chapter 24: Survival of the Fittest
Up in her quarters, Maleenia was swirling her wine and glaring at the screen in front of her. Vegeta, Mirai Trunks and his two brats had passed their door with ease. She had watched the fight and was keeping her gaze fixed on the twins. She saw what they'd done.
"It can't be possible. Those two, what do you know about them Piki? From your time down on Earth?" She snapped, glaring at her assistant who quickly turned from staring at Zara.
"Who? The children? They belong to Trunks and the blonde female that's in with the other Trunks." He asked.
"I know that you fool, but their techniques. It looks as though the little darlings have picked up some useful moves off our Kalroo friend here. Have you not been watching the fight?" She demanded.
"Yes your highness. I think she did mention that she was training the two children." He stammered, wincing at her glare.
"She trained them? Well, lets see if we can have some fun with them next time, I believe another fight is about to start." She sneered as she fixed her gaze back onto the screen, as Goten and Goku was walking down the long corridor, hesitatingly.
"I wonder what we've got to fight?" Goten asked, trying to spark up a conversation. Goku had been so preoccupied from what had happened that he had been quiet ever since they entered their room.
"Huh? I don't know Goten. We'll have to see when we finish this corridor I guess." Goku replied.
After what seemed like forever, they finally reached the doors and opened it to find a silver decorated room. Stepping in, they looked around before they spotted a pink figure hovering above them.
"Welcome to the silver arena, if you want to continue, you'll have to destroy what's behind the mystical door behind me." He said.
"Who are you?" Goku demanded.
"I'm just a worker. Alright, we have two contestants trying to get passed, whether they do as well as they're friends is up to them." He laughed.
"Wait? What do you mean friends? Who else has fought?" Goten yelled and the announcer stared at him.
"Boy was that a fight, those little kids sure knew how to stop him. Sorry Maleenia my great! I'll shut up now!" He yelled, standing up and slapping two hands together praying she wouldn't do anything. Goten and Goku stared at each other before looking at him confused, but then their gaze was suddenly drawn to the door, which was opening. Loud footsteps could be heard as a large green creature came out. Goten and Goku stared as the creature stopped over them and stared down, balancing on four legs yet with two arms and two heads, staring down at him from long necks. Long sharp talons came from his hands and a tail that whipped out from behind him with what looked like a sword ending it.
"Welcome Tarper! He's from the north moon of the Collader galaxy. He's fast, flexible and he's not been beaten yet. Let the match begin!" The announcer cried as his little hover board floated out the way before a bell rang.
"Alright, let's see how fast this guy really is." Goku declared lunging at the creature. About to throw a lightning speed kick at Tarper, he was surprised as he just batted him into a wall, his gaze fixed on Goten, or rather his shirt which had something lodged in his pocket.
"Dad! Are you alright?" Goten cried as Goku pulled himself out of the wall, rubbing his head.
"Man, that guy wasn't kidding when he said he was fast. I think we'll have to take it up a notch!" Goku commented, making his way back over to his son. Goten was busy looking worried.
"Why is he looking at me like that? Like he wants to eat me." He stammered and just at that moment, the two heads began licking their lips.
"Well, your right, he is hungry. Their staring at your chest, wait a minute what's that in your pocket?" Goku asked, looking at his son now, Goten looked down to see a handful of chocolate bars in his pocket.
"Oh them… I thought I grabbed a bite whilst Emily was gathering Trunks and Vegeta. Just since she got back so quickly, I never got a chance to eat anything." Goten laughed as he remembered the food.
"I'm surprised the twins never saw them. Probably being too mad at their dad. Anyway I've got a plan…" Goku said and began whispering in his son's ear, Goten jumped back as if insulted then glanced nervously at Tarper.
"Do you think it'll work?" He asked.
"Yeah, if my hunch is right about this, then it should fool him long enough to destroy him. Come on, he's a tricky creature, we can't afford to waste any energy on him." Goku replied, disappearing. Goten gulped as he took two chocolate bars out of his pocket and began unwrapping them.
"Come on uh, Tarper. Look, some nice fresh candy!" He cried, waving them about then taking to the air. Tarper stared at the chocolate bars, hungrily and began following him, meanwhile behind a pillar Goku looked on with a big smirk on his face.
"That's it Goten, keep it up." He muttered. Meanwhile Maleenia growled as she worked out what they where up to.
"Piki! Tarper is a bottomless pit!" She screamed and Piki trembled but slowly nodded his head.
"But your majesty, I assumed that his speed and talons would be a good fight with the two saiyans. You saw what he did with the first blow." He stammered. Maleenia stared at him.
"I did, but you assumed wrong. Once a person finds out another's weakness, they beat him from right under his nose! You fool. Well, we don't have to worry about who beats who in the third round." She sneered, laughing insanely as her gaze fell on Zara who suddenly stood up, her eyes hollow and withdrawn. Piki jumped back with the sudden movement.
"What do you mean?" He asked, Maleenia sighed frustrated.
"You'll see." She snapped as she returned to the screen.
Meanwhile Goten had been flying around, suddenly enjoying the fun he was having with Tarper. He was just hovering over the two heads when suddenly one reached up and bit him, dragging him to the floor.
"Whoa! Anytime dad!" He yelled whilst firing a ki blast that released his leg from Tarper's mouth before he then crawled away. Tarper approached Goten; obviously what one tasted the other tasted also, licking his lips. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Goku, now in super saiyan form appeared between the two heads.
"Kame… Hame…. Ha!" He yelled, firing his attack, severing one of the heads. Tarper cried out in pain.
"Ew, that's so gross." Goten commented, staring at the bloodied neck that now lay on the floor.
"Would you rather me let him eat you?" Goku asked, staring at his son thoughtfully. Goten eyed Tarper nervously and quickly shook his head.
"No, no. You get him." He cried and Goku just smirked as he brought his leg into the other head, completely severing that one too. Firing a small ki blast, the head disintegrated, leaving the body to just burn up and disintegrate all by itself.
"There, that wasn't too hard." Goku commented, powering down and staring at the charred floor.
"Easy for you to say, no one tried to eat you." Goten shot at his father.
"Well, I don't have any senzu beans, your sister might. We'll have to wait till we meet up with the others." Goku sighed, helping him up.
"If we meet up with the others." Goten muttered.
"Don't talk like that. And don't worry, I'm sure everyone's fine. At least we know Vegeta, Trunks, Jake and Alex destroyed their enemy. It's just Emily and Trunks left." He said. Goten winced as he lifted his leg.
"Yeah, let's hope they'll be fine." He muttered as the door slid open ahead of them. Goku nodded, serious now.
"So do I. I'm sure they'll be though. Come on, let's get out of here, this room gives me the creeps." He stated as they left through the door.
Meanwhile up on the deck, Maleenia frowned.
"All right, so they've got that one too. You know what they say, third times a charm." She said, turning towards the chained up Zara. Zara stared back blankly until the floor she was standing on along with the part of the wall she was chained to slid down an elevator shaft that was quickly covered up again.
"Where's she going?" Piki asked.
"You'll see." Maleenia stated, returning her gaze back to the screen.