Disclaimer: I'm currently fresh out or witty disclaimers right now. So I'll just say this fun little quote I heard somewhere. (I have no claim to the quote either) "Think about the average person and how stupid they are. Now realize that, statistically, half the population of the world is dumber than them."
The portal dumped them back at the Kelbrid hive. Everyone ended up in a heap, but Vegeita was the first up. Not because he was fastest, but because he climbed over everyone else to be first.
Kelbrid were slithering everywhere. But very few were even looking at them. Most went about their simple business, oblivious to the world around them.
Cryos sensed Zeethra off in the woods. Her power was raised way up, like she was sparring, but Cryos couldn't feel anyone there with her. He concentrated until he got a faint feeling. It was Mewtwo.
The catlike alien was apparently quite capable, despite his low power level. Cryos went to watch the fight, it might prove to be interesting.
"Cryos, where do you think you're going!?" Vegeita demanded.
"Zeethra's sparring with Mewtwo. Don't you feel it? I want to see how well that psychic cat does in battle. Come on."
Vegeita grumbled, but followed. Everyone else came without complaint.
Zeethra was in a small clearing. Mewtwo was standing near her. As Cryos watched, she swung at the cat creature. He vanished.
It wasn't the kind of extreme speed Cryos had. It wasn't even like the trick his grandfather had known, the instant transmission. There was simply a flash of light and Mewtwo was gone.
He reappeared a moment later behind Zeethra. She turned to face him, but it was too late. Mewtwo's eyes flashed and Zeethra fell to the ground twitching.
She was like that for less than a second, however, and within two seconds had regained full control of her body. She leapt into the air and dove at Mewtwo.
He held up his hands and a bubble appeared around him, shielding him from harm.
But Cryos could see what a drain it was for him, and it was already weakening under the assault of Zeethra's fists.
The bubble shattered and left Mewtwo lying on the ground, helpless.
Zeethra slowly extended one blade and began to raise it up. She put it lightly on Mewtwo's neck and said, "It's over, I win."
It's not over yet. The cat creature said, and suddenly the very ground turned on Zeethra!
Cryos saw the genius of it. When Mewtwo had fallen down, he's laid his hands on the ground. Using his psychic powers, he now had control over the rocks.
Zeethra had to hit the stones out of the air and didn't have time to attack Mewtwo. The cat creature closed his eyes and teleported again. This time he appeared behind Zeethra and struck with a glowing hand.
Zeethra's eyes flashed and she fell to the ground again. This time, before she could get up, Mewtwo raised his arms up into the air. Zeethra rose up as well. But she wasn't doing it herself, Mewtwo was levitating her in the air.
She started struggling and found herself held fast. She pulled hard, but to no avail.
Mewtwo held up one hand in front of her face. I win. He psychically said.
"Good job." Zeethra told him. "You've improved a lot. But you're still over-reliant on that shield. If you can't find a way to expend less energy on it then you're going to have to stop using it so much."
Perhaps, but it worked well this time. Didn't it, Cryos? Mewtwo looked right at him.
Cryos was a little surprised that he'd been noticed he had thought that he was well hidden.
Mewtwo answered his unasked question. You were well hidden, but I sensed your mind, as well as the minds of those with you.
Cryos stepped out of the undergrowth. "Remind me not to underestimate you. Anyway, I went back home and got Trunks, Vegeita and Piccolo to help us. The androids are at Washu's lab getting an upgrade." He added when he saw Zeethra open her mouth to ask a question.
"Well, with all that firepower, The One stands no chance." Zeethra announced proudly.
"Do not be so sure." Said a small voice from down near the ground. Cryos looked down and saw a Kelbrid like the one whose roar had ended the battle earlier. This was one of the Queen's message carriers. It bowed low and said, "This messenger has a message from the Queen."
There were several moments of expectant silence. "Well?" Cryos asked.
"The Queen sent a message to remind you not to get your hopes up. Without the Kelbrid warrior who is different, you stand no chance, no matter how powerful you are."
Vegeita walked up to the little alien and it cowered. "Take my return message to your Queen." The Kelbrid stood up, delighted at the chance to carry a new message. Vegeita kicked it so hard it flew into a tree and split the trunk into pieces.
The Kelbrid messenger screamed in fear and slithered off as quickly as it could.
The Sayian Prince stood tall (Well, as tall as he ever did) and shouted. "No one can withstand the might of the Sayian race! We shall kill The One and destroy that body stealing abomination once and for all!!"
Ignoring Vegeita, Cryos looked at Zeethra. He was about to ask where Zon was, but Mewtwo pointed off into the woods before he could even open his mouth.
Cryos marched off into the woods, leaving the others to catch up with Zeethra. He hadn't gotten more than ten steps into the trees before he heard Kentra following him.
"Kentra, stay back in the clearing." He called back over his shoulder. "I need to talk with Zon."
When he heard no answer, he looked back. She was gone.
His first thought was that something had grabbed her, but he realized the truth after a moment when she dropped down out of the trees on him.
She hit him squarely in the chest and leapt off, vanishing into the trees.
Cryos smiled and jumped after her. She was still upset for losing before, he'd give her a chance this time.
He saw the glow from her eyes too late. By the time he spun around to look, she had already fired.
Cryos held out his hand and caught the energy bomb. But it had far more power than he realized at first, and it knocked him backwards before he was able to throw it up into the air.
He stood, blind in the darkness, for several seconds. He was waiting, and after a few seconds, he got what he was waiting for.
Kentra's energy ball exploded high in the sky, illuminating the entire forest for miles around. She sat directly in a beam of light, but was only visible for a moment before she ran back into the shadows.
Cryos chased after her, and sensed her energy a split second before she attacked from behind.
He spun and fired a wide-angle energy wave at her.
She was launched backward. She crashed into a tree and moaned as she slid, smoking, down to the ground.
"This is getting to be a pattern." Cryos told her. "Maybe you should take a break, I think you could use it."
She just nodded weakly.
Cryos spun as something came out of the undergrowth behind him. But it was just Zon.
"I saw your fight." The bug announced. "Kentra, you need to rely on your own strengths. Devise some of your own techniques instead of just the ones Cryos has shown you. Then you'll have an edge, a certain unpredictably. It may make the difference between life and death someday…"
There was dead silence for several moments before Cryos said, "Wow, Zon. You really know how to kill the mood."
"It is a talent of mine."
Cryos made a face as he helped Kentra to her feet and looked at how torn up the back of her shirt was. Surprisingly, her skin was untouched, she'd apparently been working on her defensive skills since they last fought.
"Zon, I need to tell you something." Cryos said to the big bug. "We're going to be going into the most dangerous battle any of us have ever seen. The One… well, he may be unbeatable, and he knows we're coming too. If we can sense him then he can certainly sense us as well. I'm just saying that you don't need to get involved in all this."
"Why would I not get involved?" He asked.
"Well, of all of us here, you're the least attached. There are enough of us here that we don't really need you. Oh, this isn't coming out right. Well, you're a good friend, I don't want to see you get hurt."
Zon was about to answer when Kentra interrupted him. "Why don't I get the same deal? What if I want out?"
"Well tough luck!" Cryos told her with a smile on her face. "We getting married, my problems are yours too now. Besides, if you think I'm going to let you out of my sight," He swept her off her feet and gave her a kiss.
"Oh, please." Zon sounded disgusted. "This is not the time Cryos! Besides, I'm not one to run away from a good fight. For better or worse, you're stuck with me until this is over. Maybe I'll go my own way then, but it will be of my own choice and on my own time."
Cryos set Kentra back on her feet. "I'm glad to hear that. You'll be a big help in this fight, I just couldn't ask you to risk your life for us." He was about kiss Kentra again when a Kelbrid messenger showed up.
"The Queen has sent you another message." It said as it bowed low to the ground.
"And what would that be?" Cryos was annoyed at being interrupted.
"Our situation has changed, the hive will send you as many troops as you want."
"Oh, and why is that?" Zon asked. "Thought you had a prophecy of some kind that needed to be fulfilled before you'd commit to anything."
"But it has been fulfilled!" The messenger shouted excitedly. "The different Kelbrid has been found!"
"Really?" Cryos asked. "Where is he?"
"Righhht hhhere…" Hissed a strange voice, halfway between a Kelbrid growl and a normal human voice.
The voice's owner came slithering out of the jungle. It was a Kelbrid, but different.
For one thing, this Kelbrid was much larger than the others were. It had much paler skin as well. And there was a trail of spines starting on its nose and going all the way to the tip of it's tail. More spines were sticking out above its eyes, and on its elbows, shoulders, and forehead.
Something was familiar about it though, but Cryos couldn't put his finger on it at first, until he saw its chest.
It was the Kelbrid with the white streak across its chest!
