I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the right to Starcraft or any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 14: Elite Status
No matter what you dream about, one week in cold sleep does suck. But, in one fashion, you barely notice the time difference, it's just another day. After landing, I was informed that I was indeed promoted to elite status by Frieza and Prince Vegeta, and therefore had the option to change to an elite team. I declined that offer pretty quick, and many didn't understand why around the command center. Anyone who cleared planets knew about Bardock's team. Seemingly a team of pathetic low levels out for suicide, and one that could purge a class A rating planet in record time for elites. But they also knew that low levels never got any respect no matter how well they did.
"So you don't want to be on an elite team. Why not?" the green man at the desk pushed.
"I'm fine with where I am, my reasons are my own! Just make sure my father gets those credits, all of them!" I recited, trying to sound irritated.
"That's a lot of credits sir. It seems Frieza packed a bonus or two for you in there along with your promotion, but very well," he said.
"Thank you," I said politely before leaving the port. Bardock and Fasha were waiting outside, scowls across their faces.
"So kid, I suppose you're off to an elite camp now aren't you? Well good working with you," he extended his hand.
"Keep your handshake Bardock, I'm sticking with you," I said sharply.
"You wouldn't rather be with elites, with classy women? You'd rather stick with us pitiful low levels?" Fasha acted like it was a surprising thing.
"Is that a problem? When last I checked, elites were supposed to be more powerful than anyone else. They must have missed you five in the rankings," I said with a grin.
She chuckled, "Kids, can't live with em, can't live without em!"
"I'm sure they have a similar phrase for women," I snickered.
"Well kid, you have until tomorrow for shore leave, then were off again. I'll have the mission tonight," Bardock said, flying off.
"I gotta go check in with you know who," I said, turning to leave.
"Hold on there brat, I'm coming too! I want to know what the prince looks like in the future!" Fasha jumped into the air. Shit, I shouldn't have told her all that.
"Well, he's not going to be what you may expect," I warned, flying along side.
"I ran into you didn't I? I think I can handle it!" she boasted. I sighed heavily, And here I wanted to get something done.
-
"Boy, why the hell did you tell her?" Vegeta roared in anger.
"Hey, take it easy, you know I can't lie worth a shit!" I shouted back. Goten and Trunks backed off and went off to what they established as their room, Fasha was currently enjoying the bout between Vegeta and myself.
"I warned you about women didn't I? Did you listen? No! You might as well have been a fish in the sea she had you so hooked! You and your sentimental rubbish!" I said nothing, as he was right about me to an extent. I was a bit careless, but I couldn't help it. After all I lived for twenty-one years as a mostly honest human, so I had some decency, or at least partially. As if we were thinking of the same thing, he brought that up next.
"Well, if you were born a Saiyan, I would kill you for such careless antics! But I won't, and probably couldn't at this point in time anyway. But when we get home, you are getting more training than you're worth!" he snarled.
Fasha was instantly confused, "What do you mean by not born a Saiyan?"
"Another time girl, go back to your dorms, I will send the boy along later. Do not mention this to anybody, things must go on as they are meant, get a move on!" Vegeta barked, pointing at the door. Fasha was gone in an instant, not daring an order from the prince, either one.
I sighed, "So what do we do now?"
"Well, even though you let some of your power slip, I think we're going to be fine. There are two missions left, Kanassa, which leaves tomorrow, and Meat, the one right afterwards and right before Frieza destroys this place. I've been thinking that maybe we should take some Saiyans back with us, while we have the chance, and Bardock's crew is a good choice to help us against the Zerg. We can't take too many, even though it makes sense to me, and we have to be gone before the destruction. Bardock's crew was ambushed on Meat by Dodoria if I recall correctly," he said. I didn't want to slip information about that, but I did recall that Dodoria kills everyone except Bardock, but he died later. But since I'm here, things are going to be different.
"Okay, I think I have a plan for this. We have to assume that our being here could screw up the timeline and that it will not create an alternate one like before. Go to Kanassa, it's a planet clearing mission so odds are you won't like it. If the full moon comes into play, stay out of sight, you're fast enough anyway. When you get back from Kanassa, the credits from it should be enough to get a ship, and if not I'll hijack one and meet you on Meat. Take the Senzu beans with you to Meat. There, well, we'll think of something, but Dodoria has to leave thinking he destroys everyone. Then once he's gone we will go to Namek, Earth is too far away, got all that boy?" he asked. I nodded slowly while maintaining a deep scowl.
"Now, if something is to go differently than I have said. Say the planet gets blown up early, or something else drastically changes, do what you can to get to Namek, whatever it takes. I'm sure you can figure out the rest from there," he ordered.
"Yeah," I said with another nod.
"Oh and something else, though I said this before. Do not, under any circumstances, mate. Your time of age is coming very soon, and we need you to stay unmated because of the age change. If it was any other situation, I would be very proud if you were to take a Saiyan. However, right now that could be disastrous! You still have a while before you are considered ready, but watch it nonetheless. The females are going to come calling a bit more often now, and remember that we need the dragon to restore your previous age pretty soon, so don't be enticed! The promotion probably didn't help you any in that department, just be cautious. Many females will do whatever it takes to grab a mate, honorable or not!" Vegeta warned. I nodded again, not knowing quite how he could know all of that.
Then he smirked slightly, "Good, now get the hell out of here you elite rubbish!"
-
I flew back to the Desert Rain rather quickly. My stomach was starting to wake up from the cold sleep, and I really wanted another meal before I went to sleep again, I may not have time in the morning. I landed at the door, startling the crap out of a Saiyan couple that was making out. They gathered themselves and gave me a slight salute. It must be the armor. I went inside and they resumed their activities as if nothing happened. The bar was it's typically busy self: several Saiyans drinking, more arm-wrestling, more fights, more rants, everything. Until I stepped in, that's when all activity ceased. I looked straight ahead and walked through the masses, after all these were the same people that mocked the shit out of me just two weeks ago. I heard a few whispers go by my ears, mostly low class and low-level trash type things. Then things like "cheater" hit my ears, and I wanted to erupt right there.
No, don't lose it, they're just jealous, Frieza favored you and not them and they can't stand it. What the, why the hell am I even thinking about this? Pretty soon there won't even be a Planet Vegita left! I need to stay focused on my mission! I ignored all of the other comments that murmured by and headed for the elevator. Until a familiar and large female crossed my path, namely one with a broken wrist. Great now what, I sighed and looked up at the mountain of a woman right in the eye.
"My apologies for earlier, I had no idea you were so, oh, powerful! I offer myself to you sire, I would give you a strong child of the elite!" Clerpe said, kneeling down and keeping her head below my own. On her knees she was taller than eye level to me, but at the moment I wasn't sure what to make of her. I took note of the moan that came during her apology. Okay, what the hell just happened?
Another woman landed next to my feet, "No, don't take her, I would make you truly happy!" She was a bit more attractive than the ogress, but all of them were very pretty regardless. Another pair of women awaited in front of me just a few steps later. Man, Vegeta wasn't kidding about this.
"Sorry ladies, got places to go, planets to conquer!" I said, stepping over the mass troop of Saiyan women. Oh I can't believe I just said that. I entered the elevator without another word, though the women were starting to follow. The doors closed before they got to the elevator, tripping over themselves. The hallway I entered was quiet, for a few seconds. Then the doors to what must have been a stairwell burst open and women flowed from it, running towards me in a stampede. Oh shit, I thought as I started running for the room, not as fast as I could, just enough to get away. When I reached the door, the girls were still bashing each other to get to me first. Time for a Vegeta impression.
"First one that comes through that door will get their head blown off, now get out of my sight!" I shouted. It stopped the crowd in its tracks, though I saw more admiration than fear in their eyes. The stampede came even faster as I opened the door quickly and shut it behind me, gasping for breath a little while I held it just in case they knocked it down.
"What's wrong kid?" Tora asked from his place in the chair.
"Stampede, women, crazy," I stuttered.
"Yep, he's getting close to mating age, the women are starting to pick it up. The elite promotion probably didn't help any! You were right Fasha!"
Fasha winked at me, "Duh, I told you! I've slept in the same general area as him four times, you'd think I could pick up a scent like that!"
"Does that mean you're gonna try and bag him Fasha, you aren't too much older are ya?" Shugesh cracked, he really couldn't resist.
"Good luck with that one kid, the ice box doesn't come out for just anyone!" Tora laughed.
"Oh shut up, I'm just waiting for the right guy. Sure the boy is sweet, and one drop dead sexy Saiyan, but he's not the one for me!" Good, this should be easy to avoid then.
"But, there's always a chance for him I suppose, that scent is starting to get to me," Fasha dragged on, causing me to slap the side of my head in embarrassment. Spoke to soon, spoke to soon.
"Hey kid, there's a package of some kind here for ya. While you were at the command center, some short dude without a tail dropped it off earlier and said he was your father. What I don't get is the size of it, it's so damn small!" Tora said, tossing me the object. It was a red capsule, marking it for food, allowing a smile to come to my lips.
"Oh and he left this one too, he was rather insistent about this one!" he said, tossing me a green one. I went to me and Fasha's room and broke open the green one. Inside was a scouter, but the lens was purple instead of the usual colors. There was also a note.
Boy, Trunks managed to rig this scouter to detect only dragonballs. Use this if you get into a bind and need to go to Earth or Namek. I strongly suggest you keep it in capsule form though, scouters are very fragile.
There was no signature, but I knew it to be from Vegeta. I walked back out to the table, stuffing the green capsule into a pocket, and prepared to break open the red one, one that was sure to be my saving grace tonight.
"What is that thing kid?" Tora asked.
"A gift, something that needs to last me a bit too," I said, pressing the button and throwing down the capsule. Inside was a lunchbox, and upon opening it I found a sandwich.
"Some kind of storage device, ingenious," Tora noted.
"They can hold more than this, but that's another story," I said, preparing to dig in.
"Kid, you got too many secrets," Tora sighed.
"Food huh, sure doesn't seem like much," Shugesh poked his head over my shoulder.
"Then lift it," I said with a grin.
He did, and dropped it right away, "Whoa, what a sandwich!"
"Yeah, I know!" I said, and began eating it. Strike up another one for Mom, she's good at this.
-
Bardock came back later, confirming that Kanassa was the next mission, and everyone's game face went on. According to Bardock, Kanassa was a job that Frieza's elites didn't even want a part of, and it was one that required a full moon to carry out. That and the journey to Kanassa took three weeks, making it about six round trip. I didn't really like the sound of staying away from Planet Vegita for that long, but time wise it did make sense. This is gonna be tough, especially the part where I'm running around trying to stay out of their sight. We all went to bed early, but Fasha and I stayed up a bit late, talking in our room and beds. She laid back and waited a bit to start a conversation.
"So kid, do you ever want a mate?" she asked.
"I suppose, but I'm going to try to wait awhile. It's not a top priority," I said truthfully, almost forgetting to add the translation instead of years.
"Why's that? You're in prime age now. You're not really in prime fighting age for a few zurals when you develop the rest of your body, but prime mating age is considered to be nine, and that smell coming off you is getting a little, intoxicating," she smirked slightly. I couldn't smell anything, but then I suppose I wouldn't be able to. I could smell females pretty well though, and they were pretty intoxicating themselves.
"Well, I have my reasons, and Vegeta doesn't want me to mate either," I said.
"But why not?"
"That's a bit too complicated for you to know right now," I replied, turning to my side.
"Oh, you're that way? I guess that explains why you were so nervous," Fasha said.
"What way?" I asked.
"You know, you like men better," she claimed.
I instantly felt sick, "Ugh, no. I'll be single forever before I get that desperate!" She didn't respond to that, but instead switched the subject.
"So, what are you going to do on Kanassa?"
"What do you mean?" I asked as I turned back around.
"I mean about the full moon, you said you don't transform right? Well in case you didn't know, were not exactly the masters of control when in ape form. I don't want to revert and find that I or one of us accidentally crushed you while mistaking you for a Kanassan fish face," Fasha said, sounding a bit concerned.
"Oh that. Don't worry about it, I'll keep away from that area," I said.
"It's kinda hard to do that, we go all over the planet like that. Generally we follow the moon until nothing remains of the population," she said.
"Well, to be truthful, I've never seen a Saiyan transformed before. I'm kinda interested," I said, which was technically true anyway.
"What, you never seen even Prince Vegeta or any others transform before?"
"Didn't you notice that none of them had tails? They were either removed or cut off during battle, and I probably wouldn't recall seeing myself in that form either," I said, staring at the ceiling.
"Okay, just stay away when the fireworks start. I never remember any part of transformations, and probably won't be able to control it very well," she said kicking off the light, "Good night kid, and if I hear you snore at all, well you know what will happen!" she grinned slyly at this while I blushed myself to sleep.
Interlude 14.1 –Positive-
"Well Videl, good to see you today," Bulma said, turning a few screws in her time chamber repair.
"Um, Bulma, I kinda need a favor. But I don't want Chichi or Gohan to know just yet," Videl stated as she turned red.
"Oh okay, if it's that big a deal. What can I do to help?"
"Take a blood sample, I want to know something. I wound up sick and tired this morning after training and it's never happened before," she said, practically dangling her arm for a needle.
"Better not let Goku know that you asked for a needle, he'll put you into a psyche ward!" Bulma joked, causing the two women to chuckle a bit. She led Videl down to her med lab, humming a tune on the way.
"So how long until we can get the boys back?" Videl asked.
"Well, that might be awhile on this end of things. The time travel chamber repairs haven't been going quite as well. The temporal connectors keep shorting out," Bulma said, annoyed.
"I'm not even going to ask what that is," Videl said, entering the med lab and sitting where Bulma directed. Bulma drew the blood and entered it into the computer, letting it analyze for a few minutes.
"So does that mean we need to use the dragon balls to bring them back? I thought we were gonna use them to make Verto young again?" Videl asked, rubbing pressure into her stuck arm.
"Don't know yet Videl. Shenron will be recharged before Porunga is, and if they are not back yet then I will ask Shenron to bring them back, as well as erase the Buu memories. We could always use Porunga for the other wish, but hopefully we won't have to. I don't like the idea of burning up wishes before the Zerg arrive. The potential damage might last long, or too long for some. I took a precaution like this when the time accident occurred and packed a dragon radar for Vegeta. If he really did end up on old Planet Vegita, then he should be able to hop a ride to Namek or earth and get a wish that way, but he'd probably have to be careful. He always spoke of tight security in the old days of Frieza's empire," Bulma explained just as the computer beeped that it was done. Bulma looked over the readout real fast, and a wicked grin crossed her tired face.
"So that's why you didn't want to tell Chichi and Gohan, until you knew," Bulma said slyly.
"You mean I'm positive?"
"As positive as Vegeta is a Super Saiyan, and I have a pretty good guess of who the father is! Yes Videl, you're pregnant!"
-
I woke up in the middle of the night, anxiety for the Kanassa trip had interfered with any sleep that I got and brought me back to life. Fasha was still out cold, and the nearby clock told me we had about five hours before departure. The only thing about the clocks is that they were not in Basic language. Fortunately Vegeta had given me a really quick crash course in Saiyan numbers, not that it would have mattered that much. I laid back down and attempted to sleep, but it was all for nothing.
About ten minutes later, I got up and put on my blue top, but without the armor. Might as well get a drink or something. I looked towards the refrigerator type cupboard for at least something. To my great dismay, Shugesh and Borgos had in fact finished off whatever was in there. That left the bar as the only nearby source of fluid, but this time of night it would surely be empty. I trudged out the door, closing it quietly and headed for the elevator. Upon exiting, I found the bar was a bit toned down, but there were still easily a hundred Saiyans in there, conversed in random activities. A few of them looked up at me with harsh glares, at least from the males. The females however were all giving me the look that you want to see if you're looking for a really good time. Maybe I should invest in a skunk farm, that might help.
I sat down at the bar, and a purple-headed alien made his way over, "What will it be sir?"
"I don't suppose you have just water do you?" I whispered.
The bartender looked shocked, "I've been waiting for the day someone would ask me that, and from an elite no less! Yeah I've got plenty of it!" He poured it into a small glass and gave it to me.
"No booze for you huh?"
"I don't drink, and I got a mission in the morning anyway," I said, taking a sip. I thought I tasted something a little strange in the water, but considering it wasn't Earth water, I wasn't overly surprised.
"Say, you're that low level that got promoted by Frieza himself after just one mission aren't you?"
I took a second to answer, "What gave it away?"
"I'd say your hairstyle, or your combat suit, but I hadn't seen you before. I only work the night shift after all. No, it's actually the look those females are giving you. According to my sources, they've been waiting for you to turn up again, though I doubt that any of them expected you this early," the bartender said as he kinda gave me a knowing look. I grunted slightly and shifted my eyes over to the pack of female Saiyans, giving me the hungry look.
"I'm not interested," I said, turning my head back and taking another sip.
"You know, some females can't take a hint. But I heard that Saiyan females actually like it if you reject them a few times. Make them work for it or something," he explained.
"I'm not really familiar with Saiyan practices, I was raised off-planet. And being in battle most of your life kinda makes you disregard things like that," I said in a make shift lie.
"Yeah I heard that you might be a bit un-familiar with all of that. I just find it strange that one day they all hate you, and one day they worship you, doesn't sound like typical Saiyan behavior."
"Women are strange, I learned that a very long time ago," I grinned slightly and took another drink. I sensed a power directly behind me, and a hand reaching for me.
I spun around with my hand raised, "I don't suggest that," I said. To my great surprise, it wasn't some random drunk or a hungry female.
"You must have really good ears kid," Bardock chuckled. Well, considering my senses, good ears is close enough.
"Something like that," I grinned and spun around in the chair again, back to my water. Bardock took a seat next to me, ordering some wine and drinking slowly.
"Couldn't sleep either huh? I never can before a mission, most of my sleep I get during stasis, despite trying beforehand," he said, sipping his wine. I said nothing, just continued drinking my water until it ran out. The barkeep refilled it quickly before moving on.
"Don't take this the wrong way kid, but why don't you ever use your scouter? That little thing can save your ass," the older Saiyan asked.
"I don't have any need for it Bardock, other than maybe language translation," I said in truth. I had seen this one coming, and they might as well know it. They already knew I could hide my power, and ki sense was not much different. Still, I felt a little strange telling him straight up without thinking it over very well, but then again, I was a bit on the tired side.
"I know you are pretty good at manipulating your ki, but still its best to know what you're up against," he leveled with me.
"No Bardock, I don't have any use for it because I can sense ki levels," I whispered the last part.
"You can sense them, is that a natural ability? I mean sure you can feel them through the air right before a ki strike, but do you mean you can feel them somehow even across a distance, like a sixth sense? Is that how you knew I was behind you?"
I nodded, "Yeah, anyone can learn it, and it saves your butt a hell of a lot better than any scouter, and it doesn't blow up from overload. The only time it might throw you a little is when you feel a huge power go by, lets say Frieza for example. The feeling might make you pretty edgy, and a bit fearful. But it's great for finding enemies that can't do such things as sense or hide their power. After a time, certain ki levels will feel familiar, and you can detect extreme emotional states," I explained.
"When we have our next shore leave, which is after the next two missions, can you teach me how to do that?"
I smirked slightly, he might learn more than just that, "Yeah sure." Another power appeared behind me, but this one's hands were reaching for something other than my shoulders. I spun in the chair again, seeing one of the mating-crazed females standing there.
"Greetings sire, I offer myself to you! I would give you the first Super Saiyan in fifteen hundred zurals for a son!" I noticed that she was wearing a red bodysuit, marking her as second class.
I decided to play along, "Really, I'm not so sure about that. You don't seem that powerful," I snickered. I expected a shocked and angry female, but instead another one flocked up, this one wearing first class colors. It was one of the ones that had bowed to me earlier.
"No sire, take me instead! I'll give you a real Super Saiyan, not just false hopes that a lower class would claim!"
"Why you little bitch!" This should be good. Bardock turned in his chair, slight interest crossed his features. Sure enough, the two females then lunged at each other and started brawling right in front of us. Power wise, the first class woman had the advantage, but the second was crafty, and wild as she started up a nasty hair-pulling match. Soon after several punches, kicks and throws, some that wiped out some tables, both females lay on the ground, huffing, puffing and death glaring at each other.
"Looks like your popularity grew a little kid, but real elite women rarely come here. They have their own camp elsewhere, only the most desperate females venture here," Bardock smirked and got up, "I'm off to get some more details about our mission, and if you don't want to get marked in here, I suggest you go back to bed," he sighed a bit and walked out of the bar, passing the angry females. Well, you learn something new about Saiyans every day. I entered the elevator, much to the chagrin of the females, and went back to my room, falling asleep much faster this time.
Interlude 14.2 –Curious Bardock-
Bardock waited in the bar patiently, he'd waited ten minutes already, but he sighed and gave it ten more just to be sure. The bartender had already confirmed that his package of sedative was delivered and that the boy had downed all of it. Once that time was up, he marched up to his dorm he shared with the crew. Fasha had told him earlier that the boy had been hiding a lot of power, and he had gotten a glimpse of it himself. Now his curiosity stirred, and he wanted to know more. Fasha had assured him that the boy would not try to kill them, not that he would have to try hard. She seemed to have grown attached and rather fond of the boy, despite what she called a freakish power lurking beneath him. Then she told him how the boy hadn't bothered using a scouter, like he didn't have to. Since then, Verto had become more open with everyone, especially her. Even though he shouldn't of, he managed to get some of that information from the boy at a convenient time when he wasn't completely awake. Bardock strapped on his scouter, a modified version of his old one, capable of holding up to three million in a number before exploding.
He entered the apartment in silence, stepping carefully to Fasha's room. There he was, sleeping soundly in the bed next to Fasha's. He looked so peaceful; it almost sickened Bardock as he pressed the button on the scouter. He scanned Fasha first, to get an accurate reading. She came out as three hundred and ten, a very accurate reading considering she was asleep, that made sense. Then he shifted up to the boy, not sure what to expect. The reading started at fifty-eight hundred, and if the boy was asleep, that didn't compute. But then as the boy seemed to become more comfortable, the level slowly rose as the sedative drugs took more effect. Bardock's eyes opened wide in surprise as the level hit seventeen thousand and didn't show any signs of stopping. Verto's breath became more relaxed as well, as full sleep began to take him. Then the number shot up impossibly quick, and Bardock almost gave himself away with the shock that took him. The level hit three hundred thousand and got higher much faster, and Bardock began to regret his life all of a sudden. The number got even higher, and Bardock thought he would have a heart attack pretty soon, or wake someone up just for it to stop.
Man, only Frieza and his family are this strong! Another shock came at Bardock, the number kept going up, but this time slowed down as it approached two million. Bardock became very sweaty and nervous, that boy wasn't kidding when he said he could hide his power. The number hit two million and hovered around there, fluctuating as it should as if he was asleep. Something told Bardock to take a closer look at the boy. He crossed the room and stood in between the beds. He looked down at the kid's gut, and found that it was just as solid and unscathed as before.
But Frieza punched him there, a solid hit if I ever heard one! Granted Frieza didn't punch as hard as he could of, otherwise the kid couldn't have blocked the first two. But even if this boy was that strong, there would surely be a bruise or something, he was in cold sleep and, Bardock cut off his train of thought when Verto suddenly shifted in the bed. Bardock shut off the scouter and left the room before he blurted something out. He sat down in a chair in the living room, catching his breath.
Good lord, he was faking it when Frieza hit him, it didn't hurt him at all. Does this mean his true power level is twenty million, or higher? That is insane, or is it even higher. Could he be a legendary... Bardock's scared thoughts were cut off when he heard Tora get up and come towards the living room.
"You're up early Bardock, too much drinking again?" Tora chuckled.
"No, just not tired."
"I wonder how the kid is going to perform on Kanassa, I'd almost hate to see him transformed," Tora laughed again. Bardock flinched slightly at that thought.