(Individual Lies here! Hey guys, I'm really sorry it's been so long since I've posted a chapter. Life can get hectic and frustrating and that's how's it been. Not to mention I no longer have a working computer, but I will overcome that no matter what. This story will be completed, but don't worry! There's still much more to come and hopefully sooner than it took to get this one posted. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and as always, reviews are welcomed and appreciated!)
(P.S. To the nameless reviewer: Please read Chapter Nine: I'm Alive and Chapter Ten: Time to Burn.)
Chapter Thirteen-Smack Down
"Get ready for the smack down!
Get ready for the smack down!
How ya gonna react
When ya put on ya back now?
'Cause there's no turnin' back
When you're facin' the smack down
Come on, let's kick it, let's all get wicked
Put your hands in the sky for a one-way ticket
C'mon!"
Smack Down –Thousand Foot Krutch
DBZ
Berik's fingers flew across a keyboard mounted on a lone podium before a massive screen. It was to the screen that he looked every few seconds as windows flashed red and yellow across the massive expanse. He growled and shoved his glasses back up his nose and made to continue, when the screen went suddenly blank.
He frowned as a single window popped up. It was a video, it seemed. He blinked and leaned closer.
"It's the Transport Chamber, Uncle!" Berik turned to see Nepu come striding through the open door clutching a portable keyboard. "Sorry!" he quickly apologized. "I was remote-hacking your computer on my way here. I just heard something and I wanted to verify that it was true before I told you."
"Told me what?" Berik was mildly stunned from the sudden intrusion.
"Look at the screen!" Nepu dropped the keyboard on the podium and pointed to a large cylinder at the back of the room that the video was showing.
Berik frowned again but looked to the screen. Just as he did, there was a bright flash of light from a small square window on the cylinder. The front split open into a door and a larger than normal Flazerian stepped out menacingly. He didn't look much different than Flazamyn, except that his eyes were split into two colors: silver on top and red on bottom.
Berik clutched at the podium for support. "Ryo!" he hissed in fear as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead. "This day just gets better and better!"
Nepu glanced at his uncle and arched an eyebrow. "Hey, that's my line!"
"Shut up! Shit, this isn't good! Not even Tettuce can fight him!"
"What makes you so certain?" Nepu turned to face Berik fully.
His uncle growled and turned a stern eye his way. "Do you know what Ryo's last recorded power reading was?"
"Um, no?" answered Nepu honestly.
Berik cursed. "You idiot! His last recorded power reading was two years ago, and it was listed as over 250,000! That's over a quarter of a million!"
Nepu's eyes shot open wide and he gripped his uncle's arm, his body trembling in sudden fear. "We can't fight him!" He glanced at the screen. "Where'd he go?"
His uncle started and immediately glanced to the screen. Seeing that Ryo was no longer in the Transport Chamber he started cycling through the cameras. "He's got to be here somewhere…"
Nepu gulped as he stared unblinking at the screen. Moisture had gathered on his brow and his cheeks and he was breathing heavily. Ryo was there on Jynn-jin 13. Whatever brought him there was a mystery to him, though. Jynn-jin 13 was not a planet that Ryo visited often, if ever. But he was definitely there now.
"There he is.!" Berik pointed at the screen. Ryo was walking down a hallway, heading towards the camera. "Where is that hallway, Nepu? Do you recognize it?"
Nepu frowned. "I'm not sure. It looks familiar…In fact…"
"Oh, no…That's…" Berik's eyes widened when Ryo cast a sudden glance towards the camera as he paused before a door. With his eyes still locked on the camera he pressed his massive hand against a silver plate beside the door. Berik and Nepu both spun as the door slid open with a hiss behind them.
Ryo ducked his head and strode menacingly into the room. His odd-colored eyes were locked on the both of them as he bore down on them. As he reached the podium he suddenly lifted up one massive hand and Berik flinched, instinctively knowing that he was about to be killed. But instead of him, Ryo suddenly grabbed Nepu by his neck and lifted him forcefully from the floor.
Nepu's eyes were nearly bulging from their sockets as he grasped at the too-powerful hand firmly wrapped around his neck. He gasped and struggled to suck air into his desperate lungs. They weren't burning for air yet, but he knew it wouldn't be too much longer.
"L-Lord Ryo! W-what are you doing with Prince Nepu?" Berik ventured to ask of the massive Flazerian.
Ryo turned to glare at the shorter Jynn-jin. "My personal Intelligence Team informed me that Nepu contacted someone off-world. They intercepted the transmission because it pertained to the fugitive known as Tettuce." His eyes narrowed and he looked back to the struggling Jynn-jin prince in his grasp. "Something like that, dealing with someone of that caliber, I had to personally come here and punish you."
"P-punish? How are you going to punish Nepu?"
Ryo grinned, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth. "Like this." He thrust his arm out, sending Nepu flying back and through the far wall and fired a small ball of green ki after the helpless man.
Berik watched in horror as the blast connected with Nepu's exposed chest and exploded, immediately obliterating every last trace of him. He clutched at the podium for support as his knees began to shake. The light hadn't even faded yet as he looked to Ryo to see the giant Flazerian turning his gaze on him.
"And as for you…" He reached out a massive clawed hand.
Berik gulped and tried to will himself to run away, but his legs would not move. He stared in wide-eyed, silent horror as his end drew nearer.
DBZ
Tettuce ducked under Ginyu's punch, then danced to the left to avoid another, phasing to the right to avoid a third. He was making child's play of Ginyu's best attacks, all the while a loony grin plastered on his face. His eyes seemed to glint with a maniacal gleam as he kept just out of reach of the Ginyu Force leader's kicks and punches.
"Come on, Ginyu! Is that your best?" the Saiyan taunted.
Ginyu grit his teeth and his purple aura burst to life, his speed suddenly increasing a bit. He moved in under Tettuce's guard, his fist flying towards the man's exposed jaw. About to make contact, he felt a powerful blow to his nose and he was rocketing backwards against his will. He slammed back-first into the concrete road and continued skidding backwards. Letting out a curse he slammed his elbows into the road and he was instantly flying up to where Tettuce awaited him. "I won't go down that easily to a Saiyan!"
"I would hope not!"
Bardock shook his head slowly and glanced at Seripa as Tettuce and Ginyu immediately dove back into battle.
"He could end it in one go, but he's just toying with Ginyu," said Seripa with a frown. "Doesn't he want to kill Ginyu for the things he's done to him?"
"Oh yeah, and he will," said Bardock with a smirk. "He wants to have fun, first. Ginyu and Recoome did the same thing with him. He's just payin' Ginyu back for the humiliation he was caused."
"Ah, I see. That's right, Ginyu gave him the scar on his forehead."
"Yep. It was supposed to be a killin' blow, too. Tettuce has an ability where he can briefly create a near-impenetrable ki-barrier. If he had not been at a good range to glimpse the attack before it reached him, he could very well be dead today."
"I never knew that…"
"Few people do. I only know because I was there. I was bein' restrained by the other members of our team. I wanted to help, eh…" He sighed and shrugged. "In hindsight, I would've gotten massacred. But I was young and I was dumb." He laughed quietly and glanced up as Ginyu finally got a blow in on Tettuce that sent him plummeting down into the city. He watched the purple alien dive down after him and then turned to continue talking to Seripa. "A lot's changed since then. Hell, a lot's changed since I last seen you." He gave her a slight smile.
Seripa smiled up at him. "Yes, a lot has changed. Especially about you. What's up with the hair?" she asked with a frown as she reached up to take a thick lock into her small hand. "Our hair doesn't grow."
"I've seen someone's hair grow back thicker after it was burned away by a blast. But not this thick." He lifted his hand and it practically swallowed Seripa's as he took a hold of her hand. "It might have something to do with how I was brought back to life."
Seripa blinked and her frown became one of confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
"I died—"
"I know that!"
"Fine. I was brought back by something called the Pool of Life. It's on planet Kanassa, and supposedly I was able to alter my destiny somehow." Bardock frowned again and he glanced down for a few moments. He looked back up. "I don't know much more than that, though. I can tell you, though, that I can see into the future, but I can't control the visions. They come and go, but I will learn to control them. Once I do, then…what?" He blinked down at Seripa as she gaped up at him in surprise.
"I've seen and heard some weird things, Bardock, but that's pushing it. You can see the future?" Seripa asked warily.
Bardock grinned and squeezed her hand gently. "I'm not crazy. I thought I was for a while, but I'm not. I can see into the future, but like I said I can't control it. That Kanassan that attacked me there in the end gave me the ability. It started out as a curse…" he looked away and his smile faded. "I tried to save our people, but I failed. Frieza was just too strong. Seein' the end of our race, but bein' powerless to stop it…It hurt, Seripa…" His voice caught in his throat and he closed his eyes. He never dropped his guard for anyone, but somehow Seripa was able to shatter his walls.
His eyes opened when he felt her hand touch his cheek gently and he looked down at her slowly.
"You didn't fail, Bardock. There are still some survivors and we will avenge our fallen brothers and sisters. And we will especially avenge the deaths of our comrades. Dodoria can't possibly stand against either of us now. We're too strong!" She smiled up at him. "Also, Bardock…Guess what I found out? Kakarrot still lives! He was sent to a planet called—"
"Earth!" Bardock finished in startled surprise. "I know, I had him sent there…It was supposed to be a surprise for you. My friend, Doctor Khanabi, treated him and saved his life. I had him tell you that the whelp was too early-born to live. That he had been tossed into the incinerator."
"Yeah, I remember…" Seripa said with a slight frown. "W-why would you do that? Lie to me, like that?" she suddenly demanded, her thin brows knitting together angrily.
Bardock merely smirked. Oh, how he had missed his volatile little woman! "It was supposed to be a surprise. You knew as well as me that Kakarrot wouldn't have been allowed to live bein' premature and all. I saved his life and risked mine in the process. For you." He rested his hand on her shoulder, his smirk shifting to a smile as he looked down at her.
She smiled up at him and rested her hand on his…then gripped his thumb and yanked down on it hard enough to drop him to his knees. She planted her boot against his chest and forced him down to the ground with enough force to cause the pavement to crack under Bardock's back. "Listen here, Buster," she growled as she glared down at her mate. "I've always spoken my mind and now I have the strength to back up my words. If you ever pull a stunt like that again, then I will personally castrate you, Bardock!"
Bardock blinked up at his extremely volatile little woman in amazement. He had not expected that and he was only slightly surprised at the strength he felt from her. She was, without a doubt, much stronger than he was. The student had surpassed the teacher…
"That being said…" She pulled her boot away and bent down to grab his armor. She jerked him to his feet and then yanked his head down to plant her lips firmly against his.
Bardock blinked again, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her and gave himself over to the kiss. They both deserved to let themselves go. After all, they had not seen one another in over a year!
They were both lost in the kiss; neither one saw the ki blast rocketing their way. Bardock lifted his head as he saw a flash and then the blast was flying away into the distance. He glanced down and Seripa was gone, having moved to knock the blast away.
She was furious, too. She glared up at the younger Ginyu as he and Burter hovered over the two Saiyans. "What's the big idea? You want us to kick your ass?"
Junior scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. "As if you, a Saiyan female, could possibly kick my ass. I am impressed that you knocked my attack away, but that was an attention-getter. You won't be able to deflect my next one."
"Wanna bet?" Seripa grinned suddenly as she stepped in a stance. "I've already clobbered the big, ugly one. I can take you, too."
Bardock glanced at Seripa as Junior started to laugh quietly. "He's tough, Seripa. I know you're stronger than me, but I think he might be a bit much for you to handle alone."
She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "I can handle myself."
He grinned in response. "I know you can. I'm just sayin', watch your back."
"Oh." She smiled and turned back to Junior. "I will."
Junior ceased his slow chuckle and glanced at Burter. "You take the shaggy-headed monkey. This uppity female is mine."
"She's tough, Commander," said the blue alien as he glanced down at Bardock. "She's much stronger than you're thinking. She took Recoome out like it was nothing." He glanced around at Junior and flinched when he saw the glare he was giving him.
"I can handle her with ease, Burter. Do not doubt the Commander." He suddenly grinned and spread his arms out, and lifted his knee at an odd angle. He bent one arm at the elbow so that it was pointing in the same direction as the other and he turned his head in the opposite. "I am unbeatable! My Unbeatable Pose says as much!"
Burter began clapping vigorously while sweat drops appeared on Bardock and Seripa's foreheads. "What is with these clowns?" muttered Seripa. She glanced at her mate, but he shrugged.
"Beats me. They're nuts, that's all I know." Bardock looked up at Junior. "Look out, he's gettin' serious, I think."
Seripa looked up at the purple alien to see him in a fighting stance and glaring down at her. "Poor Saiyan! Today you'll become Lord Frieza's prisoner! You can't beat me!"
"We'll see abou—what?" Seripa's eyes went wide when Junior suddenly vanished. "Where'd he go?"
He reappeared a few feet in front of her and delivered a shockwave-inducing blow to her cheek that sent her rocketing backwards at a speed she never thought possible. She blew through several buildings before she finally regained her control. She hovered up and stared back at the devastation left in her wake. Several of the buildings were crumbling and collapsing as she watched.
Junior appeared in front of her and drove his fist into her gut hard enough to double her over his arm. While she struggled to suck in air while he supported her on his fist, he suddenly drove his other elbow into the center of her back, shattering her armor. He struck her again in the same fashion, but he moved his other hand and she was sent flying down to the ground. He stared down after her with a gleeful grin, confident he'd done her in.
"Meteor Shower!" Seripa cried out at the top of her lungs as she plummeted towards the ground. She fired off a pink blast that flew up at him quickly.
Junior braced to deflect the blast but was surprised when it shot by him. He looked up after it in bewilderment, then glanced down at the descending female. She slammed into the roof of a building and disappeared as it gave way beneath her. The building vanished in a massive explosion and he was suddenly being hammered from all sides by showering ki blasts. Chunks of his armor went flying as he was thrown back and forth violently by the miniature explosions. Just as he was beginning to think they'd never end, they ceased.
He took in a breath and looked down at the remains of the building below him. Two petite boots suddenly slammed against either side of his head, locking together at the ankles and ringing his ears. He lifted his hands to tear Seripa loose, but she suddenly took off flying towards the ground at top speed, dragging him with her and leaving behind a trail of violet. She twisted her body around and they began to spin in a spiral as they descended. Mere feet from the ground, Seripa let go and killed her speed, dropping back behind the still-falling Ginyu. She thrust both hands forward and fired off a massive pink ball of ki that slammed into his back just as his face met the ground. The resulting explosion sent Seripa tumbling end over end through the air.
Bardock appeared and caught her, bridal-style. "A little excessive, don't ya think?" he mock-chided her as he starred down into the dust and smoke that had been kicked up by the explosion. "He sure seemed to be at your mercy. Were you goin' all out?"
Seripa, who was breathing heavily in his arms, nodded and grinned. "When he hit me I knew that it was all or nothing against him. I had no choice but to try and end it quickly."
"So you think you got him, then?" he asked, arching an eyebrow warily. He had felt the younger Ginyu's power already, and while his ki-sensing ability was lacking, it was getting better. He could tell during that exchange that Seripa was much stronger than he was, and that Junior was much stronger than either of them. Seripa might have caught him off guard or Junior might have let her hit him.
"I think I hurt him at the very least. At least, I hope so." She frowned and looked down at the ground but she could see nothing for the plumes of smoke and dust that seemed to be never-ending. "Can you see him?"
Bardock looked down at the ground and instead of searching with his eyes, immediately began to focus his senses in an attempt to search out Junior's ki signature. He frowned as he detected a faint sensation…coming up quick from behind them! He spun around, throwing Seripa away from him with everything he had, just in time for a blast to slam violently into his chest and explode, engulfing him in blue flames and dark clouds of smoke. The force of the explosion carried him backwards out of the flames and smoke, to spiral limply toward the ground.
Seripa caught herself, still breathing heavily from her heavy attack on Junior. She stared in horror as Bardock fell to the city below. "No! Bardock!" She took off after him, but she felt a hand wrap around her ankle and she was stopped in her tracks. Glancing up she found the blue alien, Burter, holding her. She frowned in irritation. "What the hell do you think you can do to stop me?"
"Nothing," said a deeper voice from just below her. She turned her head up to see the younger Ginyu's red eyes glaring into her violet eyes. "But I'll kill you." His elbow crashed into her temple quicker than she could follow. The blow tore her from Burter's grasp and sent her flying straight towards a building. She slammed into the side of it with enough force to leave her imbedded in the steel and concrete wall. That was about the time she felt the pain from Junior's elbow-strike and her vision began to swim. She struggled to hold her eyes open as she looked towards Junior and Burter's distant forms.
Her eyes closed and she forced them open, but this time she found herself staring up at two Juniors and two Burters. She tried to blink them away, but found she had no more control over her eyes. The two Ginyus fired a purple blast at her just as she closed her eyes for the final time.
Bardock had just finished digging himself out of the remains of a car that his hefty body mass had crushed, when he heard the explosion. He looked up sharply and saw Ginyu and Burter hovering side by side. He followed their line of sight and spotted the smoke and flames that had engulfed a building. The entire top portion looked to have been blown off. His eyes began to dart all around. Where was Seripa?
Junior smirked and turned away from the building to look for his dad. He grimaced as soon as he spotted him getting pummeled by Tettuce into the side of a building. He glanced down at Bardock to see him distracted with looking for the female and he smirked again.
"Burter, finish off the other Saiyan. I am going to assist my father!"
Burter jerked in surprise but nodded in response. "Yes, Commander. Good luck." He looked down at Bardock and dove towards him just as Junior took off towards Tettuce and Ginyu.
Bardock looked up sharply as his senses detected the blue alien. His eyes narrowed and he took to the air, vanishing immediately afterward. Burter blinked and then came to a screeching halt as Bardock slammed his fist into his cheek, sending him rocketing back up into the sky and slamming into Junior's retreating form.
Junior recovered and looked down in irritation to find that the Saiyan was flying up at him at full speed. He smirked, "Come on, Saiyan! Seriously?"
"Yes!" Bardock's blue aura suddenly exploded outward, enlarging as his speed increased several fold.
Junior blinked in surprise as the Saiyan closed the distance between them in a blink.
"I'll kill you for what you did to Seripa!"
"Oh?" Junior brought his hand up and caught the fist that Bardock thrust his way with a grin. "How, exactly?"
Bardock grimaced and growled, baring his teeth in anger as his onyx eyes locked with Junior's red, "Anyway I can. Even if it kills me!" His aura flared to life and he ripped his fist free of Junior's grasp. As soon as he did, his aura flared to twice its size and he brought his other fist around in a hooking punch aimed at Junior's jaw. He put every ounce of muscle and ki that he could behind the punch, with the aim to tear the Ginyu's head from his shoulders. His fist made contact and Junior flew backwards…
About ten feet. His head had tilted back a few inches from the blow, but not so much that Bardock couldn't see the red eyes locked on him.
"Saiyan, you don't stand a cha-" A pink ball of ki slammed into the top of his head and exploded on contact, cutting him off mid-sentence and sending him flying towards the ground.
Seripa appeared suddenly flying down after him at full speed, her aura leaving a streak of violet in the air. She brought both hands around and yelling at the top of her lungs, she fired off a blast, channeling every bit of ki she could spare into it. It slammed into Junior's exposed back and carried him down to the street, where it exploded with so much force that a significant portion of the city was destroyed; cars, trees, and buildings vanished in a massive ball of light for blocks. Anything that wasn't engulfed by the explosion was swept away in the resulting gale.
As the winds tore at her, Seripa crossed her arms over her face and tucked her knees in close to her chest. She knew she had meant to cause a lot of damage, but she hadn't exactly expected her blast to be that powerful. She peered from behind her arms down at the light as it began to recede.
"Seripa! Move!"
She jerked around in mid-air, looking up to see Bardock hovering above her, his blue aura burning bright and a ball of blue ki in his outstretched right hand. She turned and flew out of the way just as he threw his hand down.
"Final Spirit Cannon!" The ball enlarged and shot from his hand into a massive blast, rocketing down in the midst of the receding light…and there was another massive explosion.
Seripa kept her arms up over her face as the light swirled around, the destructive force it contained tearing apart the ground and what remained of any buildings that had survived her attack. Surely that got Junior…
A streak of purple shot from the center of the light and came to a stop right before her. Junior narrowed his red eyes first at her then looked up at Bardock.
"You two are out-classed. I barely felt either of those…"
Seripa didn't doubt that they were out-classed…but Junior was breathing heavily as he hovered in front of her so she knew that they had done something to him, despite his claim. She glanced up at Bardock to see him still engulfed in his blue aura, his dark eyes glaring down at the Ginyu. She returned her gaze to the brat and narrowed her eyes. Tettuce had the power to take him down, but he was still busy with the boy's father. They would have to manage for just a bit lon-
Before she knew it, she'd been hit from behind and was falling towards the ground. She twisted around, shaking her head to clear it from the strike and looked up to see who had hit her: it was Burter! She narrowed her eyes again and growled under her breath. She'd lost a lot of ki in trying to take Junior down, but she should still have enough to finish this bastard…Wait, where was Junior?
"Below you!" Bardock cried out just as he took off towards her.
She blinked and flared her remaining ki to stop her flight, but she was struck in the small of her back and she came to an abrupt stop then. The pain slowly beginning to make itself known, she shoved it out of her mind and spun around to drive her fist into Junior's face, but he caught it easily. With his free hand he grabbed her by the throat and pulled her within a few inches of his face, his red eyes boring into her purple.
"Lord Frieza wants you alive, if at all possible…Unfortunately, it's not going to be possible." And with that, he reared around and threw her with all his might down into the ground some thirty feet below them. She slammed into the street, and the concrete caved in around her tiny body, chunks of it rising up out of the ground at the edges of the crater that had just been created. She lay still for a moment then opened her eyes, just as Junior was dropping down with his knee aimed for her face.
Gathering what ki she had available, she quickly channeled it throughout her body and she swung her legs up and around, just barely flipping out of the way of the knee-strike. As she sprang off of her hands, she glanced at Junior to see him pulling his leg out of the concrete. Her feet touched the street and both hands were aimed at the Ginyu. Just behind him she saw Burter slam into the ground beneath Bardock's feet, and she couldn't keep from grinning as Bardock brought both of his hands around to aim at Junior.
Taking a deep breath, Seripa suddenly cried out in discomfort and defiance as she fired off her remaining ki at the same time that Bardock fired off his attack. Her pink blast sailed at Junior who just stood there, his eyes narrowed at her.
"What do you expect that to do?" He suddenly blinked and then glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened and both blasts slammed into him at the same time.
The resulting explosion was more than Seripa could withstand, and she found herself flying backwards down the street. After what seemed an eternity, she slammed into the concrete and rolled end over end until she hit a half-standing wall. There, she was still as she took in breath, after heavy breath. Her head was spinning and her arms and legs felt like lead. She didn't want to move just yet, but she knew she couldn't lay there forever. With a sigh that turned into a groan, she heaved herself to her feet, staggering as she did so. She looked at the damage that had been caused by the explosion and saw Junior lying in the middle of a crater that was about sixty feet across; most of his armor was gone and he wasn't moving. She let out a breath and glanced around for Bardock; she found him in the air looking down at her, holding an unconscious Burter by his neck. She smiled up at him and he smirked in response, letting Burter go to fall down by his beaten comrade.
"You never cease to amaze me," said Bardock as he touched down beside her. He smirked at her before nodding to where the two Ginyu Force members were laying. "The blue one was a pushover, but Junior there was pretty tough."
"Yeah, but not as tough as us," Seripa grinned back. She looked to the crater just as Burter was thrown off of Junior, who stood up immediately after, staggering slightly. "What?" she said, her eyes going wide.
Bardock followed her gaze and his eyes narrowed. "Shit! What does it take to kill him?"
"More than either of you is capable of," breathed Junior. He grimaced and clutched the side of his head. They had gotten him good, but he wasn't about to admit it to them. "I'm Commander Ginyu! The only being stronger than me is my father!" He spread his legs into a stance and brought his fists up. "It'll take much more than that to beat me!" He sprang forward and shot at them.
Bardock shoved Seripa roughly out of the way and Junior slammed into him, carrying him backwards as he repeatedly drove his knee into the Saiyan's stomach.
Seripa pushed herself up with a groan. She'd lost way more ki than she'd thought. Getting quickly to her feet she took off running after them, to save her ki, but they were nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it!" She skid to a stop and began to look around for them. A shockwave to her left and she took off running around the side of a building. "Bardock?"
DBZ
Amotto was still trying to figure out exactly how she'd ended up in this situation. When everyone was boarding Falmer's ship it was discovered that there was room enough for them all, except for one person. Why, she didn't know, but she'd volunteered to be left behind. Falmer had given her a scouter to use and when they left she took off towards the distant battlefield. On her way, she'd been playing around with the scouter to get a measure of the powers that were in play on Jynn-jin 13. The scouter had immediately pointed her towards two smaller powers back in the direction of the lab they'd just escaped from, just as the slightly larger of the two vanished.
So she had flown at full speed back to the lab to investigate and had arrived just in time to see a monster of a Flazerian about to kill Berik. She didn't know why she did it, but she dove through the window and snatched up Berik and shot away before the Flazerian, who the Jynn-jin in her grasp revealed to be Ryo, could figure out what had happened.
Now, here she was with Berik clutched firmly to her side, weaving in and out of buildings as fast as she could fly. She was staying low, trying to avoid being spotted by Ryo. He had given chase and quickly proven that he was much much faster than her.
"Just how strong is Ryo?" demanded Amotto as she turned a corner to her right, then took an immediate left, her light blue aura trailing behind her. Her breathing was getting heavier by the minute; she wasn't used to putting out this much ki at once.
"Tettuce would not stand a chance against him. His last known power reading put him over a quarter million-"
Amotto groaned. "Oh gods, what have I gotten myself into?" She glared down at Berik. "You better make this worth my while!"
Berik grimaced apologetically. "I do appreciate the rescue, Amotto. If we survive, then I will repay you in any way that I can." He glanced backwards and tensed. "Look out!" He grabbed her shoulders and flared his own ki to propel them sideways out of the path of a rapidly-approaching energy blast; they slammed into the side of a building and went sprawling across the debris-strewn floor of an upper story office.
Amotto shook her head and started to push herself up. She froze as she spotted the lifeless stare of a blue haired Jynn-jin, his head bent at an awkward angle on his neck. She glanced away and across the room when she heard Berik cough. Pushing herself up, she made her way to him. "You okay?"
"I should ask you that. You hit the wall first." He looked up at her and stood up. "I'm sure Ryo saw where we went. If he's seen us, then we can't escape," he said quietly.
Amotto frowned and glanced down. She suddenly looked back up and stared at his blue hair. She looked across the room at the blue-haired figure and smiled grimly. "One of us can," she said, nodding her head towards the corpse.
The Jynn-jin frowned and followed her gaze. He stared at the body for a moment then his eyes widened and he turned back to her. "No! Ryo will kill you!"
Amotto shrugged. "He's gotta catch me first."
"Oh, he'll catch you. Didn't you hear how-"
"I heard how strong he is!" she snapped irritably. "I've made my choice. If we both run, we'll both die. But if I lure him away, then one of us will be guaranteed life. There's no sense in wasting two lives," she finished grimly.
Berik lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I can't allow you to die for me, Amotto. I've done too many terrible things to warrant my survival."
"The way I see it, you've done them to achieve a greater good. What you did for Seripa is example enough."
He shook his head. "No matter what I do, I'll never make up for the things I've done. Don't die for me."
Amotto sighed and walked over to the corpse. She lifted the body up and slung the dead man's arm across her shoulder. She turned her gaze on Berik and smiled slightly. "We Saiyans aren't exactly saints, you know. Allow me my one chance at redeeming my race." A light blue aura appeared around her and she blasted away through the opening made by their entrance before Berik could stop her.
He ran to the hole in the wall and stared up after her. She was flying rapidly up into the sky; seconds later he spotted the red aura of Ryo as he gave chase.
Berik clenched his fists at his sides as hard as he could; they began to tremble as his eyes narrowed. He pulled a small round device from his belt and tapped the side lightly. A red lense sprang forth and he placed the scouter onto his ear. He tapped a few buttons and it came to life with a soft beeping.
"Who the hell is this?" came a gruff voice suddenly.
"This is Berik of Jynn-jin 13."
"Berik, eh? You know who you've just contacted?"
Berik closed his eyes and grit his teeth. "I know more than that. I've spent years looking for you ever since I found out you faked your death."
"Aah…you do know who I am, then." The voice laughed. "Well Berik, what do you want?"
"I want you to know that everything that's happened here on Jynn-jin 13 today is a direct result of what you did thirty years ago. Everything that's happened throughout the entire universe is a result of your evil. I may die today and I don't want to die without telling you exactly how I feel about you."
"I gather you hate me, eh? How's that supposed to make me feel, exactly? We Saiyans are used to such animosity, ya know."
"I know, and I do not care. You were supposed to be on-world for peace! Why would you assassinate our Prince?" Berik suddenly roared. He wanted to be calm when addressing this man, but thirty years of anger and hatred was now spilling forth.
"Same reason I faked my death: Frieza. You know how it is for Saiyans: Frieza says jump, we gotta say 'how high.' I knew even then that we weren't nothin' but pawns, but what was I to do? Frieza's power is monstrous; I've known it for years. I knew there wasn't nothin' I could do to defy him."
"Do you have to sound so unapologetic?"
The man laughed. "What do you want me to say? 'I'm sorry for killin' your Prince Jaxom?' Jynn-jin, listen and listen good: I had no choice. If I could take it all back, I would, but there's no sense in me wastin' precious minutes outta my life frettin' over somethin' that happened more'n thirty years ago."
Berik ground his teeth together. "You could have done what was right and stood up against that tyrannical lizard! Like Tettuce and the Gylderians! Like Seripa, Amotto, and Bardock! You could have been the leader of a great uprising! You could have been responsible for the freedom and survival of countless races!"
The voice scoffed. "My former apprentice is a fool if he thinks he can stand against Frieza."
"No, Turpin. You are the fool." Berik killed the transmission and closed his eyes. What had he hoped to accomplish by contacting that old foolish, Survivor?
DBZ
Ginyu ducked under Tettuce's punch and lashed out with his own fist in an attempt to strike the Saiyan in his jaw, but the blow was deflected and he felt a smashing blow to his cheek that sent him rocketing down into the roof of a building and slamming violently through floor after floor after floor, until he finally struck the bottom floor and became imbedded in the glistening marble of the lobby of what used to be a hotel. He remained there for a few moments letting the pain in his cheek subside, before he climbed to his feet again.
"You'll never beat him."
He spun around and brought his fists up, but almost immediately he relaxed as he saw that it was Flazamyn, leaning nonchalantly against a cracked marble pillar. "Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?" he seethed at the Flazerian.
Flazamyn met his gaze unflinchingly and arched a dark, plated brow. "Really?"
Ginyu snapped his mouth shut and glared at him. Who did this Flazerian think he was, addressing Major Ginyu so? "You're in my way." Ginyu lifted into the air and prepared to throw himself back into the fight.
"I know about your so-called 'secret technique."
The Major froze and narrowed his eyes and he rotated slowly in midair to glare at Flazamyn. "What secret technique?"
The Flazerian smirked. "I know that you have the rare ability to switch bodies with an opponent."
"And how, exactly, would you know about that?"
"That doesn't matter. What matters, is you using it on Tettuce while I distract him." Flazamyn stood away from the pillar and met Ginyu's gaze steadily.
The purple warrior frowned and landed suddenly. "What's in it for you?" Ginyu asked cautiously.
"Nothing, except that Tettuce would be out of the picture if you steal his body. A mutual enemy taken out by our cooperating together." The massive Flazerian grinned. "Seems worth any and all consequences, to me."
"How do I know you don't have any ulterior motives?"
Flazamyn vanished and instantly reappeared standing toe-to-toe with Ginyu, but easily towered over him. "You want me to side with Tettuce, instead? I'm sure he and I would make a hell of a team…" His eyes narrowed menacingly as he regarded the purple warrior.
"And if I take Tettuce's body then I will have his strength to use against you," Ginyu growled. "I know you've given that some thought. What would I do to you once I possess his power?"
"Like I said, it seems worth any and all consequences. Tettuce is a Saiyan! Surely you've heard the tales about Super Saiyans?"
Ginyu scoffed and turned his back to Flazamyn. "Ancient stories and myths, Flazerian. There has never before been a real Super Saiyan and even if they did exist, there's no way a Super Saiyan could face Frieza."
"Then why does Frieza want this group of Saiyans dead so bad?"
Ginyu frowned and glanced over his shoulder to give Flazamyn a piercing stare. But he had to admit that was a good question. Why did Frieza want Tettuce dead so badly? Tettuce was strong, Ginyu had found that out the hard way, but he was still nowhere near as powerful as Frieza. But he also had to admit that the Saiyan's power had risen to a level never before thought possible of Saiyans. Could it be that Tettuce was on the path to becoming one of these Super Saiyans? Could he have achieved that power already? Was that why he was so powerful? During the Saiyan's power up he had noticed the strange gold flashes in his aura. No Saiyan that he had ever met (and he'd met hundreds) had ever before shown that kind of power.
"Ginyu!"
Ginyu looked up into the sky through the holes in the roof created by his fall and spotted the tiny floating figure that was Tettuce. If he went back out there he was going to die…He had known that all along, but it wasn't in him to quit so easily. He had to fight the Saiyan; he had to beat the Saiyan. By any means necessary.
Turning back to Flazamyn he offered him a grim smile. "If we do this, we have to do it fast."
Flazamyn grinned and narrowed his eyes. "Maybe it'll buy some time before Ryo gets here."
Ginyu started visibly and his eyes went wide. "Ryo? He's coming here?"
The Flazerian nodded and held up his scouter. "What the hell do you think I've been doing since I was knocked down? You know I'm strong enough to take a blow or two from you. When I realized that Tettuce was here I decided to lay low and contact Ryo. Unlike you, Ginyu, I've been keeping tabs on the Saiyan. I didn't know his full power, but I did know that his reading was way higher than yours or mine. And to top it off, Ginyu," he continued when he noticed the anger that was beginning to etch itself into the purple warrior's face, "Zether, the Gylderian, is here, too. And his strength rivals Tettuce's. Do you want to face two fighters with ridiculous power readings at once?"
Ginyu glared at Flazamyn for several long moments. Ryo showing up did throw a wrench into his plans, but soon it wouldn't matter. Flazamyn had a great plan—have him switch bodies with Tettuce and steal his strength. Sure it wasn't enough to beat Ryo, but when Frieza arrived from his little errand, then none of it would matter. By the day's end, not only would Tettuce and the other Saiyans, and Ryo and his strongest Overseer be dead, but the Gylderian Empire and the Flazerian Empire would be finished. Surely by now Frieza had already destroyed Planet Gylder…?
DBZ
(Frieza is on his way to Jynn-jin 13! Has he really destroyed the Planet Gylder? Will Ginyu's plan succeed? We can only hope our heroes can survive this ordeal. Find out next time on Dragon….uh…I mean, Find out next time on Witness!)
