Dragonball Z: The Catalyst
Act II:
Chapter 21: Inhibitor
Vegeta stood in the ruins of the large rock formation where the cave Bulma, Gohan, Krillen and Raditz used for cover and home once stood, breathing in heavily as his eyes fixed ahead.
Above him, holding onto his Seven Star Dragon Ball, Turles started to chuckle. Truly, he was just as furious as Vegeta, but the humour he found in it was the fact they'd been duped by a child. The mighty Lord Turles and Prince Vegeta outsmarted by what, an 8 year old?
"What's so funny, Turles?" Vegeta angry snarled, his head jerking up to glare at his counterpart.
"Where to start? The fact we were outsmarted by a brat? Or perhaps that volatile reaction of yours."
The angry sneer on Vegeta's face didn't change.
"Well, we'd better figure out something soon, wouldn't you say?" Turles reminded. "Because as of right now, we're one short."
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"Yea, that's a bad break," Krillen determined, looking at the teary eyed Bulma trying not to screech with pain as Krillen checked over her hand.
To Bulma, she couldn't even begin to try and talk about what had just happened. The very image of her best friend growing up had just broken her hand, and if it weren't for Vegeta of all people, she was almost sure he was going to rape her. She still felt sick from him holding her there, and the dark smile haunted her every time she closed her eyes.
"J-just is there anything we can get to fix it?"
Krillen looked quietly away, not touching the wrist as it hung limply. They'd already fixed her elbow, but that was already a very trying event. The simple truth was they didn't have the medical supplies with them anymore to take care of a break this bad.
"We're heading to Guru's, and he may have had the ability to heal Raditz. Trust me, Raditz was in a lot worse shape. Me and Gohan were heading there to unlock his hidden potential, you should come with us," Krillin said nodding towards Gohan.
The little boy already moved to pick up the Four Star Dragon Ball.
That monster would be chasing them with Vegeta now, just what would happen if they caught them before they got to this Guru's? She already knew the answer though, she knew them from the look in his eyes. He'd kill them all, and laugh while he did it.
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Two red eyes stared down at the two saiyans in the hidden canyon.
Sitting on top of a Dragon Ball, Vegeta's eyes stared ahead coldly, and leaning up against the side of the rock walls with his arms crossed.
This was an outrage! How dare Turles make an alliance with Vegeta without his approval? The Catalyst landed in front of the two warriors in the canyon near its mouth, Vegeta immediately stood up, glaring at the arrival in his white cloak.
"You chose the wrong canyon to come in, Namek," Vegeta snapped.
"That's no Namek," Turles responded, before grinning at his ally. "That my friend, is the one who told me of the Namekian Dragon Balls, his name is the Catalyst."
The impish figure in front of them did little to awe Vegeta, or influence his opinion very much. In a moment he expected the little rat to be vaporized. Still, killing off outright may lead to a conflict with his very powerful friend, someone Vegeta wasn't entirely sure he was stronger than yet. Turning himself towards Turles, Vegeta just stared at the other saiyan questioningly.
For his part Turles felt relatively happy to see the Catalyst. Well, he doubted that the Catalyst would be happy to have seen him again in just a moment.
"We had discussed this before, Turles. You were not to ally with anyone else without my express permission!"
There was a chuckle, absent from either Turles or the Catalyst. The Prince of all Saiyans was chuckling, at first, before it developed into full blown laughter.
Neither Turles nor the Catalyst understood what was so funny.
"What's so funny you pitiful worm!?" the Catalyst demanded. "I may just have to order Turles to destroy you if you keep that up!"
These words were not necessarily the most wise. Turles froze in place looking at Vegeta. In reality however they were just staring straight through the Prince, looking ahead with murder developing behind his eyes. Any other saiyan would have been able to see it, and Vegeta knew that murderous intent was not for him.
"I was laughing because I had no idea that Turles had a master," Vegeta mocked.
Half smirking a moment later and shutting his eyes, Turles began gathering energy into his left hand.
"Turles, don't accept this insult! Kill-"
"No one is my master," Turles responded.
Uh oh.
With a spin towards the Catalyst, Turles hurled the gathered energy in his hand into the tiny frame. The bolt hit his target head on, the body and cloak vaporized in moments, disappearing in the light amid several short screams. The bolt travelled over Namekian water, parting the sea itself to its depths, before crashing into a mountain far in the distance and exploding. The mountain began to cave in, in the background.
"I'll give you one thing Turles, you're a good shot," came the laugh from the other saiyan.
In another world however, hidden within its lair, a being merely uttered.
"The saiyans are not to be trusted again."
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"Holding me hostage until I made this supposed right decision-"
"Hardly," Guru said bluntly. "If you had continued to hold off, or make the wrong decision, I would have not healed you, and you would have died."
Blinking at the remark, Raditz looked down, noting not a scratch on his body. His very life had been on the line? Of course it would have been unfair to tell him that he was going to die unless he 'choice' correctly.
The old Namek smiled however, tilting his head slightly towards Raditz before nodding slightly.
"The real reason I'll let those idiots get their wish is just because I have a stake in it now," turning his head away and crossing his arms, Raditz proudly raised his head shortly after, as if to showcase his uncaring pride.
Guru, having touched the mind of the saiyan, thought otherwise.
"We both know there must be more than just one reason. I for one would like to thank you. There may be complications in your journey, and there is still much evil in you, but I believe you have the real tools to escape its clutches, just as your father did."
What was that supposed to mean? Bardock died on his home world with all the others.
Before Raditz could make any kind of investigation, Nail stepped into the room, in tow was Bulma, Krillen, and Gohan, as well as the Dragon Ball.
"Elder, these earthlings have returned as they said they would."
Smiling up towards the huge Namek, Gohan walked forward, his eyes brimming with a sense of amazement. This was the eldest Namek, the maker of the Dragon Balls and Dende's father. Even without these qualifications, Gohan always knew to be deeply respectful to anyone you met.
Bowing his head respectfully, Gohan spoke. "It is good to meet you sir, my name is Gohan."
Raditz scoffed at the remark. "No need to be so respectful, apparently our Namek friend here is quite the blackmailing snake."
The attitude was noted by Krillen most of all, obviously Raditz hadn't been a big fan of the healing process which Guru had offered him.
Looking to Bulma for a comment, he noticed her staring at Raditz with a kind of... anger. It was very quiet, but it was there.
"You knew didn't you?"
Clearly, the woman was out of her mind. Raditz had determined after months of whining, complaining, demands, and know-it-all arrogance, he was just going to call a spade a spade.
"Knew what?"
As if cluing in, Krillen spoke up.
"We were attacked by a saiyan."
Giving Krillen a dim look, Raditz just frowned with a level of disappointment that clearly was directed at what he thought of Bulma's intelligence.
You don't say? You were attacked by Vegeta? The saiyan they'd suspected had been on Namek for as long as they were?
"Oh, you mean Vegeta. Well I'm glad you remembered what a saiyan was," the irritated scowl that followed Raditz's words were quelled by the look they were both giving him.
The woman was holding her right arm delicately. Clearly it was broken. Krillen had a mark on his cheek as well, clearly from one blow. They also obviously knew who Vegeta was... Nappa was dead, and Kakarot was in space on his was there. Gohan obviously hadn't gone on one of his rampages towards them, so how was this his problem exactly?
It was too hard to breathe in that moment for Bulma as she started to shake, remembering that terrifying look he'd given her. She felt her jaw trembling, was this PTSD? No, she'd been through worse. But from the familiar guise of Goku? The trembling finally made her hiss in pain, her arm uncomfortably moving with her.
Moving his hand to support her, Krillen just frowned.
"We'll get Guru to look at that hand."
"What was his name?"
This had peaked Raditz's attention, noting the real state of terror the woman was in, as well as the quiet fear that seemed to subtly overtake Krillen.
"I keep wanting to call him Goku. They look identical, well, maybe his skin is a few shades darker," Bulma finally managed to say, breathing in and out, trying to contain herself. "He said his name was Turles."
Something sharp pressed against the back of Raditz's skull at the words. That wasn't possible, he was KIA. There was no way that was Turles, not a chance. Another saiyan named Turles? It was possible, but what were the odds that two men named Turles would survive the destruction of Planet Vegeta. Also, looking exactly like Kakarot?
"That's not possible. Turles was killed almost 10 years ago," Raditz stated bluntly. "And even if he were alive, Turles is hardly strong enough to even get Vegeta to work with him, he was barely stronger than Kakarot on earth when I first met him."
"He's a monster," Bulma finally spat. "He just toyed with us, he was going to... he-"
Ah, the woman was unable to say, but referring to some terrible act that this 'Turles' was no doubt going to inflict on her.
"Why does Turles look like Goku?" Krillen demanded.
"If, and I repeat if this is Turles, there is a good reason why he looks like Kakarot. He and Kakarot are born of the same mould, they were even one being at one point in a sense. He's Kakarot's twin, his identical twin."
Gohan turned his head, just as Guru placed his hand on the boy's head.
"Twin?"
"Yes, he is my brother as well of course."
"You didn't think this was something to be shared?" Krillen asked.
"Do you talk about people who've been dead for ten years often, with strangers?" was the simply answer from the saiyan warrior.
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The scouter beeped just as Vegeta stood up.
"Did you sense that?" he asked. "Of course."
Grabbing one of the Dragon Balls, Vegeta turned and smirked at Turles.
"I think its time we got our wish."
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"So what's our next plan of action?" Krillen asked.
"Well the first thing we need to do is-" Gohan didn't get to finish his sentence as the entire spire which the house stood on rumbled.
The look that now adorned Nail's face was of anger.
"We have guests."
There was two terrible powers outside, and it was clear that their energies were being suppressed. One was clearly Vegeta, but the other... the other hadn't really been felt since Dodoria had been killed.
"I will greet them," Nail announced, moving to the door.
Walking behind him immediately, Raditz motioned to the others. "I think we should all greet our friends."
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This hut was different from all the others, larger, so to both Turles and Vegeta's eyes, this place looked like the main administration building. The saiyans were at the end of their patience however, both had their own ambitions and plans to sort out. They could work together, especially until they received their wish and killed Frieza. After however it would easily be left to question if they could continue to get around their mutually large egos.
The larger of the two nefarious saiyans looked at the reading on his scouter, taking into account several powers within. These creatures however, knew how to hide their real power levels, so it was difficult to gauge how strong they were. He knew of course that there was one power level of at least 23,000, the bald idiot human who called him Goku. Other than that, it was all a mystery.
"My lieutenants Daiz and Amond were killed near this position," he said to Vegeta. "I wonder, could the occupants of this hut be responsible?"
"Were your lieutenants weaklings?" Vegeta mocked in response.
"No, their fighting powers were quite high. Not nearly as high as ours however."
Vegeta rolled his eyes, this fool clearly thought he'd thrown everything he had at Zarbon, he hadn't. What Zarbon saw, and Turles, was only the amount of power needed to kill the fool. They all had a surprise coming at just how powerful he really was.
Landing outside this grand hut, Turles turned to Vegeta, smirking.
"I think I know the best way to knock." Forming a blast in his hand to blow his way through, Turles prepared his attack.
It was then that the door opened off to the side of them. Vegeta narrowed his eyes on the Namek who stood there. He was heavily suppressing his power, it was painfully obvious. To Vegeta it was very clear he had a lot of power.
Lord Turles however, was very much relying on his scouter, any energy perception he had was used peripherally. To him this Namek had a power level of 3,000, just like the average Namekian Warrior.
"You should leave," Nail warned.
"Oh, should we?" Turles shot back immediately. "I think both Vegeta and I have heard those words before, from the last Nameks that crossed us."
The Prince smirked at the remark.
"We know the Dragon Ball is in there, along with that brat who stole it. Hand it over-"
There was another saiyan who made his presence known. Raditz stepped out from the building, walking out from behind Nail, and looking at his former leader Vegeta with confidence. Angry eyes were contained in the saiyan's face. Out from behind him walked Krillen, and out from behind Krillen appeared Gohan. Bulma's head peaked out from the crack in the door, her healed right hand pressing against the side of the frame.
What power, they'd all had huge power increases and were trying to hide it. The look on Raditz's face told him that the other saiyan though he could fight him and win. It was the same pathetic look Raditz gave to any opponent he thought he had a chance of beating. Up until now Vegeta was sure he didn't give that look to many actual fighters. The kid too, was brimming with a new confidence.
For Turles's part however, he didn't see any of it. What he saw was his brother standing there, alive as ever and in shredded alien clothing instead of armour. He could see all of his eldest sibling's attention focused directly on Vegeta as soon as he saw him, ah, a feud between the two. Any saiyan could see the kind of blood lust the older saiyan had for their respective 'Prince'.
However, if Raditz was over there, he was sure they could come to a deal, they'd rid themselves of the weakling earthlings, kill the remaining Nameks and then the wish would be theirs.
"Brother." Turles finally said, smiling broadly as he looked at Raditz, finally gathering the other saiyan's attention.
For Raditz, it was like looking back in time. When he'd last seen Turles, the low class saiyan had to be 15, now he stood there as a full grown man. It was true, he looked identical to Kakarot, save for his skin tone and a small aspect of his hair. Something thumped inside the older saiyan's chest however. This was his brother, the first brother he'd ever really known. Here he was, alive and kicking in front of him. Beneath the arrogant smile and appearance, he detected strength, incredible strength.
Just like Kakarot.
There was serious doubt in Raditz's mind that Vegeta knew that Turles was in all likelihood stronger than him, if only by a thin margin.
Hah, just like Kakarot again.
The smile Turles had was mimicked by his brother in return.
"You've done well for yourself, little brother," Raditz felt proud in that moment. "I do see you keep poor company though."
Not only had Turles survived, he'd found a way to surpass being just some third class warrior, he was infinitely more powerful that Nappa could have ever been, even himself were it not for his journey to Earth.
"Of course I've done well, what alternative was there, brother?" Turles responded.
"Being dead," Raditz responded grimly.
The white cape flowing in the wind behind him, Turles felt himself turn his eyes towards Bulma briefly, with a sinister look he raised one hand, twiddling his fingers in a wave towards her. Immediately the blue haired figured retreated indoors.
"Well, human girls do scare easy,"
"Stop being so immature, Turles," Vegeta ordered, as if Turles was somehow Nappa.
The indigent and open anger that appeared on Turles's face was hardly what Nappa would have responded with.
To Vegeta however, the conversation was expected, he had few doubts that Turles couldn't have been related to Raditz and Kakarot, given that he looked almost exactly like Kakarot. But now he remembered the event from years ago. Turles had been brought in by Raditz's brother, but was killed in some suicide mission. An irreverent third class warrior, and now a power that might rival his own, and in fact before his battle with Zarbon greatly surpassed him.
But there was more to being a third class than just strength, the pathetic uncontrolled behaviour he demonstrated so far was enough to disgrace him by association. They were hunting for Dragon Balls, and he lusted after some human woman just because he'd not slept next to a warm body in too long? How pathetic.
Still, these were what was left of the saiyan race: Turles, Kakarot, and Raditz, as well as himself of course. That little brat was a half breed, and clearly had the power of a saiyan.
Before Turles could respond, his scouter had a blip appear on it, with an arrow indicator pointing up. The beeping sound it made for a moment caused Turles's eye to twitch.
"Do you feel that heading towards the planet?" Krillen asked, his eyes staring up in amazement. "Its... its got to be Goku!" he cheered, jumping in the air.
"Daddy! He's coming here?!" Gohan looked equally relieved and excited.
Vegeta and Raditz didn't feel anything yet, their own honing abilities not as strong.
Both of them however were hit by the wave of power coming towards them. Incredible power.
It was then that Turles noted, as everyone was gawking, that this giant power wasn't a single signature. The on-board computer in the scouter, tracking several Space Pods as the origin of the power. His tail wrapped tightly around himself, narrowing his eyes.
"Given their approach, vector, numbers, and craft type, I can say that this is most certainly not 'Goku', unless Goku is a group of five fighters," Turles remarked. "In fact, I would wager that these are some of Frieza's Elites. But my scouter can't get a-"
The scouter started to go wild, trying to track the cumulative power levels of all the fighters, the beeping went higher and higher. Reaching up to turn it off, Turles's hand arrived too late as the scouter broke, shattering and collapsed on to the ground.
Looking down at his red scouter with a level of concern, Turles looked back up to all the others.
"That would be the Ginyu Force." Vegeta's comment made both Turles and Raditz freeze in place.
"The Ginyu Force? They are a myth," Turles immediately cut in. "There is no way that they could possibly exist, its just not-"
Disgust traced across Vegeta's face at his partner's remarks. The low-level didn't understand, despite breaking his chains he still lived outside the dark places Frieza had taken him. The Ginyu Force was all too real.
"Give up that Dragon Ball! Now!" the shout exploded from Vegeta, feeling himself powering up almost. "We're out of time!"
"Who are these Ginyu guys?"
Krillen wasn't going to be intimidated just because Vegeta-
"They are a group of warriors, super elites who fight for Frieza, all of them more powerful that Zarbon, Dodoria, or Vegeta was on Earth," Raditz explained. "That was what they were rumoured to be, anyway."
"Exactly! Now give up that Dragon Ball or we're all done!"
"I have a proposal," Turles said, much more calmly than Vegeta.
Quite frankly, Turles was afraid of Frieza, but he wasn't nearly as terrified as Vegeta of the Ginyu Forces however. There was a simple solution to all this.
"You, Earthlings, have one wish I take it? Vegeta has one wish. I have one wish. We split the three wishes, one each way, does that sound fair?... Or Raditz, you can do your little brother a favour and kill the bald idiot over there and come on my side, then we can all gain eternal life. Think of it, think of how the name of the saiyans would be respected again amongst the stars."
Unfortunately for Turles, he had thought of it some time ago, but now found himself in the position where that didn't matter anymore. The taller, older saiyan shook his head slowly.
"No, brother, unfortunately I will not be killing the Earthlings. However, the other arrangement, dividing the wishes between all of us may be acceptable, if there are indeed three wishes."
The long haired saiyan turned his head towards Nail questioning.
To Nail this was never a question, blinking before he looked at the interested parties.
"Yes, of course there are three wishes."
"Now hold on Raditz, we have to think this through!" Krillen argued as the large saiyan shook his head.
"Not enough time. We have to get going now."
Of course they didn't want to do this, Gohan knew that Raditz hardly wanted to cooperate with Vegeta, the look of hate he saw from his uncle at the very sight of him. This couldn't go well, that much was for certain, but if they didn't do something then Frieza would get the Dragon Balls inevitably from them. Compromise, the well tutored boy knew, was the only option.
"He's right Krillen," Gohan said. "I'll get the Ball."
"Its alright kid, I can hold it for you," Turles offered, his face written with insincerity.
"We'll be fine holding our Dragon Ball ourselves, brother," Raditz cut in, looking annoyed before he began to emanate an aura around himself.
The look Turles gave him, first annoyed, and then shifting to mild amusement, said it all.
"We need to get the Dragon Balls together, now," Vegeta ordered.
It was just like the old days, and Raditz didn't like it at all. He'd kill Vegeta before he let him make a wish...
That's it. I'll kill him before he can make his wish.
Any kind of arrangement with the Saiyan Prince would have to end this way, he wasn't satiated with just Nappa dying for the numerous injustices visited upon him. The years of servitude, humiliating servitude at that, repaid with a brutal closed fist could not be easily forgotten. Guru had told him to let go of his hate, but there were some things he could never bring himself to do.
"Hatred will destroy you, Raditz. Even if it does not this time, and even if it does not kill you, it can destroy you in ways beyond-"
Raditz snarled, ignored the old Namek.
"I'm no longer mad at you for putting me through what you did old Namek. Showing me what you did put a great deal in perspective for me. It helped me appreciate what I am. But no matter what I am still a saiyan, and I will laugh when Vegeta's blood is on my hands."
With that, Raditz finally went inside. When he emerged, he carried the four star Dragon Ball.
"Let's go," the eldest saiyan remarked.
The five warriors immediately blasted off into the air,
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During the flight, all Raditz could do was take glances at Turles.
Alive, how could he be alive? It didn't make sense, he would have asked as well were it not for the rush for the Dragon Balls. Who knows what happened over the last ten years? Before he would have said he trusted Turles, they were brothers after all, but at the moment that trust was tested by the virtue alone that Turles was working with Vegeta.
"You're the one who killed all my men, aren't you?" Turles asked, a smirk appearing across his face, noting Raditz staring at him.
"Your men?"
"I had a team of 5 men, 2 short purple aliens, a cyborg, a man with green hair, and a reddish skinned giant."
So they weren't kidding about not working with Frieza.
Being a saiyan, Raditz smirked and nodded in response.
"The big one got killed by the midget though," Raditz said inclining his head towards Krillen. The short bald warrior shook his head feverishly.
Turles sized up his brother and the human, his one sided smile still not disappearing. Amond had been the best of his men, he may have to look into extracting vengeance... once this was all over.
When the five of them landed. Vegeta immediately made a break for the Dragon Balls.
"There just right-"
Crashing into the ground from the sky, five bodies landed in front of him, from short to tallest and standing in formation.
"No!" Vegeta roared.
"Hello there, Vegeta. I see you and your saiyan cohorts, as well as the Earthlings, have been kind enough to gather these Dragon Balls for us," Captain Ginyu pronounced.
As soon as Turles saw the purple alien, he just uttered one phrase coldly.
"You're dead."
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A/N: And so the Ginyu Forces make their arrival.
Reviewers:
VLS: Maybe. Its just harder to do those two as its not as needed. But maybe in another Saga.
Fightingchampion: There is more action coming up.
Coldblue: You'll note the changed tags in the story. Sorry to disappoint you Coldblue XD
Question 1: I dunno yet
Quesiton 2: I think this chapter answers that.
Suggestions: Watch things unfold, its already written out now. You'll be surprised by what happens.
Demod: Thank you Demod :D
GoggleGirl: Don't kill Turles, are you sure? ;)
Dark Impaler: Look at the new Character Tags for the Story ;)
Jason9000: already answered via PM.
Full Power: Frieza and Cargo MUST go on a magical adventure! They must! XD
Cosmic Cannon: Already answered. :D
Milli: I actually nearly cried a bit while writing it, bringing up the emotions when I did. It was really painful to write from the perspective of a damaged man and a lonely child... But I'm glad it can be used to entertain people :-D
Pointer39: Thank you very much Pointer. :)
Vegetarott: I appreciate the Review Rott! Expect much more from Raditz and Turles :)