THE ALL NEW GINYU FORCE
Chapter 4 – Hiking
The ki restraints did hardly anything to hinder Tank's natural speed and blue team arrived at the foot of the first mountain whilst red team where still miles behind.
Tanks shrugged Jeice off his back and observed the view before them before speaking;
''You'll get back on my back, I'll be able to quickly flit over this terrain'' Berta translated.
Jeice looked at him and raised an eyebrow ''No offensive mate, but you're clearly knackered. We should rest first, we still have a good lead.''
Tanks scoffed and Berta relayed his reply ''I rested plenty on the last challenge waiting for you. Don't insinuate I'm too 'tired' to do such a simple task. Get on!''
Jeice rolled his eyes and climbed back onto the lizard man, hardly having time to adjust himself before the other took off with a leap. Jeice screeched in fear as Tanks launched himself from mountain to rock to mountain, clutching on for dear life. They were about halfway through the range when Recoome and Relizsh made it to the first mountain. Ginyu nodded at Burta to follow him as they both flew back to see what tactics team red would use.
Meanwhile up in the mountains the air was getting thinner and it was more obvious how tired Tanks was getting. Jeice tried reasoning with him again ''Look, this is getting dangerous! The ki restraints are zapping your energy, we need to rest!'' Tanks spat on the floor and crouched down ready to leap again. This time he fell short of the spot he'd decided to land on. Jeice let out a high pitched scream, Ginyu and Berta snapped their heads towards them to see what was going on. Tanks tried to grab out at the side of the mountain and finally his long black nails caught in a small ledge, but the abrupt stop catapulted Jeice from his back, sending the small red man down the sheer mountain face. With the ki restraints on Jeice was unable to fly, and he was too far away from the side of the mountain to have a chance at grabbing onto something to save himself.
The scene seemed to play out in slow motion in front of Ginyu and Berta, Ginyu knew in his heart there was no way he could cover the distance in time to catch him, but he automatically blasted off towards him anyway, leaving Berta on his own. Berta watched the red man plummet. His hand twitched. Finally, he took a breath and blasted off towards Jeice. Jeice was only a few miles off being splattered into smithereens by the rocky floor, Ginyu had only covered around half the distance between them when a blue gust tore next to him, vanishing from sight instantly. Jeice was still screaming when suddenly there were large arms around his back and under his legs, he felt himself being pulled towards a hard chest and his stomach flipped upside down when he stopped falling, like it does when you go down a large drop on a roller coaster. Burta held the man tightly as Jeice clutched at his chest for dear life. A few seconds later Ginyu arrived and grabbed the dangling Tanks from the side of the mountain.
''Come, we'll fly back to the others'' instructed Ginyu to Berta. After a short flight they touched down next to team red. Ginyu lowered Tanks onto his feet, but Jeice still had an iron grip on Berta's chest and a fear filled look in his eyes so Berta decided it was probably best to continue holding the smaller man until he'd calmed down. Ginyu turned to Berta with amazement in his eyes.
''HOW were you able to fly that fast?!'' he gawped. Burta looked a bit embarrassed and he looked down at his shuffling feet.
''I'm… I'm the fastest on my planet.'' Ginyus jaw continued to hang open in amazement for a bit longer before he managed to snap it shut.
''Well then… I guess it's very lucky you were here today! Now, I think that's enough for one day, lets remove the ki restrictors and return to base.''
…
Back at base Ginyu sat in his office writing down his findings for the day and the final decisions for his team;
RECOOME-
Pros: Good all rounder. Strong. Reliable. Fearless. Team player. Powerful. Driven. Great dancer. Leadership qualities.
Cons: Slow. Low intellect. Old.
Result – Pass.
RELIZSH-
Pros: Fast. Intelligent. Nimble. Strong. Team player. Funny. Great cook. Mechanic and engineering knowledge. Good looking. Athletic
Cons: Low level ki attacks. Family connections with the Cooler Force.
Result – Inconclusive
PONGO-
Pros: Team player.
Cons: Very short. Weak physical attacks. Ki attaks unreliable.
Result – Fail
XQUIDI-
Pros: Amazing aquatic talent. Strong. Team player. Fast. Intelligent. Hard working.
Cons: Smells fishy. Leaves slime EVERYWHERE.
Result – Fail.
JEICE-
Pros: Handsome. Fast. Intelligent. Friendly. Strong. Handsome. Team player – potential leadership abilities. Funny. Great cook. Great dancer. Young. Handsome. Probably gay.
Cons: Tendency to slack off. Disrespectful at times. Gobby. Young.
Result – Pass
TANKS-
Pros: Fast. Strong. Ruthless. Powerful.
Cons: A total dick
Result – Inconclusive
Ginyu tapped his pen against his chin as he looked over Relizsh's and Tank's files again.
Meanwhile Jeice was walking down the halls towards the food room after having a shower when he passed Tanks. As much as the red man didn't wish to hear the blue man's voice, curiosity got the better of him.
''Hey!'' he called out. Tanks stopped and looked at him. Jeice checked Berta wasn't around before continuing. ''Burta. Why did he not apply for the Ginyu Force?''
Tanks tilted his head and looked at him ''Burta Ginyu Force?''
Jeice sighed. ''Burta. Ginyu Force? No! Why?'' he asked acting out looking confused.
Tanks caught on ''Burta no group.''
''What?''
Tanks took a while to think of the words ''Home. Group. Always group. Hunt group. Fight group. Fun group. Burta no group.''
''Why?'' asked Jeice again reinforcing his question with looking confused.
''Burta group… here'' he made a fist with one hand and held it out in front of him. ''Burta here'' he put out his other fist next to it. ''Group, bye bye'' he removed his first fist. ''Burta none''.
Jeice nodded slowly, so Berta was from a planet that colonised into small groups for every thinkable activity, but Berta had been left behind and casted aside from his group, thus probably permanently damaging his ability to trust and leaving him with emotional trauma. But why? Jeice couldn't think of any behaviour he'd seen from the blue man that would indicate any reason to reject him, heck he'd been miles better then Tanks!
He decided to try again ''Burta group bye bye, why?'' he asked. Tanks seemed to know what to say but couldn't find the translation for it. ''Cheat?'' asked Jeice, Tanks shook his head. ''Family?'' another shake. ''Friends?'' a shake. ''Love..Female?'' more shakes. ''Money?'' Jeice asked rubbing his thumb and fingers together. Tanks shook his head again. Jeice thought. ''Jealousy?'' Tanks nodded.
''Yes that's how you say. Jealousy. Berta group gone. Berta alone.'' A pang of empathy pinged at the red man's heart. He thanked the blue man and decided to head towards the Captains office. About half way there his steps slowed until he stood still. He thought for a moment, before running into his room. He pulled off his short sleeved top and replaced it with a tight fitting tank top, he swapped his trousers for suggestively short shorts and pulled his maine of hair back into a high pony tail. He quickly checked himself out in the mirror before again heading towards the Captains office, swaying his hips with a confident smile on his cheeky red lips.
…
The next day Captain Ginyu called the 7 men into what would be the team's main living quarters.
''Right men! I have spent hours assessing you during training and exercising. I have analysed your behaviour in fights and in relaxed social situations. I have trailed through your past files, from past jobs and training to past offensives to schools to parents. I have now gathered enough information to base my decision. The following have made it through with a place in the All New Ginyu Force!''
Ginyu pulled a piece of paper from under his chest plate.
''Recoome! Congratulations you are the first member of the squad. Jeice! You are the second member. Relizsh, you're the third!''
The others clapped before Ginyu spoke again. ''This leaves one more place on the team. I would like to offer this position to…. Burta! If he'll take it?''
Ginyu held his hand out to the blue giant. The room went silent, all eyes fell on Berta, Berta's own eyes were now as large as an owls.
Jeice cleared his throat ''I know it's a lot to take in mate, and I know you've been let down before, badly. But you'd be great for the team! It's been a blast having you around here mate. We don't want to see you go, please, join us?'' he cocked his head on the side and gave an encouraging smile. Berta looked from Jeice to Ginyu, then from Ginyu's face to his hand. With his own heart thumping hard in his chest, he slowly raised his hand and took Ginyu's in a shake. Ginyu positively beamed a smile and Jeice jumped up punching the air ''Aw right!'' he shouted. A smile so small you could easily have missed it appeared on Bert'as lips.
''Right men! We are… Captain Ginyu!''
''Recoome!''
''Jeice!''
''Relizsh!''
''Berta!''
''And together we are… THE GINYU FORCE!''
