Body Snatching Mishap, Chapter 2
Less than a month remains until Zamasu is to go to earth and fight the Saiyajins, and there's still an important matter that King Kai had opted to leave un-settled until now: Informing the Z-fighters of what's occurred. The only reason he did put it off like so, is because he felt it was best to suss out whether or not Zamasu would be willing to cooperate before going ahead and telling those on earth that he'd be fighting alongside them.
As far as he can tell, Zamasu has been and will be plenty compliant, and it certainly helps that he's - to a small degree - opened up emotionally over his time on the planet. Where he wouldn't have made any sort of expression and instead would have been closed off upon his initial arrival, Zamasu is now willing to freely crack smiles… even if he doesn't quite realize it himself.
King Kai now approaches Zamasu, who's doing one of many laps around the planet. "Zamasu, my boy!" He calls out, the body snatcher slowing to a halt as he comes up to King Kai. "There's a matter that we have to settle now that I've been putting off throughout the time you've been training here." His expression is serious, which does admittedly make Zamasu nervous - had he been found out?
"The friends and family of Son Goku will be fighting the Saiyajins on earth alongside you; because of that, I feel that it's for the best that I inform them of what's happened. I only put it off for this long because I felt the need to see if you would be cooperative or not." King Kai can see the nervousness, and now the hesitation, on his pupil's face. Both of those things are fairly understandable in this situation, however.
"...I guess this is something that's inevitable. Better for them to find out now so that they can coordinate their strategy around it, as opposed to finding out about me on the battlefield." Zamasu responds, keeping his voice monotone and level to avoid betraying any emotion. 'I should have considered that this would be happening any day now; here I am, with no idea what to say.'
Zamasu and King Kai stand one in front of the other, Zamasu's hand on King Kai's back. The blue kaio's antennae twitch and search for a short time, before creating a link between all of the Z-fighters, as well as Piccolo and Gohan. It feels foreign to Zamasu, for so many mental presences to be so close to his own, bare.
He frowns, but doesn't dare portray his taste over his thoughts. Everyone would hear it, and that wouldn't be a good way to kick things off. Fortunately for him, King Kai starts to speak before he can think anything compromising.
"This is King Kai, the Kaioshin that Goku came to train with in Other World. I'm afraid that I have some bad news." He takes a deep breath, not looking forward to the reactions that he's going to get. "I have to request that the lot of you don't panic, and allow me to explain in full before you say or ask anything. What I have to say won't be easy, and it will be quite the hard pill to swallow.
Son Goku's body is no longer his, in the most literal sense." Already, a tense tone hangs in the telepathic link. Confusion, fear, shock… King Kai can feel it all, but he continues on. "You see, very early on in Goku's training on my planet, it came to be that he and an, at the time, unknown being had switched bodies. From the conversations i've had with the said being, it appears to me that he had no malicious intent in his actions - he was simply impressed enough with Goku's physical ability to the point of trying to switch bodies.
Be that as it may, his actions were undeniably wrong, and so he has agreed to fight alongside you all to make up for it, when the Saiyajins arrive - however, because this Goku's body wasn't even the one he intended to steal, I fear that we cannot get Goku back in the right body, in fear of bringing the wrong Goku into this body."
When King Kai finishes, it's not hard to tell that there are a wide array of emotions going through the minds and hearts of those involved. Whether it be simply frustration or rage, nobody - not even Piccolo - has been spared from some degree of emotion. Friend or foe, Goku as they know him is gone, and has now been replaced by this body snatcher!
Before Zamasu can ask why he was personally needed for this, King Kai glances over his shoulder back at him. "It's your turn to speak." Well then. That would answer his question, for sure. Zamasu is at a loss, not sure what exactly to say considering the circumstances. What can he say that won't instantly out his true personality, and put all the work he put into fitting in to waste?
It's with hesitance, inevitably, but Zamasu tries his hardest to piece together something that sounds genuine. "I… apologize - this was now how I had intended for things to go, and while I intended to end up in the body of Son Goku, this was not the intended body; however, I'm sure that is no comfort to you." Zamasu once more dons the weak facade he had often used with Gowasu, feigning a degree of compassion and understanding.
"Nevertheless, to begin trying to make up for the domino effect of my actions, I will be fighting alongside the rest of you in the upcoming fight against the Saiyajins... I'm sure that we all wish for the best possible result, and because of that I request that we all try to put aside just how I got here until after the fight is won." When the fight is won, of course, Zamasu plans to leave. They don't need to know that, though.
The heavy degree of tension still hangs in the air as Zamasu's statement comes to a close, but Zamasu's words do ring true: If they want to come out of this with as few casualties as possible, then their best bet is to put aside any differences they may have until the fight has been won. The body-snatching issue will be handled soon thereafter.
"However… there is some good news." King Kai thought it might be best to keep the silver lining secret until the end of the conversation, so that ti could at least end on a positive note. "Zamasu here seems to have kept his life force when he transferred bodies, meaning that your wish on the Dragon Balls - intended to wish Son Goku back to life - can be used to bring back fallen comrades, if anyone is lost in the approaching fight."
"I'll end this so that the lot of you can discuss matters amongst yourself. I apologize that this has happened, but I assure you that Zamasu is doing everything in his power to make things right for what he has done." With that, King Kai ends the telepathic link.
-BSM-
Things are especially tense on the lookout, where Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, and Chiaotzu have been training. Glances are exchanged between the four, and none dare to break the silence. Kami is the first to speak on the lookout.
"While it is unfortunate that we have lost Goku, it only means that we will have to take drastic measures in this fight, in the event that the being who has taken his body lacks the abilities needed to win." Kami nearly digs his staff into the ground, eyeing the four and speaking his next words with an air of uncertainty about him.
"Which of you would like to be the first to drink the Ultra Divine Water?"
-BSM-
Gohan and Piccolo both simply sit on opposite sides of the campfire, Piccolo's face void of emotion while Gohan sobs with his knees hugged to his chest. 'Damnit… The one time I depend on you for certain victory and you have to go and get your body snatched, Son…' The son of the Demon King snarls, holding himself back from simply shooting off into the sky and training to calm himself.
His gaze shifts to Gohan. He can't leave the kid alone; first he finds out that his father is dead, and now he finds out that there's no way for Goku to ever come back. Fantastic. These tears, Piccolo believes to be justified. It's no longer as simple as a wish on the Dragon Balls.
"...I'm s-" Piccolo cuts himself off. Showing weakness like this will benefit nobody. "...You can have the rest of the night off from training, but tomorrow we will start up twice as fiercely. I don't know about you, but there's no way that I'm going to depend on some body-snatcher being able to use your father's body to its fullest."
-BSM-
It's now the end of the month. There's no time left for training or refining techniques. The only alotted time left is one for a test: a test of skill and strength between master and pupil. Loud explosions and thunderclaps litter the area around King Kai's planet, as Zamasu and King Kai go at it.
The two have been sparing for quite some time now, neither even daring to tap into the power of the Kaioken yet. Due to Zamasu's weights, the power advantage is in King Kai's favor, but it would be a mistake to assume that Zamasu is on the losing side of things. In fact, the two are quite equal.
Zamasu ducks under a blow from King Kai, dropping to the ground and shoving his feet up to catch the Kaio in the jaw. King Kai is sent flying, but - as Zamasu comes in to follow up on his attack - sends a short burst of ki blasts the body-snatcher's way.
Zamasu shields his face, preventing himself from seeing King Kai shoot a powerful energy wave directly opposite the direction he would have to in order to make a direct hit. The two find themselves locked in a quick clash of punches and kicks, but it's ended when the aforementioned blast finishes going around the planet, burning a hole in the back of Zamasu's shirt as it makes contact.
'Damnit, where in the hell did that come from-?!' Zamasu is thrown to the ground by an axe kick to the head, kicking up dust and dirt in the wake of his imapct.
"I have to say, that was a clever strategy… It took me a moment to figure it out, but now that I have you can rest assured that it won't work again-!" Zamasu's monologuing is cut short as King Kai comes in with a punch, pushing Zamasu back a few feet.
"In battle, an opponent only needs to trick you once to turn the tide of the battle in their favor!" Zamasu is now on the defensive, as King Kai attacks relentlessly, not giving him a moment to breath or counterattack. Finally, though, King Kai misses a punch and exposes an opening.
Zamasu twists himself to dodge a pure right hook, burying his fist in King Kai's gut before replacing that with his foot. The kick throws King Kai back, and Zamasu flies past him, clasping his hands together before smashing them into the top of King Kai's head.
You would think King Kai would stay down, but instead he launches up from the ground in the Kaioken, littering Zamasu in powerful blows in the brief moment before Zamasu follows suit, crying out as he unleashes the Kaio-Ken in response to the attacks.
The two near-equals clash fiercely, their clothing and the landscape around them falling victim as their outfits become gradually more tattered, and the landscape becomes broken and destroyed. Fortunately, King Kai will be able to repair all of this when the spar is said and done.
They leap back from each other, launching a series of powerful blasts. The blasts meet in the center, as both fall from the Kaio-Ken at roughly the same time… roughly. Zamasu remains in it long enough to overpower King Kai, who retaliates with an energy wave.
Zamasu lunges forward, swinging his arm up as a ki blade forms and slices clean through the blast. The blade dissipates when he is before King Kai, who has no time to react before a knee slams into his cheek. King Kai counters with a punch to Zamasu's solar plexus, but neither allows the heavy blows to make them fall.
Every single hit contains more power than the one before. A punch connects here, a kick there, both fighters gradually taking on more and more damage. The next hit will be the deciding blow, the one that ends the battle… Both fighters launch at each other, but Zamasu takes a calculated risk.
He aims his hands downward, firing a short burst of energy that lifts him above King Kai. Flipping his body, his feet slam into the blue kai's back, resulting in a hard faceplant into the ground. Zamasu lands on his feet, panting and wheezing as he stares at the crater King Kai is in.
'Did I overdo it..? No, his energy is still there.' Zamasu walks calmly over to the crater, wherein King Kai slowly pushes to his feet. He's met with the outstretched hand of Zamasu, which he takes gladly.
'No doubt about it…' King Kai grunts as he's pulled into a standing position. "Thanks." 'He's ready…'
-BSM-
Zamasu stands before King Kai, both sharing a serious gaze. The day has come, and it's now time for Zamasu to make his way to earth in order to help the Z-fighters. Zamasu is about to jump up back to Snake Way, but is stopped by King Kai.
"I believe it's time for me to show you just how much progress you've made." King Kai grins, his antennae glowing as they repair any small tears in the fabric of Zamasu's gi, while simultaneously removing all of the weight. Zamasu's power shoots up, and his eyes grow wide as he feels weightless!
"This… is my power?" Zamasu looks down at his hands - though it's but a fraction of the power he once wielded, after so long being crippled by this body's weaker state this power feels amazing. "I see… you kept me in perpetually heavier clothing all this time to improve my progress, then." Zamasu smiles at the blue Kai, and King Kai smiles back.
"Good luck; you will need it, my boy. The power of these two Saiyajins is great, and I can already sense that you will have to make careful use of the Kaio-Ken in order to keep up." With a grunt and a nod, Zamasu turns from King Kai, staring up at Snake Way.
"Thanks, but I don't need luck." Zamasu leaps up, running on Snake Way within the blink of an eye. His body feels so powerful, so light! He leaps from place on the road, severely shortening the time it would take for him to make the full trip. 'This is wonderful!' Surprisingly, a chuckle escapes Zamasu. These months really have begun to change him.
Nevertheless, he continues on his journey across Snake Way, careful not to lose his footing and fall. What kind of idiot would fall off of a path this wide anyways?
-BSM-
Piccolo and Gohan stand in a grassy wasteland, mentally preparing themselves for the threat to come. Gohan is shaking in his boots, but he's far more composed than he would have been only a year prior. Piccolo is as stoic as ever, waiting and keeping his senses up for when the energies of the Saiyajins will be able to be sensed.
Piccolo glances down at the shaking Gohan, while removing his cape and turban. "Gohan, don't be afraid. Both your preparation and improvement have been excellent; have faith in yourself." Piccolo remarks, hoping to ease the shaking that Gohan is feeling - after all, what point is it for Gohan to be here if he's quaking in his boots too much to actually fight?
Gohan, calmed and encouraged by these words, nods firmly. "Right! I'm ready, Mr. Piccolo."
"What?" Piccolo's eyes widen, and he glances skyward, looking to the left and right. "Gohan, there's someone else coming! It looks like there might be one more than we expected!" A figure appears on a nearby mountain, grabbing Piccolo's attention. "Huh!?" They disappear, reappearing as they land in front of him.
"It's Krillin!" Gohan calls out, excited to see the new arrival isn't, in fact, a third Saiyajin.
"Thought you might need some help." Krillin chuckles, admirably confident for the situation at hand. Piccolo cracks a smirk, turning and staring down at the bald monk. "Yeah, sure; why not. But things are gonna get intense, you might just slow us down, Krillin."
"I doubt that, I've been doing a little training of my own."
"So you have." Piccolo replies in kind. "I can feel a significant increase in your power." Krillin nods, glancing around for any sign of friend or foe. "It seems like our new 'friend' has yet to arrive. Go figure." Krillin is admittedly uneasy; had their supposed ally simply run off with Goku's body?
"You're right, but… even if I don't trust him, that King Kai guy said that he'd be here to fight alongside us. I'm sure he'll be here." Gohan is certainly displeased with the circumstances that have given them their new ally, and it shows.
"That's enough of your small talk, you two. They're here!" Piccolo announces, staring up into the sky with a somewhat confident gaze. High in the sky are two beings: A short man with flamelike hair and a widow's peak, and a tall, burly bald man.
-BSM-
Zamasu reaches the check-in station at an admirable pace, but he'll still have to hurry if he wants to make it in time. The Saiyajins - unbeknownst to him - are on earth now, and he's still in Otherworld. At the end of the road stands Kami, his hand outstretched to the approaching Zamasu.
"Grab my hand!" Zamasu reaches out as he arrives, wasting no time in grabbing the wrinkled hand of Earth's guardian. A sharp shiver goes through him, and in not even a second the duo disappear from the realm of the dead, appearing on the Lookout in the next moment.
'I don't know if I've arrived sooner or later than Son Goku in the original time, but I doubt I'm as punctual as they'd hope if the green man is this urgent.' Kami points him in the right direction, and he practically hurls himself from the edge of the lookout, the tiles where he had been standing now cracked.
'Why am I moving with such urgency? I don't care whether these mortals die one way or the other! I'm simply fighting to fulfill my debt! Why is adrenaline coursing through me like this?' Zamasu wonders to himself, not entirely sure why he threw himself from the Lookout so forcefully.
Perhaps it's that Goku's body is having feelings of its own, no doubt urging him to try and arrive in time to avoid any lives being lost.
-BSM-
"Well then…" The burly Saiyajin chuckles lowly, staring down at the trio. "One more joined them… what do you suppose they're doing out here? Maybe they're our welcoming party." He laughs once more, before glancing over at the shorter Saiyajin.
"Yes, it appears that they were waiting for us… I'm sure of it." His own face has an ever so cocky grin on it, enjoying the look of fear on both the faces of Gohan and Krillin. Piccolo, however, hides any emotion as he continues his eye contact with the two new arrivals.
The two slowly descend towards the ground, the smirk never leaving the shorter one's face, even as their boots finally make contact with the ground. "So, we meet at last."
"The pleasure is mine…" Piccolo remains quite for a moment longer, before speaking up. "I'm only going to say this once: leave this planet - this will be your first and last chance to get out of this alive." A look of recognition flashes on the face of the smaller Saiyajin.
"That voice - so you're the one that defeated Raditz one year ago." He takes note of the surprised look on Piccolo's face, and elaborates. "Didn't Raditz tell you?" He taps on the side of his scouter, leaning forwards a little. "Our scouters also work as communicators…"
"The green one, he's from Namek, isn't he?" The burly Saiyajin speaks roughly, having been staring at Piccolo for quite some time at this point.
"Yes, he's from namek, alright.. It's no wonder that Raditz had such a hard time with him and Kakarotto."
Piccolo clenches his fists, staring at Nappa and Vegeta before growling out lowly, as if to repeat their statement just for his own reassurance. "I'm… I'm from Namek.."
"You're an alien, Piccolo? Well, that would certainly explain alot." Krillin remarks.
"Is that true, Mr. Piccolo?" Gohan also speaks, but Piccolo ignores both of them.
"I see, so you didn't know that, then? Well then, what a surprise; surely, though, you must have suspected something before now… The green skin and pointy ears are a dead giveaway, don't you think?" A low snicker escapes the short Saiyajin, all the while Piccolo is simply standing there, trying to take in and process this new information.
"It was you who told Nappa about the dragon balls… now, I want you to tell us." He points at Piccolo, all three preset Z-fighters tensing up. "Where are they?" All three stay silent, not wanting to admit that they're all gathered up neatly in one place, due to the original intention to revive Goku at the year's end.
"Silence, huh?" The taller Saiyajin speaks cooly. "It doesn't matter; we know the Balls are somewhere around here - make no mistake, we will find them with you alive or with you dead." He clenches his fist in front of his face. "It's your decision. Tell us where they are, or you will all be killed."
"I want to thank you." Piccolo responds without missing a beat. "Because of you I know that I come from the planet Namek, but this is my planet now, and I'm not going to allow you to tell me what to do with it… So back off, we're not here to bow down to your commands! We're here to fight; so go ahead and do whatever it is you came here to do!" He, Gohan, and Krillin all slip into fighting stances, ready to move at a moment's notice.
"I guess they're not going to tell us where the Dragon Balls are, then, Nappa." The shorter one speaks to his burly companion, Nappa, who responds in kind.
"Wanna bet?" Nappa smirks. "Alright… Let's see how strong you really are…" Nappa pushes a small button on the side of his scouter, the device ringing out in a series of shrill beeps as he reads Gohan's power level. "Kid's at a thousand…" Then Piccolo. "The Namekian's at 1400…" And Krillin. "And the midget is at 1100… You fools! You really think you can beat us with such puny power levels?"
The flame-haired Saiyajin pulls off his own scouter. "Hey, Nappa. Take your scouter off; it seems they know how to fluctuate their energy and raise their power levels… these figures are very unreliable."
Nappa pulls off his scouter. "Ah, right… now I remember, that pathetic loser Raditz let himself be fooled by the power readings." He drops his scouter, getting ready for what should still be an easy battle.
"You two, be ready for them!" Piccolo warns Krillin and Gohan, not backing down… not that he could even if he wanted to in this situation; it's fight or die.
"Wait, Piccolo. If they're stronger than Raditz, and Goku- I mean, the guy in Goku's body - isn't here… what do you expect us to be able to do? How will we defeat them with just us?" To Krillin's dismay, Piccolo remains silent; the monk turns his attention back to the two Saiyajins, trying not to show fear. "Alright… well, guys. Let's just do it."
"Nappa, I believe it's time we have a little fun with them… Better yet, get those Saibamen out - there should be six of them in there… they'll do." The short Saiyajin commands to Nappa, who simply chuckles.
"You're too much; you really know how to have fun…" Nappa reaches back, pulling out a small container of six pellets and a fluid. "You're right - there are six."
"Maybe the Saibamen can persuade them to tell us where the Dragon Balls are, eh Nappa?" The shorter of the two sneers, eyes locked on their 'opponents'
"Oh, I think they can arrange that…" Nappa plants all six of the pellets in small holes in the ground, covering them up and dropping a strange, green fluid onto each pellet. He tosses the container both the pellets and liquid had been in, watching his handiwork. "There.."
From the ground, six creatures slowly emerge, looking like a cross between a man and some sort of lettuce. Their eyes faintly glow red as they stand, all watching the trio of Z-fighters with nothing less than amusement.
"Well at least… they're smaller than I am." Krillin stammers out nervously.
The six Saibamen lunge, circling Krillin, Gohan, and Piccolo in a mocking manner. Without warning, they jump back, grouping up in an attack formation.
"They're brainless, crazy monsters…!" Krillin watches them, able to feel the raw power coming off of them.
"This should be a pretty good matchup." Vegeta goes to continue speaking, but is cut off before he can continue. Two new fighters arrive on the scene, one of them shouting for Krillin.
Tien and Chiaotzu land, standing beside the trio, who couldn't be happier to see backup. "Hey, guys! Thanks for droppin' by!" Krillin chuckles, while Gohan stares in mild curiosity - he hadn't met them before, but they seem to be on their side. "We could use the help." Krillin finishes.
Tien eyes the Saibamen. "Looks like the Saiyajins brought some of their friends to help them." Tien comments, disgusted by the appearance of the Saibamen.
"Actually, they grew them here, but I can explain that later." Krillin correct Tien, earning a curious and surprised expression from the three-eyed fighter.
"That's okay, it doesn't really matter… Who's the kid, is that Goku's little boy?" Tien takes notice of Gohan, who's been peering out from around Piccolo's leg.
"Uh-huh. His name's Gohan; he's been training with Piccolo this past year." Krillin replies.
"Mm." Tien nods. "He's bold, like his father."
"Enough with this garbage." Nappa snaps, bringing everyone's attention to him. "Saibamen, I wanna hear them beg for mercy.." The saibamen all chuckle darkly, stamping their feet and getting ready to battle.
"Wait for me!" A voice rings out from in the sky, before a long-haired fighter lands in a crouch beside the rest of the Z-fighters, standing up and turning around. "What's up? Sorry I'm late." Yamcha smirks, taking in the surroundings. "So, why's everyone acting so serious around here?"
"Look, Nappa, now it's six against six." The flame-haired Saiyajin quips. "Their warriors against our saibamen. How perfect, this may just prove to be interesting after all… Gentlemen, how would you like to make a match of this and fight our soldiers, one-by-one? Well, answer!"
Piccolo scowls, a vein bulging in his forehead as the remark from the shorter Saiyajin only serves to irritate and anger him. "We're not here to play games, and we're not here to fight on your terms! We'll take you on, all at once!"
Krillin speaks up quickly, holding his hands up. "Hey, now, easy! We're still waiting for our new 'friend' to show up! We can buy time by playing things their way!" Tien is certainly in agreement, and steps forward. "I'll go first. I'm not afraid of these little creeps. It'll be a good warmup!"
Nappa chuckles. "That's the spirit! Fresh meat for the grinder; but just wait, you won't be so cocky when you see just what these 'little freaks' can do." The saibamen all rings out in their distorted cries, as if to confirm Nappa's statement.
"Well then, I hear alot of noise but I don't see anyone coming to fight." Tien taunts, but is silenced as the short Saiyajin commands one of the Saibamen to fight.
"Hey, Tien. Be careful!" Chiaotzu warns Tien, but the whirring of helicopters interrupts things before they can begin. Everyone looks up to a small group of helicopters, a cameraman shooting footage - likely for a news channel - from one of them.
"So, you want some news, do ya?" Nappa holds up two fingers, forming a ball of energy in response to the news choppers hovering around. "Here, now you are the news!" He takes out one of the helicopters, blowing it to pieces in the blink of an eye and sending the others flying away. "Good, no more distractions!" Nappa stares at the Saibaman that was sent forward.
"Now, what do you say we get this fight started?" The Saibaman nods eagerly in agreement, while Tien simply stands firm.
The Saibaman lunges forward, and Tien throws his own palm forward, blowing back the Saibaman with a kiai from his hand. The Saibaman recovers, his head splitting open and unleashing some sort of acid, which all of the Z-fighters frantically move to dodge.
The Saibaman and Tien launch into the air, and Tien hits the Saibaman with a powerful elbow to the gut. The plantlike fighters falls to the ground, almost paralyzed by the pain. Tien lands on the ground, his confidence higher now that he's seen what quick work he can make of the Saibamen.
"It seems like you got a bad batch, Nappa." The flame-haired Saiyajin comments calmly, displeased at the way the Saibaman fought.
"N-no, Vegeta, they're all good!" Nappa replies. "These are the same ones that survived that crazy battle on Dratic; he should've won! His power level is 1200. All of these Saibamen have the same battle power as Raditz!"
"I imagine you see my point now…" Vegeta holds out two fingers, blowing away the Saibaman Tien had knocked down. It's blown to bits, scattered across the ground. "Well then, he wasn't of any use to us anymore… He was losing, which means that he wasn't trying his hardest. I specifically told him not to hold anything back… So, who's going next?"
Krillin clenches his fists frowning. "I'll go next!" Before he can even take a step forward though, Yamcha speaks up.
"Hold on Krillin, let me go would ya? I'm really anxious to show these guys what we're all about on this planet." Before Krillin can respond, Yamcha tacks on the important piece of information. "You've already been wished back by the Dragon Balls once, so if anything happens then at least we know I can be revived. Sit this one out for me, Krill'. You'll get your chance."
"..Okay." Krillin responds uneasily. "He's all yours."
"Alright, then!" Yamcha slips into his stance, grinning confidently. "Let's get this thing over with!" The saibaman moves forward, slowly at first, before both fighters disappear in a blur. They reappear in the air, trading blows. The drop to the ground, and Yamcha moves to sweep the Saibaman's feet from beneath him.
The Saibaman jumps back, dodging, while Yamcha simultaneously appears behind him. Twisting his body, the Saibaman kicks him into the sky, sending Yamcha high into the air. Yamcha halts himself, using the light of the sun above him as cover to come down and spear his foot into the Saibaman's head.
He narrowly misses, cracking the ground and exchanging a short burst of blows with the Saibaman before they return to the air. He cups his hands and thrusts them forward, firing a quick and sloppy Kamehameha to take out the Saibaman.
Said Saibaman is thrown to the ground, a small crater forming upon his impact. Yamcha lands on the edge, grinning down at the fallen creature. "Alright! That'll teach you to mess with the great Yamcha!" He turns to face the others, the Saibaman - unbeknownst to him - slowly getting up from within the crater. Just as it leaps to latch onto Yamcha, a bright light shoots through the area.
Half of the Saibaman falls to either side of Yamcha, having been cut in half by some unknown force. Vegeta, Nappa, the remaining Saibamen, and the Z-fighters all turn in the direction the light had gone. Zamasu stands there, his ki blade dissipating into the air. As his ki blade dissipates, the remaining Saibamen all go rigid, before falling apart into halves themselves.
"You couldn't even handle yourself for what amounts to five minutes, I see… pathetic." Zamasu comments, staring at the flabbergasted Yamcha. His attention is taken by the now-chuckling Vegeta, however, who's more than impressed by the very Saiyajin mannerisms the traitor is displaying. A far cry from how he had sounded during the fight with Raditz.
"So, you've arrived. I imagine you're here to fight, then, Kakarotto." Vegeta - who had placed his scouter back on his head by this point - pushes the button, wanting to get a rough estimate to where he should expect Zamasu's power to be around.
"Allow me to make sure that reading is as accurate as it can be…" Zamasu steadies himself, yelling out as his dark aura - comprised of dense black and purple - bursts forth and wafts off of him like fire and smoke. His energy rises rapidly, stunning everyone present.
"Two thousand… three thousand… no, four thousand…! It's just rising!" Vegeta is in awe as Zamasu yells only louder. "Five thousand… six..!" 'How is it that Kakarotto has gotten this strong?! He was weaker than Raditz only a year ago, and yet now he surpasses Nappa!?' The numbers on the scouter settle, as Zamasu's yelling comes to an end.
"I.. don't believe it." Vegeta pulls off his scouter. Nappa speaks to his side, urging him to tell him what's going on, and how strong Zamasu is. The Saiyajin regains his composure, and smirks. "Seven thousand… it's certainly an impressive number." He crushes his scouter, tossing the shattered pieces aside. "But if you can fluctuate your power to that great of a degree, there is no reason for a device such as that."
Zamasu begins to walk towards Vegeta, cracking his knuckles. "Well then, aren't you rather smart… for a monkey, that is." He smirks as a vein bulges in Vegeta's forehead, a nerve clearly struck by this remark from Zamasu.
"Enough! Nappa, you go and take care of the pests. I'll show Kakarotto here what happens to disrespectful, traitorous Saiyajin such as himself." Vegeta slips into his stance, while Zamasu comes to a stop, slipping into his own refined stance.
"You know, that's some big talk from such a short man…" Zamasu responds in kind, relishing in the look of irritation and anger that his comment sparks on Vegeta's face. "What do you say we get this over with; I have places to be…"
With two fierce battles soon to begin, what will the outcome be? Already, the timeline has been altered in multiple ways, from Yamcha living to Zamasu's power being weaker than Goku's own at the same point in time! Will his current power be enough to win?
End, Chapter 2
Power Levels
Piccolo
3,500
Gohan
981
Krillin
2,100
Tien
2,400
Chiaotzu
1,000
Yamcha
1,780
Saibamen
1,200
Vegeta
18,000
Nappa
4,000
Zamasu
7,000
*Reminder that those training with Kami drank the Ultra Divine Water, hence their higher-than-canon power.
Author's Note:
Another delayed chapter - I apologize. With tests being thrown at me alongside needing to work on my art, I've not had the writing mood strike me. I ended up writing the chapter in three bursts, getting 1,000 or so words done in the first two sessions then the last 4,000 words in this session. Tossing this up as soon as I'm finished, so let me know what you think!