Dragonball Z
Alter Age
Dance the Dance
(A week later)
(Back on Earth)
In the past week, Kami's Lookout had become the site of one of the most grueling and strenuous training camps in the history of the planet. Suspended high above the planet, at a level where very few men and women had ever reached without the assistance of machines, the floating palace where the Guardian of the Earth lived was currently playing host to several new and unexpected residents- a couple of which Kami never thought he'd ever see sharing the same space in his lifetime.
Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen. But what the old manager of the planet knew above all shadow of a doubt was that every single one of the people that'd gathered here, were all here for a common purpose- to train their hearts out in preparation for the coming threat that was the Saiyans.
Though he'd had some doubts over the truth behind Raditz's completely farfetched story, after telepathically consulting with the overseer of their galaxy, the venerable and respected King Kai, the elder's fears were quickly confirmed when the martial arts master informed him of the two enormous power signatures heading their way from the other side of the quadrant. Hearing this directly from one of the most prominent figures in the spirit world, was more than enough to convince Kami that he needed to get all of Earth's fighters as ready as he could for the battle to come.
Because if they weren't strong enough within less than a year's time, than they could kiss this entire world goodbye.
And thus, the long period of training for the Dragon Team began.
With the help of Mr. Popo and Bulma, Piccolo and Kami were able to assemble every single one of Goku's friends and bring them up to the Lookout. While Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha and Krillin weren't exactly comfortable with seeing their friend's arch rival and evil brother on the platform, after hearing from Kami the full extent of the situation and the gravity of what was to come, the four men immediately volunteered to take part in the guardian's training regimen, which he administered post-haste.
Upon going through the opening trials in the Pendulum Room, in which the four human Z-warriors were given a horrifying taste of what fighting against the Saiyans would be like in the form of a magical simulation, they then began their training in earnest. However, it wasn't just the males that were planning on going through the next few months working their asses off.
At her insistence, Launch also asked the guardian of the planet to whip her into shape in preparation for the Saiyans' arrival- having tagged along with Krillin up to Kami's Lookout to go through the same martial arts exercises as her fellow companions. Due to his connection to the group, Yajirobi also ended up becoming enlisted into the team's ranks to assist with their training. Though Tien and Piccolo had their doubts about the pair's effectiveness as frontline fighters, after due consideration they eventually gave in.
Based on what Raditz described about his comrades and how they were much more powerful than him, they were going to need all the help they could get to stop them.
And thus, all of their efforts led them to today. On this morning, while Launch was going through multiple sets of pushups, squats, and laps around the garden to get used to the weighted training gear given to her by the revered Kami, the boys were busy sparring with each other out in the open.
Tien and Krillin could be found duking it out with each other in front of the trees, their bodies held down by the same blue shirts, boots and wrist bands that Goku had used for his past training under the planet's guardian. Starting off strong, the two bald fighters went all out, their muscles training against the added masses as they lashed out at each other with various combinations of punches and kicks. As expected, their techniques were superb- but they had a long way to go yet before they could even stand up to the monsters heading their way.
Yamcha on the other hand was sparring with Yajirobi- the former mercenary trading blows with the shorter, more rotund fighter, who was currently proving himself to be as good a match as he was. The scar-faced warrior grunted as he blocked a series of heavy punches from the sword-wielding glutton, who managed to dart around him with surprising finesse while trying to lay in some blows.
Chiaotzu meanwhile was running laps around the entire lookout, working on getting used to the physical strain of having the wear the same weighted clothing as everybody else.
Overall, their training was off to a great start.
That was based solely on Kami and Mr. Popo's point of view. As for Piccolo though, who was currently standing alongside the pair, the green demon king's son was in a rather unsettled mood.
"While I admire their commitment, I still have my doubts over whether or not these fools will have what it takes to be able to fight those Saiyans when they arrive," the Namekian said in a low, gruff and undoubtedly concerned voice. "As they are now, they wouldn't even be able to make me break a sweat."
Kami, glancing across at his darker counterpart, smiled. "Have faith in them, Piccolo. Though they may not look it as they are now, give them a few months and I'm sure even they'll be able to surprise you."
"Hmph," the caped warrior grunted while lowering his head in an unamused manner. "If you say so. Though I'm honestly not expecting much. To me, they're still mediocre at best." He then glanced behind him and towards one of the floating palace's pillars, where he saw their other guest standing underneath the shade. "And what about him?"
When Kami and Mr. Popo looked across the stretch of platform, they spotted the tall, miserable looking form of Raditz leaning against the column of marble. While it didn't look like he was doing anything, the Saiyan invader was currently watching the group very closely- observing the way that they were training and honing their skills under the guidance of this planet's would-be protectorate.
Upon seeing the armored man was keeping his distance from the rest of the team, Kami narrowed his eyes momentarily before then letting out a sigh. "If you want my advice… give him some time. After what he told us about what happened to him- failing his mission, losing his brother, and having his friends cast him out of their circle- I'm sure he's got a lot going through his mind." The Namekian then looked away and back towards where Krillin and Tien were sparring. Observing the latter deliver a crushing claw blow to the shorter warrior's torso, he then smiled when he saw Goku's best friend quickly catch his breath, before dashing in with a flurry of fierce blows. "Even the most stubborn of brutes have a soft spot to them."
Not exactly liking what his opposite was implying with that statement, Piccolo felt his jaw tighten but wisely held his tongue. Instead, he simply walked away from where the guardian and his attendant were standing, and decided to take up a spot near the garden. From there, the Namekian sat down, crossed his legs, and began to meditate in silence- allowing the drone of the humans training nearby to become white noise in the back of his head.
During which time, Raditz- who had been lost in thought and vaguely paying attention to what all of his brother's friends were doing- gave a rather indignant grunt and turned away. "As much as I hate to rely on these earthlings, my brother apparently trusted them enough to make them his companions." Though the Saiyan in him scorned at the idea that he even came to these pests seeking their assistance in the first place, the rational, survival-smart side of him told the warrior that this was his best and only option.
He practically had nothing going for him. No allies, no friends, no means of calling for help, and the only comrades he ever had had turned their backs on him. What's more, based on his last communication with his former Saiyan companions, both Vegeta and Nappa sounded like they were intentionally going to come after him when they arrived on Earth- probably as a side squeeze before going after their real prize. So, seeing as how running wasn't an option and fighting alone was tantamount to suicide, the only thing the alien mercenary had left was turn to the people he once viewed as enemies for help.
The whole thing irked and frustrated him to no end, about as much as his own powerlessness. However, after arguing with himself for several moments and trying to justify his decision, the irate mid-class Saiyan decided to shut off his brain and return to standing around and looking mean.
Though he planned on training sometime soon, he just wasn't in the mood for it right now, and simply resigned to his post as unwilling sentry.
Of course, while he was mulling over the thought of asking the Z-fighters to join in later onwards- much to his scorn and reluctance- the man suddenly caught sight of Launch doing one of her scheduled laps around the perimeter of Kami's Lookout. With Chiaotzu running far in front of her and keeping a pretty decent lead, the blonde woman in the short-shorts, training boots, gi top and singlet, stopped jogging after the shorter martial artist and set her hands on her knees.
Panting heavily from exhaustion, the mercenary female waited for a minute as she caught her breath, all the while cursing at herself for her weakness and telling her body to get it together. Since this was only the start of their training, she was determined to catch up and begin learning some martial arts with the others.
Raditz, for a brief moment of unexpected clarity, found the woman's attitude to be quite intriguing and her appearance quite eye-catching. The warrior tilted his head at the earthling he remembered shooting at him on the island and focused his gaze on her when he watched the woman in the hot pants and revealing tank top stretch her back and expose herself to the sun. The sight of her midriff being exposed and her chest puffing out had the man gape inwardly, as it'd been a while since he'd set his eyes on an attractive female with physical attributes similar to a Saiyan's for quite some time.
After flexing her hips and stretching her arms, Launch felt a set of eyes on her and looked across the platform. When she saw Raditz staring at her from his pillar, the surprised female blinked a couple of times before frowning. She then lifted her hand, pointed two fingers at her eyes and then pointed them at him, saying 'I'm watching you' through those gestures while simultaneously surprising the Saiyan at the fierce glare she shot his way.
Upon making her intentions clear, the blond went back to running, determined to catch up to Chiaotzu.
The brief exchange had Raditz stare after the woman as she ran, with the mid-class warrior eventually catching himself in the moment and quickly shaking himself out of his daze.
"What the heck was all that about?" the Saiyan thought in alarm.
And why the hell did his face feel a little flushed?
OOO
(Meanwhile)
(Somewhere in deep space)
This would mark the third time the young Gohan could remember waking up from a very deep and surprisingly enjoyable sleep, and finding himself in a place that he did not recognize. It also didn't coincide with any of the memories he had of where he was prior to blacking out, which was what gave the child a reason for pause when he found himself staring up at a white roof and a warm lights beating down on him. When his vision cleared and he turned his attention to the rest of the room surrounding him, the child saw he was in a very small bedroom- with only two beds, both of which were situated on top of inbuilt footlockers beneath, two doors, and a desk situated beside a small viewing window, giving him a perfect view of the cosmos beyond.
It was quite a captivating sight, no doubt. Not to mention there was also the familiar sound of a shower running nearby. The pitter-patter of water striking the tiles echoing throughout the room made the boy think that someone was using a washroom in a room over.
Sitting up so that he could get a better look at his surroundings, Gohan used the next few seconds glancing about, only to then look down when he realized he was no longer wearing a shirt or pants. When the covers of his bed slipped down, the child saw he was only clad in a pair of purple, spandex boxers, which made him wonder how he got changed into them in the first place. He didn't put these on himself.
Well, the answer to that question came a few moments later, when the sound of running water stopped, and the sliding door beside the bunk across from him slid open. The boy then blinked when he saw, strolling out of the connected bathroom, he saw a practically naked Myra come walking out.
Using a towel to dry off her body and face, the teal-skinned beauty with short, messy orange hair cut short on one side and curvaceous body, sighed as a cloud of steam billowed around her and droplets of water cascaded over her tantalizing flesh. When she stopped at the entrance, the nude fighter blinked when she noticed Gohan staring across at her with wide-eyes, which gave her a rather long moment of pause. Upon seeing the boy gaping at her, the Hera smiled warmly in his direction.
"Ah. You're awake. And just when I was starting to think that you would never wake up," Myra remarked, not even bothering to cover up her nakedness as she casually slung the tower around her neck and held onto the two ends over the full globes of her ample bosom. Walking across the room as she slowly dried off, the hot adolescent approached her bunk on the other side of the small chamber and stood beside it, all the while being stared at by the utterly bewildered half-Saiyan child. "Considering you got hit by Cooler-sama's killing blow and lived, I'm actually surprised that you're even conscious now. But I guess you're a hell of a lot tougher than you look."
As Gohan watched Myra casually dry herself off in front of him, bending over in a rather showy manner, the boy then tore his gaze away from the teenager and started looking around the room curiously again. "Umm… where… am I right now?"
Myra beamed across at the youngster. "You're in my bedroom, currently onboard Cooler-sama's ship and main base of operations." Seeing the hybrid look back at her, the orange-haired female turned and placed her hands on her tight waist, at the same time cocking her hip to the side while her towel dangled from her right hand. "While you were floating around inside a healing pod, Berryblue was kind enough to assign you to my quarters and have me registered as your personal handler. That means from now on, I'm in charge of keeping an eye on you and showing you the ropes around here."
This drew a surprised blink from Gohan. "Wait. So… does that mean that I'm-?"
"Yep," Myra nodded while grinning broadly. "Congratulations, cutie. You're now a member of the big and powerful Cooler Force. Looks like you managed to make the cut." She then winked at him teasingly while flashing the boy her… well… everything. It actually made the kid blush a little in embarrassment, as not even his mother had been so liberal when she bathed with him.
After looking down at the covers and tearing his gaze away from the beauty across from him, Gohan listened as the girl finished drying herself off, before picking up one of the clothes she had folded on top of her mattress. Slipping into the purple, spandex thong-style bloomer, the hybrid then considered the news he'd been given, before then speaking up.
"Why did… your emperor-… why did Lord Cooler shoot me?" the boy asked, his voice slightly weak as he recalled what'd happened before he'd lost consciousness. His question had Myra stop as she was about to put on her sports bra, and drew the girl's attention to him. "Did he… did he not like me when he saw me? Was I dangerous? Why did he try to kill me?"
Myra, sensing the boy's immediate confusion, dropped her top and walked over to him. Still only clad in a pair of underwear, the confident Hera sat down on the bed beside the youngster, turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, drawing his confused gaze to her.
"He didn't try to kill you, Gohan-kun," the warm words of Myra answered, her expression fond and full of sincerity as she stared at the boy sitting beside her. "I know it may have looked like he tried to. But trust me, he didn't."
The boy looked into the girl's eyes, searchingly. "But then… why?"
In response, the Hera's gaze deepened. "Lord Cooler merely wanted to test your powers and see if there was more to them than what was already on the surface." She then squeezed his shoulder in a clear gesture of support and comfort. "You may not fully realize this yet, but you have an enormous amount of potential hidden inside of you- and a power that you've probably only ever glimpsed during moments of great emotional stress. In fact, there's so much energy lying dormant inside your body that not only were Captain Salza and the others impressed, but so was Cooler-sama. The fact that he kept you alive shows just how potent your latent abilities actually are… and he has given me and my team the task of helping you to master your gifts, hone your skills, and bring your true strength into the light."
Blinking as he stared back at the gorgeous girl smiling at him, the child felt his heart quiver and a pleasant warmth flood through his body. Looking into the kindly gaze of the female warrior, the child felt the comfort of her compassion being draped over him, and sensed nothing but honesty in her voice. All of his instincts, from his baser ones to his own logic, told him that Myra meant every word she was saying to him, which helped to ease his knotted nerves.
In a matter of moments, relief and assurance took over his body, which drew a long sigh from the child. Seconds later, Gohan nodded, at the same time mustering a small smile.
"Do you… really think I have that much in me?" he asked in a low voice, completely disregarding the fact the girl was topless and he was only in a pair of underwear.
Despite the pair's respective strengths and powers, the fact that they were both in this room together and in such an embarrassing state of undress, put both of them on the same level as each other- in which they were able to show the most genuine and vulnerable sides of their characters.
Bearing everything to the boy, who was initially confused and worried beyond measure, Myra nodded to him in respect. "Of course. Well… I certainly think so. And if I do, then that means you should as well. Have a little more faith in your own abilities. If you make it your mission to rise above the limits that you've set for yourself and go beyond them, there's no telling what you can accomplish." Smiling when she saw Gohan visibly cheer up, the girl giggled, removed her hand, and playfully poked him in the forehead. "Now come on. Stop ogling me and let's get you dressed up. I'll show you around your new home."
OOO
And that's exactly what Myra did.
As soon as she got dressed back into her team's signature armor and purple spandex, the adolescent warrior then showed Gohan his uniform, which he had stored away inside his footlocker and hanging on the rack beside his bunk. Much to the child's delight, the outfit that was provided for him was exactly the same as the Hera's. However, instead of a pair of bloomers, the boy was given a pair of long pants and a long-sleeved top.
Upon checking himself out in the mirror and giggling at the cool, warrior's look he was now sporting, Myra then proceeded to escort the kid around the interior of Cooler's ship.
Contrary to what could be seen on the outside, the saucer that served as the headquarters for the emperor's empire was quite vast. While there was a wide corridor that circled the entire inside of the ship, providing a highway for troops and small cargo transports, there were multiple other halls crisscrossing the bowls of the vessel. Some junctions led to the soldier's living quarters, others led to the officer's quarters, while many others led to the cargo holds and armories.
The more essential areas, including the mess rooms, the bars, the restrooms, and the medical bays were made much more obvious- as indicated by the signs that Myra was able to point out to their newest recruit. Gohan made sure to record the locations of the lunch room and the restrooms in his head, and which alien words to look out for.
He learned the locations of other areas as well, including the communications room, the computer room, the various viewing decks, Berryblue's and Cooler's rooms, and the game and recreation rooms. It was then, after learning the locations and the signs for all of these places around the vessel, Myra then showed Gohan the last place on the saucer.
The vessel's custom designed training room.
Situated behind the shuttle and pod hangar, there sat a specially made, reinforced, dome-shaped white room, covered in energy absorbing tiles, and fitted with an environmental simulator that generated a constant gravity setting at thirty times above normal- which could also be changed via the control panels provided. This place was specifically built and designed to be used by the soldiers of Cooler's elite forces, particularly the members of the Armored Squadron, most of whom were already in the room right now and putting its multiple features to good use.
With their armors and scouters stored away inside the locker room just outside of the room's main entrance, Salza, Dore and Neiz were all going through their usual, personal training regimens. While the Captain was busy practicing with his signature energy blade- cutting down energy balls being fired at him from three spherical drones orbiting around him- the amphibian member of the group was floating in the air above the chamber with a couple of massive weight bands strapped to his arms, practicing a series of vigorous striking combos, and the green wrestler was currently on the bench press, which was set up close to the training room's entrance alongside a handful of other gym equipment.
There were also a couple of other Cooler soldiers accompanying the squad- two female, humanoid aliens with red and green skin tones working out at the dumbbells, and a male, blue spotted alien with a beak doing pushups on an empty floor space. Obviously these three warriors were high ranking officers and among some of the strongest in the military, as they were able to exercise in an environment with a gravity setting exceeding thirty times the normal limit.
Growling through bared teeth and sweating out a river, the large, bulky form of Dore- wearing only his purple hot pants, white boots, and an incredibly tight purple tank top- was currently in the process of smashing out a thousand reps on the bench press, with weights measuring one ton on each block. Coupled with the increased gravity field filling the room, it made his exercise with the load a much heavier burden to bare.
In truth, the man was loving every second of it.
"Nine-ninety seven… RAAAGH!" Dore growled out, his muscles bulging and throbbing in agony as he lowered the bar and pushed it back up. "Nine-ninety eight! GRAAAH! Nine-ninety nine! HRAAAAGH!" Lowering it down to his chest and taking in several deep gulps of air, the green-skinned titan then gave one last, shaky heave and pushed the metal bar all the way back to the top. "ONE THOUSAND!" A loud clang then rang out when the man locked the bar on the handles and sat up, taking a deep breath before giving out an adrenaline-filled war cry. "WOOOO! OH YEAH! That's what I'm talkin' about!"
Neiz, throwing out a dozen blurred jabs as he floated in place, became distracted by his comrade's scream and glared down at him. "Damn it, Dore! I'm trying to concentrate! Could you please be a little quieter when you work out?!" When he saw his companion stand up and pace around the foot of his bench, the Zalt-seijin in the purple spandex shorts and vest sighed. "Ugh. I guess not."
"YEEAAAAH! Look at how huge I am! Rrrrrggghhh!" Dore growled, swinging his arms inwards and flexing hard. With his chest and arms swelling as he clenched his fists tightly, the sweaty, but clearly pumped up Beppa-seijin then straightened up and set his hands on his hips. "Mmm… oh yeah! No one can ever top these bad boys!" He then looked across at the two female aliens working out at the dumbbell table and grinned at them, which in turn earned him a few giggles from the pair.
Floating in place as he looked down at his companion, Neiz couldn't help but frown at Dore as he continued doing his 'strong man' poses. "Friend. Maybe you should lay off the juice for a little while. I think it's starting to get to your head."
"Ha! As if!" Dore laughed, at the same time smirking up at his teammate. "I'll have you know that this body is one-hundred percent home grown and all natural!" He then brought both hands up and flashed his biceps again, letting his broad pecks do a little dance as well. "All I'm doing is improving upon perfection."
Neiz then shot him a deadpanned look as he watched his friend continue flexing. "Umm… okay. Whatever you say." His expression showcased how put-off he was at his friend's display. "Seriously. Is there anyone on this ship filled with more hot air than him?" He then looked across at their squadron captain, who he saw cut down the last of the energy balls fired at him from the drones.
Finishing his last defensive cut with a flourish, the man then struck a finishing pose as the robots orbiting him stopped and shutdown. The moment the alarm rang- signaling the end of his round- Salza deactivated his arm's energy blade, gasped dramatically, before then striking an Arabesque pose while fanning one hand across his face.
"Ah… superb," Salza exclaimed, sweat trickling down his face in a very flattering manner as his hair fanned around him. It was almost like the lighting of the room was accentuating all of his finger features as he whispered sweet praises to himself. "My friend, your form is absolutely magnificent today. No wonder you can't help falling in love with yourself."
Groaning inwardly, an observing Neiz shook his head. "I stand corrected."
Why was it that despite having the strangest appearance as well as the freakiest abilities, out of all the male members of his team he was the most normal of them? Honestly, there wasn't really any point in arguing that fact. His captain was a narcissistic pretty boy and his best friend was a full-blown gym junkie- not to mention the loudest when it came to his performances. Though he liked to have fun every once in a while, at least he knew never to get carried away.
While Neiz was floating there and looking as though he was going to pass out from embarrassment, the door to the gym's entrance from the locker room suddenly opened. The loud hiss from the hatch sliding open caused the members of the Armored Squadron to turn to see who'd just arrived, with the trio immediately spotting Myra, accompanied by the Cooler Force's newest recruit.
The moment he saw the duo appear, a big grin crossed Dore's sweat-covered face. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to join us! Did you have a good sleep, you two?"
"More or less," Myra chuckled, having removed her chest armor in the changing cubicle to reveal the purple spandex bloomers and tight tank top exposing her midriff that she wore underneath the flexible vest. "Spiky was the one who was sleeping for the past week. I was just keeping an eye on him and finishing up the reports from my last missions." After stepping over the threshold, she then moved to the side and turned to the boy in question, who was currently standing behind the archway and glancing about the new room in front of him.
Having also taken off his set of armor, leaving him in only his spandex pants, top and boots, Gohan took a moment to survey his new environment. Upon seeing the group of aliens waiting beyond the doorway, particularly the members of her squad, the curious half-Saiyan child then decided to step through. Almost immediately after crossing the line dividing the room and the doorway, the child gave a yelp when his body was immediately subjected to an overpowering force, which promptly yanked him to the ground.
Seeing the child drop to his hands and knees and stare down at the ground in alarm, drew a laugh from an observing Myra, as she quickly realized what must've happened to him. "Oh yeah. Watch that first step, Gohan-kun. The gravity is thirty times greater in here than it is throughout the rest of the ship. So you're going to have to be extra careful when stepping through."
Blinking as he moved his hand up and down off the floor a couple of times, Gohan smiled back at the Hera and nodded, before then promptly standing up. Struggling momentarily as his muscles strained against the extra pounds of force being exerted upon him, the spiky haired youngster then focused his gaze on the room in front of him. Around this point, the male members of the squadron had stopped what they were doing, and had come over to make their introductions.
Neiz, touching down beside Dore and Salza when they stopped in front of the young duo, set a hand on his hip and grinned. "So this is the little spitfire who's going to be joining our elite team, huh?"
"I guess that bumps our total number up to five now," Dore asked, crossing his arms and glancing over at their team leader. "Just like the Ginyu Force. We finally have a full house."
"Hmph. It's about time we got a fifth member for our squadron. And after all that time we spent searching out candidates as well," Salza remarked, only to frown a moment later as he looked down at the youngster looking inquisitively between three of them. "Though to be honest, I wasn't expecting a child to join our ranks… and a Saiyan child no less."
Myra gave her captain a smile and shrugged. "What's wrong with having a kid on our team?"
"Well, for one, it's highly unorthodox- not to mention troublesome," the man responded gruffly, at the same time shooting a rather displeased look down at the boy in question. "Though you may not have realized this yet, Myra- since you're still new to the squadron- but we're not babysitters. We're warriors- elite soldiers tasked with enforcing and protecting all of the planets and states under Cooler-sama's domain. Our roles and responsibilities as guardians stretch across entire star systems, in which we not only carry the banner of our great emperor, but also act as his sword of justice. Throwing a brat into the mix only makes things more challenging for us."
Noticing the frown that came upon Gohan's face, the Hera-seijin stepped forward to defend him against their captain's negative mood. "Hey. Go easy on him, would you." She then looked down at the youngster and gently placed a hand on top of his head. "Yeah. Sure. He may not seem like much on first glance, but Gohan here is incredibly smart and talented. Both of those traits have got to count for something, right?"
Still acting incredibly salty, Salza grunted. "Sure. He's talented. But he's also incredibly wild and unrefined. On top of that, he doesn't know a single thing about our group's routines and attack formations. His presence throws our entire dynamic out of order," the captain grumbled, before then crossing his arms and looking away with a huff. "And after all those hours we spent working on our group battle poses. Now that he's being assigned to our unit, we'll have to start relearning the order all over again." That last comment he whispered made the rest of his argument seem like the complaints of a pouting child, which in turn caused Myra and Neiz to roll their eyes.
"Is that what you're so worried about, Salza?" the Zalt-seijin asked. "Our pre-battle dance choreographies?" The look that came over their captain's face quickly confirmed their suspicions.
"Ahh, quit your whining, sir," Dore exclaimed loudly, at the same time reaching over and clapping the man on the shoulder. "It's not the end of the world. We have plenty of time to work on new battle poses and battle formations."
"And I'm sure that with enough hard work and training, Gohan-kun will fit right in with the rest of us. Just you watch," Myra assured, at the same time grinning and gesturing between them. "Besides, if you take a close look at us now, you can see that our group's height arrangement has been evened out."
When the Hera noted this, Salza saw that she was in fact right. If you were to line up all of the members of the group from the tallest to shortest, Neiz would be first, Dore would be second, Myra third, Salza fourth, and then Gohan last. This meant that not only was the captain no longer viewed as the shortest member of their troop, but they could also pull off the five-person-line-up without any difficulties.
Upon being made aware of this fact, Salza then stuck his chest out, smirked, and nodded. "Well… I guess that's one good thing I can take away from this." With smiles appearing over the rest of the group's faces, the captain then looked down at the child once more. "Okay then. So be it. I'll go along with his inclusion without a fuss." He then nodded towards said youngster. "If I'm remembering this right, your name was Gohan, was it?"
Realizing he was finally being addressed, the hybrid straightened up. "Uhh. Um. Yes. Yes, sir, it is."
Grinning broadly, the blond, pretty boy captain of the squadron then extended his hand towards the child in a graceful manner. "Since you're new to the Cooler Force, as well as to the concept of a fully functioning, intergalactic military, allow us to give you a proper, formal introduction."
While Gohan looked back at the man in utter confusion, the hybrid suddenly saw Salza, Dore, Neiz and Myra jump away from him, before promptly coming together and forming a tidy, shoulder-to-shoulder row in front of the youngster. At first not knowing what the heck was going on, as all four warriors had turned their backs on him, the half-Saiyan child was then given his answer moments later when, starting from the left, each and every individual making up the Cooler's Armored Squadron began reintroducing themselves to him- with gusto.
The sight of the group standing in the center of the room and the sound of epic, heroic music suddenly starting to play through the gym's speakers- courtesy of Salza- actually caused the other three soldiers who were exercising on the equipment nearby to stop and stare at the troop.
While his companions stood with their fists on their hips- spinning around and bringing both hands over to one side like a preying mantis, the amphibian Neiz threw several sharp, snake-like jabs through the air. "All rebels, beware! My attacks strike with the force of justice and the speed of lightning!" Upon which he then swung both arms out sharply, before bringing them in and lunging to the side with both hands crossed horizontally over his chest. "The fastest fighter in the cosmos! Neiz, the Swift!"
Turning around and stomping both feet out that it caused the ground to tremble, Dore threw a sharp jab through the air, swung both his arms back, before then thrusting his two hands out while pointing his index fingers skywards. "HA! No fortress or army shall resist my might! My fists bend steel and smash evil's light!" He then dropped to one knee and stuck both fists out, his right arm locking beside him, while his left arm was locked in front. "I am Dore, The Strong!"
Thrusting her right palm in front of her when she spun around and then forming it into a fist, Myra then pulled it back and struck a defensive pose with her elbows fanned, and her left hand open flat over her right knuckles. "Behold, the beauty of righteousness!" She then swung her right leg through the air in a reverse heel kick, flicking it outwards before then straightening up her posture. "The shining warrior of truth and the defender of the weak!" Locking her left fist at her side, while sticking her right fist straight up into the air, the beguiling adolescent struck a very elegant pose before her roommate. "Myra, the Fair!"
And finally, with a twirl and a swift palm strike of his own, Salza finished off with a grand display of grace and poise befitting his position as leader. "The sword of virtue- who attacks with conviction and integrity with every thrust!" Forming a fist with his extended hand and then drawing it back like Myra had done, the captain of the team then sprang into the air, dropped to one knee with his other hand extended, before then swiftly rising back up and swinging both arms out into a tiger stance. "My fist shall deliver justice to all who oppose us! I am Salza, the Noble!" With his entire team holding their signature stances for a couple of seconds, the captain then finished off with a flourish and struck the sky with his fist. "Together, we shall vanquish the veil of darkness that threatens our universe!"
With a loud stomp, all four warriors synchronized their movements, all of them swinging their arms about and thrusting a hand forward, before concluding their formation with a final pose.
"We are- Cooler's Armored Squadron!"
A loud bang filled the chamber when a spotlight suddenly lit up on all four warriors in the center of the room, all of whom finished their dance with four identical fighting stances- their arms and hands pointing in the direction where their armor's shoulder accents would be, and their legs locked in a sideways lunge.
Then, after the music finished with an epic, heroic crescendo, silence fell.
After a minute passed, during which Gohan spent the entire time gaping at the group's spectacular introduction, the child then had his attention drawn to the side when the sound of clapping began echoing all around. When he looked towards the gym equipment positioned near the entrance, he saw the two female soldiers and the one male alien all applauding the squad for their performance- their faces alight and eyes practically shimmering with awe.
The clearly excited girls were practically bubbling with joy. "Did you see that?! That was the Armored Squadron's famous battle dance!" the red-skinned female squealed excitedly. "That was amazing!"
"Look at how cool and awesome they all look!" the other girl shouted, causing the four posing members of the Special Forces troop to smile and nod their heads in approval. "No wonder they're considered Cooler-sama's elite!"
"Bravo! Bravo!" the blue male alien shouted, his beak twisted upwards into a big grin.
While the four men and one woman bowed graciously to their comrades in arms- who continued to clap and whistle to them- Myra decided to approach their newest recruit and smiled down at him.
"So… what did you think?" the Hera-seijin asked, placing her hands on her thin waist and watching Gohan shake himself out of his daze.
Gulping nervously, the four-year-old stuttered for a moment. "Umm. Th-That was… that was-" At first struggling to find the right words and worrying Myra for a moment that he might be having second thoughts, the child's expression suddenly became one of complete joy, as he then raised his fists and shouted, "That was awesome!"
Sure, it was corny as hell and completely over the top, but it just looked like so much fun to the boy. In some strange way, the entire dance routine kind of struck a chord with his inner, adventurous, superhero side- a side he never truly thought he had in him before. Whatever the sensation was, Gohan knew that he wanted to try out what these guys had done and join in with them.
Myra, giggling at the young man's cheerful remark, then stuck her ample chest out and spoke in a more confident voice. "I'm glad to hear that. So… now that we've properly welcomed you into our ranks as the rookie, it's time that you found out what's going to be happening around here." The Hera then reached up and pointed at herself. "From this point forward, the four of us are going to start training you to become a proper, functioning, fully-fledged member of the Cooler Force. And since the emperor has only given us a month to get you up to speed, we're going to be going all in from day one."
Practically jumping on the inside at this point, the tiny little Saiyan hopped on his toes while grinning up at the orange haired beauty. "What am I going to be learning, onēsan?"
It was at that point that Dore decided to chime in, coughing into his hand while stepping up beside the smaller Myra. "Well, kiddo, for starters we're going to be brushing you up on your martial arts techniques, physical training, and energy control. My friends and I will be working together to help you to get a grasp on your powers and fully realize your potential." The green man then pointed a thumb at himself and grinned. "As for individual training sessions, I'm going to be showing you some of my awesome wrestling moves… as well as teach you the secrets of how to get big!" He then emphasized this by swinging his arms down and tensing up his whole upper body. "Rrrrgggh! Like me!"
At that moment, Neiz chimed in by raising his hand. "And I'll teach you how to change the element of your energy and shape it to whatever you want. Whether it's zapping people for pranks or stunning them." He emphasized this by extending both hands and letting off a discharge of pink electricity, which suddenly shot between his palms.
"And as for me, I'm going to teach you the beautiful and refined art of chivalrous combat!" Salza spoke up, the captain moving forward, clicking his heels together and raising his hand, from which he produced his signature, purple energy blade. As the sword around his hand hummed as he raised it to a more elevated position, the blond leader grinned broadly. "The art of the dance is an essential part of the Armored Squadron. Knowing its various intricacies teaches you grace, poise, and control above all else. So aside from being your captain, I'm also going to be your dance instructor."
Seeing Salza strike a pose put a grin on the cheerful Gohan's face, who then looked to the side when he saw Myra's stomach right next to him. Seeing her squat down next to him, the boy then heard the Hera whisper in his ear.
"And while these meatheads are teaching you all of that useless stuff, during our free time I'll take you down to the planet and give you some real fighting lessons. I'll also teach you more about the universe and its cultures, so that you can function and interact with people on different planets," Myra said, grinning at the child while her three teammates continued showing off and striking poses in a very ham-like display in the background. "Does that sound good to you?"
Upon processing all of this, Gohan nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, Yeah! So… when can we start?"
Hearing this, Dore laughed and stepped forward. "When? I'll tell you when, kid! Right now! I call dibs on training him first!" While Salza and Neiz groaned, as they wanted to be the ones to take the kid for his first run, the bulky warrior then took the child by the shoulder and led him to the middle of the room. Once they were there- and the rest of the squadron took up position on the sidelines- the tough Beppa-seijin then knelt down next to the kid and smiled. "Okay, runt. Here's the deal. Since you're going to be working with us, we're going to have to get you properly motivated and fired up for the long hours of training ahead. Your spirit needs polishing and your attitude towards battle needs to be sharpened."
"Attitude?" Gohan remarked, not quite getting what Dore was telling him.
"It means you can't just growl and bare your teeth at people like some wild beast every time you want to brawl. Though it works well for animals, it might not work against someone who is more dainty and ladylike, like Salza," Dore said, at the same time shooting a look across at his team captain. When he saw the blond Brench-seijin give him the middle finger in response, the green man snickered. "I'm going to take that beastly nature of yours and transform it into your greatest weapon. We'll start with five-thousand delinquent squats!"
"Uhh? Five-thousand what?" Gohan asked, slightly taken aback at that word.
"Delinquent squats! Tough guy lunges! Bad boy sits! Bad ass crabwalks! Whatever the hell you want to call them!" Dore shouted, standing up against, shaking his body loose, before then taking a step back. "They're like this. Watch." With a straight back, he then squatted straight down with his heels firmly on the floor, put his chin up, and glared across the room with an intimidating scowl. Whole Gohan tilted his head at the strange look the man had on his face, the Beppa then suddenly shouted. "Fuck you lookin' at, asshole?!"
His voice practically bounced off of every wall and had Gohan cringe a little. When the child looked back, he saw Dore stand up and look at him, his chin still raised and expression firm.
"Well? Get to it! Five-thousand delinquent squats!"
Startled at the aggressive tone the man was using, Gohan quickly squatted down. "R-Right. Okay."
"No bad-ass would sit like that! Back straight!" Dore shouted, causing the boy's hair to bristle and posture to correct.
"Right!"
"Spread your legs wider! Like you're going to take a dump!"
"Right!"
"Okay! Now stare!"
Gohan then gritted his teeth and glared, all the while being watched by a thoroughly amused Neiz and Myra, while Salza was just shaking his head.
"That's more like it! I'll do them with you!" Dore yelled, getting down into a squat position alongside the kid and mimicking his posture. "You gotta show how manly you are! Assert your dominance! Let the enemy know whose boss! Now practice the lines!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" Gohan shouted.
"Fuck you lookin' at, asshole!" Dore yelled, his jaw stiff and elbows digging into his thighs. "Say it!"
"F-F-Fack you looking at, asshole!" the boy repeated.
"Wrong! It's fuck! Not fack! This isn't a Grapa restaurant where you're ordering takeout!" Dore shouted back, standing up and prompting Gohan to do the same. He then squatted back down again. "Again! LOUDER!"
Gohan then took a deep breath and yelled, "FUCK YOU LOOKIN' AT, ASSHOLE?!"
"That's it!" Dore shouted, standing up with the kid and then squatting again. "Three! YOU'RE MESSING WITH THE BEST, BITCH!"
"You're messing with the best, bitch!"
"Come on! Say it like you mean it! Four!"
"YOU'RE MESSING WITH THE BEST, BITCH!"
While Dore and Gohan continued to do the man's fabled 'delinquent squats' while shouting badass lines at the top of their lungs, Salza, Myra and Neiz shared looks with one another, before the amphibian shrugged.
"Well, he did call first dibs," the Zalt-seijin remarked in amusement. He then looked across at his female companion. "Didn't he do the same thing with you when you first joined, Myra?"
"Yeah. He did. I thought it was idiotic at first, but it really helped strengthen my base stance, my core, and my back. Does wonders for your lunging strikes," Myra laughed, shaking her head and setting her hands on her hips. "Man. Those were good times." Upon seeing the pair speed up and the demi-Saiyan become more aggressive with his exclamations, as well as looking like he was actually enjoying himself, the Hera looked across at her two teammates and grinned widely. "I'm gonna join them." She then promptly jogged over to where Gohan was and came up right alongside him, where she began doing squats and curses with them.
"I'll freakin' kill you, asshole!" both she and Gohan shouted.
"That's it!" Dore shouted, grinning broadly as they all stood up and squatted again. "Feel it! Express it! Let the whole ship hear you! Forty-three! IS THAT ALL YA GOT, SHITHEAD?!"
"Is that all ya got, shithead?!"
"Yeah! Disrespect that man! Disrespect him!" Dore shouted. "Can you feel the burn yet?! Forty-four!"
"You're messing with the best, bitch!"
"LOUDER!"
"YOU'RE MESSING WITH THE BEST, BITCH!"
And for the next few hours this grueling warmup continued, until Dore, Gohan and Myra finished all five-thousand reps of the man's remedial tough guy exercise.
XXX
(Two weeks later)
(Otherworld)
Above the tail end of Snake Way, where the ocean of golden clouds continued stretching on for all eternity, there floated a tiny planet. Merely a fraction of what it once was eons ago, this tiny ball of lawn, trees, and paved road looping around its entire hemisphere, with a cottage and shed sitting near its pole, made up the home world of the guardian of the Northern Galaxies- King Kai.
It was at this very location where Goku, through the instructions of his mentor Kami and the administrator of the check-in station King Yemma, would meet his next teacher. He certainly did of course, following a rather embarrassing mix up when he initially believed the master's assistant Bubbles to be the legendary martial arts coach. However, following a very warm exchange between himself and the Kai- and after beating the man's challenge of getting him to laugh through telling him a joke- the Saiyan father had begun his training right away.
In an environment where the gravity was ten times greater than that on Earth, the spiky haired, gutsy warrior was given the task of attempting to catch King Kai's friend Bubbles. Though this seemed like an easy enough task at first blush, when coupled with the awkward layout of the tiny planet and its insane gravity field, not to mention the fact that the monkey could move quite quickly, catching the furry critter was proving to be quite the challenge for the hero. However, being the stubborn and persistent son of a bitch that he was, the Saiyan father took the trial as it was and went at it with the determination that was to be expected of his character.
While at first the man struggled to even lift his feet due to the enormous mass imposed on his body by the tiny world, through sheer grit and willpower the adult was able to force himself to move. But even though he was able to stomp around like a giant in a fairytale and make quite a show of it, it didn't mean he was able to pick up the speed he needed to catch Bubbles.
In fact the man was moving so slowly that the little monkey was able to take long pauses waiting for Goku to catch up to him. When the man came in close, the mammal would just hop away, moving further and further along the planet, before stopping to let the man catch up.
The repeated starting and stopping of the monkey was proving to be quite disheartening for the man. But, after slapping some sense into him with a few claps to the cheeks, Goku kept on going.
Of course, after lapping the planet about twenty times in an attempt to catch the ape, the Saiyan decided to pull in for a break. Stopping beside the classic red Chevrolet parked on the driveway, the panting, sweating Saiyan collapsed onto the grass and gasped. As he threw his head back and basked in the light, he was being closely watched by the short, robed form of a blue-skinned, alien being with black sunglasses and antennae, who- as it turns out- was the owner of the planet King Kai.
The man chuckled when he saw Goku take in several deep gulps of air, while looking as though he was about to pass out. "Twenty laps. Not bad. But I can see that bubbles is really putting you through the ringer."
"Oh yeah… he definitely is," the Saiyan panted, swallowing a couple of times before then looking down the length of his body and towards the Kai. "Man. Who knew trying to catch a monkey could be so hard." He made this comment just as he saw the tiny form of Bubbles pop his head up from over the curvature of the planet, as if checking on the status of the person who was chasing him. Wisely choosing to keep his distance, the little monkey remained where he was, all the while being grinned at by the exhausted Goku. "Training like this was never this hard back on Earth. Well… except for that one time I tried to go into that weird Spirit and Time Room back on Kami's Lookout. But that place was really spooky. Didn't want to stay in there for another second all by myself."
"Well, you'd better get used to this really quickly, buddy. Because as soon as you catch your breath, you're going straight back out there," King Kai chuckled, drawing a startled look from the Saiyan. Before he could ask why the teacher was being so pushy with him, the guardian of the Milky Way proceeded to remind him. "Your friends back on Earth are training as hard as they can in preparation for the arrival of those two Saiyans. If they manage to get there and you're not ready to face them, you and the others are going to be in for a world of hurt."
Upon hearing this, Goku's expression steeled and the man's recovery hastened almost instantaneously. He then gave a nod of understanding. "Right."
King Kai smiled, "I'm glad that you understand." The man then reached out from behind him and handed Goku a towel. "Here."
With the Saiyan taking it and thanking his trainer with a warm smile, he then proceeded to dry his face and neck. Just as he was working on the spots under his top, the warrior then blinked and looked across at his master inquisitively. "Hey, King Kai. You… can see what's happening across most of the known universe, right?"
The North King cocked his eyebrows. "About as far as my powers will permit me. Though the other quadrants aren't exactly under my jurisdiction, I've been able to sneak in a few peeks across to see how things are going in those areas of space. Why do you ask?"
Goku, feeling a sense of renewed hope, grinned and sat up more readily. "Then… do you think you could look to see where my son is? Gohan? The last time I saw him, he was being shot up into space in my older brother's ship… and I've been wondering if my friends were able to wish him back down to Earth." The man then clapped his hands together and bowed his head humbly. "Please. I'm really worried about him. I want to know if he's safe."
King Kai, immediately sensing the man's concern and sincerity, smiled and nodded. "Of course, Goku. If it's your son, I can certainly check for you." He then promptly set his hands behind his back and stretched out his senses- his antennae twitching and giving the indication that his telepathic abilities were coming into play.
From there, Goku sat patiently on the grass, waiting with baited breath to hear what the guardian of the Northern Galaxies had to say. After about a couple of minutes of waiting and watching the Kai's expression squeeze and twist through various levels of concentration, he suddenly heard the man gasp, which in turn caused the Saiyan to scramble to his feet.
"Huh? W-What is it?" the father asked, his worries coming back to him full force when he saw a small sweat break out on the Kai's head. Following a few seconds and no response, the spiky haired hero stepped towards him. "Did you… did you manage to find him? Is Gohan alright?"
A few moments of scanning later, King Kai's face momentarily switched to a look of horror. However, after clearing his throat and shaking his head to clear it of his daze, he then turned his attention towards his apprentice and smiled assuredly in his direction. "Don't worry, Goku. Your boy is alright. In fact… he's better than alright. He's been picked up by a group of aliens in another galaxy and they're taking very good care of him." When he saw the Saiyan's face brighten, the trainer's expression remained calm for a moment. After a few seconds of internal debate, a long sigh then left the Kai's lips. "Although… the leader of these aliens that Gohan has come into contact with… he's something else altogether."
OOO
(Meanwhile)
(Back on Cooler's Ship)
In the same training room where Gohan's induction into the Armored Squadron had been held, the young demi-Saiyan was going through his fourteenth consecutive day of continuous training. In a gravity field set to over fifty times that of Earth's, the four-year-old child was going through the hazing of a lifetime. With his form bathed in a white aura, which blasted around him in an inferno, the youngster darted around the open floor space at a furious pace, before dashing forward and lunging towards a calmly smiling Myra.
A battle cry leaving his lips, the child with the furry tail leapt at the orange-haired adolescent and started lashing out at her with a flurry of punches and kicks. His attacks shooting out in a blur, Gohan shouted at the top of his lungs with every attack he made, attempting to slip his attacks through her guard and hit her in the head. But try as he might, the boy just couldn't get a single punch through, as the girl calmly stood there, leaning back slightly, while casually blocking and parrying all of his attacks.
"Yeah. That's it, Gohan-kun! Keep it up! Faster! Faster!" Myra shouted, blocking and dodging the kid's attacks repeatedly and without fail. Keeping a steady pace, the girl calmly backed up as she allowed the youngster to unleash everything he had on her, attacking and attacking at an unrelenting pace. When she saw his attacks start to go wide and his form waver, the Hera gave the boy a prompt wakeup call with a sharp back fist to the side of his head. The angled counter smacked the kid in the cheek, rattling his head as he was knocked spinning out of the air. "Don't drop your guard! Keep it tight!"
Landing on the tiles a few feet away, Gohan crouched down on all fours- panting heavily while reaching up to brush away the blood that dribbled from his mouth. Already covered in multiple, stinging injuries and cuts from his training day so far, the boy gave his roommate a momentary look of confusion.
When she saw the look she gave him, Myra smiled back at the youngster and nodded. "Your aggression is good. But don't let yourself get caught up in a pattern. It makes your moves predictable." Slightly widening her feet, the girl in the bloomers and revealing tank top raised her hands and gave the boy a smirk. "Now… again."
Gohan, hearing the adolescent's instruction, nodded and stood up. "Right. Yes, ma'am." He then set himself into a proper fighting stance again, this time adopting one that he'd learned in his short tenure under the girl's tutelage thus far. With his fingers curling downwards into a very mantis like stance, the boy set his feet wide and dropped low- obviously preparing for another attack.
Seeing the youngster flex his ki again put a smile on Myra's face, who then twitched her own fingers as she gathered her energy into her palms. "Good." She then thrust both hands forward and fired several flashes of golden light, which streaked towards the boy in the form of concentrated beams.
Spotting the attacks flying at him, the alarmed demi-Saiyan darted to the side in a blur, effectively avoiding the attacks that exploded uselessly against the tiles. As he sprinted around the room, he made sure to stay ahead of the trail of fire, as Myra continued to chase after him with repeated energy blasts from her hands.
Eyes narrowing when she noticed his movements, the Hera then barked. "Come on! Attack! Don't just dodge! Get inside!" She then began firing energy blasts even faster, intercepting the kid's path and forcing him to spring back. Upon which he then began dashing towards her, zigzagging left and right in a blur of movement to avoid her oncoming assault. Determined to keep him at a distance and make the boy work for it, Myra leapt back, but kept on firing. "That's it! Put pressure on your opponent! Move in and in until they can't breathe anymore!"
As small explosions continued to fill the open areas of space of the training room, watching from the sidelines, the male members of Cooler's Armored Squadron- Salza, Neiz and Dore- were calmly observing the boy's training session with Myra and making notes on his progress. From the smiles on their faces and the impressed nods they were giving, they were clearly liking what they were seeing.
Though Gohan's skills were developing at a superb and remarkable rate, he still had quite a ways to go before he could be considered battle ready by their standards- not to mention their emperor's. But until then, the four of them would continue to push the child, working him day in and day out until he was given his first assignment.
Obviously the members of the squad couldn't wait to see what the little go-getter could do once his intense training regimen with them was completed.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: Man, I love writing this fic.