"Hell no!" Rocket roared at Corma, who held her head in her hands. "I'm not adding in three more dumbasses into our plan, let alone another Saiyan!" Rocket pointed at the three Avengers off to the side, standing awkwardly while watching the argument that began five minutes ago.
"He's my brother, I can't just leave him behind." Corma fired back.
"I don't care! The more people in on this, the more chances we take of failure! I want the first chance out of this shithole!"
"I am Groot."
"He's right, y'know." Corma nodded toward Groot's direction.
"Yea, I know a good portion of the plan hinged on your ki abilities-"
"More like 90%."
"Eh, I'd say 60%."
"That's still more than half."
"I can make up the other 40%."
"I am Groot."
"I don't know, I'll make it as I go."
"That's a terrible plan." Tony lobbed from the side.
"No one asked you!" Rocket exploded at the billionaire.
"I am Groot."
"You too. Geez, I'm surrounded by nothing but morons right now." Rocket groaned, rubbing his hand on his face. "Fine, fine. These idiots can join us."
"Now was that so hard?" Corma asked with a smirk and her arms crossed, making Rocket growl at her before he turned to the Avengers.
"What can you idiots do?" Rocket inquired.
"We're renowned scientists on our planet, you little trash panda." Tony fired back at the Raccoon, who gave a confused glance.
"What?"
"Nothing." Bruce jumped in. "We can definitely help with whatever you need, we want to get out of here as much as you do."
"Scientists, you said?" Rocket asked, earning nods from the duo. "Good, then I won't have to do all of the heavy liftings in building this."
"Building what?"
Rocket reached into a nearby basket and pulled out a small cube, obviously shoddily put together due to the limited resources in the prison. There was also a large red button on the side, taped down at the moment.
"That is an EMP device." Rocket explained condescendingly, earning two hard glares courtesy of Tony and Bruce. "It should be strong enough to disable the ki drainers around their necks. Once they shut off, you will have a ten-second gap before it reboots to crush and get it off. However, I'm still missing two crucial parts that I eyeing, but seeing that we have now had three more useful idiots, we can get it today and be out of here in about...I don't know, an hour."
"Really? That soon?" Zuchino eyed the raccoon suspiciously; Rocket responded his suspicious look with a devious smirk.
"Yea, that soon." Zuchino looked over at his sister, who gave a knowing nod. Her trust was good enough for him.
"So, what do you need us to do?"
-5 (Earth) Days Later-
Zuchino sat next to Rocket, watching the doorway while Rocket continued working with his devices behind him. After watching the guard's usual activities and deciding who was the best to do what, they split into teams to get the things they needed; he wasn't exactly paying attention to what Rocket asked them to get, all that his job was to stay and guard the raccoon against being discovered. It had been a few minutes of comfortable silence, only broken by the occasional curse from Rocket at his devices.
"Yo...Zucchini?" Rocket called out, making Zuchino breathe out an annoyed sigh.
"Zuchino." The Saiyan corrected while turning around to look at the anamorphic creature. "What is it?"
"So you said you're on some mission from God, right?"
"From the Kais of the Universe, they want me to figure out what is destroying planets across the South Galaxy. From what the Nova Corps. told me, it's something that produces a green light before detonation."
"Think it's the Freeza Force?"
"Nah, all of their big hitters were killed by me during the battle." Zuchino brushed off the questioned before he noticed Rocket's astonished gaze. "What?"
"I thought a planet detonation killed them along with Freeza?"
"No, I killed Freeza and them after they killed off most of the Saiyans, which is why the Kais came for me: apparently I'm the strongest being in the universe currently."
"Interesting...looking for work?" Rocket gave him a devious smile.
"No, I'm trying to put mercenary work behind me. It...changes you, having your own planet destroyed, y'know?"
"I wouldn't, I don't know what planet I'm from." Rocket grumbled as Zuchino gave him a small stare before deciding it wasn't worth the explanation (since he isn't exactly sure that there aren't raccoons elsewhere than Earth). "So why are you trying to go fight that thing?" Rocket asked as Zuchino looked at him with a questioning glance. "What are you, some type of hero or something?"
"No." Zuchino immediately answered, looking forward. "I was instructed to do by the Kais and don't want it to blow my new home planet. Nothing more, nothing less."
"...alright, if you say so," Rocket muttered under his breath, giving the Saiyan knowing glance before continuing forward. "Just seems like a heroic thing to do...something I would've never expected the highest-ranking Saiyan of the Planet Trade Organization to do."
"I don't remember begging for your view of this case." Zuchino's eyes cut at the raccoon, annoyance gleaming in them. "I am doing what has been asked of me."
"Almost like what you did with Freeza. Soldier until death, huh?" Rocket half-heartedly chuckled, noting the Saiyan's aggravated sigh and quickly standing from his chair (which fell to the ground). His fists clenched and unclenched for a few seconds before he simply uttered, "Just finish your device already. I'm betting they will be back soon with your last puzzle piece." and began walking away from the shower room. "I'll be out here."
"Whatever you say, hero." Rocket chuckled before turning his attention back on the device.
Zuchino walked out of the showers and stood by the doorway, trying to clear his head from what Rocket said. Of course, he wasn't a hero; he didn't want to do this, he was co-opted into this assignment by beings far superior to him. And he wasn't just "following orders", it was just that...he...
Why am I justifying this to myself?! I know why I'm here! Zuchino mentally yelled before looking over to the side and seeing a few prisoners eyeing him up.
"Is there something I can help you with?" He inquired in a bored tone, looking at the prisoners. "Because if not, stop staring or I snatch those eyes from your skull." With that, the prisoners quickly gathered themselves and stopped staring at the Saiyan, who gave a small smirk. Definitely not a hero
"Zuchino." A voice said in his mind, shocking him.
"King Kai?"
"What is happening, why is your ki signature so low right now?!" King Kai practically yelled, making Zuchino cringe at his volume.
"The Nova Corps. captured me and put this energy-draining collar around my neck."
"Do you need my help?"
"As much as I would love to say yes, I don't think to disrupt the natural balance is the best solution here. Besides, we have a plan that I'm hoping will work."
"Okay, I'll let your plan go for now; if you need me, just contact me. I'll do whatever I can to send help your way. Do you understand?"
"Yes, King Kai," Zuchino affirmed before he felt the psychic link between the two of them break.
"Zuchino," Corma called from on side of him, approaching him with Tony by her side, his hands stuffed into his pockets. Bruce and Groot followed behind them as well, Bruce's arms crossed over his chest a little too tightly.
"Hey. Did it happen?" Zuchino asked, noticing a few drones flying by.
"Yea, just going to wash up." Tony quickly answered before they all disappeared into the shower.
"Oh, I'll join you," Zuchino replied, eyeing the outside to ensure no one was following them, before quickly following behind in stride.
"Alright, Build-A-Bear, here you go: one electricity modulator," Tony said, handing the device over to the raccoon.
"Great, you're not as entirely useless as I thought you were." Rocket answered as Zuchino chuckled.
"And two electro-charge packs," Bruce answered as Bruce handed them over.
"Wait, two? I only wanted one." Rocket answered, taking both of them and observing them. "Did...did you two leave the one I gave you?"
"I am Groot." Groot declared in a confused voice.
"I GAVE IT TO YOU TO LEAVE SO THE GUARDS WOULDN'T GET SUSPICIOUS!" Rocket exploded at the two.
"You didn't tell us!" Bruce roared back as Rocket threw the decoy device at Groot's head.
"You dumbasses, they're going to know we were in there now!"
"Calm down Rocket, how long will it take you to complete the device?" Corma questioned as Rocket looked at the two electronic devices he needed.
"Not long but if the guards know, we may not have the ti-" At the very moment, the lights flicked red and an alarm blared throughout the room.
"Well, you better start working. I'll go keep a lookout." Corma called out as she ran out of the shower room, Groot following closely behind her. Rocket grabbed his face and let out a deep, prolonged sigh of irritation.
"Okay, focus Rocket; Terran 1 and 2, I need you both here. Zuchino, hold the device and don't push anything until I tell you." Rocket said, placing the device in his hand. Bruce and Tony flanked him on the sides as the raccoon guided them and they constructed the pieces together. After a few seconds of working, Corma and Groot ran back in, exclaiming, "Guys, they're coming down the walkway."
"You dumbasses didn't even hide your faces?!" Rocket roared while continuing to place a circuit board into its slot.
"We hid from the cameras!"
"IT'S A GUARD'S TOWER! THERE ARE CAMERAS EVERYWHERE!"
"Rocket, focus," Zuchino commanded, trying to keep his hands from clenching in impatience and possibly crushing the unfinished ticket to freedom.
"Inmates!" A booming voice commanded from the entrance of the shower room. "We know you are in there and have stolen devices from the guard's station! If you do not come out in the next thirty seconds with your hands up and the device in hand, we will not hesitate to use deadly measures. Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight..."
"Rocket!" Zuchino yelled, the unconscious urge to clench his fist growing even stronger.
"Shut up, I'm going as fast I can. Give me ten seconds!" Rocket said, soldering down a circuit board while Tony inserted a few things into his own device.
"There, done! Put your necks next to it!" Rocket commanded.
"Ten, nine..."
"Now!" Zuchino raised the device between his and Corma's neck and pressed the button.
"One!" The commander ordered before the armed prison guards began storming the room, rifles up and ready to fire at the very first sight of the unruly inmates. When they entered the part of the large shower room with light, they found the group of prisoners.
"Inmates, turn ov...er...the" The guard's command was quickly caught in his throat when he saw the two Saiyans rip the collars from their necks with relative ease. All of the guards could only watch in stupefied fear as Zuchino cracked his neck before giving a sadistic smirk.
"Sorry," Zuchino began, a red aura beginning to surround his body while Corma's blue aura began to roar to life, "what were you saying?"
"Open fire!" The guard found his voice and began firing his rifle, followed by the rest of squad letting loose their barrage of ammunition, both bullets and energy bolts, at primarily at the Saiyans. All of the ammunition exploded in little blue and red lights before they could even reach the warriors and their allies. After the little game began to annoy her, Corma's eyes glowed blue and the rifles exploded in their hands, leaving the guards defenseless and far more frightened than before.
"Oops." She smirked before Zuchino raised his hand and fired off a golden ki wave that carried all of the guards out of the shower room into the walkway, exploding them in different directions.
"Let's go," Zuchino ordered, looking back at his allies, before walking forward. The group, having gotten over their initial shock, continued behind their protector. He fired another golden blast of energy at the next gang of guards at the entrance yet again, this time blasting them over the balcony. Once they reached the edge of the entrance, they weren't surprised to see the entire prison had devolved in chaos at the sight of the first explosion. A few prisoners grabbed the seemingly unconscious guards' rifles and tried firing at the Saiyans, but a blue ki beam through their chests shut them down. Other prisoners fired at the distracted guards, grateful that their opportunity to fire back at their captors.
Seeing the walkway was destroyed, the Saiyans formed a ki barrier around themselves and their allies, using it to float down to the ground and shield them from the carnage around them. After looking around and walking forward, a sadistic smile split the Saiyan's face when he saw a familiar reptilian alien come into their view, being strangled by a prisoner. He used a kiai to blast the prisoner across the floor while the Khuul dropped to the ground.
He was ready to thank his savior before he saw just who it was and the smile on his face. He raised his hand to the guard's face and a yellow ball of energy formed. Zuchino wanted to kill him, to get the guard back for attempting to break his pride, and, honestly, to feel better.
"Wait, don't!" The guard cried for mercy while the Saiyan continued smirking. "Please don't! Forgive me! Have mercy!"
"Zuchino." Tony came from behind and placed a hand on the Saiyan's shoulder, making him look back. "Let him go." He simply said, but the weight of his tone hit the Saiyan like a punch from Freeza himself. He was devolving, back to his old ways. While the guard had hurt his pride, he hadn't done enough to justify possibly wiping his race from the universe.
Otherwise, he'd wouldn't be any better than...him.
The Saiyan let out a small sigh before roaring in the Khuul's face, "Where are my clothes?!"
"I-I-I..." The Khuul could only stutter, shocked he wasn't dead yet.
"You better tell me quick..." Zuchino uttered in a monotone voice and malicious gleam in his black eyes, "or else this new bout of mercy I'm experiencing finally dissipates."
"I can lead you there, just promise not to kill me." The Khuul pathetically growled, tears freely flowing down his face. The Saiyan, taking a few seconds to examine the guard's face before giving a sigh and letting him fall to the ground. The Khuul was on his feet in a second and leading the way.
"Guys, let's blow this shithole," Zuchino called out to his allies before following forward. Corma threw a strange glance to her brother's back before following behind him with everyone else.
Once they gathered their belongings and changed back into their regular clothes (Corma still had her original Saiyan armor), the Khuul led them to the transport bay, filled with escape ships for them. While Rocket hacked the ship's commands, the Saiyan stood next to the still sobbing Khuul while the rest of the group watched the doors for any guards or prisoners possibly trying to throw a wrench into their plans.
"Alright, ships are ready to go." Rocket notified as he hopped down front the entrance.
"Alright, you can leave." Zuchino gave a small side glance to the guard, who fell to his knees before the Saiyan.
"Thank you for your mercy!" The Khuul groveled at the feet of the male Saiyan, who gave him a glare before picking him up by his collar.
"You make sure that the news of this prison break will not reach the Nova Corps. Sabotage the equipment, lie, whatever you have to do. Got it?!"
"Yes, sir."
"Now fuck off." Zuchino scoffed before throwing the Khuul away from him, who quickly began running back into the hallway of the prison. Zuchino sighed before letting his aura fade and his energy level fall back to normal. Felt good to finally have that collar off his neck and being freed from that hellhole of a prison.
"I will say, furry bandit, you did well," Tony told Rocket, who gave a small smile.
"You did too for a moron." Rocket said as Corma gave Groot a hug.
"It was good meeting you."
"I am Groot."
"I know, I know; next time I see you, I'll pay up." She chuckled before seeing Rocket. "It's been fun. Don't forget about what I said."
"Oh shut up, my method is so much better." Rocket fired back before Corma shook her head. "And good luck to you, Zuchino! Don't die out there, we could use more heroes like you out there."
Zuchino rolled his eyes before giving the raccoon a small smirk before they all entered their ships and took out of the hangar.
-10 (Earth) Hours Later-
It seemed like a normal day at the Nova Corps. headquarters. But it wasn't for the higher-up officers of the organization. On top of finally having all of the specifications sent to the Kree Empire in effort to get the peace treaty underway, there was yet another planetary detonation that could not be explained other than being apart of the obvious string. What made this planet's destruction was the fact it was only 100 clicks away from the Xandar.
"They're getting closer." Irani Rael told Rhomann after her daily briefing while riding up to her office.
"We still don't have much information about the explosion, but we have no reason to believe that the source of the explosions is heading here. Though we've still sent a great deal of the force to go look for survivors and evacuate planets nearby."
"Well, that's slightly comforting. Here's to hoping that it won't decide on us being its next planet. Have we heard back from the Klyn about our star prisoners?"
"Yes, everything seems to be going well, they have been transferred to general. With the number of prisoners there that have a hatred for Saiyans, I'm willing to believe that he won't last much longer."
"Good, that's one off my conscience," Irani said before walking up to her office. "Garthan, any news on from the Kree?"
"Yes, Nova Prime. They have accepted our terms and the writers have begun drafting the treaty; the Nova-Kree Relations Committee has committed to signing it and we have no reason to believe that Kree Empire will not be willing to do the same." Garthan notified, giving a tablet over to his superior officer.
"Finally, a promise kept that can keep me in office," Irani muttered before walking over to her chair. Just as she sat down, alarms began blaring across the entire room. "What the fuck?!"
"There appears to be an unauthorized vessel entering our atmosphere," Garthan answered, looking through his device. "It appears to be a Klyn escape pod, but no one has checked in."
"I thought you said the Klyn said there were no problems to report?" Irani turned to Rhomann, who looked back through his report.
"They did." He said, handing the report over to the Nova Prime. She quickly skimmed through it before he noticed a pattern. Every first letter of a line seemed to be spelling something.
E-S-A-P-E
Escape, but what could he be talking about-"SHIT!"
The ship crashed into the pond in front of the Nova Corps. headquarters, alarming many of the guards outside. Klyn ships usually land in the designated parking area behind the building, so why did this one even come down? Come to think of it, why didn't they notify the Corps. that they would be arriving today?
"All guards, listen to me!" The Nova Prime cut through their earpieces, her tone immediately calling them to attention. "The Kyln ship contains the Saiyan Prisoner Zuchino! I repeat, the ship contains a very dangerous prisoner!"
That's when an explosion happened on the side of the building, catching everyone off guard. It was centered in the inventory room, where they usually keep inventory and the items kept from prisoners that were deemed an object of significance. A blur of red and gold flew from the building and into the ship, puncturing the side.
"Approach with great caution! Shoot to kill orders given! I repeat, shoot to kill! Do not let him reach the Prime!" Garthan's voice commanded just as the door blew open. Out stepped the Saiyan Zuchino, a female Saiyan they recognized his sister Corma, the iron clad suit they confiscated from the Saiyan's ally earlier that week, and a giant green monster that they'd never seen before.
"Now you can smash," Zuchino commanded as Hulk gave him a smirk before running forward through the hail of energy bolt fire at the now fearful Nova Corps. He charged through them, knocking them to the side, before raising his hands up and smashing down the front gates. With part of his goal complete, he sought to complete the next part by climbing up the walls and tearing the mechanic defense forces apart.
Soon, the entirety of the frontal defense system was permanently disabled by the giant green rage monster. The Hulk dropped down next to Corma, who gave him a big smile with the words, "Good Hulk." The Hulk returned the smile before they began walking through the front gate to the giant golden doors lining the entrance.
Once they reached the doors, Zuchino raised his arm and blasted the doors down. In the front area was a relatively large brigade of soldiers awaiting the warriors. Several armed Corps. aimed their rifles at them, but Corma fired a ki-generated shockwave, disabling their rifles. With their rifles down, Tony fired his repulsers at medium strength towards the shocked soldiers, knocking many of them down for the count. The brave souls who charged the group head-on were met with a giant green forearm to their face, knocking them across the room.
Finally, once many of the entrance forces were finally down, the Saiyan approached the front receptionist desk, its occupant remained untouched during the hectic battle that waged on for the past fifteen seconds. Zuchino gave a smirk before he placed his hand on the desk, letting his ki create a small crater underneath his hand.
"Excuse me, I was unable to count the floors during my last time so if you tell us what floor the Nova Prime's office is in, we'd be on our merry way," Zuchino said with a polite smile painted on his face.
"I-I-I c-c-can't disclose th-that information." The receptionist stuttered but was muted by Corma walking up the desk as well.
"He's become a lot nice over the years, I haven't. Where is it?" She demanded, making the receptionist's blood run cold.
"She's on the 67th floor."
"Now was that so hard?" Zuchino stated before a golden barrier surrounded them and they floated up into the air, breaking through the roof of the first floor. They continuing doing so, watching the soldiers and officials practically shit themselves when they saw the enemy combatants for the split second before they rose to the next floor.
Finally, they stopped in a familiar setting: the office of Nova Prime. They were at the front door to the office and the Nova Prime sat at her desk with her two highest-ranking officers standing next to her with a mixture of fear and shock while trying to remain stoic at the hands of their very possibly impending demise. The Saiyan dropped the barrier once he floated to the unbroken ground and began walking forward to the desk in a calm and deliberate manner. His Super Saiyan state quickly flashed on, making the commanding officers nearly jump out of their skin at the sigh of a new transformation.
His turquoise eyes bore into her blue ones and, once he was close enough, he stopped.
"Remember when I told you that I killed Freeza? I wasn't lying." Zuchino said in a very low tone. "So, here is what's going to happen now: you are going to give me back my ship, restock it with everything you took of it, plus more supplies and every bit of information you have on the planetary destructions across this galaxy, and we are going to leave and you will never have to hear from us again unless you need my help or I need your help. If you do not like the terms of this deal, I can just take everything by force and, for my troubles, detonate this planet. Now, which do you prefer?" Zuchino inquired as the commander gulped.
"We'll do what you ask."
"Good, now," Zuchino said as his Super Saiyan form dissipated with a flash. "I'm happy you can recognize a good deal when you have one."
-Two Earth Days Later-
After finally leaving the Xandar, the search was back on with a new member of the party. They all combed over every bit of intel from the Nova Corps. but could not find anything that could point them in a specific direction nor anything to describe the being or force doing this. At the moment, they were combing through the documents yet again while Tony continued piloting the ship, waiting for any signs of a large enough power level to be sensed.
"Fuck, that was all worth nothing." Zuchino groaned, sitting back in his chair with a sigh. "I at least thought there would be a perfectly universal reason we had to go through that week, but nope. Nothing."
"I mean, it's entirely nothing," Corma replied, putting down her own documents. "There's a pattern I know."
"What do you mean?" Bruce inquired, all eyes turned on the female Saiyan.
"So, back during our days of the Planet Trade Organization, we were looking at storming the South Galaxy since we had strongholds in every other galaxy except the South and East."
"I thought Freeza gave up on it because of the Nova-Kree war?" Zuchino inquired as Corma raised a finger.
"Right, Freeza did. His father, however, did not. King Cold always despised Freeza's willingness to play the long game, well, too long. There were a good few planets in the South Galaxy that buyers were eyeing due to rich natural resources, ranging from Katchin to Vibranium to Yaka, rumors even have there even was a planet that naturally produced Uru."
"Uru?"
"The metal used to make Thor's hammer. The most valuable metal in the universe because it is usually only found with the Dwarves of Nidavellir." Zuchino explained.
"The reason I know about this is that he ran the idea by King Vegeta and was planning on making a special task force of Saiyans. When Vegeta refused due to his loyalty to Freeza, King Cold went behind his back and started the task force himself. He also wanted me on the team but thought that having one of Freeza's highest-ranking Saiyans was too much of a possibility of being exposed. A week before they were supposed to launch, Freeza halted the project and threatened to destroy the planets in opposition to his father; because Freeza is massively more powerful than his father, King Cold gave in. But they still had the list..."
"Corma, what are you saying?" Zuchino questioned as Corma sighed and looked at her brother.
"I think whoever is doing this planetary destruction is a Saiyan." Corma finally said. Just then, the ship's intercom system buzzed to life.
"Guys, we've got a hit. I think we've found it." Tony's voice cut through.
Thank you guys, this fanfic is easily becoming one of my most successful! I also want to thank you guys for so many nice reviews and ideas, some of which I never thought of before and will be sure to incorporate into the series moving forward. As for everyone disappointed that the Guardians did not make their appearance, I'm sorry but I have a timeline I'm trying to stick with and this takes place before the GOTG's first movie.
And for those of you who think you have an idea on who the main villain will be, all I can say is to be prepared for the next chapter. ;-)