Berter Beginnings: A Ginyu Force Outlook

By Son Rhandi

Part 17

"So, whatcha thinkin'?"

"I was thinkin'….… I'd like some food."

"Recoom….." Jeice said with a little chuckle. "That's all you ever think about…"

Recoom scoffed. "So how about you? What're you thinking about?"

"….….You know….."

It took a moment for the passive comment to register. "….Oh. Now I get it. …What do you see in that guy..?"

"Well, he's nice, and smart… and a little vain, but he has good reason to be."

"I'll give you that. Ol' blueback is good-looking, but makin' it with another man..? That just kinda strikes me as weird—Oh. No offense to you, Jeice."

"Of course."

"Does he know? The way you feel, I mean."

"I doubt it. I don't know if I should tell him or not."

"I was thinkin' maybe—Oh, hey. It's the Captain, and one of those lizard folk." The other three members of the Force, who had been lying in the cool grass, stood to attention upon their leader's arrival.

"Gents, meet our new member, uh….. What was your name again..?"

"Berter of Kyôrusan…." The young man sighed internally.

"Berter of Krusan!!" Ginyu announced, unaware of his blatant mispronunciation. Berter muttered something under his breath, deciding it inappropriate to correct him.

"Let me introduce you to the rest of the team." He turned towards his men. "Team, introduce yourselves. We don't have time for the usual, so make it short."

"Hey there," the tall, red-haired humanoid said. "Name's Recoom. Remember it. Hmm…. Guess I'm not the tallest anymore. That's kinda disheartening…. Hey, Captain, how 'bout thinkin' up a new pose or two, considerin' the new guy's height?"

'Pose…?' The Tokage thought quizzically.

"Yes, yes, all in due time. Next!"

Another humanoid, this one with red-orange skin with long, white, and untamed hair came about. "My given name is Jiizu, but everyone around here sees fit to call me 'Jeice'. And hey…." He leaned towards the Tokage for a whisper. "People around here tend to screw up names more times than they can count, so don't think too much of it." Berter nodded in understanding.

"And my name is… Hey! I'm down here!"

He looked down to see a four-eyed frog-like creature that didn't even stand tall enough to reach his knees speaking. "As I was saying, my name is Guldo. Charmed, I'm sure."

Berter blinked. What strange people… "It brings me pleasure to meet you all," he fibbed.

"And of course," the captain took a brief moment to proudly puff out his chest. "I'm Captain Ginyu, leader of the most illustrious fighting squad in the universe…. The Ginyu Special Force! But really, that goes without saying. You're lucky you were able to get in!"

"I consider it a gift from the gods...…" He displayed a fake smile as he told another little white lie.

"Well, great! Normally I'd have given a full-blown intro with poses and whatnot, but I'm kinda pressed for time… Recoom! Jeice! Guldo! Time to report back to Freeza! Hustle up!!"

"Sir!!" The three responded swiftly.

"And as for you—Berter, was it? –Make sure to come back here on your sixth hour tomorrow. We'll get you suited and start your training. Sound good?"

"If by that you're asking if the premise brings me pleasure, then yes."

"Good man. Be on your way, then."

"Hm… Her Ridre dino's gone….." The young man took notice upon his return. The absence of his mate's saurian steed gave rise to a few questions. "Well, I suppose she's out finding food. Speaking of such, I haven't eaten yet, either."

The Ridre dino gave a few yips to make a statement. "You want something to eat, too..?" It barked excitedly in response. "And that's a 'yes', I presume." Such intelligent creatures, these Ridre dinos…"

They came across a grove of fruit-bearing trees, known to the natives as Zipan trees. Grinning happily, the Tokage scurried up the tree. "You wait here, Ridre dino," he called out with his head poking out of the scarlet leaves. "I'm going to find some ripe fruits."

None but minutes later, the same blue figure hopped from the tree, cradling a pile of large yellow pear-like fruits in his arms. Plopping down at the tree's base, he sat and was on his merry way to eating. Curious, the Ridre dino approached and stuck its snout close to the fruit.

"Hmm? Do you want one?" He asked, holding out one of the many fruits in his possession.

Without warning, the dino suddenly snatched it up in its mouth and munched noisily, not caring about the juice gushing from its mouth nor the fact that more food was leaving its mouth rather than staying in. When the dino was finished with its taste test, it cocked its head at the remaining pieces of fruit, then looked up at its caretaker, who apparently understood and gave it another fruit.

"Hmm. So you like the fruit of the Zipan trees, do you?" The saur, being unable to reply (of course), just went about its loud munching. "…Alright then. If that's the case, I'll name you 'Marzipan.' Is that suitable?"

Gulping down the last bit of fruit, the Ridre dino yipped excitedly in response. "I thought so," he said with a grin and patted it on the head. And so, together they ate.

…There is nothing quite like the bond between a man and his Ridre dino.

"You've been rather disobedient lately…. And your attitude..? Well, I don't find it amusing anymore. I'm tired of your arrogance, Zarbon…."

Zarbon's fists were clenched, and the glimmer from his golden eyes had all but disappeared. His mouth was dry, save the moisture from his own blood leaking from his nose and gums and gathering between tongue and teeth. "I've told you every time we cross this path that I would never do anything to deliberately disobey you..!"

"You're not special," Ginyu continued. "At least, not in the way you think you are. Allow me to clarify it for you…" Ginyu lumbered over the beaten Azureman and gave him a swift backhand to the face. "You are special in three ways and three ways only: One--" as if the pain bestowed upon him wasn't enough, the captain gave Zarbon a sharp kick to his stomach… "You are an Azureman. Two: --"

…again…

"You can transform. And three: --"

…and again, and again, and again, each kick a bit more powerful and painful than the last. "You are a part of the Ginyu Special Force. Despite this, you are not so special that you can disregard what I tell you and do as you please." He continued to kick the man to the point of causing him to double over and vomit.

A shamed and humiliated Zarbon wiped his mouth free of blood and digestive juices.

"But I haven't …. I haven't done anything..!! " Zarbon shouted as best he could in his defense. "Refusing to be your callboy doesn't give you the right to do this to me!!" Totally ignoring him, Ginyu went on.

"Jeice was like you at one time-- A lot like you. He was arrogant, insubordinate, rude…" he trailed off. "Spoiled boys usually are. But I broke him, and I'm rather surprised that you haven't fallen in line, even after all that I've done to you. And yet……" He loomed in closer. "…with each incident, I always give you the opportunity to redeem yourself. But now, I grow weary." Ginyu slid in a hand to Zarbon's tender cheek.

"This is your last chance for forgiveness. ……I'm tired of pleasing myself, Zarbon….."

That innuendo would be the last Zarbon would tolerate. And so, he swung. The crack of his fist striking the captain's jaw was more enough to silence him. Ginyu turned back to his assailant, staring with emotionless eyes.

"Be happy. You are no longer part of my force. And congratulations, you spoiled-rotten little boy. You're about to find out what real pain is…"

"C'mon, Jeice. We only have two hours b'fore the bar closes."

"Hold on a minute, would ya?! I wanna see if Zarbon wants to come!"

"Jeez… Why d'ya want to invite that pantywaist along? He always orders the most expensive drinks and leaves me with the bill!"

"As if you have to pay for it! You always have the bartender put it on your tab!" Having the last word (or rather, running away before Recoom could say anything else), Jeice galloped ahead and around the hall, calling his comrade's name.

"'ey, Zarbon! Y'down here? We're goin' out drinkin'! D'ya wanna-- Oh, my God!!"

The aquamarine blood of the Azureman stained the floor and reeked through the halls. Most of the blood had already dried, indicating he had been there for a time. Ironically, the members of the very task force he had received a 'dishonorable discharge' from were the ones to come across his battered body.

"Zar, what happened?! Zar?! Zarbon!!" Despite the Kaijin's shouts, he would not respond.

"Jeice? What's all the shoutin' for? What—By the tundra!!"

"'Coom! Go see if there are any tanks open!"

"What the hell happened to ol' blueback?! Why's he all bloody?!"

"Do I look like I know?!" hissed the Kaijin. "Just go see if there are any tanks open!"

"R-Right..!" The humanoid replied, and hustled back round the corner. Jeice turned his attention back to the wounded Zarbon. "Hey, Zar… Hey, come on…" He pleaded as he shook his friend's shoulders. "Zar, you've gotta wake up… Please..?"

The thunderous footsteps of the larger humanoid's approach were heard perfectly clear as he returned with his news. "No good..." said he. "They're all either in use or under repairs."

"Shit!" Spat Jeice. "Alright… punch in the code for his room," he said, while lumbering Zarbon's unconscious frame upon his back. "I'll do what I can…"

Recoom hastily tapped the buttons in the sequence necessary to open the door to the fallen's room. Upon hearing the 'whoosh' of its unlocking and opening, Jeice ran in and kneeled to gently set the Azureman down on the tiled floor.

"'Coom," the Kaijin began, his back to the other Force member. "Go back to the chamber room. The second a tank is freed up, let me know."

"Right. Gotcha." And with that, the behemoth bolted out of the room and around the winding corridor, leaving the Kaijin to deal with the task at hand.


"Zar… Did the captain hurt you again..?" He asked quietly as he hoisted Zarbon's body onto his back one again, carrying him to the bathroom. Setting him down another time. Jeice trotted to the tub and turned the spigot to let the warm water flow. The Kaijin turned back to his beaten comrade and shook his head in pity.

Yeah, this is his work. I once had those same kind of wounds… "……Oh! The water!" Jeice stopped the flow seconds short of the tub overflowing. "Okay, buddy. I'm gonna wash you up now."

Scooping the Azureman up in his arms, he laid him to rest in the warm mix of hydrogen and oxygen molecules.

"Zar…" he began, taking hold of a nearby sponge. "I'm sorry you ended up like this… Truth is… I knew what was going on; we all did. But… we—I was powerless to try and stop it." It was unclear whether the Kaijin was talking to Zarbon or himself as he delicately washed the wounded's skin. He did a bit more prattling, a bit more apologizing, but not a word of it mattered. It all fell on dead ears.

After bathing was over and done with, the Kaijin gathered him up in a towel this time and took him to the front room, which was also the Azureman's bedroom. Not wanting his sheets to be dampened, Jeice kneeled to the floor to put Zarbon down, but only seemed to make it halfway. Instead of laying his friend to the floor, he ended up cradling the figure in his arms.

Jeice ran his fingers through Zarbon's sopping-wet hair, pushing a few tendrils out of the way to get a better look at his face. He then slid a finger along his cheek, memorizing the flawless feel of his skin. He thought back to just a few minutes ago, finding his friend lying bleeding in the hall, and choked. From there, came the tears……

"Zar… I'm so unworthy… If only…. If only I was able to prevent this from happening…" He professed with eyes squeezed shut his heart-felt remorse to the Azureman. The man opened his tear-filled eyes, and brought his face close to the unconscious Zarbon's ear, and whispered:

"Forgive me…"

And with that, he ever so slowly brought his lips towards his unrequited love's….

Closer….

And closer….

And then….

Who should come barreling in, but……

"'Ey, Jeice! Good news! One of the tanks finally opened—gah!!"