Chapter 2

(Hope and Dark Intent)

Trunks lay motionless, alive, but motionless deep in restful and needed sleep on his cot. The room was mostly empty and dull white in color along every wall. Some of them were cracked and dilapidated. One wall of the room was almost entirely a large window pane. It looked out over a vast broken and destroyed cityscape. The once bustling and lively West City was destroyed in every conceivable direction out from the window and beyond its view. The view both within and without from the room gave a depressing and even foreboding feeling to whomever looked to either.

Gohan stood near to that window. His body was shaky and still racked with pain just about everywhere, but he was capable of standing so he thought that was something. It had been two days since his last fight with the androids, and Gingertown lay in total ruin in the far unseen distance. One scorch mark among dozens across the world from the androids. It made Gohan's blood boil. His face twitched in anger and his fists balled together bone crushingly tight. The sun was setting and an orange light beat down onto Gohan from where he stood within the old Briefs family compound. His dark eyes were narrowed as the warmth of the sun met his skin and illuminated the otherwise silent and dreary room. Gohan would've smirked and thought it a ray of hope being cast on himself and Trunks, but he was far too angry, and tired, tired still from the fight. Not the one even with the androids, but tired in general of the never ending war with those two damn killers.

He glanced back over his left shoulder towards where Trunks rested. The boy lay motionless still, only the subtle rising of his chest showing any signs of life. He'd only begun training him a few weeks ago, he was in no condition to fight those monsters. It made Gohan even more angry. With himself and with the androids. He'd let a boy, barely a teenager believe he could fight one on one against those killing machines, and when they effortlessly beat him down they left Gohan to pick up the pieces. He could only be thankful he was in one piece, slated to make a full recovery. Even if Bulma had given Gohan the tongue lashing unlike anything he had yet experienced. Well at least since he last saw his own mother anyways.

Gohan turned back towards the window and looked out over the wasteland of broken buildings twisted metal and hole riddled streets of old West City. His mind lingered on his mother, and he hoped she was still okay, alone at their old home with Grandpa to keep her company. It'd been too long since he had last seen her, and he knew he put her through too much stress and agonizing over his safety. It made his chest tighten and emotions welled nearer to the surface. Nearer then he could afford, and he fought silently to push them back down and to suppress them.

It couldn't stop his mind from remembering his mother. The way she both playfully and angrily yelled at him and his father. Be it for dirtiness from fighting, fishing, or many other reasons really, or for him not getting his studies done, or from his father not understanding what an education meant for a child. Well, not for a long time anyways. Gohan did crack a thin smirk then as he looked longingly out over the ruins. Longing for just a day where he could go back and appreciate everything he had then. The good, the bad, and the mundane. Because he really did miss the mundane.

His thoughts lingered on his father. Goku standing over his mother as she cooked, her yelling at him to get cleaned after coming in from fishing or running around outside training for nothing in particular. His big smiling face and jovial nature as he joked, though Gohan didn't think he was actually joking, more confused really. His father was just too dense on some normal aspects of homemaking and how society expected him to act as a husband and father. So, Gohan remembered his mother saying something, he didn't even remember what exactly, and then dad would respond seeming almost afraid of her wrath, before he placated her and immediately he'd say something that would cause her to shake her head and sigh all while he laughed rubbing the back of his head and neck.

Gohan felt his chest tighten as it had hundreds of times before. He missed him, and wished he was here to help him as he had for the past decade and more. He could remember his father's determination, his smiling face even as he faced foes and threats beyond him. Vegeta when he came with his henchmen to Earth so long ago now. Then he spared the prince even after his other Saiyan friend and he had cut down Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien and led to Chiaotzu blowing himself up to try and slow them down. Gohan narrowed his eyes, as he couldn't even fathom extending such mercy against the androids if given the chance.

He remembered Namek, and even now he could remember the helplessness of that whole experience. Frieza...his countless cronies, and the atrocities they committed on Namek against the Namekians almost seemed far too similar to what the androids were doing to Earth. Only then Gohan could in a twisted way, see Frieza's cruelty serving his own purposes, while the androids killed hundreds for fun, on a whim and for a good laugh. He remembered Guru, Nail, Dende, the many Namekians he had met later back on Earth after using the now forever gone, dragon balls to get them to Earth away from the destruction of their home. He remembered the horror of Frieza's second and third forms. The shock at his fourth and final form and the immeasurable power he held at only one percent power. Now, it seemed so insignificant compared to what he was dealing with, and Gohan hated it! His teeth ground together and his fingers felt near ready to dig holes into his palms from the balled fists he sported in that moment. His mind flashed then to their fight against Frieza, desperate and hopeless, Piccolo coming to save them only to be beaten easily again with the third form of that monster. Vegeta's attempt to gain power through being mortally wounded and Dende saving him. Only for the Namekian to be blown away by a single finger blast from the Galactic Tyrant. Gohan could see Vegeta's torture from his once overlord who he wished to finally be free from. He never would speak on it, but Gohan could see, and had seen the tears that were proof of it, that deep inside, Vegeta wanted to be free from the tyrant. To at least be his own master, if not really a 'good man.'

Then came his father, smiling, ready to fight against all odds, and capable of handling Frieza, up until his power rose from one paltry percent to fifty and then he was tossed around like a speck of dust. Yet he didn't give up and he fought to find a way to stop Frieza, and in the end, even as the Spirit Bomb failed his dad did it, he ascended into a Super Saiyan at the sight of Krillin's death and Piccolo's near second death. He always found a way, and Gohan growled where he stood at the memories now.

"Why? Why dad, why can't I get stronger?!" Gohan muttered angrily to himself as he caught his reflection in the illuminated window.

"Why can't I beat them? How could you in the face of every unstoppable enemy rise to the occasion and fight against the odds and win so many times, and I can't?" Tears threatened again to fall down his face, but he fought them with gritted teeth and shaking body of anger mingled with pain.

"Why can't you be here dad?! Why did you leave me alone, all of us? We still needed you, we still need you." Gohan paused as a stray burning tear broke free and fell silently down his left cheek.

"I still need you dad." He murmured and slammed his eyes shut allowing a few watery droplets to race free of his eyes and fall to his torn gi and the cold floor below forming small puddles and droplets splashes as he furiously pushed the emotion back down and shook to keep himself fully under control. He couldn't do this again, not here and not now! Not while Trunks lay beaten and barely capable of moving in a bed behind him with only himself, the boy's master and trainer, to blame. Not while the world still needed a hero, and until Trunks was ready, Gohan would act as that one ray of hope. Even as he felt deep down that his time had come, and it would go. Gohan felt then, as he had since meeting Trunks and taking him under his wing, that Trunks would be the true hero he never could be. At the least, such a thought gave him pause and reason to thinly smile a ghost of a smile if ever there was one.

Gohan remembered then as his mind grew as tired as his body already was, the day Frieza returned to Earth. When everything seemed lost once more as the tyrant came with a small army, and his father of all people to try and kill Goku out of vengeance for his loss at Namek, and fear of what a Super Saiyan meant for him and his power. That half machine body of his...Gohan now darkly mused and chuckled in his mind, how that ugly patchwork of metal that made Frieza whole again almost seemed like a dark comical allusion for what was to come for Earth just a few short years later.


(14 Years Ago)

Gohan stood in his power armor brought with him from Namek shaking in fear and anticipation. The rest of the gang was there as well. All equally unsure what to do but stood around in equal silent anxiety and trepidation. Tien, Yamcha with Puar, Chiaotzu, Krillin, Piccolo and even Bulma. Topped off by Vegeta who stood with his ever present scowl etched onto his face. He sported a near comical pink shirt given to him by Bulma, as heglowered towards where Frieza's ship had gone to land.

Gohan grit his teeth and sensed the tremendous energy coming from that direction. How?! How could his father not have beaten him?! He had seen it first hand, how Frieza was terrified of him, how he was powerless whenever he showed up. He'd caught mere glimpses, but he had felt it too. Namek suffered for their titanic clash, and though he knew his dad was alive and out there in space, Gohan couldn't imagine how, or why Frieza would still be alive, and here, and his dad not! At least...not yet.

"This is bad!" Krillin spoke first cutting through the silence that had gripped everyone present. He also chose to state the clearly obvious.

"We'll have to think of something quick." Piccolo added as he stood forward facing towards the ship in the distance and back towards everyone else and his cloak whipping in the winds.

"That power...I've never felt anything like it!" Yamcha shakily interjected.

"What can we do against it that Goku couldn't?!"

"It's not that he couldn't just that he didn't!" Gohan retorted angrily and caught everyone momentarily off guard.

"I saw it, I saw him turn into a Super Saiyan, and how he fought Frieza on Namek! I saw it and knew he would beat him! He just...didn't kill him is all." Gohan finished in a lowly intone that sounded far more unsure than how Gohan had begun his retort.

"He's right." Again everyone turned as it was Vegeta with his raspy voice who replied to Gohan first.

"I also saw Kakarot's fight with Frieza. For a moment at least." He added and his eyes narrowed, Gohan could tell admitting to anything that spoke well of his father irritated the Saiyan prince.

"He had the strength and power to defeat him, and to kill him. Yet, he didn't. I told him his softness would do nothing but get him in trouble, and here we all stand. Without a Super Saiyan and with Frieza still alive and well along with whatever other power is with him." The prince seethed as he too focused on the distant powers everyone felt. Gohan sighed lowly and joined looking that way again. It was true, there were two huge power levels where the ship was. He could recognize Frieza's, but the other was just as strong, maybe slightly less, or maybe a little more he couldn't gauge it really.

"What's done is done." Piccolo began again. "We need to form a plan if we're going to hope to survive or even defeat Frieza."

"Right." Gohan added with an enthusiastic readying of his body for a fight. Though truth be told he was inwardly scared and beyond unsure what to do.

"We should move in close to see what they're planning. And no flying either," Vegeta spoke forcefully and lookingto take charge of everyone. "Best to hide our power levels for now." Some more panic began to set in with those among them, Gohan fidgeted both from worry and anticipation where he stood, but he felt a hand suddenly grasp his shoulder. He quickly jerked left to see Piccolo grasping him with a part warming, and part assuring smile.

"Are you ready Gohan?" He asked without a hint of concern or worry in his voice. Gohan smirked, though it was itself half forced.

"Yes, I am."


They had pushed themselves atop a set of cliffs overlooking the ship below. There they all could see Frieza, his men and someone else. Only those who'd been to Namek could see the immense differences from the Frieza they'd seen to this one. His body was still slender and short as he was still in his fourth and true form. However, his lower half was nothing but an ugly metal mishmash. His tail was now a thick and bulky piece of metal instead of organic that just looked heavy even from far away. His left arm was much of the same up towards his shoulder, while half his head, along his right was also more a metal plate than his actual body. He also bore several scars along his exposed head where flesh remained and similarly another nasty scar ran along the left of his chest.

Gohan narrowed his eyes. He could now see the extent of damage he'd suffered under his father's power. He could see how beaten and broken Frieza had become. It made him almost smile, but he didn't. Both because the tyrant was still alive and here on Earth, and because he still felt it to be somehow wrong to smile at someone's pain even if it was the monster that Frieza was and is. Still, he couldn't help but feel some pride at seeing how his father had beaten and broken the mass murderer.

The other one though, he was huge, bigger than maybe two Frieza's stacked one atop the other. His look was near exactly similar to how Frieza had appeared in his second form, his first transformation. His horns were piercing black and stood on either side of his head towards the sky, and his body was much as huge and muscled as Frieza's had appeared back then. His body was still covered in the power armor normal among the ranks of Frieza's men and army. He was more light purple in hue where his organic exoskeleton did not cover his body. The exoskeleton itself was a dark hue of white with purple plates along it though Gohan and no one else could see his chest plates.

They were covered by the power armor that itself was mostly a dark blue hue with brown hidden shoulder plates and a matching single plate towards his stomach. The shoulder plates were covered by a massive cloak that were attached towards this being's chest armor and hung down his back and fell across his own massive tail and along the barren ground below. The only other feature that stood out was the blue and shining head plate that stood in contrast to Frieza's purple hued plate that itself was no longer visible. Either way, Gohan could see this being, this alien, was one of Frieza's people, his race, he was immensely strong and huge. It sent a shiver up the boy's spine to think that there stood another being near as powerful as Frieza, if not more so.

All of them were more or less silent, everyone watching, everyone except Bulma and Puar, sensing the power from the two down there by that familiar looking circular ship. His men stood in a stiff line behind him and the other one of Frieza's was being said between Frieza and the other being. Gohan could only barely hear his raspy but eloquent voice saying something while staring into the distant wastes ahead of himself. Gohan sensed some energy spike, the power from Frieza rose and he could swear he saw sparks charge up along his now metal left arm as anger charged through him. Gohan could just...tell that he was angry, and it sent a stiffer chill through the air around the valley. He remembered what it was like when Frieza was in the least bit, irritated.

He raised his fist up and began speaking even louder, the taller alien agreeing with him with a stiff bow of his head as Frieza spoke. Gohan could only catch the final word from Frieza in that moment. 'Suffer.'

The larger alien spoke for a moment, and his voice grew louder as well, Gohan could feel his own power sharply rise before falling again, but he did nothing. Frieza lowered his tone once again and spoke in reply beyond his hearing to the larger alien. They engaged in conversation, their men unmoving, and the team up on the cliff just as unmoving. Even though Gohan could see almost all of them staring at the aliens, all of them full of unspoken trepidation and fear. Those especially who heard of but were never on Namek. Vegeta, stared down at Frieza, his dark eyes burning with hate towards the alien tyrant. Piccolo remained stoic, though his own face bore a half grimace and glare. Gohan also noted Krillin shaking nearby, undoubtedly remembering his death at Frieza's hands.

His thoughts were, however, cut when he heard Frieza laugh. Maniacal as ever, but also tinged with what sounded like pure insanity and madness. He began screaming something to himself as the other alien and their men watched on. His fists were raised, his face turned into an equally maniacal grin as his crimson eyes stared at nothing. His laugh grew louder and his voice rose, and Gohan caught, "No one here to welcome him but me!" Followed by more insane and inane twisted laughter.

"Piccolo, you can here him right?" Gohan asked the Namek who nodded lowly as he watched on intently.

"What's he saying?"

"He plans on killing as many earthlings as he and his men can. Hunting us down and killing us too, before your father arrives."

"Arrives?!" Gohan repeated louder than he meant catching a glare from Vegeta and stuttering similar glance from Krillin and the others. Gohan silenced himself and made himself seem smaller and lowly mumbled an apology. Piccolo only nodded.

"Yes, he'll be here in three hours according to Frieza." Gohan felt a smile break open along his features, and he heard Krillin sigh near him.

"Well good, all we need to do is wait for Goku to get here." The bald little man stated happily.

"And just how many people will he kill in the meantime?" Tien finally spoke up and cast a shadow over Krillin's thoughts.

"It'd be worse then when you and your 'friend' arrived that's for sure." Tien cast a glare Vegeta's way. Almost seeming to tempt the Saiyan to do or say anything in retaliation. Indeed Vegeta shot him another of his glares with bared teeth, but he remained silent returning to look down at Frieza. All the while his frustration boiling within.

"Either way, we'd suffer the same fate." Piccolo darkly intoned. "We stay and fight, we probably die, we run we probably die as well if we're found before Goku gets here. Frieza and his men are going to begin the search any minute, along with his father too." Krillin, Vegeta, and Gohan all shared stunned expressions as they heard Piccolo reveal who that other alien was.

"His what?!" Krillin nearly yelled, and got the same glaring reception Gohan had received moments prior.

"Shut up you idiot!" Vegeta seethed.

"Yes, his father. King Cold, I believe his name is. Based on what the soldiers have said. And he wants Frieza to just blow the planet up and be done with it." The Namekian went on.

"What can we-" Krillin began again, his voice shaky and full of fear as ever, but Piccolo silenced him.

"Wait, it's starting!" He announced with a frustrated growl.

"Show no mercy!" Frieza demanded of his men, and they all acknowledged their lord's command and all of them powered up with scouters at the ready upon their faces. Gohan watched and by Piccolo's word he knew they were about to begin hunting down and killing everyone on the planet. Just like they had done on Namek! He remembered what happened to the villages, the villagers in them, how the big pinkish henchman of Frieza's mercilessly slaughtered them one by one. Now all he could think of was the Earth, his friends, his mother, and it made him angry just as he had been on that far off Namekian cliff.

He grit his teeth and his fists became balled together and his ki rose dramatically without any restraint. Piccolo whipped towards the boy and the rest turned to him in similar fashion. Not only because he gave away their position with his power up, but because his power was...immense and sudden.

With a howl of rage Gohan exploded down from the cliff, his aura around him a brilliant whitish blue as he boundedtowards Frieza, his father and their men.

"Gohan no!" Piccolo yelled after him leaving the others stunned and horrified at his actions. Greater still as Piccolo then exploded after him, and oddly a reluctant and shaking Krillin who followed suit. Vegeta growled and went after followed by both Tien and Chiaotzu with the most hesitant being Yamcha who followed last leaving Bulma and Puar behind. Both of whom were the most horrified and shocked at all their actions. Neither of them having many words to offer in the situation either.

"Yamcha!" Puar yelled, but Bulma remained wide eyed at the whole scene. It was all too familiar, and surreal at the same time.

Gohan slammed down on his feet before the group of aliens. His teeth bared and eyes narrowed in anger. Frieza turned towards him from his men, and Cold cast him a disinterested glance with his massive arms folded over his chest. The men all remained where they stood, unsure now what to do because of the new arrival.

"You...ah I remember you." Frieza spoke first with glaring and narrowed crimson eyes. Though his features twisted into a cocky and arrogant smirk.

"Yes the boy, the little halfbreed son of the 'Super Saiyan!" He spat in anger.

"Oh, you know this little cretin do you Frieza?" Cold asked, his voice deep but as eloquent as Frieza's if not even more so. Before Frieza could speak Piccolo, Krillin, Vegeta, Tien, Chiaotzu and Yamcha all landed facing them in differing states of defensive posturing. Upon seeing them Frieza eyed them all one by one, and his nostrils flared upon those he recognized.

"Yes father, I know some of these pathetic worms." The tyrant darkly intoned. "I would expect them to have learned their lesson the first time though." His voice remained lowered but simmered all the same with tension and anger. Again though, Frieza smirked and cocked his head down seeming amused before he spoke again.

"Like you, Vegeta." He turned to the prince who growled towards his old master. "I would at least expect you to remember what happened the last time you dared to face me. After all, we all now know you're no Super Saiyan. You're just a poor, stupid monkey, and now you live among the rats you once tried to slaughter. How unbecoming of you, Prince." The Galactic Emperor chuckled darkly in direct attack on the Saiyan's pride.

"Shut up Frieza!" Vegeta retorted raising his fists. "You may have beaten me, killed me, but I'm still here. Still whole, and here you are broken, and worse for wear! I'd say that in the end you're the one who suffered the most from our confrontation!" He retorted with a seethe that caused Frieza to lose his cool once again and shake in wrath.

"In fact, last I saw there was a Saiyan that was fighting you fist for fist on Namek! It was a Saiyan that made you what you are now, and it's a Saiyan, as it's always been that fills you with fear!" Vegeta mocked forcing a smirk onto his own face and Frieza's aura around him boiled and the very ground began to shake beneath him at Vegeta's mockery.

"You insolent little..." He couldn't even get the next word out he grew so enraged.

"All of you will die!" He raised his arms with hands still curled into hard fists and his aura exploded from around him sending a piercing wind flowing around them all and shaking the cliffs and ground even more beneath his ire. His men shook in terror at their lord's actions as their scouters began malfunctioning from the power output from him. While Cold just chuckled in his same bored composure.

"You, the Namekian," He glared at Piccolo who raised both arms higher into defensive posture. "The boy, and you..." He cast a dark foreboding glare onto Krillin who verbally began shaking, his voice fluttering with a stutter beneath the tyrant's gaze. "All of you will die by my hand, and the rest of you along with them!"

"No!" Gohan retorted, his ki still incredibly high and power burning below the surface as he dared to retort against the alien Emperor.

"You wont hurt anyone else Frieza! My dad beat you, and he will again when he gets here! But until then I'll face you myself!" Gohan dared even further and shifted his feet as Piccolo had taught him, readying to charge Frieza. The tyrant eyed Gohan, and grit his teeth.

"Fine, be the first to throw your life away, you little brat. I will enjoy crushing the very life out of you, and presenting your corpse to your father when he gets here!" Frieza howled and his metal tail slammed against the rock that burst beneath it, and he slammed his right metal three toed foot into the ground which also cracked beneath it. He readied to charge Gohan, and Piccolo stepped forwards ready to get between the tyrant and Gohan. Then a faint sound, rung through the air. Like a small stiff warble. A blur of motion between the two parties caught everyone's collective attentions and then they all could make out who now stood there.

"Goku!" Krillin called, his voice sounding both shocked and unbelievably relieved. Vegeta stared wide eyed with fists raised to fight, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Tien also held wide eyed expressions but all three felt a sense of ease come over them as well, and thin smiles graced their faces. Piccolo was shocked, but the Namekian smirked victoriously at the aliens and kept himself in battle ready posture. Gohan felt his power finally drop and relax, his ki lowered from the rising tide it had been, and his face turned to a wholehearted grin as a joyous laugh followed quickly thereafter.

"Dad!" He called, to which Goku cast a smiling glance over his left shoulder and gave a single wordless nod, before hardening his expression and turning back towards Frieza. Gohan took just a second to note his dad's strange clothing. An armor piece wrapped around his back and acted as a chest plate. Two ribbed straps went towards a shoulder each and held the piece in place, while his left shoulder was guarded by a single shoulder plate with his right still exposed. He wore a single white shirt, with a frilled like neck sleeve with brownish cuffs along his wrists along with bold reddish leggings. Two belts, so they seemed, were wrapped around his waist and were bluish black and matched his chest piece. With only his old boots being recognizable to Gohan. He certainly looked strange to the boy, but he remained grinning all the same at seeing his dad, somehow back, before them, and standing between the them, the Earth and Frieza.

"Frieza," Goku began, Gohan also noted his dad's voice dipped lower and gave a hint of that anger he remembered from Namek. Though he also only then realized his dad's hair was normal, black and spiky as ever without that amazing golden glow and hue.

"I had hoped you would have learned your lesson by now." Goku intoned, having lost all traces of his usual carefree and chipper attitude that all who knew him had come to expect and know best. In fact his manner caused both Yamcha and Tien to recoil, if only slightly, in surprise at this side of Goku. Though they'd seen his anger before, this was something different, though they couldn't place how or in what way exactly.

Frieza's eyes had gone wide upon Goku's sudden return before him and just like the two humans behind Goku, he recoiled some, his body shaking, trembling even. A mixture of pure wrath and rage mingled with unspoken and intense fear. He grit his teeth and his hands twisted back into trembling fists as his tail slammed furiously into the dirt. His father eyed him with a peculiar gaze before looking back at the oddly dressed newcomer.

"Is this the one that hurt you, my son?" Cold asked with his tone still casual and bored seeming.

"Yes...father, it is." Frieza replied through grit teeth still and power rising within him. His voice was shaky, but not with fear, but his wrath as it remained barely under his quickly fading control. Cold, however, simply chuckled as he looked upon Goku.

"Well then, let's be done with this. Kill him Frieza so we may destroy this rock, and be rid of this nuisance." He commanded of his son, who allowed a thin dark smirk to crawl along his face in reply even as he still barely held onto his own self control.

"You are quite impatient, father." He chuckled and caused Goku to narrow his eyes further. While everyone else felt a chill once more come over them at the sickening callous and uncaring laugh.

"I want him and everyone he cares about to suffer first. I want you," He looked to Goku and took a step forward threateningly. "To experience pain unlike ever before! I want you to crawl and watch your friends die, your world die, and then, finally, I want you to die!" The wind whipped around Frieza and his ki grew exponentially causing everyone but Goku to jerk back in shock at just how much power there was. Even Vegeta, Piccolo, and Krillin seemed surprised. Gohan alone remained standing still, but he sensed it just like everyone else. He was even stronger now than before on Namek.

"H...how?! How could he be this much stronger?!" Krillin asked loudly among everyone else with shaking voice.

"What do you mean stronger?!" Yamcha replied in disbelief with his voice just as shaky as Krillin's. Piccolo and Vegeta remained silent with their fighting postures only slightly wavering and faces twisted in grimaces.

"Damn him!" Gohan glanced right as he heard Vegeta seethe his curse lowly, and probably only Gohan and Piccolo had caught it as the Saiyan bared his teeth and seemed to try his best to kill the tyrant with his glare alone. Then again, Gohan looked back and couldn't really tell now that he thought about it, who Vegeta was cursing towards. Frieza or his father.

"You won't be hurting another person, Frieza!" Goku stated plainly with a cool and calm retort. Frieza snarled and Cold frowned while the men behind them shook as one man dared to speak so freely against both of their Lords. Goku raised slowly his left arm, and then his hand. It stretched out and the palm faced both Frieza and Cold.

"This is your last chance Frieza." He began and caused the Emperor to growl with even more wrath. "Leave now, take everyone and everything you brought. Lave Earth and never threaten it, or Namek or any other world again. Or I will be there to defeat and then destroy you." Goku warned and once more his oldest friends were left in shock at the words of the usually playful and easy going spirited man.

"Well he certainly is a bold one, Frieza. I can see how he would irritate you so. I grow bored of his bravado already and he only just arrived." Cold replied chuckling, and Frieza remained silent, his mouth turning to a deep curled frown. He raised his right hand then and all his men were fearfully brought to attention.

"Men, go kill the others, and leave this Saiyan trash to me." He commanded with a lazy jerk of his hand forwards and the men all shakily nodded and replied together. Everyone, Gohan included all readied to fight off the soldiers with some more cocky and prepared than others.

"Yes, sir!" They all replied in unison, but as they all bounded forwards in a simultaneous flash of motion, silence swept over the vacant valley.

In a blur of motion, all of them fell down onto a pile of unconscious men. All groaning and in obvious pain, and with Goku landing beside the pile. Leaving everyone shocked at his speed, and efficient dispatch of the whole host ofsoldiers. Cold cocked a curious brow, Frieza deepened his already deep frown, and the rest stood in that same shock, but allowed a welling sense of victory and ease flow through them.

"No more Frieza!" Goku commanded, his voice still calm but full of power. "As I said on Namek, no more! I wont give you another chance, leave and go do whatever you want, but no more killing and senselessness! I wont allow it!" Goku warned once again, but to this Frieza smirked and closed his eyes. In a flash he raised his still organic right arm and extended his palm and unleashed a massive pinkish red beam of energy that flew out and slammed into the pile of soldiers and wrapped around them. In a flash they were eviscerated from existence, the ground below them burned and smoking with everyone left stunned, and even horrified, even Goku. Though he just narrowed his eyes into hardened slits. Though Gohan had seen it before, he knew what kind of monster Frieza was, so did Piccolo, Vegeta and Krillin. They were less effected, and Vegeta in particular. But Gohan couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of pity well within his gut as he watched Frieza utterly obliterate the men he terrorized or used as fodder and yes as killers clamped his hands into fists as he glanced towards what had been unconscious men, now barren nothingness and then back to Frieza, his body trembling.

"Ruthless, and heartless as ever. You'll never learn Frieza, I see that now!" He growled and everyone felt his ki burst and rise with unknown strength. The ground trembled and rocks began flying away and up into the air from around Goku.

"What a terrible waste of servants, Frieza." Cold remarked paying no attention to Goku's display. Frieza shrugged as he kept his icy glare on Goku.

"Pawns will be pawns father. Used as their Lords will. Nothing more." He remarked as Goku raised his arms and curled his hands towards himself. Suddenly his body burst along every muscle his aura erupted in a golden hue, and his hair turned to a golden shade of yellow and turned upwards along his head and his power burst across the valley eclipsing Frieza's own increased power.

"Wha...what happened to Goku?" Yamcha asked with shaking voice.

"That's a Super Saiyan guys!" Gohan remarked with a smirk on his young features though he did hear Vegeta groan lowly again.

"Super Saiyan?" Yamcha repeated but didn't say anything after and kept watching as Goku, now golden in appearance stared down Frieza and his father with his greenish-bluehued eyes. Frieza was trembling even worse than before, his left arm was crushing into a fist harder than ever before, and specks of blood were falling to the ground as his mechanical arm tensed and cut into his organic flesh along his shoulder from the sheer tension.

"You, monkey garbage! I will destroy you, and this whole planet, and remind every being in the universe that I am the mightiest in all creation!" Goku glared at Frieza and didn't even fall into a fighting or defensive posture.

"No Frieza, you wont hurt anyone else." Was all he said, and Frieza howled like a madman, his aura erupted around his small form and he charged after Goku. He threw his left mechanical fist out in a hard flying hook of a swing and Goku caught the fist with his right hand as he slid backwards from the impact. Frieza slid down and swung his right leg out to kick Goku but he angled himself and let his leg take the blow. He grasped Frieza's arm with his left hand and swung the tyrant around and threw him away from him towards one of the overlooking cliffs of the valley. His body whined through the air and slammed into the rocks tearing the cliff down on top of him. Cold watched on with his bored look turning into a glare as he looked on Goku and where his son had fallen.

"So, that's a Super Saiyan." Was all he said as he watched on.

Lines of light and energy burst from beneath the rocks and they exploded up from the ground, disintegrating in the air as Frieza raised himself up into the sky slowly. Tendrils of dark, purple hued, tinged with black lightning bolts charged around Frieza, seeming to form from his mechanical half as he raised himself higher. He came to a stop high into the sky and then howled as he raised both arms up over his head and a blackish energy ball came into existence. It too was sparking with some dark power and suddenly grew bigger, and then bigger, and bigger still until it was large enough to engulf an entire small town.

"Die you Saiyan bastard!" Frieza screeched and threw the ball down towards Goku. His friends and allies stood with shocked wide eyes as the ball made for earth with undoubtedly enough strength to destroy it. Goku just remained standing. It grew nearer and Goku finally angled his legs and pulled his hands back into a familiar pose at his right.

"Ka..me...ha..me..ha!" He quickly chanted and the blue ball erupted in his hands and grew twice as large by the second 'me.' He raised it out towards the incoming blast and unleashed the wave of ki with an explosion of power. It flew out blinding the valley in a blue hue and slammed into the ball of energy. It swirled and shot out from the ball upon the impact, but didn't push it back as it grew closer to Goku and his friends. Frieza in turn began to laugh loudly and it echoed over the valley in full loosed mania.

"Yes, now die monkey, die!" He continued laughing as he raised two of his right hand's fingers up near to his face. A small pinkish ball of energy formed at the tips of them and he grinned in a wicked and insane manner. He thrust his two fingered hand out in a slashing manner, and a thick line, like a scythe blade extended where his hand had fallen. The pinkish wave flew down and pierced through the death ball and exploded the energy in a blinding flash. The wave cut directly through Goku's kamehameha towards him. The Super Saiyan was surprised for the first time since engaging Frieza again, and within an instant vanished as the wave pierced through what was left of the kamehameha and slammed into the dirt. A massive explosion of energy whirled the winds and tore rock and dirt as the wave connected with the ground, sending all of Goku's allies backwards some as they blocked their eyes and faces from the incoming debris.

Frieza snarled openly as he scanned furiously for the monkey to reappear. Then he heard a familiar noise behind him. It had happened right before he had appeared out of the thin air in front of him and his friends. Frieza swung around just as Goku slammed both fists overhead down and into Frieza's. He howled and flew down into the ground with a great percussive impact. He exploded back out with his aura around him and flew towards Goku who flew down towards him in kind. They both swung their fists forwards and collided in an Earth shattering explosion as their bared fists struck the other.

Goku swung and collided his right foot into Frieza's head. He recoiled and in kind swung himself in a sideways roll in the air, and his hard metallic tail slammed into Goku's leg and pushed it down forcing his body back upright. Frieza then continued his swing and connected his left fist into Goku's right cheek. The impact let loose another percussion but the Saiyan was only slightly moved in the air. Goku glared down at Frieza who's eyes went wide at the lack of expression or damage the Saiyan showed. Goku reached up and grasped his right hand around Frieza's wrist and crushed it with his strength. Frieza snarled and tried to recoil from the pain, but found the monkey's grasp too much for him.

"Let go you pathetic-" Goku forced Frieza down with a sudden jerk of his right hand down that pushed his head below Goku's chest. Goku raised his left arm and slammed his left elbow into the exposed head of the alien, who howled in pain before Goku released his wrist and recoiled both legs back before slamming his feet into his head once again, and sent him flying down into the planet with a great crash. Goku remained in the air and looked down glaringly towards the crater where Frieza on his hands and knees pushed himself off the ground.

A set of cheers rung out and Goku turned to see his friends cheering him on, Krillin, Chiaotzu, Tien and Yamcha as well as Gohan. Piccolo and Vegeta were quiet, the latter glaring at him. Goku smirked, and even for an instant took a moment to be glad they were okay, and that some of them were of course alive again. While below, Frieza stared at the dirt his teeth barred and arms trembling as his anger knew no bounds in that moment. He felt it, blood falling from his head where that damnable monkey had hit him and he curled his hands into the dirt as his aura grew large, exploding around him as a feral howl unlike anything he'd ever howled before escaped him.

Everyone, the cheering crowd, the quiet onlookers and Cold all turned as Frieza erupted out from the crater and raised both hands out. Giant reddish explosive waves erupted from both of them and cascaded over Goku in two wide arcs of energy that grew in encompassing size the further from Frieza they went. Without a second to waste he stopped, and the galactic Tyrant raised his right hand again with two fingers at the ready. He slashed them down right, back up left and across back right. Each slash sending another piercing wave of energy into the still fading light of his attack waves. Then finally he raised his one right index finger over his head, where a massive ball of energy, greater than the one before began expanding. This one seemed like pure fire barely contained by some unseen wall of spherical energy. It cascaded a light greater than that of the sun's down onto the planet below as Frieza pushed more and more power into it until it was like a smaller moon in size.

"That thing could definitely destroy the entire planet!" Krillin announced the obvious again. Gohan watched wide eyed, and looking for his dad in the mist of the aftermath of Frieza's two earlier attacks.

"Where's Goku?!" Tien asked as he joined Gohan in searching. "Did those two attacks...?" Chiaotzu asked shakily after Tien.

"Please," Vegeta began with a huff of haughty breath escaping his lungs. "Kakarot's fine. Just look and sense for him you fools." Vegeta nudged his head towards one part of the sky and Gohan felt embarrassment flood over him for a second, and a blush fell over his face. He'd been so wrapped up in looking for his dad and the fight itself he didn't bother sensing for his ki. Nonetheless, he looked and indeed a shadow appeared through a smokey plume and Gohan could see the golden aura pierce through it just as Goku reappeared without a scratch on him or his clothes.

"This will end you, you filthy Saiyan garbage! It will end you and this entire damn planet! Now die, die here at my hands!" Frieza howled for all to hear and threw his arm down towards the Earth. Goku's face turned to horror, but was overcome in a flash by anger as he burst down after it. He swung around the massive supernova ball and directly before its path. He raised both hands out against it, and the ball slammed into his hands and pushed him back towards the planet. Goku was pushed further and further back until his feet hit the soil and then was pushed past that deeper into the rock of the earth. Where a massive burning crater appeared as the ball dug towards the planet's core.

"No, Goku!" Krillin howled as winds whirled over the valley form the impact of the ball.

"We have to get out of here!" Yamcha yelled, and no one said much of anything else, but Gohan was left in shock, and could tell everyone was horrified that Goku seemed incapable of stopping the ball from pushing in deeper towards the planet.

"Dad!" Gohan howled over the raging winds and cries of his friends. But, suddenly Piccolo grasped the exposed tight fitting neckline of the power suit and Gohan was violently lifted up into the air, as the Namekian bounded up from the ground, with everyone else following suit. All the while Frieza laughed as a wide eyed, and maniacal seeming madman as rocks flew passed him in the air and whips of flame extending from his attack flew out from the ball as it dug into the ground.

"Yes, I've done it, I've killed him, I've killed the 'Super Saiyan!'" He laughed on still full of madness in his howling voice.

"Now die along with him! Let this planet and everything on it be annihilated!" He screamed as his happiness became mingled with the rage still inside him. All the while Cold sighed at the display and lifted himself, still with arms crossed over his chest, into the air. With his mind he commanded their ship to follow him up into the air, using the telekinesis his family in particular were proficient in.

The ball was digging into the Earth, but came to a sudden halt as it was halfway into the ground. Frieza watched on still laughing, but it became weaker, and weaker as his eyes watched on until it stopped altogether and his grin turned into an open mouthed look of horror.

"No, no it can't be!" He howled as his attack began lifting out from the soil back into the air. Cold also came to a stop in the air and looked in shock at the sight. As below the ball came hovering out from the crater, Goku, still untouched, holding the fiery ball with his one right hand. He rose higher into the air and within moments nearly reached Frieza's elevation in the sky.

"Hey guys, look!" Krillin called as he came to a stop in the air further from the rest of the group. They all also turned to see Goku raising the supernova back into the air even though at this point he was nothing but a small black silhouette in the distance.

"It's Goku!" Krillin cried in relief once more.

"Yeah, I knew he couldn't be beat!" Gohan chuckled as he wriggled free of Piccolo's stunned grasp. Without another word he bound back towards the fight and the others, some more reluctant than some still, followed suit.

Goku for his part glared at Frieza and without a word a blue colored energy wave exploded from his hand into the supernova and sent the massive ball flying up further and further away until it was beyond sight and into the depths of empty and cold space, undoubtedly where it would explode without damage done.

"You!" Frieza seethed through grit teeth. "Why wont you die?! Why can't you just die?!" Goku glared at the seething and gnashing tyrant for a moment. The alien's anger seeming to bring him near to tears of wrath as he shook uncontrollably.

"Because Frieza, I'm the answer to you, and your kind. We've been over this." That only made Frieza seethe even greater than before.

"You can't win. No matter what you do, or how you do it, or who you threaten you can't beat me Frieza! I've let you go so many times before now, and now I've come to the end. One last chance, Frieza. Get off Earth, and never bother another world! Or be destroyed here and now." Goku stated with a chilling cool tone about him. Which left the nearby Cold speechless and only now did he tremble as he began to see the depths of power this man held.

"Dad!" Gohan cried as he came near to Goku and Frieza once more. He floated freely in the air just below Goku with a wide smile on his face.

"I will destroy you, you wretch, but first let me kill your son!" Frieza suddenly howled and in a flash of motion he again raised two fingers and slashed out towards Gohan who was frozen where he floated from the suddenness of Frieza's wrath turning toward him. Goku whirled towards Gohan, a worried breath loosing from his lungs and he bolted down towards him.

"Gohan!" He pushed the boy down and away but the death wave was careening towards Goku. The Saiyan turned and grit his own teeth as he threw both hands out to catch the slicing beam of energy. All the while Frieza laughed once again as he watched on. But, Goku howled out and his aura exploded around him as he pulled his ki around into his hands. As the wave slammed against his hands it didn't cut through and tear into him. Rather it pushed him back, forcing itself fully against him trying to break through whatever defense he maintained.

"Die, monkey, die!" Frieza jubilantly howled in full loosed mania, and Goku closed his eyes and steadied himself even as he fought against the wave of deadly knew what he had to do, and it required more from him than some would think.

"Goodbye Frieza!" Goku returned causing the tyrant to pause, for then Goku's hands exploded with golden ki and the death wave seemed to shatter into smaller version of itself, and Goku forced them back through the air with the blast that had erupted from his hands. They flew back towards Frieza who was frozen in horror.

"No, not again! No!" The great Tyrant screamed, but then the first death wave piece sliced through him, and then another, and another and another until dozens of them had ripped through Frieza's body tearing him into pieces, sliced cleanly, and now floating away from the rest.

Shaking, Goku sighed, and burst up into the sky, he raised his left hand towards the remains of the tyrant and unleashed a massive golden wave of energy that engulfed what was left of Frieza and turned it to ash. The air, and the wind was left silent, but for the fading warble of the ki blast. Everyone looked shocked once again at what Goku had just done. His friends, and family, and Cold who was wide eyed with mouth agape spitting out gasps and unable to find words for what this being had just done to his son. All the while Goku looked where Frieza had been and felt a familiar uncomfortable twitch flash through him, and he realized as he did just a moment before that he took a life, but he had given him no choice.

"You, you killed my son!" Cold howled from below Goku with a seethe in his voice though it still trembled by the display of power. His ship fell to the ground as he lost concentration and slammed into the Earth with a thundering crash. Goku turned to him, his glare softening, and he lowered himself down nearer to the massive alien's eye level.

"He gave me no choice." Goku began. "I gave him more times than he probably deserved to leave and stop hurting people. Both here and on Namek, a planet that he destroyed whose people he slaughtered, and now he wanted to do the same here. I wont allow it, no more!" Goku declared though he wasn't as off putting as he had been before as he now conversed with Cold who shook with rage.

"I'll give you the same chance I gave him. I'm sorry that I had to do that," Goku began to the shock of everyone, including Cold and especially Gohan. "But he gave me no choice. I don't want to hurt anyone else, but if you wont listen like him, then I will destroy you as well." Cold shook and remained silent, his eyes narrowing to vengeful slits his brows narrowing in deeply as the Saiyan mocked him! Mocked his family, himself and his power!

"You kill my son, and order me to leave?! Me, I am King Cold, you and your race are nothing! Nothing to me, nothing to the universe, nothing but a band of malcontent monkeys!" Cold seethed as his fists were raised the further he went on and the angrier he got. Whilst Goku just remained still in the air, only his hair waved in the wind and ebb of his Super Saiyan power.

"Where Frieza failed I will succeed in killing you and destroying this entire pathetic pla-" He was silenced as Goku raised his left hand and without another thought or word let out a massive golden blast of energy that swept over and consumed King Cold who cried out for just an instant, but went quickly thereafter silent. This allowed the valley to once more fall silent, and left Goku floating with his left hand still extended forwards with a grim look molded into his features. It was hard, but there in his face lay the smallest hint of sadness. His whole body shook and his left hand trembled, but he finally let it fall to his side after another moment, and his Super Saiyan form was released as well, allowing his hair to return to its normal black spiky nature. Goku fell back down to the earth and landed upon his boots his face still turned towards where Cold had been floating.

"Goku!"

"Dad!" Goku heard and turned as Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Vegeta and Gohan all approached him.

"Goku, that was amazing! I didn't know you'd gotten that strong." Krillin declared causing Goku to smile with a hint of looming embarrassment as he tried to shake off what had just happened.

"Well I only turned Super Saiyan after you well...died Krillin." Krillin's smile waned a little but he nodded.

"Well the important thing is I'm here, you're here, everyone's here, and Frieza or his men aren't." The small man declared with great happiness and obvious relief. Meanwhile Gohan ran up to Goku from where he had stood and came to a stop before him.

"Dad, it's great to see you! After Namek we all...I thought...we tried to-"

"Hey, it's okay." Goku soothed as hints of emotion threatened to overflow from Gohan who stared up at him with awe only a child could show for their father. Goku placed a comforting hand in his sons hair atop his head and smiled even wider than before.

"Like Krillin said, I'm here, and we're all okay now!" He chuckled in his usual Goku manner. "And am I glad as ever to see all of you back and alive!" He chuckled looking at his three previously dead companions, who all shared similar happy looks, and shades of embarrassment about them.

"Yeah well it's been good to be back, Goku. Though it's nice having you back as well. Just wasn't the same without you." Tien remarked with Chiaotzu nodding along happily.

"Gotta admit, I thought we were done for...again, when we felt that Frieza guy approaching." Yamcha added. "Glad to see you're as powerful as ever though Goku." He added with a nervous chuckle and began rubbing the back of his neck just as nervously.

"Good to see you're also okay Piccolo. I mean, with how I last saw you I mean." Piccolo smirked thinly, which was for the group a rare sight in and of itself.

"Yes well you more than made up for it with Frieza I think." The two, ex-arch rivals shared a moment of silence between them before Goku laughed a little and nodded without either needing to say anything more.

"Yes, it's wonderful to see you Kakarot." Vegeta began sarcastically catching Goku for a moment by surprise.

"Huh, oh Vegeta, glad you're alive and all too! Though I'm a bit surprised you're still here on Earth." Vegeta smirked, though not mirthfully towards Goku.

"Trust me, Kakarot, I have no intention of staying on this miserable rock. Just long enough to surpass and beat you into submission." Goku remained unaffected by Vegeta's words and smirked.

"Well, I look forward to that day Vegeta. Should be a good match!" He chuckled and seemed all too unfazed by the hint of threat in Vegeta's declaration.

"Yeah he just got back after looking for you in space." Krillin boldly announced causing Vegeta a hint of frustration.

"Looking for me eh? Well I guess you never found Yardrat." Goku chuckled. Vegeta snarled but offered another cocky smirk.

"I guess not. I would assume that's the planet you got that ridiculous outfit from then?" Goku again chuckled and patted his armor set.

"Well it's the latest fashion on planet Yardrat, but I suppose it does look a little strange." Goku continued to chuckle. "But at least it's not pink." Vegeta could be seen physically fighting himself not to explode, his arms crossed over his pink shirt his eyes narrowed, a blush forming on his face he grumbled and turned his back towards the group.

"Never mind about your stupid clothes. Who cares about them anyways." He stated more than asked in a lowly seethe causing many in the group to join Goku in chuckling. All at the prideful Prince's expense.


(Present)

Gohan sat by Trunks' bed. His headcast downwards and a smile on his face as he recalled that day clearly. It had been full of anxiety and fear yeah, but the only thing he cared about was that his dad was home. Frieza and his men, his father Cold too, all were wiped out and the Earth again saved from certain disaster. They had met back up with Bulma and Puar and then Gohan and Goku got home to a more irate than usual Chi-Chi, who in the end softened and welcomed Goku back home with open arms. It was a good day, and a happy one. It brought a sigh up from Gohan as the sunlight had faded from outside the window and night descended upon the ruins of West City again.

Only now did Gohan begin to feel tired again. He'd been up all day, the pain still radiating over his body from the battle. He'd slept long enough the day after the battle, and he hadn't taken one of his senzu. He knew he didn't need one, and he needed to keep them for serious injuries if and when they came. Thinking on the senzu's Gohan winced as he remembered Korin. Finding the tower his father had scaled as a child, and that he'd visited many times laying in waste. The forests around it scorched, and he knew then the androids had found his source of senzu beans and toppled the tower. He had looked everywhere, but hadn't found his body. Though he wasn't sure he had wanted to. He knew Korin was gone, and it caused him even then to grit his teeth. He was just another face added to a very long and growing list of faces. Those of people he'd lost, who were forever lost, and it caused his anger to spike within, but he would let it fade. Gohan sighed and dipped his head again running his fingers through his shortened black hair as the weariness attempted to overtake him yet again.

Gohan knew what had happened to Yajirobe, he didn't really want to think about it. As much of a jerk and buffoon he could have been he had helped before, and he had tried again. Only for the android, the woman to send a ki blast through him. It made him sick, and angry all over again, but he let it go and calmed himself. There was no use in getting angry, nothing to be gained, not anymore. As he reminisced even more he had went looking for Kami's lookout, and he had found it. But when he landed he found nothing. Kami was gone, he had died again when Piccolo had. That memory alone caused his face to curl into a saddened frown and his chest to contract. But, Mr. Popo was also gone he didn't know why or where or when, he just was. He'd looked for him and checked many of the rooms, but found nothing, and some of those rooms were stranger than others. But he couldn't and didn't stay long. He figured Popo had done what anyone would when confronted by the android threat. He had run, and Gohan didn't blame him. Because the only other, and more saddening, even more likely conclusion, was that he was dead, just like everybody else.

"G...Gohan?" Gohan turned his head back up as Trunks stirred form his painful sleep and opened his eyes, though they did continue to wince in pain. His face overall curled into a pained expression as he pushed himself against some casts and bandages Bulma had wrapped along his torso and back as well as his right arm. It had taken a nasty beating upon his meeting the ground via the androids thrashing him down from the air.

Nonetheless, Gohan smiled and pulled himself and his chair closer to the teen boy.

"Hey Trunks. How ya' feeling?" Gohan gave with a hint of a chuckle in his voice. Trunks groaned louder and tried twisting himself up into sitting but seethed out from the pain. Gohan grasped his right shoulder and pushed him back.

"Whoa, watch yourself Trunks. Any more of that and your mom will come rushing in here to knock you back out." Gohan smirked with a light laugh. Trunks sighed and eased back into his bed and turned his head fully towards Gohan.

"Did you win, Gohan? Did you destroy the androids?" His voice was so hopeful and expectant and it killed Gohan to tell him the truth. Yet, he knew there was no hiding it and shook his head sadly though he continued to hold a thin smirking smile along his face.

"No Trunks, I didn't."

"Oh...darn it." Trunks merely said as he turned his head back up towards the ceiling. Gohan loosened his grip on Trunks' shoulder and gave it two quick pats before pulling it back towards his lap.

"It's alright Trunks, we'll get them. One day, we'll get them."

"Not fast enough. I'm not...-" Trunks huffed angrily but didn't follow up causing Gohan to frown.

"You're not what?" Trunks shrugged though he winced more as he did, but that also deepened the angered glare on his face.

"I'm not strong enough, not a Super Saiyan, not good enough. Take your pick I guess. I barely did anything else but get in your way!" Trunks seethed as he winced both from anger at himself and the pain and his emotion threatened to almost allow for tears to flow from his eyes. Gohan frowned, but he took a stern look this time.

"Now that's not right, and you know it Trunks." He reprimanded. "Your training has only just begun, of course you're not a Super Saiyan. Not yet anyways." That brought a smirk out from Gohan, but Trunks didn't really take much notice.

"Not only that, but you did more than just 'get in the way,' you probably saved my skin back there." That slowly got Trunks to look back towards Gohan who allowed his smirk to return over his scarred features.

"They had me, if you don't remember Trunks. I gotta admit I got a little too headstrong and engaged in fighting them both at once. By the time you showed up, I could barely move, and was in pretty bad shape down in that rubble pile. You were a distraction, but not for me, for them!" Gohan began chuckling which caused Trunks to groan and roll his eyes, but eventually elicited a smile.

"Well that's something I guess." Trunks begrudgingly replied with the slightest of chuckles in his voice. Gohan and Trunks shared that mirth for a few moments, subdued chuckling and laughter before they both quieted and their laughs slowly ebbed and faded into renewed silence. Gohan sighed, and he more felt his face turn serious again rather than forced it to himself.

"Don't beat yourself up too much Trunks. You're certainly not the first and probably wont be the last person to throw themselves into battle unprepared. Heck now that I'm older and think back on it, the amount of times I chased after Frieza and his men when I hadn't a chance of winning astounds me! Though I guess I turned out okay, after all I'm still here right?" Trunks nodded but he sighed along with Gohan.

"I wish this was over." The teen stated after another moment of pregnant silence. Gohan cocked his head inquisitively at the boy's words, but he understood the sentiment. His expression softened and he nodded along with Trunks.

"We all do Trunks. Me, your mother and everyone who's still alive on Earth. It will be over, and soon. Just keep thinking on your training. The androids may be able to fight off one Super Saiyan, but two? That will be the game changer Trunks."

"Yeah if I can even become a Super Saiyan." The teen's sour mood returned again, and his eyes narrowed up at the blank ceiling lined with cracks in several spots.

"Come on, you will!" Gohan assured with a stern but encouraging voice. "It takes time, and patience. Not to mention the right moment." Gohan went on. "I didn't discover how to become a Super Saiyan until some time after...well after my father and everyone else died. What drove me to ascend was loss. The pain, and anger had festered and finally it was let loose. Let me tell you, the first time you release that power is intense, and you almost feel like you'll explode. Then it becomes a fight to control it and yourself." Gohan explained and caught the teen's attention like a child hearing a favorite story of theirs.

"Dad died before the androids were even known. Then they showed up, and everyone was killed by them. But, I'm sure you know all of this by now." Trunks sadly nodded.

"It was hard. Unpleasant even. My dad turned into a Super Saiyan on Namek, after Frieza wounded Piccolo, and killed Krillin with me being the next likely target. I knew when I turned what he felt like, why he ordered me to leave while he was in that state for the first time. It's a hard thing, Trunks, but once you can control it, and use it at your will it's an invaluable boost to strength and speed." Trunks groaned.

"That's why I need to become one! Once I am one I will master it, and we can destroy those two monsters together! No more killing, and death, no more destroyed cities for fun or whatever bull they choose to kill for that day!" Trunks went on, his voice shaking with bitterness and self steered anger. Leaving Gohan to sigh and merely nod his head. There was little arguing with him at this point.

"Well, once you're all healed up we'll get back to your training. And next time, hopefully you'll listen to me when I say not to follow." Gohan smirked and chuckled causing Trunks to blush and only timidly nod his head.

"Training?!" Both jerked towards the new voice. Gohan around in his seat and Trunks to his right where the doorway lay. There stood the middle-aged Bulma Briefs wearing a simple white shirt over her lean figure along with a dull pair of blue jeans on her equally lean legs. Her now long blue hair was tied into a long ponytail flowing freely down her back and her aged and still fiery blue eyes stared intently at both Saiyan half breeds before her.

"You've gotta be kidding me?! After what they did to you in that last battle, I'm not letting you anywhere near them! Absolutely not!" Bulma decreed as she stomped into the room. Gohan raised his hands defensively and chuckled.

"Well I didn't invite him to fight the androids Bulma, Trunks kinda just got...you know carried away and jumped in." Gohan laughed timidly causing Trunks to moan in his bed and blush in embarrassment.

"Isn't that right Trunks?" Gohan asked.

"Well yeah, but-"

"No 'buts!'" Bulma interjected. "How do you think I feel having to stitch you up, and bandage your wounds after fighting two killer machines Trunks?!" Bulma asked causing Trunks to sigh and turn his head away from her.

"Sorry mom. But-" He continued on in a low voice. "I need to train, I have to become stronger with Gohan. That way we can defeat the androids, and save the world! I rushed in this time, I know that, but next time I wont I swear!" He promised like a reprimanded child, really hitting home for Gohan whose expression dipped as he remembered just how young Trunks really was. A small unheard sigh escaped from Gohan's nose and he folded his arms over his chest.

"I have to train mom, and I will. Whether with Gohan or not." He warned and caused Bulma to frown. "For everyone mom, everyone left alive, Gohan, myself and you. I have to become a Super Saiyan, I have to!" Trunks cried and jerked himself and immediately winced after and cried in pain quickly after and fell back to the cot. Bulma's expression softened immediately and she went to his side, and sat on the cot and placed her hand on his face.

"Oh Trunks, what am I going to do about you?" She mumbled lowly with a thin smile on her face, and a glimmer of relent deep within her eyes.

"I don't want him fighting those monsters anymore Gohan, not until he's...ready." Bulma said turning to Gohan who nodded in agreement.

"I promise, so long as he doesn't try anything reckless." Gohan said looking to Trunks who groaned again.

"Well he is part Saiyan, from experience I've come to expect recklessness." She chuckled even as a distant look entered her eyes, but Trunks groaned even louder than before in embarrassment.

"Promise me you wont do anything too crazy Trunks?" She pleaded in a softer motherly tone causing Trunks to squirm where he lay.

"Alright alright, I promise." Trunks relented himself and tried to keep himself from looking at his mom's face while she smiled with more ease and content coming over her.

"That'll have to do for now I guess." She patted his shoulder much as Gohan had before, but softer, more gently than him. She then pulled the sheets that had since moved further down his younger frame back up around him which caused him to blush in further embarrassment.

"Now, please get some rest son." Trunks sighed.

"I'll try." Bulma smiled and pulled herself off the cot. She silently beckoned Gohan to follow after her and he nodded.

"Best listen to your mom and get some more rest Trunks. Can't have you train while still recovering." He smiled and Trunks gave a nod and slight smile of his own before the boy turned his gaze back up towards the ceiling with a thoughtful and far away look. Gohan smiled still and then turned and followed after Bulma into one of the halls of the old Briefs compound.

"Well it's good that he's awake." Gohan began with a smile still on his face.

"It's something." Bulma agreed and crossed her arms with a worried expression.

"Look Bulma I know you're worried, but Trunks wants to be trained, and as he said you can either let him train with me or on his own. At least with me around he has...less of a chance of running off single-handedly after the androids." Gohan offered. Bulma sighed.

"Yeah I know. I trust you to do what you can and what's best Gohan. I just...I don't like seeing him like that." Her voice was low and full of fear and Gohan recognized the tone from his own mother and clasped his hand onto her shoulder.

"I know, and I didn't like it either, I still don't like it. The androids, were no less ruthless against him but he did save my life that says something. That means something." Gohan again offered hopefully causing Bulma to smile thinly.

"It does. He looks up to you, you know. If he had lost you, I don't know what would get into his head." She chuckled morosely.

"He'd probably turn into a Super Saiyan." Gohan began with a dark chuckle all his own as equally dark thoughts flashed for a moment through his mind..

"Maybe, but I don't think he'd ever really get over it. Especially if he was incapable of doing so when he lost you. So, do me a favor, and be careful yourself huh?" Bulma returned a friendly play fist into Gohan's shoulder. He smiled a big smile that reminded her so much of Goku and nodded.

"Sure thing Bulma." He promised and began walking by her.

"I best get some more rest. By tomorrow I should be back at a hundred. Though I think you should get some too. You're beginning to...uh-" Gohan began and Bulma turned towards him with a glare on her face.

"To what, Gohan?" Gohan froze and felt anxiety flood over him.

"Uh, er well you know look tired! You should get some sleep too! I mean you know, beauty sleep and all, you could use some!" Gohan laughed but his laughs became slowed and stuttered as Bulma seethed.

"What do you mean, 'could use some?!'" Gohan recoiled and turned from Bulma hurriedly.

"Nothing Bulma, man am I tired I should go get that shut eye now! Talk to ya' later!" Gohan made his way down the hall and out of sight. Leaving Bulma to glare after him, before it turned into a warmed smile.

"Like Goku in more ways then he knows." She chuckled and sighed as she stretched and made her way back down a set of old tattered stairs leading towards her basement. She still had some work to attend to.


(Planet Braise)

A fire rose up across the cityscape before them. In fact many smoke plumes rose into the air and mingled with some biting flames around them. Many dead soldiers lay around them alongside the fires and smoke. However, many of them were left groaning, doubled over in pain and unable to do much else than cough from the pain they experienced and crawl into fetal positions.

"Alright well, I think I might have overdone it a wee bit." One of them spoke, he stood tall with the shape of a man. His skin was mint green, and atop his head lay a long crop of yellow hair tinged with flecks of orange towards the tips that fell back down towards the middle of his back with two long braids of the hair at either side of his head. His eyes were hard to see as the flames roared but they were deep blue in color and watched on, eying nothing in particular as he scanned his field of vision from left to right. He wore power armor with one shoulder pad along his right shoulder, a simple white and dull green tinted vest, with a brown center and black tight fittings around the rest of his frame. Though he did sport boots and mostly white gloves of matching design to his chest piece, and had a scouter placed along his right eye like his shoulder pad.

"Nah, I think you did alright. Well, I mean there ain't many alive here but I'm sure the others didn't kill too many." His companion responded standing behind him. He stood at least seven feet tall, thus standing a foot taller than his comrade. This one sported a massive body, his skin was cobalt blue, and his eyes totally red with his head sporting a central brown crest that went towards the back of his head. His armor was black with the central piece brown like his friend's armor. His sported only one shoulder pad on his left and he wore no gloves exposing sharp black nails. His tight fittings only covered his massive legs and left his bluish skin everywhere else exposed to all. He also spoke with a slithering lisp with every word, and had a scouter adorning his right eye as well.

"Now don't get me wrong, I love me a good planet conquest, but really why are we bothering to terrorize these people?" The first one asked with the barest hint of an accent in his voice.

"Well Rench, we could always tell the Commander that you don't like our Lord's assignments." The second man chuckled causing the first, Rench, to fumble over his words.

"N...n..now that's not what I meant, Margine! You know me, I like a good tussle as much as the next guy, but we're looking for info right?" The second tall snakelike alien nodded.

"Right."

"So, why are we killing, and not beating the information out of them?" Rench asked as he eyed one of the alien soldiers crawling on all fours a few feet before collapsing from the beating he'd given him minutes prior.

"Well technically we have beaten them up. I mean, I guess we're just waiting for the Commander to give us more orders? I don't know I wasn't really paying attention. All I remember was, planet Braise, beat up the locals, and let the boss do the rest."

"Ugh, what a gold mine of help you are Margine." Rench scoffed and idly kicked another soldier in the gut laying nearer to him causing the man to groan loudly in pain but remain mostly still and unmoving.

"Will you two stop pissing and moaning?" The familiar voice of their Commander asked causing both of the squad members to turn around and see him landing behind them with their fourth member as well. Though she carried over he shoulder another seemingly unconscious man.

"Oh sorry Commander, we were just uh, you know bea-"

"I heard your whole babbling conversation Rench. Just shut up and fall in line." The Commander ordered with his usual eloquent and lordly tone of voice. Both Rench and Margine did as ordered, and stood rigid and straight beside one another which made both acutely aware of their height difference once again.

The Commander stood as a man, six feet and some inches tall. His skin light blue, and hair a brilliant shade of bold green. His hair was shorter than that of his underlings. Several seemingly expertly placed locks fell down over his brow, with the rest falling back down his head only reaching his shoulders where it seemed unnaturally straight and eyes were a dull yellow, but did flare when he was brought to anger. He wore a white set of power armor and full under tight fittings that were black in color like his two men. His armor was all white except for yellow linings along the ribs and a brown center. He bore no such shoulder pads, however, the power armor did extend two white strips over his shoulder merely hugging him like the tight fittings themselves. His boots were white save for brown linings, and he wore a brilliant dark sash down from his waist with it cut down the center at his back and leaving his forward exposed with the sash only reach around to hug the front of his legs. He as well bore a single scouter along his right eye.

Though, unlike his two men, the Commander did have an air of beauty about him. His face handsome and well chiseled with seemingly no blemishes along his body and face, accented by his locks of green hair and powerful eyes. The Commander was the one who always got all the attention as well, mostly because of his looks, so his men thought. He did hold an air of glamor about himself, and made an effort out of maintaining his handsome appearance. Thus helping garner and keep what attention he got from many welcoming fans of his and his squad's work in the universe. Most of them female in gender of course.

"We found one of the leaders of this pathetic excuse for a fighting force." The Commander pointed a none gloved thumb over his right shoulder to the man hanging over their final team members right shoulder. She tossed him off from her and patted herself off allowing the man to fall unceremoniously to the dirt with a heaving groan. His own armor was broken, ravaged from battle, and a blaster gun linked to his arm was shattered in twisted mangled metal pieces.

"Can we get this over with Orblano?" The one female squad member asked their Commander folding her arms over her chest.

In response the Commander chuckled.

"Very well, Battalion assemble!" The Commander ordered and all three members in a flash were at the sides of their teammates. The last one joined beside Margine, and stood at five feet nine inches tall, nearly evening out Rench who stood on the other side of the tall Margine who smirked, ever proud of his height over his comrades.

"Now I know you're still alive, let's see if you're still awake." The Commander commented and kicked the man once, in the stomach, though lightly for him. The man gasped and coughed when Orblano hit him and brought a smirk to the Commander's face.

"Well, alive and awake I see. That's good, we can continue where we last left off." The Commander declared and reached down to grasp the man by the collar of his neck and lift him into the air.

"Now, take a good look at your army, and this city. Well this is what can be done to one city and one army in a few hours. Give me and my Battalion a day and you'll regret ever hearing our names." The Commander threatened with cool ease. The alien was a beaked green creature at the average height of five feet and six to seven inches, wearing some poor excuse for battle armor with a visor helmet, now broken with glass jutting down and littering the inside of his helmet. He raised his right hand as a signal for peace and shook with fear.

"Okay...okay, I'll talk!"

"How easy it is now that we've made a point." The woman on the team said plainly with her eyes narrowed on the alien and a smirk on her fair features.

"Indeed, now," Orblano tossed him back to the ground where he tumbled along dirt and a broken battle torn street. "Tell us about the visitors your world had a week or so ago. They're wanted for crimes against our Lord Antarcis!" The alien leader coughed a nasty wheezing cough and sat himself back against some loose rubble before talking.

"Look they didn't say much! There was an army of them, but they had two leaders, one older guy and a younger one. Big and tough looking at that. He didn't talk much. The older one did though."

"Yes, and what did he say?" The Commander growled the question, balling his fists threateningly towards the man who waved his hands again shakily.

"W...wa...wait a minute okay!" He howled. "He just wanted some food, he bought some from us and we let his men rest on the planet for a day before they all took off with their air supply replenished and food supplies fully restocked! We didn't know they were wanted by anyone or for anything!"

"Oh?" The woman began causing the other three to look towards her smirking face.

"Then why did you refuse to answer our simple questions when we first arrived? If you have nothing to hide then you'd have freely given up such trivial information. I mean, without losing half a city or two and an army." She stated matter-of-factly causing the Commander to hum questioningly and turn back on the alien man.

"Good question Mirlitha." He said glaring at the man once more.

"So, regale me with why I had to go through all this tedious trouble with my men to get some simple answers out from you?" He slithered with his eloquent voice.

"Th...they...they said they were being chased by pirates! They said you'd come looking to kill them and everyone they worked with! Said it on their way out like it was a joke, so we prepared for anyone coming to you know...kill them or us!"

"After you didn't know they were wanted for anything by anyone?" Rench asked.

"No one important!" The man squealed with trembling voice.

"Please that's all I know, I swear! That's all any of us know! No more killing and destruction please!" The man begged. "We'll give your lord Anturken-"

"Antarcis!" The woman bellowed eliciting a snicker from Margine at her wrath causing the man to recoil and stutter even worse than before. Her dark eyes glared down on him with such ire that the man would surely soil himself if left under the gaze for much longer.

"A...alright, right yeah of course! How stupid of me, Lord Antarcis! We'll give him anything he wants, just please no more!"

"Anything?" Orblano asked with cocked inquisitive brow.

"Yes anything!" The alien howled in desperation.

"Hmm, I don't know..." The Commander trailed off eliciting smirks from both Rench and Margine.

"Please, anything, anything at all! Just don't kill me or anyone else, I'll be your slave, his slave anything!" The man grew more and more desperate, and pathetic.

"Ugh, no shame, no pride at all." Mirlitha scoffed at the sight.

"Now now, I think we ought to give the man and his people a chance to make it up to Lord Antarcis." The Commander stated.

"Yes please, anything!" The alien cried breathless this time.

"Very well, pledge yourself and your whole planet to Lord Antarcis, and the Cold family as well as to their coming Empire." The man shaking and with eyes closed readied for the worst opened them slowly at the demands and shook his head.

"Wha...what? For my whole planet?!" He asked in a dumbfounded manner.

"Is that going to be a problem? Because, we could ask them if they object." Margine pointed one of his clawed thumbs towards the many dead and beaten men laid about the viewable cityscape around them.

"Hmm, I don't know Margine, they seem a bit too preoccupied with the beatings we gave em' to much care about what one of their leaders says. Ain't that right lads?!" Rench called looking towards a pile of men stacked atop one another. He only received a muffled groan in reply.

"See what I mean?" The mint colored man asked smirking.

"Oh, why yes of course!" The man replied. "They'd understand, no they do understand! Of course, I pledge myself and my planet and all on it to the whim of Lord Antarcis, the Cold Family, and their coming Empire." The man scrambled to a kneeled position and stated everything with fake enthusiasm and praising tones. The Commander sneered and hummed as though he wasn't impressed prompting the man to bow his head to the dirty debris laden ground.

Several harsh moments passed where nothing was said, and the man was left to tremble at the Commander's feet. The Commander stomped his right boot against the dirt in an impatient manner, and the man was prompted to chance a glance up at him. The Commander stared with a thoughtful expression as his yellow eyes remained fixed on him.

"I don't know. I'm not feeling the admiration from you yet." The man dipped his head again.

"No please, I promise our service to Lord Antarcis and the Cold Family forever! Please believe me!" He said with ever trembling voice.

"Hmm, Mirlitha, what do you think?" He asked looking over his right shoulder. This prompted the woman to hover just off the ground forwards towards the man once more. She landed before him with a quiet pat of her boots to the ground again prompting the alien to chance a look up at her.

She was imposing for him. Her skin was fair and light in complexion. Her eyes were as black as her hair which fell down towards the center of her back free of any constraints. She wore old elite styled battle armor. No shoulder guards were present, but rather straps that kept the armor in place. It was a single chest piece over her chest and back of simple white color and a brown center piece. Her body was otherwise covered in black tight fittings like the rest of her squad, but were cut off at her neck and just passed her shoulders towards her upper arms which were, like the rest of her, well toned for her athletic figure. Her legs were covered fully by the tight fittings, but like her Commander she had a sash flowing down from under her armor. It fell down around her body, but in straps. One down the center of her body, one down the back and a single free flowing one also along her sides. It was also black and matched her tight fittings but were lined with a dark green along the edges. She bore no gloves but did have white wristbands instead and matching dulled white bands around her ankles that covered darkened boots. Only the scouter on her right eye stood out along with a simple necklace that hung from her neck. It was a gold band of linked pieces with one central white jewel that dipped towards her chest line. She was altogether imposing to the alien leader now groveling at her boots.

She leaned down to a knee before the man who recoiled at her nearing presence. Her face neared to his dipped head and she tilted her own to her left prompting her thick hair to fall to that side. She was silent the entire time, and the man shook even worse than before. Until suddenly she stood up and turned away from him.

"He'll follow through."

"Really?" Commander Orblano responded with brows raised.

"Oh yes, otherwise, he knows his people and planet are dead." She cast the alien a knowing and smirking glance over her shoulder, and he sensed it more than saw it and nodded all the same.

"Yes of course." He mumbled in total fear, and shock all the same at the woman's words. The Commander looked at the man again, and this time smirked and nodded.

"Hmm, alright then." The Commander finally relented, and the alien fell to the ground, body and mind totally emotionally spent. All the while a chuckling Orblano, Rench and Margine rose up into the air with a quiet Mirlitha following.

"Just remember what will happen if you don't follow through." Orblano raised his hand and aimed it towards an open, and seemingly desolate valley where he fired one blue ball of ki that roared outwards and slammed into the valley sending a massive fire ball lined with successive fireballs that flew higher and higher into the air up. The ground quaked for miles and the alien was left shaking upon the ground where he covered his head from the flying debris.

The team of four made their way up into the air where Rench reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device and snapped his fingers across several of the keys. Within a few seconds four spherical ships appeared over the four and each of them opened up revealing a single seat for each of them. They flew up and matched the elevation of the pods, and the Commander pulled them into a small circle in the sky.

"Well done all of you. Not only did we discover that they made a supply drop, as mundane as that is, we also got Lord Antarcis another planet. I'd call that a successful mission." Orblano praised.

"Yep, and we didn't even have to kill the entire population like last time! Eh Margine?" Rench goaded the large 'Boutron' alien.

"Hey, that time was not my fault! I gave them three chances to stop fighting back, and well they didn't take them!" He slithered out in his raspy voice.

"To be fair, you didn't bother learning their language Margine." Mirlitha cut in, her bare arms once more folded over her armored chest.

"Bah whatever!" Margine snarled with a wave of his large right arm and hand.

"Lord Antarcis was happy enough wasn't he?"

"Yes." The Commander agreed. "And he will be again with a whole new world to add to the group of them, and without its populace dead and useless to him. But, you know, details Margine." The three began laughing at Margine's expense but he growled and floated on into his pod and adjusted himself into the cushioned seat and allowed the pod door to close and seal him inside. The others followed suit and waited patiently as their own doors closed, and then as the Commander made the call to their Lord.

Orblano waited several moments before the screen sprang to life showing the Arcosian lord sitting upon a large white and horned throne aboard his own distant ship. His red irises focused in on Orblano, who even after years of serving him, found it distressing and caused him to force himself not to shift openly under the gaze.

"Orblano, has the Battalion been successful?" The Lord asked with his usual deep voice dripping with expectation. Orblano bowed his head and kept it bowed in reverence, though it was uncomfortable within his pod.

"Why of course, my Lord Antarcis. The story is the same as the last two planets they've visited. Lacking wholesale destruction and genocide and all, Lord. An old man and a young man not much description given this time, but it's safe to assume they're the same. One was Saiyan, the other may have been as well. Leading an army of men, mercenaries no doubt, for a supply landing. These people were more cooperative like the last, and I presume didn't earn annihilation like the other worlds, my Lord." Orblano finished eliciting the smallest thoughtful hums from his Lord.

"Very good. What of planet Braise?"

"Intact and still crawling with new subjects. Or soon to be converted subjects, My Lord Antarcis." Orblano announced, knowing Margine was listening in along with the others.

"Very well. Proceed as ordered and rendezvous with me at the detailed coordinates. I have tracked them to another world, and sense them to have stopped again."

"You mean.." Orblano trailed off, only for Antarcis to nod once in affirmation.

"Yes, they've stopped again. There has been no excessive ki output, so they've likely made another such stop for supplies. But, we cannot afford to make too many assumptions. Be here as ordered, and don't fail me Commander." Orblano who'd only then realized he stopped bowing his head from shock at his Lord's revelation bowed it again but with a smirk upon his light blue features.

"Of course, my Lord Antarcis. We will not disappoint." He nodded once and the call ended, and the Commander leaned into his seat.

"Everyone catch that?"

"Yep."

"Sure did."

"I did." Rench, Margine and Mirlitha responded accordingly.

"Good, so strap in, and punch in the coordinates. We have us some feral monkeys to hunt down."

"Ooh, sounds like fun! Bet I'll be the first to kill one! Who's willing to match my bet? Come on, I'll bet any of ya' a full meal all on me!" Rench offered eliciting a chuckle from Orblano who remained silent and ordered all the pods to begin moving towards their destination.

"Alright, I'll get in on that one. Though you may as well pay up now, because I will be the first to kill a Saiyan! Haven't had the chance yet, but I'm itching to try!" Margine excitedly announced.

"Alright, it's a deal, but you'll owe me when I get the first kill." Rench went on.

"Hey, what about it Mirlitha? You want in on this?"

"I think I'll pass." Came her quick, and slightly curt reply as the pods burst to life and sped with incredible speeds towards their destination.

"Ah come on! I know you're at least a bigger challenge than Margine, Mir!"

"Undoubtedly true, but I think I'll still pass." Mirlitha chuckled as Margine flew into a bout of cursing towards both herself and Rench, all the while their pods continued on, and they bounded forwards.


The Arcosian Lord, Antarcis, he sat back on his throne set upon his personal ship. It faced forwards and allowed him to look out the main bulbous window of his ship. His crimson eyes narrowed as he stared forwards and intent filled him. His hands clasped to either of his throne's armrests as he grew anxious just sitting where he was. He had only been a day or two behind this creature, this destroyer of worlds that were his and his people's to destroy or maintain at their own whims. Now he sat upon his throne watching and waiting for his special force to arrive. Not to aid him, no, he could handle anything that came his way. However, he wasn't a fool. Antarcis knew his enemy held incredible power. The reports from his men, and those worlds where they found a survivor here and there or where the power had gone but didn't destroy the same message kept coming to him, and it caused an icy frown to form over his features.

"Another Saiyan? Why must it always be these miserable little..." He cursed and didn't bother finishing his vocal thought as he scratched his hands along the armrests in further agitation.

"How could a Saiyan wield such ferocious power? Why should he be given such power? Why do they persist in tormenting me, my people?!" He seethed and angrily shot up from his seat and took several steps forward towards the massive window. He crossed his arms over his chest and carried a constant frown along his features as he looked upon this blue and green world. A familiar feeling began to grow and churn within his chest, and heart. His mind flashed with a dozen different questions and fears.

"This planet, can it...why?" He seethed as he glanced towards some computers within his ship. His frown turned into a sneer and he growled from even further frustration. Thus far, the world seemed like many others he'd seen in his travels, but this one, this one was special. It matched every description of this 'Earth' he'd heard of and seen, and the coordinates for his Lord Frieza's ship had last transmitted near where he was. It caused that familiar well hidden and deeply cast aside feeling to well up and threaten to come to the surface. That fear, that dread of ever coming across that planet, the planet that had taken his people's leadership, and its power. A planet home to Saiyans who refused to obey and do as was expected of them. Saiyans who had killed the greatest among his people. An old...friend.

"Here, why here?! Why now?!" He demanded of no one, his deep voice echoing the empty halls of his vessel.

"What draws Saiyans to this planet like insects to a corpse?! What am I going to..." He seethed and again didn't finish his thought aloud. The idea crossed his mind of course. That this Saiyan that had destroyed many worlds under control of the nearly defunct Empire of his people now sought to make friends with the same one that had killed his Lord Frieza. Such a thought...disturbed him. It also brought rise in his chest a deeply rooted hatred and anger, a slight had been made against him and his people, and their inherent right and power to rule over all others in the universe! His sneer deepened and his eyes narrowed.

"No, you wont be leaving this world save but as a corpse for me to display. And if this truly is home to more malcontent monkey's then they will also meet their fate." He promised to himself in the loneliness of his ship. Antarcis just needed wait for his squad to arrive. For their help? No, but for their usefulness and to see if in fact he need concern himself with any enemy found on this rock? Yes, his squad knew their usefulness to him, knew his resolve to restore order, his drive and need to do so. They weren't fodder, no, but admired and useful soldiers in his own personal war. To be put into action and made use of to their fullest of way, he turned his back on the blue rock and moved back towards his throne where he sat once more upon it. Antarcis slouched down into it, the agitation of chasing one monster and having found it may have led to a den of more frustrating him, and even exciting him to the most minimal degree. All he need do now was wait, and play it safe, play it tactically, play it well. Then to play his cards, and see if he dealt himself a good hand.

"Time will tell." He intoned darkly to himself and returned to total silence.


Author's Note: So, I am not a 100% happy with this chapter, but it is what it is, and I am not dissatisifed with this chapter, just think that I did not have enough to push the plot as much as I would like, and in certain spots had too much I got done with too early. However, there will be more to come. :)

Also for those wondering I did create the word Bourtron for what is essentially Burter's race in DBZ, it has relation to the Greek word for Butter so I'm just trying to play by Toriyama's rules. :)

Also all the names of the Battalion serving Antarcis as he is named are also based on certain things again within the funny naming conventions of Toriyama. Of course they've been modified some, but if anyone can discover their roots that'll make me less clever I would think. XD

Until next time folks. :)

Edited 6/29/2017