There was an ancient Saiyan saying – if you wanted to know someone, fight them. So what did that say for Vegeta and his fists struck at himself? Vegeta gritted his teeth as his mirror image grinned and cackled at him. Neither of them were putting out much power yet. At first, he thought his opponent was feeling him out, testing his strengths and weaknesses. But it was quickly becoming clear that that was not the case. Un Vegeta's current techniques and fighting style was identical to his own. Which meant only one thing.
Vegeta swooped back in the air, bracing his crimson boots against the wall. Un Vegeta floated in front of him and cocked his head to the side. "Hmm? What's this? Tired already?"
Vegeta's brow lowered. "You're playing," he scowled.
"But of course I am!" Un Vegeta laughed, crossing on leg over the other, as though sitting, and folding his arms, "In this form, I have access to the majority of your memories and techniques. I can predict your every move without even trying."
"Yes," Vegeta answered, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, "But then again, that applies to me as well. And you're not a 'perfect copy' like you claim to be of Kakarot."
"Perfection's overrated anyhow," Un Vegeta waved, "I have your body, your mind, and your energy. So I'm missing a few techniques and the odd memory." He lowered his brow at him cruelly. "Do you really think anyone will notice or care? You're nothing special, Vegeta. I could walk in your shoes for the next twenty years and no one would bat an eye." He laughed as a glimmer of enraged horror passed over Vegeta's face. "Not that I'll bother. I'll have the entire universe to mold as I see fit. I could care less what happens on your planet, once I have the dragon balls anyways." He grinned. "Who knows? If you don't do anything to piss me off, I just might leave it alone entirely." His black eyes glimmered. "Might."
Vegeta stared flatly at him for a long moment…and then lifted a corner of his mouth. He started to chuckle.
Un Vegeta's face fell. "And what are you laughing at?"
"Your pathetic attempts to make me lose my focus," Vegeta mildly returned, still smiling, "You're starting to make me doubt your promise to kill me." The expression at last fell. "That's the body of a true warrior you're standing in. Do you even know how to use it? Or are you good for nothing more than tricks and speeches?"
Un Vegeta's face in turn slowly grew more serious. And like a mirror, he lifted a corner of his mouth. He braced a palm forward. "Fine," he remarked, a yellow ball lighting up the center of his palm, "If that's what you really want." He reached up with his other hand and smugly tapped the fusion band about his neck. "We'll both transform and I'll finish you off quickly."
"Again, you disappoint me," Vegeta sighed. He kicked off the wall came to a halt in front of his duplicate. A fist came up and clenched. "That's my brain in there, yes? Reach deep into it if you can, freak. I've learned much on my time on Earth, far more than a few techniques. If you really want to win this fight, you best conserve your energy and destroy me with the smallest amount possible. Go all-out now and I promise you'll regret it later."
Sepis peeked out from under the monitoring station again, blinking his weak, bulgy red eyes up at the two Vegeta's. What is he planning, I wonder? Is he trying to delay this creature until the others can escape? Or does he actually think he can win if he can keep him from using quantum fusion? His eyes shifted intently to the real Vegeta. Or…is it something more than that?
In any case, Vegeta's words seemed to impact the imposter, Un Vegeta glancing up thoughtfully and humming. He chuckled. "Very well…I suppose if I'm going to lay claim to my Lord Frieza's legacy I should take things in strides." He chuckled again and abruptly shoved the charged palm forward. "So take this—Big Bang Attack!"
Sepis winced against the explosion of light and blinked his vision back as a pair of blurs began to zip through the air.
Vegeta moved rhythmically as series of unending strikes came at him, blocking and dodging each one. Finally, the fight was really starting! Now he could see he truly was fighting himself. Every strike was his own and he saw it coming. His opponent did the same. Their hands locked in a death grip, each gritting their teeth and snarling as energy sparked around them. Un Vegeta swung a knee forward. Vegeta blocked it with his own. They struck several more times, each time the knee pairing with the opposing and then finally broke apart.
The microscopic reprieve ended and they went at each other again, Vegeta carefully measuring his replica's actions. As he had previously determined, both combatants were easily predicting the other's movements. Neither had yet managed to land a single blow. But even though they were both fighting with the same body, energy, and mind, it was only a matter of time before one of them made a mistake. But would such an error determine the fight? It was true, Vegeta could sense his power was greater than his mirror's. But if he exerted too much too quickly, Un would resort to quantum fusion.
And if he resorted to quantum fusion, he would be forced to fully power to an ascended super saiyan and kill him. That he did not want. No…he wanted to make him suffer before he destroyed him. He wanted him have a taste of the kind of agony Kakarot must have gone through as he was murdered. Only that and nothing less would be the justice the fallen warrior deserved.
The battle raged on and still no headway was made. It like they were stuck on loop. Vegeta would press an advantage. Un Vegeta would dodge his way out of it. Un Vegeta would strike. Vegeta would block it. Even to Sepis's eyes, who could barely perceive what was going on, could tell they were equally matched.
Un Vegeta pulled back, shooting high into the air and making it rain energy blasts. "Believe it or not, this is even more exciting for me than it would a real Saiyan!" he called out as he attacked, Vegeta easily weaving through the yellow shower. Vegeta came in close and Un Vegeta was forced to block again. "It's been years since I've had a chance to show case my talents to someone."
"You have no talents!" Vegeta snapped, striking up at his head with a kick. Un Vegeta dipped under it and they started exchanging blows and parries again. "A mime like you knows nothing of skill!"
"On the contrary, Vegeta," Un Vegeta retorted, taking a swipe at Vegeta's torso, "I'm quite the expert on the subject." They both grunted as their hands locked again, energy sparking wildly and angrily about them. Un Vegeta leaned forward into the hold, chuckling through the strain. "Just think! Yes, it's true I steal power and skill from others. But I'm hardly the first to do so. Yes…looking into your memories, I can see other foes you've faced with similar talents." The energy sparked even more violently as their muscles bulged. "But, how many of those with such an ability can make use of those talents with the pure finesse I do? I am the master of the masquerade. I am the king of adaptation."
Vegeta said nothing, his eyes intent on his foe, hardly making a grunt or growl. Suddenly, his grip on their hold tightened and he planted his boots against his duplicate's chest, pushing off and flipping over his head. Their hands broke apart and Un Vegeta swung to deflect the kick he knew would be incoming.
But the block hit nothing but air. Un Vegeta froze with confusion and then cried out in shock and horror as pain shot up the entire length of his spine. Vegeta cackled, holding the end of Un Vegeta's Saiyan tail in a death grip and lifting it off his waist.
"You should see the look on your face…" Vegeta sinisterly grinned.
"But…! Why…?!" Un Vegeta stuttered, his face twitting furiously, "You never…"
"Huhuhuhuh," Vegeta chuckled and tightened his grip, making the imposter rear and howl with pain, "Good! You're resisting the energy drain. That ability still exists in my memories, after all."
Un Vegeta screamed, struggling to stay floating. "But…this is…this is…!"
"What was that?" Vegeta mocked, wringing his tail, "Apparently you've lost the ability to speak. But I'll venture a guess and say you're wondering why I'd stoop to such base tactic. It's true – taking advantage of such an obvious weakness is beneath me." He grinned. "But that's why I knew you wouldn't expect it. For all your cunning, you overlooked one critical detail…" Sweat ran down Un Vegeta's face as his mouth gaped open in pain. "You failed to predict that when faced with a opponent who can anticipate my every move, my only choice would be to do something unexpected. If you have understood that, you would have seen this coming."
Un Vegeta's eyes shifted back to him and Vegeta laughed again, gritting his teeth in a sneer and driving his boot hard into his back. Un Vegeta cried out as spit and blood flew from his mouth, his chest buckling out. Vegeta clenched a fist, the tail still crushed in the other as he began to pummel the changeling mercilessly. With the last blow, Un Vegeta flew up and Vegeta seized a fistful of his spiky black hair.
"What do you think?" Vegeta snarled, his brow lowered intensely, "Is this anything like the suffering you put Kakarot through? Or am I going to have to try a little harder?"
Un Vegeta chuckled hoarsely, blood running from the corners of his mouth. "Would you like to know?" he returned, painfully laughing, "It was the sweetest thing...you'd think I'd need to slaughter his family in front of him to achieve my revenge, but no…it was enough for him to know how many would perish because he wasn't alive to save them. The terror in his eyes – the helplessness—!"
He was silenced by his cries as Vegeta twisted his tail. "I'm surprised you haven't changed forms by now. You must be in too much pain to concentrate. Or perhaps you've lost the energy to do so." He lifted a corner of his mouth. "It's funny…this whole time I've been so angry. I never had a chance to train the weakness out of my new tail and because of that it's become the tool of my humiliation. But because I never had that chance, neither have you. So in the end, it worked out for the best."
Un Vegeta panted heavily and his eyes shifted back to him. "Truly, you have a talent for cruelty, Vegeta. It's such a shame to see that talent go to waste—" He gasped as Vegeta knocked him down, howling as the Saiyan prince planted his boot in the center of his back and yanked the tail up.
"Does it look like it's going to waste to you?!" he shouted at him as the shape-shifter's black-gloved fingers gripped the floor. Vegeta dug the heel of his boot into his back. "I'm going to break you inch by inch. Change forms if you can – it won't matter. Every new form you don will be but another chance for me to make you suffer!"
Un Vegeta gritted his teeth, anger flaring in his gaze. Vegeta waited for it, anticipating the moment of his transformation. He'd come to notice that his foe didn't want to him to observe his transformation, at least not now that his senses were fully attuned. He had probably intended to duck away for any further transformations, but while trapped in this hold, he had no such options. Which meant if Vegeta could gain an understanding of how Un transformed, he might discover a weakness. The changeling knew it too, he could see it in the frustration of those false saiyan eyes.
"What are you waiting for?" Vegeta mocked, twisting the tail around in a massage of torment, "Just a moment ago you were boasting these transformations of yours made you invincible. And now you're getting shy?" He chuckled cruelly. "I guess I'll just have to be a little more persuasive." He planted his boot against the side of his head. Un Vegeta gave an agonized chock as Vegeta slowly began to increase the pressure, his temples starting to crack. "Tell me…if I squash your head like a melon, will that kill you or can you still transform? I hope you can, that would be disappointing if you died on me so soon."
Sepis shivered as he watched and turned his head away, not wanting to observe the gore that was about to come. But as Un Vegeta screamed, the mauve flames that burned about Vegeta's eyes flared and he froze, grunting and gritting his teeth.
"No!" he snapped at the air, "I don't have time for your petty qualms, Oom'Bagu! This is Saiyan justice I am dealing here, not yours!" He heard the slurping sound and was barely able to catch a glimpse of slime before the tail grew in girth between his hands, the fur replaced by yellow scales and orange feathers. Vegeta's back hit the wall, the shielding rippling as it absorbed the impact. "Damn it!" he hissed, pushing himself off it.
Un Nevrrest glared at him, her arms crossed and talons spread. "Yes, I can't forget that," she irritably remarked, "It's not just you I have to deal with – but that damn Gregorik who's helping to guide your actions."
"You watch your tongue, freak!" Vegeta spat, landing in a stance, "I already told you, no one controls me – my actions are my own."
Un Nevrrest chuckled. "So you tell yourself. The leash suits you, Vegeta. It suits you incredibly well."
"I wouldn't get cocky if I were you," Vegeta threatened, "I'm still far from finished with you and as far as I can tell, you've yet to do me any damage."
Un Nevrrest's face hardened hatefully, talons spreading as she planted a foot forward. "Yes…I'll have to do something about that."
(**Scene Break**)
Nevrrest's eyes snapped open, her head jerking to the side. "That's my energy signature," she stated, lifting off the wall.
"Yep," Laswe confirmed, "That thing must have turned into you this time."
"So, what does that mean for the battle?" asked Horkion anxiously.
"I told you, this battle means nothing," Nevrrest snapped. She pointed. "Vegeta's only purpose right now is to buy us time."
"Yeah, sure," Laswe said, pushing past her arm. He looked up at Oom'Bagu. "So. What's the plan for our royal monkey boy now?"
"Mmm…" Oom'Bagu hummed deeply, "The creature takes on the characteristic of whose form it assumes. Therefore…" He sat up, his eyes briefly cracking open. "I can guide the battle. I am more familiar with Nevrrest's techniques than anyone else."
"You can't do that," Nevrrest hissed, stepping in front of him.
"Not this again," Laswe grumbled.
The mauve flames fluttered as Oom'Bagu's eyes shut. "If Vegeta falls to Un, all our hopes will be for nothing. The creature will kill Sepis and activate the Closed Book Initiative."
"You're forgetting Prince Vegeta is no friend of ours," Nevrrest pointed, her beak clenched, "What happens once this is over? What if a situation arises where we are forced to fight him again?" Her eyes narrowed. "I don't like the idea of him having insider information on my weaknesses."
"There is no point in protecting potential futures if we cannot safeguard the present," Oom'Bagu stated firmly, "I will do what I must."
Nevrrest's talons extended and her fist clenched. "…Just finish it quickly then," she finally hissed, walking abruptly away.
Horkion sighed and Laswe twittered, watching as Nevrrest returned to her place on the wall. Their eyes wandered back over to the door where Misado worked, brightening a little as a new crack split.
(**Scene Break**)
Sepis had never been able to follow the battles of super warrior, but he could still hear them. He heard the thundering swash and pow as Vegeta and the replica of his friend Nevrrest struck at each other, bounding from air to ground. He had witnessed many battles like this before. Traveling at Nevrrest's side, he'd come to understand the might of a true warrior. So many times he'd watched from a safe place as his dearest friend battled, praying for her victory. How strange it was to be wishing now the same for his greatest enemy – in a fight against the visage of his Nevrrest, no less.
The thundering continued, the warriors moving too fast to see. Until finally, someone managed to get a blow in. A body flew fast past him, grunting loudly as he bounced off the floor. Vegeta growled, rubbing his chin. "Well, look at that," he remarked, looking up, "You finally managed to strike me."
Un Nevrrest floated down, her toes spreading as she landed. "Nevrrest is a fierce combatant and as her so am I," she remarked, "It won't be the last blow, I promise. Putting on a form is like putting on a glove – you have to break it in first before it's fully useful." She smiled. "And I'm just getting warmed up."
"Well I suggest you skip the warm-up." He got to his feet and gave her a flat glare. "After all…the clock is ticking for us both. And I'd prefer to finish you before the Justiciars escape your prison."
"So you admit it," said Un Nevrrest with surprise, "I'm the one in control now."
"For now," he coyly agreed. His face flattened. "But that delusion of power will be your undoing."
"Delusion?" she hissed, gritting her beak in a scowl, "I'll show you delusion!" She flew at him, spit flying from Vegeta's mouth as she sunk her fist into his stomach. "I believe that's blow number two."
He coughed a little and clenched a fist, roaring as he drove his foot up into her inclined head. Her jaw gaped with horror at the pain and he followed up by lifting off the ground and driving his knee into her stomach. At this moment, Vegeta felt one of Oom'Bagu's inclinations inside and agreed with it – success made Un's guard drop, a flaw the real Nevrrest didn't have. They could use that to their advantage. As Un Nevrrest fell back from the blow, another feeling came from the empathic bond. Yes, even so, this imposter was moving just like Nevrrest as she had when impersonating him. If he let Oom'Bagu help coordinate his actions in this fight, he could force Un to transform again and have another chance in learning a weakness.
Un Nevrrest panted, clutching her gut. "Damn it…filthy monkey…!"
"Come now," Vegeta sounded, walking towards her, "You took Kakarot's power, yes? That should be plenty to do me some real damage. So where is it? I find it hard to believe you're just holding back at this point."
"Shut up, you bastard," Un Nevrrest snapped.
"Bastard?" Vegeta almost laughed, "Now you're just throwing petty insults." He bent into a fighting stance. "Come on then. Show me what you can do." She hissed, straightening up, her eyes narrowed. He chuckled. "Yes, that's it," he encouraged, "Show me your power." As she dug her talons into the deck, Vegeta took a deep breath and opened himself fully to the bond, the mauve flames blazing around his eyes. Time to keep your word, Gregorik.
Un Nevrrest screeched as she flew at him, her fingers curled back and talons stretched. Vegeta waited, not even moving until the precise moment, his forearm colliding with hers in a block, shockwaves bursting off the impact, making hair and plume tremble. It was an amazing feeling, the empathic bond coursing through him as he fought. He had feared that the bond would turn him into a puppet, but it was nothing of the sort. Oom'Bagu wasn't controlling him. It was like he was standing near, warding him from error, whispering advice in his ear – a seamless understanding between two warriors. He could only imagine what could be done with it if the two bonded were in the same fight.
After a long period of fierce parries and dodges, he decided it was time to test their theory about Un. He let one of Un Nevrrest's blows slip through his defenses, tightening his abs and grunting against the impact. That he had been ready for. What he hadn't been ready for was the talons that opened and sunk into his flesh. He growled in pain, falling into annoyance as the sensation of Oom'Bagu reminded him that Nevrrest's technique involved vicious and sometimes dirty tactics.
But the real Nevrrest – as she herself had once said – didn't take time to gloat. Un did. Un Nevrrest's eyes shimmered with glee as tiny wet spots seeped into Vegeta's crimson uniform. Vegeta tightened every muscle in his body and drove his fist up into the sensitive underside of a Blecha's beak. Vegeta's teeth gritted as he brought up his other fist. Time to tap into some more power. His energy sparked and surged through him in white flashes as he drove into the armored plates of Un Nevrrest's chest.
It cracked.
"Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrr!" Un Nevrrest screeched, falling to the ground and clutching her chest, blood seeping through her fingers.
"What is this?" Vegeta scowled, floating over her, "You claim this is Nevrrest's body? It's flimsy and weak!" Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "As much as I'd like to call you pathetic, I know a bluff from a real threat. You have Kakarot's power in you. So where is it?" He lowered to the ground and grabbed her chin. "Hmm? What happened to all that energy you stole from Kakarot? No…you took some of mine as well, so you should be even stronger." He held her under a critical gaze. She glared, hissing at him, trying to regain herself. His brow lowered and in a swift motion drove the back of his hand across her face. "What are you hiding, freak?!" he demanded, "Why are you holding back?!"
Un Nevrrest snarled with rancor, but then started to chuckle. "Oh, you'll get what's coming to you." Vegeta recoiled slightly as there was a brilliant flash of red. A crimson scaled-hand gripped his wrist, talons digging in. "You apes never did learn your place." Vegeta twisted past the first two strikes but the side of her leg finally caught him in the ribs. Tossing him up, her tail cracked across his entire front, sending him flying. She appeared behind him before he could land, bracing her arms together ripping her talons over his back. Vegeta cried out, tumbling forward and landing roughly on his feet.
He hissed, reaching behind him and feeling the cuts and torn fabric. "So she does have some power," he growled, turning to eye her, "But it's still no where compared to Kakarot's…if I used my full strength I could destroy her easily…" His eyes narrowed. "All that energy she's taken and she's hardly used any of it. Is she really that afraid her newfound power level dropping? Or is it something else?"
"What are you murmuring about over there?" Un Nevrrest snapped. Her tail weaved behind her irritably, the red blaze fading into normal colors. "You know, I'm actually starting to get sick of you. And that's not something that happens easily. I'm a very patient person. Maybe it's Nevrrest's temper rubbing off on me." Her brow lowered. "Or maybe you're just that annoying."
Vegeta's brow twitched as he glared at her. I'm tired of toying around like this! I'm almost tempted to let her use the damn fusion band. But no…I want to see her actual limits first. I want to see what strength Kakarot's life bought her. His fist clenched. And then make her suffer in kind for it.
"And now you're being quiet!" Un Nevrrest admonished, folding her arms, "What? Is that slave scum hatching some new scheme for you to carry out?" She chuckled cruelly and leaned forward, looking into Vegeta's mauve eyes. "That's right, Oom'Bagu…I called you a slave. Cause that's what you are. Did you think you'd escape that simply cause my Lord Frieza's dead? No. Everything in the universe is as he declared and he named the entire Gregorik race slaves – unfit for any other existence that performing menial labor too lowly for any other." She smiled, her teeth appearing from her pallet. "And so they shall be again. After all, I know very well which planet you hid your pathetic race on. Or maybe I'll just wipe them out. I'll have to consider."
Vegeta's breathing froze as suddenly something changed inside him. He felt everything he was – all emotion, energy, and will – merge with the being on the other end of the empathic bond.
Un Nevrrest hiccupped as Vegeta's fingers suddenly dug into the front of her throat. "You are unwise to speak so!" he cried, crushing her trachea, "We will silence you!" He flipped over her head, landing on the base of her tail, back to back. She tried to swipe at him, but his arms looped with hers, wrenching them backwards. His legs hugged her tail between them and yanked upwards. "We are a mighty warrior, Un," Vegeta snarled, the flames in his eyes burning bright, "And we know Nevrrest's body very well. Despite all her strength, her bones are still fairly fragile. She can shield herself. What about you?" Vegeta's muscles tightened. Un Nevrrest screamed as both her shoulders popped. "So certain it's wise to threaten the Gregoriks now?!"
"This…! Is…!" Un Nevrrest screeched and hissed, her eyes turning bloodshot with anger.
Vegeta gasped as the burst of emotion faded, Oom'Bagu's tie to him growing distance once again. Vegeta's teeth clenched in sudden rage and he let the shapeshifter go, blasting a beam into her shoulders and sending her flying. "Damn you!" he screamed at the air, his shoulder heaving, "How dare you?! This is my fight, not yours!" He gritted his teeth, hissing, feeling a little more than unsettled. It seemed the Gregorik had actually gotten emotional enough that it had tightened the bond between them. It had felt like…Fusion.
He hated Fusion.
As the dust settled so did his temper and he at last turned to see what had become of Un. And it seemed he turned just in time. The body was writhing with pain, but it wasn't Nevrrest anymore. It had turned into some kind of grey slime that twisted on itself inside the unitard before becoming a body once again.
Un Goku drew a breath and slowly stood. "I was hoping you'd just be an annoyance. Turns out you're more than that. You're a problem." Un Goku's eyes shifted back to him with a deadly calm. "I just happen to have a couple of forms you never could beat. And even if this one doesn't do the trick, I should at least be able to do some damage. Then the next one will finish you off."
"Oooh, now that sounds like an actual plan for once," Vegeta mockingly remarked, folding his arms.
"You know, Vegeta," Un Goku turned, preparing to fight, "In a way, you might consider this a favor. The last chance you'll ever get to fight Kakarot."
"Oh I see," said Vegeta, glaring at him, "Now I'm starting to see a pattern in the forms you take." He cracked a dark smile. "You're trying to get inside my head. Taking forms that I'm familiar with. It's a clever tactic, but it won't work." His smile fell into a scowl. "Perfect copy or not, you're not the genuine item. So I'm not intimidated nor am I impressed." His fist clenched, his knuckles turning white. "No. You've only served to further my determination to punish you. I promised to drive every drop of Kakarot's blood from your miserable body. It's only fitting I pound the flesh you stole from him as well!" He howled, leaping off the ground and flying at him.
A familiar fist slammed into his cheek, turning his head painfully to the side and knocking him back. The other hand seized the front of his shirt. His fellow Saiyan's face grinned in a cruel, teasing manner. "Nah, Vegeta…you got it all wrong." He giggled as Vegeta's gritted teeth and his black eyes flashed. "Foolish Prince…I am Kakarot."