunged an attack at Brolli. Goku's elbow smashed hard into the side of his nemesis' face, Brolli's cheek rippling at the blow. With a grunt, Brolli looked at Goku, only to have the elbow smash into his mouth. Brolli's lip burst at the corner, and a trickle of red blood began to creep down the chin of the Saiyan monster.
"Kakkarot!" Brolli shouted, licking the blood away and grabbing out for Goku. Goku jumped aside and hurled a blast of kai into Brolli's form. Brolli growled in annoyance, then jumped after Goku. Vegeta grinned and brought his hand together, fists closed.
"Now I have you!" the prince shouted, then his muscles tensed as he summoned a great deal of energy from his body.
"FINAL FLASH!" he cried, the great ball of kai bower forming across both fists, then being sent at Brolli. Brolli's body jerked as Vegeta's great attack bounced off his body.
"No more game, Kakkarot!" Brolli shouted, narrowing his white eyes. He moved in a blur, and suddenly Goku was once again on the floor, then something whipped past Vegeta.
Vegeta spun around and was quick enough to block an attack from Brolli. Brolli moved and Tomatta's fist thundered past his ear, blowing a lock of golden-green hair in the wake. Tomatta kicked out and Brolli somersaulted over both Saiyans whom he fought and landed behind them, swiping with a great fist, catching them in the side of the head. Vegeta's head smashed against Tomatta's, and both went sprawling to the side.
Next to attack came Gohan, who dashed forward and sent his knee towards Brolli's back. Brolli reached behind him without even looking and let fly a bolt of green energy, the bolt slamming into Gohan's chest and sending him flying back. Goten and Goku snarled as they saw Gohan bounce off the floor, and then together charged, Goten's hair lengthening greatly as he charged up on route.
Brolli turned and looked down at the Saiyan and his son. Goku and Goten's attacks were blurs, but they hit nothing but air. Vegeta disentangled himself from Tomatta and flew into the melee, followed closely by Tomatta himself. Trunks flew up high to get a greater vantage point and grinned to himself, his hair growing much longer and his aura increasing. Below him, the three Saiyans and two Half-Saiyans were a blur as they attacked Brolli, who was simply evading all attacks sent to him. Suddenly, out of the blurring party, Goten flashed back over, slamming through the wall of the main building, resulting in Dende and Mister Popo rushing out of the dust-filled room, coughing.
"Goten!" Trunks called, finishing his power-up and diving quickly into the fight to avenge his best friend. Below him he saw Vegeta and Goku pressing on in an attack as Tomatta and Gohan defended themselves from Brolli's own attacks. Trunks flashed downwards, a bright ball of white energy forming in his hands as he dived.
"Kame-Hame-Ha!" Trunks shouted as he dropped and sent the attack-wave blasting downwards into Brolli.
Nothing happened.
That is to say, the wave carried on without stopping or hitting anything until it struck against the Lookout floor below. A great explosion rocked the structure once again and a large segment of the edge, blasted free by the carnage left by the attack, was flung off into the clouds, tinted blood red by the setting sun.
Brolli blurred and flashed an uppercut into Gohan's chin, sending the eldest son of Goku upwards with great speed. Goku turned as his son blurred up and the ducked as a fist grabbed at his head. Crouching in the air, Goku delivered a series of rapid punches into Brolli's mid-section, his fists hitting against Brolli's tightly packed and great abdominal muscles.
Brolli laughed as swatted Vegeta aside and then blurred as he kicked at Goku. Goku hopped to the side, but Brolli's great golden boot caught against his side and he spun in the air, rising slightly. Trunks, still descending, fired several more blasts of energy at Brolli as Gohan steadied himself and rocketed back down.
Trunks swore as he swung into the attack, sending his feet at Brolli. Brolli swerved aside and caught Trunks by the hair as the young Saiyan shot past. Trunks yelped as he jerked to a stop, the huge fist wrapped around his long hair, and then felt himself being dragged back.
"Keep you hand off my son, you bastard!" yelled Vegeta as Brolli swung Trunks by the hair, Vegeta roared and launched another attack. Brolli laughed as the punches, kicks and blasts were dodged, and then brought Trunks down and into Vegeta. Both father and son went hurtling down into the clouds with a cry of dismay, and Brolli helped them on their way with a barrage of kai-bolts.
Goten erupted from the main building, a cloud of dust in the wake of his aura as he charged into battle, crying in anger. Brolli was caught off-guard by the youngster, and Goten's attack hit true. Brolli's face pitched backwards and his body followed. Tomatta made use of this and brought his hands around and down, sending Brolli down a little way. Goten screamed as he dived down and started to beat Brolli in the face, his eyes gleaming with rage and hatred.
"Die! Die! Die!" Goten shouted over and over, every word punctuated with a punch or a kick or an elbow or a knee. Brolli pitched this way and that as Goten started to lay into Brolli faster and harder, his body being battered by the wrath of a young Half-Saiyan. Tomatta smiled briefly and then dived down, a blur as he moved and sent a kick in Brolli's direction.
Brolli snarled as Tomatta's boot landed squarely in his face, though the great Saiyan didn't budge. With a blur, Brolli had Goten by the hair and he flung him downwards, and then threw a great ball of green energy at the youngster, sending Goten slamming into the lookout below.
"GOTEN!" Shouted Tomatta and Goku together, both men launching another series of attacks.
Goku managed to land a series of punches and kicks, whilst Tomatta managed to avoid being hit by Brolli's barrage of energy blasts. Then a white glow enveloped them from above.
Gohan sped downwards and passed Brolli with a blur Brolli's body shook heavily and then blood spurted from his mouth as his head was flung backwards. Gohan wheeled about and swept a kick at Brolli, catching the Brute in the small of the back and flipping the insane Saiyan around. Together, Goku and Tomatta brought their legs up and kicked down with every ounce of strength and speed they could muster, and were greeted by a grunt and a slight crack as they connected against Brolli's chest.
Screaming in rage, Brolli plummeted down the short distance into the floor of the Lookout and landed heavily, sending more stress fractures across the entire surface of the already mangled floor.
The evening stretched on, the sun slipped under the horizon and soon a black night slipped over the world, the Lookout illuminated by the battle that raged in the skies over it. Cries and screams echoed across the nighttime sky, and explosions boomed through the dark empty air. Golden blurs zipped over the world, high above the clouds, and sonic-booms made the very earth itself tremble and shudder as fist met fist, knee met knee and energy bolt met kai bolt. Far, far away from the battle itself, Maylon and Turrun stood on the shaking ground, looking around in bewilderment.
"This earthquake has lasted hours now!" Maylon complained, his legs feeling odd after all the shaking.
Turrun looked around at the panicking humans, watching them scurry about like ants as they hoarded their pitiful belongings.
"Hmm, yes. To look at the inhabitants of this planet, one would think they've never felt the ground tremor beneath them," she said.
"They probably haven't. Earthquakes don't normally last this long," Maylon replied, walking off. Turrun watched them for a moment longer and followed after her new companion. She had travelled with him for many nights now, and had become accustomed to his ways. She had learned much about him through his actions:
He was a loner, preferring to be alone when he could. He was also a warrior, and had picked many fights with the stronger-looking weaklings on the planet. He had demolished all that had had stood against him, and that law-enforcing guild in the city had been too easy to destroy. But Maylon, it seemed, was a loner through habit, not by choice. He would happily talk about his past, and didn't mind Turrun following him, asking him about his past and his life as a warrior to the King.
Turrun had also learned of Maylon's mission, which had saved his life, in the sense that he had been off planet when Freeza attacked Planet Vegeta all those years ago and taken the Prince as a captive.
Maylon had been a commando, an elite warrior sent into enemy territories to take control of worlds for Lord Freeza, under orders from the King himself. Maylon claimed that he had personally taken hold of over twenty planets in his time, but Turrun suspected that he was holding back the truth, for she foresaw a great power beneath the plain exterior of the warrior, Maylon. It was that ferocity, that animalism that the courtiers of the Houses often lacked, that made her like him. He reminded her of the King, a great warrior in his own right, reputed to be the best on Vegeta…
'… To have been the best' Turrun corrected herself, thinking as she walked after Maylon.
Maylon's hair was short for a Saiyan, and neat too. But his muscles were large and well toned, his shoulders and chest broad, his arms and legs powerful. There was also a fair intellect in that head of his too. Maylon had shown his intelligence many a time. Except for that stuff he had found when they ransacked that shop, and they had awoken in the gaol.
"Hey, Maylon?" Turrun asked, running forward to catch up with her companion.
"Hmm?" Maylon replied, turning to look at her.
"Where is it that we're going?" said Turrun.
Maylon looked at her and shrugged a little. "I don't know… I'm just following my instinct, I guess."
"Oh, okay," she said, "just curious."
They walked on in silence for several moments, looking about them, allowing their legs to compensate for the shaking of the ground. They had left the town now, and the air was silent, but on the edge of her hearing, Turrun was sure she could here booms thundering across the sky. They had been walking for the last three and a half, or so, as they had grown board of flying, board of the wind whipping coldly at their hair and limbs, so they grounded and began to walk, feeling their muscles being used properly. They had talked sparsely during the hike, and had stopped only to raid stores for food and drink, being careful that they took only water this time instead of that malty drink they had discovered days earlier.
"Turrun…?" Maylon asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes?" Turrun answered, looking ahead of her.
"How come you…" Maylon never finished his sentence, as he found that thinking about it made his heart swell in his chest with sorrow.
"How did I what?"
"You know…" Again, Maylon could not make himself say the words.
"Know wha…" she began. "Oh! How did I escape Vegeta?"
Maylon nodded and looked over his shoulder at the Lady who walked aside him.
"It is a short story, a story of a coward."
"I'd like to hear it, non the less."
Turrun smiled to herself and nodded. "Well, I've heard your tale, I guess it's fair that you heard mine. No matter how boring it may be to a great warrior.
"The heads of the Great Houses knew of King Vegeta's anger and jealousy of Lord Freeza, and they suspected that he may try something foolish, like try and over throw him. And when one of the Saiyan Lord's reported to us that a spy of his had discovered the King's fury of Freeza's… 'request' to take the Prince under his wing. The Lords and Lady's knew that this was all that was needed to send the King into a rage, and that he would try the coup when Freeza came for the young Prince Vegeta.
"My father suggested that the Lords sent the heirs of the Great Houses off to distant worlds – far beyond Freeza's borders - to grow strong, so that one day they may return and reclaim our planet. I was thirteen when my father grabbed me and stowed me in a space-pod and blasted me into the stars. I still remember the look of sorrow and fear on his face when the pod's bubble hatch closed and I launched.
"Secret inter-stellar signals were sent to the pods, describing events back on Vegeta, and then finally the one I had been fearing arrived: Freeza's ship had been spotted moving quickly to Vegeta. Soon afterwards, the transmissions ended, though at the time all we feared was that we had been discovered, and the secret communiqués forced to be ceased, in fear of our locations being given away.
"It wasn't until a public broadcast on one of Freeza's channels came through the radio, bragging of the destruction of the Saiyan Planet, that I finally realised what had happened."
"Yes, I heard that same report," added Maylon, looking down at the ground. "Do you know how many of us are left?"
"I don't know… I heard that Freeza's forces intercepted many of the heirs, who tried to escape, before they reached the borders," answered Turrun.
"Well, what of the weakling sent away to escape the wrath of Freeza?"
"What of them?" Turrun answered. "They were the runts of our people, sent away for their own protection. What god could possibly come of them?" she added.
A little way ahead, unknown to the two Saiyan survivors, a large crater lay in the ground, huge and molten around the edges, as though some great force had blasted a hole into the very desert itself.
How will the battle at the Lookout go, now with Brolli vastly more powerful than he was and now that Tomatta and Goten have joined the others? What will become of Piccolo, Applor and the other Saiyan survivors? Find out, next time, on TOTAL WAR!!!!!