Chapter 3
(New Arrivals)
(Sanshotown)
This was the third city, the third center of life where the inhabitants of the planet were supposed to be. Masses of them flocking about, doing their daily activities and whatever other mundane activities. Yet, here Paragus walked among rotten destroyed debris and the remains of what had been a city. The third one of the day. He stopped and looked around himself. He imagined he was on a road, but one laced with craters caused by some powerful blasts, torn building debris and what looked to be vehicles of some sorts were everywhere. Jagged metal protruded out and there lay vehicles impaled on them and scattered in vast piles along with shattered glass and torn open walls.
His face held a near constant frown upon it as he growled lowly at the familiar sight. Three times, three times today he had found a city like this. On a world he had heard was full of life, sustaining millions of the inhabitants, these Earthlings. Yet, so far he found dead cities, and wasted dust lined alongside old bones. Of which he had seen many of in his search for any signs of the world he had heard rumors of. Beneath his cloak his hands tightened into fists. Anxiety racked him, and his body shook in unfulfilled anticipation. He had come for the Prince, had prepared his story, his men, his son, and himself for his ultimate vengeance, and after so many long years he was at last ready! Yet, now he stood in the wasteland of broken buildings and death, scenes he was far too used to, and he felt a cold thought shoot through his mind, and grasp towards his heart. But, Paragus couldn't even fathom the thought, though the question became far too great to ignore as the time passed on.
"Why was I not made aware of this?" Paragus intoned lowly. His words were directed behind himself without him turning to acknowledge anyone there. Behind him stood his ever stoic in facial and bodily expression son. Broly stared forwards at nothing in particular, merely following after his father across this world everywhere he went without any words escaping from his mouth the entire trip. Along with him were twenty of his mercenary soldiers. All of them garbed in the same purple armor and blueish tight fitting clothes. All of them were scared of their two masters, and all of them flinched at Paragus' demanding question and lowly tone. One of them stepped forwards, however, and fell to a knee in reverence towards Paragus.
"The probes sire," The alien man shakily began. "They...only sent back data stating there was life on the planet. The built in scouters also detected several high energy readings as you said to look for. They have been consistent for some time." Paragus narrowed his eyes and his frown deepened some before he spoke in reply.
"The life readings or the energy signatures?" The kneeling man looked up at Paragus for a minuet in silence before answering.
"The energy signatures...the...they fluctuate as you said they would sire, but the life readings have been hard to pinpoint exactly. The probes merely state if there is life on world in large similar quantities." Paragus swung around angrily and growled.
"Does his look like a living planet to you?!" He barked the question with his right arm extended out randomly motioning over the ruined cityscape at his side. His men all cowered at his wrath and the kneeling Captain dipped his head even lower towards the ground.
"Thus far I've seen nothing but destroyed cities and the ruins of civilization! Where are these living persons related to the 'life readings?!' Where is the Prince?!" Paragus demanded lashing out at his men as his arms shook in anger. His mind was clouded in a veil of hate and anger. Memories of a long dead king looking down upon him. A powerful painful feeling radiating around his stomach, the cries of an infant near to him. Paragus felt his mouth twitch as it curled into a deep and hateful sneer directed not at his men, but at distant memories that ever plagued him. That which his Saiyan blood demanded he gain vengeance upon! Now, as he saw nothing, felt nothing, here on this planet his heart raced and mind went wild. He needed to take his revenge, he had to have his revenge!
"There could be other cities sire!" The Captain quickly, and meekly replied with his head still bowed.
"Three cities destroyed, ma...maybe the Prince is responsible! Maybe he's tormenting these people. The information we have said he'd be found on this world with another Saiyan, so perhaps this is the result of their battle!" The man kept firing one thought after the other in hopes of calming Paragus. The elder Saiyan had to admit, the ideas weren't totally outside the realm of possibility. Yet, Paragus had heard of Vegeta's exploits in the universe. Toying with lesser people's weren't his style. No, that was destroying whole civilizations in a single blow, wiping entire planet's from the face of the universe. Like his father, Vegeta liked to brute force his way through a problem, real or otherwise. Did he toy with his enemies? Perhaps, but with a whole race of beings incapable of fighting him? Paragus thought not, and so he growled lowly once more and turned his attention back across the ruined landscape.
He set loose his senses, and reached out hoping to catch the faintest hint of power. Some remains or hint of power that had caused this destruction, much as he had in the previous two cities. Yet, as he did so, his mind still addled with anger and anticipation, he felt nothing. No trace of power, no hint of what had been here to decimate an entire city. He growled again, sure the city and the other could have been annihilated years ago, maybe even further back, and maybe they were destroyed in some pathetic lowly war among the races of the world itself, but Paragus was no stranger to decimated and ravaged cities or worlds.
He cast a glance over his left shoulder towards Broly, who kept staring off into the distance where nothing but a far off mountain range lay. Yes, Paragus had seen more than his fair share of destroyed worlds and civilizations. Not only by his own hands, but more by his son's. Something inside him, some instinct told him this city and the others had been destroyed not by some simplistic answer. Not by some war, but something more familiar. But, by who, or what? Paragus didn't know, and frankly he didn't much care. All he could think about was finding the Prince, finding Vegeta. And finally seeing his long awaited vengeance through, and then take this planet for himself. Even with the cities ravaged and in ruins, Paragus knew there was life here, in greater and more diverse quantities than almost any world he'd seen or heard of. The perfect place, a wondrous place for a new seat, a new throne, for a new Saiyan master. So, he clenched his fists. Because none of it meant anything if he didn't get his hands on Vegeta, and at last put to rest the hate in his heart and gnawing drive for revenge. Until then, he wouldn't be free to do as he pleased, and neither would his son. Though, Paragus paused his thoughts for a moment, and cast Broly one more wary glance. Because he knew for his safety and the success of even a fraction of what he hoped to achieve his son must never be truly free.
"Very well." Paragus began causing his men some small measure of ease to come over them. "Then tell me, how many energy signatures had the probe recorded when last checked?" Paragus asked coolly over his shoulder.
"Uh...yes it found two high power signatures, sire. And a third smaller one as well." The Captain finished eliciting another frustrated groan from Paragus who felt near ready to kill the man or one of his men to alleviate the anger rushing through him in that moment. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand and sighed deeply.
"Three signatures, that's all your probe discovered? Why wasn't-" Paragus felt as if everything he'd planned for was falling apart, small details left unchecked, and smaller plans not considered or possibilities not thought of.
"They could be from anyone, or anything. The Prince may have left this pathetic world...no, no he couldn't have!" Paragus seethed to himself.
"W...we could always search the signatures out and-"
"Silence!" Paragus barked causing the meek little creature to follow his orders immediately. Though, Paragus knew he could sense out and find these signatures of course. He'd been reaching out to find them for the past several hours, but through his rage and anxiety he couldn't find them. He'd catch what he thought to be a distant glimmer, some far off sensation of power, but it would fade away as quickly as he came. And Paragus was beginning to feel as though he knew why.
"Yes, we could search them out. Find the source of these signatures the probe found if they weren't concealing themselves. I've been searching since the first city and have felt nothing! They're hiding their energy levels and making it impossible for me to find, let alone your damn probe! Do you think it's best we search the entire planet inch by inch?! Because that's what we'll have to do if they-"
"Father." Paragus immediately fell silent, and felt his own rage crumble away as a shiver raced through his body. The sudden sound of his son's low and monotone voice shattered all other thoughts and emotions in him, save but a small tingling and prickling hint of fear. As always happened in him whenever Broly chose to show even the barest hint of free expression. Nonetheless, Paragus turned slowly towards Broly who raised his right hand, his index finger pointing in the way of the mountains he had been staring at for some time now.
"Two energy levels, one much stronger than the other, in that direction." He simply stated matter-of-factly and monotone as ever. Paragus turned where his son's finger pointed and silently sensed in that whole general direction. As the moments passed and he tried harder and harder to sense something, anything really, he lowly growled as he felt nothing.
"I sense nothing, my son. Are you sure?" Paragus asked, his tone calm and cool. Broly nodded a single dull nod.
"They are suppressing their power. For whatever reason they are doing so." Paragus felt a little uncomfortable hearing his son talk about power and suppressing it. His one still functioning eye turned up and gave the slightest of uneasy glances at the crown atop Broly's head. Paragus frowned but nodded, as he cast all distressing thoughts aside for the moment.
"Well, in that case we'll all see what these powers are. If one of them is the Prince I suppose my son would have saved your miserable lives." Paragus stated coldly over his shoulder to his men, who all retracted from him in fear but remained silent. Though Paragus did coldly chuckle at this as he took a few steps towards the region his son pointed.
"If neither of them is the Prince, however, well" Paragus chuckled some more as he could all bust smell their fear. "I guess you'll all find out what that means for you if that comes to be." He finished and his men all shakily remained silent, none of them eager to bring forth their master's wrath. Paragus shook his head at their pathetic natures, though he still had need of them, for now. He pulled his strength around him and a white aura soon erupted around him as he lifted off into the air. Broly followed after more slowly, and with a dulled whitish aura surrounding him as well. Leaving the men to fearfully, and unwillingly all follow after them in one mass group of flying soldiers. As they all followed after Broly, even as Paragus stayed ahead of his son, towards whatever power the Saiyan had felt.
Gohan stood atop a rocky ridge outside what had been Gingertown. The afternoon sun's heat beat down upon him in his silence with only a small breeze being the only other company he had in this moment. It had been a few days since his last encounter with the two monsters but even still the city had several dark smoke stacks rising up from the ashes. It amazed him, even in his silent angered glare upon the city, just how long some wounds remained on destroyed cities. How long some fires burned and how long it took for a town or city to completely go dark and silent from its destruction by the android filth.
His fists clenched together, but Gohan's anger only rose some. He controlled himself, but his anger wasn't born from seeing another city gone, with bodies littered everywhere. Though that did send a pang of hate and sadness through his chest, but the majority of the anger he felt was generated at himself. He had let it happen again! A whole city decimated, hundreds of people dead. People Gohan felt in his heart his father would've died for, and here he stood, alive. Gohan turned his head downwards and closed his eyes. His brow furrowed and a grimace came over his features as he raised his fists. A snarl appeared and his teeth became bared as he let his loss, his failure come over him again. Something rose inside of him, some instinct and it flooded him with energy and strength but he knew it was useless, it couldn't help him, it wouldn't, his anger never gave him the strength he needed!
So, instead Gohan too deep breaths, long deep breaths that with some moments calmed him. There was no use in getting angry, he opened his eyes and let himself just look at Gingertown. The last time he'd gotten angry and anything good had come from it, had been after everyone had been killed, when in a moment of pure rage the Super Saiyan inside him was released, and then he could access its power freely. Yet, every time since, his anger got him nothing, but scatterbrained. It made him irrational, it made him act out of emotion and not out of thought. Gohan took another deep breath and sighed. His right hand came up and planted itself across his face as he relented the anger and instead let the weight of the deaths fall upon him like that of an entire planet on his shoulders.
Gohan let himself fall backwards and he fell rather unceremoniously on his backside atop the ridge. His legs folded across each other before himself and he hung his arms low in his lap as his dark eyes looked on the distant city still. Gohan could see their faces flashing by in his mind. He had already gone into the city itself. He'd seen the bodies. All of them...the ones he could still discern were bodies at all, were all mutilated. Scorched and torn to shreds. Their clothes just as scorched as their bodies of course, and some of them were so maimed Gohan didn't want to think about them again. Yet, for all those whose faces he could see all Gohan could see were their eyes. Dead and still as they looked up at him, and his chest hurt with every face. Young and old, he remembered them like they were all silently begging him for help even from beyond death, and it made him clasp his head with both his hands and ruffle his own hair as he wished for the memories to leave him alone.
He rubbed his temples and willed the images to leave him alone, and after a few moments they abated, if only for a time. Leaving him alone again to simply look at Gingertown. He imagined, as he usually did after seeing another destroyed city by the androids, what it was like to live in the city. He had never seen it before that day, never visited it, and he would have been happy never having need to because that would have meant it would still be there, untouched by the androids. Gohan usually did what he was doing now, even as the images and visions in his mind caused him immense sadness and anger both inwards and outwards of himself. He usually looked at the broken and destroyed cities, and paid what homage he could to those who were now forever gone. There was no one else who would do so. The other cities barely registered anymore when the androids destroyed a city that wasn't theirs. Gohan didn't blame them, he had seen what had happened when King Furry had tried to unleash the full united world army against the androids. Thousands upon thousands of men, humans and the anthropomorphic kinds as well. He knew there were some old army remnants still out there, loyal to cities and towns rather than a king or some world leader. Every time they tried helping, tried attacking the androids, the pair would shrug them off, and destroy them as one of their little games. It made him sick, and again Gohan felt his shoulders tense in his anger, but quickly abate and leave him raw and even somewhat numbed by it all.
Yeah, Gohan knew the other cities would hear about the loss of another city, by any survivors or by the radio broadcasts that still warned of attacks, which Gohan himself had come to depend on for word of new attacks. Which again brought a tinge of anger as he hated being incapable of sensing their still didn't blame anyone in the other cities for living their lives as normally as they could. Any day they could die, any day the androids could appear and kill them all. So, why shouldn't they try to enjoy life while they could? Why couldn't they be normal, or pretend at least while they had the chance? Gohan would be the one then, he would sit and honor those who he had let down, who were dead and lost forever. Every one of their deaths adding weight upon him, to do something, to do anything to try and stop the twin chest contracted and his heart sank as Gohan let loose another great heaving sigh and brought his hands to his forehead and proceeded to circle his fingers to make the stress abate as best he could.
Gohan let his hands fall again and looked over Gingertown for a while longer in silence. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, not too long though he was sure. Before he finally stood back up and brushed the dust and dirt from his gi.
"I'm sorry." He bowed his head and his body at the waist in respect towards the city. "Please, rest in peace. You don't have to be afraid of those two any longer." Gohan intoned to himself, again giving respect to those lost. He remained bowed for some time even as his back began to get an ever so slight bit of tension and soreness from the pose, and Gohan kept his eyes shut. That was, until he sensed something.
His brow furrowed and his eyes shot open. Gohan lifted himself back up and swung left facing back east. The power he felt was not itself too great, but he had never felt it before. His heart pounded and his mind began racing with questions. It was not too far away, but it was rising steadily though not getting closer to him.
"What...is that? Who is that?!" Gohan asked aloud to no one but himself and the still air around him. Yet, there was something about it, something familiar in a way that he couldn't quite pin down. He'd never felt this energy signature before, but there was something primal in him something like an instinct that told him he knew what this was, if not who. He couldn't shake it, and stood stunned with eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, because the power it felt strong...really strong. Not greater nor equal to a Super Saiyan, but something like one of the old gang!
Without knowing why, Gohan reached behind himself and tugged out from the back of his gi a small portable radio he tried to always keep on himself. Though they usually needed replacing after a fight. He snapped it on and was met by the immediate sound of loud ear piercing static. He grimaced and began tuning the small bulbous switch to scan through the stations. He passed some faint broadcasts of normal radio stations, again people trying to remain as normal as possible, until he found what he hadn't known he was looking for.
"Again, this is an emergency broadcast from Peri City! The androids have attacked, I say again, the androids have attacked!" The broadcasting man screamed as rationally as he could, all the while Gohan could hear screaming in the background which caused his hands to tense around the radio, and his anger to spike.
"So soon after the last city?! Why?!" He demanded, and as ever, received no such reply being alone as he was. He again grit and bared his teeth as seethes were loosed from his mouth.
"Damn them!" He cursed, but then, the man spoke again.
"Unknown forces have engaged the androids, but they don't seem to be doing much. Please, if anyone can do anything help us, and if you can hear me inside Peri, get out as quickly as you can!" The man stated and caused Gohan's fury to abate as he again felt that distant power. And indeed it felt as though it was coming from Peri City's direction. It wasn't too far from Gingertown, halfway between Central City and Gingertown in fact.
"Who could...where..." He trailed off as his brow again furrowed in questioning but confused thoughts.
"Well, if they're fighting the androids, then they can't be all bad." Gohan mused though his face was hardened as he looked towards the distant city. He pocketed and turned off the radio and powered up. His aura burst around him and the half Saiyan exploded upwards into the sky and flew furiously back east towards Peri and whatever was going on inside of it.
(25 Minutes Ago)
"So, what do you feel like doing today?" 17 asked in a bored manner as he and his sister flew in a carefree manner through the open air. They had no real destination, rather they were simply bored. An often deadly sensation for either of them to feel.
"Something...I don't know fun?" 18 replied with a smirk along her face causing 17 to narrow his eyes at her.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Well," She began. "For one you always choose the same boring things. 'Sis, let's go blow up another city, let's kill some random farming town, or maybe we can run some people over in cars.'" She mocked her brothers voice causing him to wrinkle his nose at her in irritation.
"Yes, and those things are fun! What about you?!"
"What about me?" She replied causing 17 to scoff and roll his eyes.
"You only want to do crap we could've done without being as powerful as we are." 17 accused causing 18 to scoff this time.
"I do not."
"Yes you do!" He immediately replied. "'You know what sounds like fun? Let's go shopping 17, and by shopping, I mean let me go to some shoe store, and have you wait outside for half an hour while I try on every shoe there! Better still, I'll take only one pair or two, and leave the shop intact because the owner kindly let me steal his stuff! Oh, and then you can't even kill him to take the edge off from wasting a whole half hour doing nothing! Doesn't that sound like fun bro?!'" 17 mocked her in kind causing 18 to glare his way and frown.
"And what's wrong with acting at least a little normal?"
"The fact we're not for one." He retorted immediately. "We can do whatever, take whatever, and be whatever we want! You take that and decide you're gonna go shoe or clothes shopping like some regular nobody? You could take the whole shop, and I do mean the whole shop. With your pinky finger no less." 17 emphasized his meaning by holding up his own right pinky, as if she needed a reminder at what he was talking about.
"Well when we kill everyone on the planet and there's literally no one left to torment what will you do then? Go nuts probably." 18 replied causing 17 to scoff again.
"Who says we have to kill everyone?" He began again. "I think it's a good idea we let some stay alive, otherwise we'd run out of fun for good. I'm not that stupid 18." He smirked causing her to shrug.
"Could've fooled me." He mock laughed and rolled his eyes.
"Alright let's make a deal then." 17 came to a sudden stop in the air. 18 paused with as equal a suddenness and whirled back around to face her brother. He nudged his head to his left downwards and 18 looked to see another city in the near distance. She at first frowned but returned her full attention to her twin with a sigh escaping her.
"Wanna blow this one up too?"
"No...well I mean yes, but hear me out." He answered with a smirk. "Let's take our time, get creative, blow this city to bits piece by piece, and make a day of it. If blondie shows up, even better!" He said with a dark glint in his eyes. 18 could tell, and had been able to see her brother was still hung up on their last fight with 'blondie,' as they liked to call him.
"Then when that's all done and over with, tomorrow you call the shots Shopping, arcade, an amusement park, hell I'll even walk down a city street and pretend we're normal. You want it we'll do it." 18 cocked one brow to his offer and tipped her head to her right causing her blonde hair to fall along that side.
"Anything? Absolutely anything? And no blowing anything up if I say so?" 17 held his hands up in mock surrender.
"I won't raise a hand against a shop, shop keep, or passerby if you don't tell me to. I swear, cross my heart and hope to die sis." He smiled that same boyish smile of his she'd come to know. 18 thought it over, her expression scrunching as she mulled it over and glanced down at the city, a decently sized one, but smaller than one of the capitols of course. Her mind flashed with all the things she wanted to do, but her brother's little games always got in the way of. Of course she enjoyed tormenting a city like any good android would alongside her brother, but it did get boring after a while. So, she smirked his way and bowed her head in a nod.
"Alright, the one city though." She warned with an emphasizing finger causing him to again mock raise his hands. "And only the day, you get today to have your fill. Then tomorrow I'm the boss. Got it?"
"That's what I said, sis. Now what do ya' say? Can we get to it?" He seemed itching to begin some destruction. Like a boy about to get to an amusement park with his parents even. Though that one quick thought line made 18 sneer. She and 17 didn't like parents, didn't like thinking about them, didn't like the word. It alone brought a wrathful anger swelling inside her, and so she smirked as she felt that she could find it in her to enjoy the fun like her brother.
"Alright let's do this. You take the lead." He laughed and smiled wider than she'd seen him do in a while. He exploded down towards the city and 18 gave chase. He landed atop a domed spire that led up probably thirty floors and hung high over the city. 18 landed beside him with her arms crossed, but a thin smirk along her features. Both of them looked down onto the streets below, and could make out people moving about like little ants. Cars passed to and fro, and everyone went about their day happily as if nothing in the world was wrong. It made both of them sick, and all too ready to wake them up.
17 snickered and raised his right hand. A yellow orb of ki quickly appeared and hovered above his palm he lifted back off the spire in an instant with 18 following suit and he swung around, lunged his arm back and then down at the top of the spire. In a flash of light it flew down and crashed through the ceiling, plunging down one flow after the other exploding each and every one sending glass and debris careening out each as it went. Until it hit the bottom with a thunderous explosion that shook the surrounding cityscape. Screams immediately followed through the city as people inherently knew what that explosion meant. Their quiet day had turned to their darkest fear in an instant and yellow flash of light. The building began to collapse and fell to pieces into the ground toppling across nearby buildings and cascading like raining pellets of metal and concrete onto those stupid and unlucky enough to still be near. 17 gave a thunderous bout of laughter and raised both hands, both of which unleashed a volley of yellow ki blasts that rained down on distant sectors of the city from them. Their explosions creating small domes of energy that enveloped homes and people and toppled freeways.
18 merely smirked and her left hand, palm outstretched towards another smaller spire that stood in the way of two more in the distance close to one another. She created a magenta colored ki orb her own and unleashed it from her hand. It broke apart immediately into three separate orbs that streaked through the air with whirs and each slammed into the three spires separate of the other orbs. Sending another series of thunderous explosions out across the whole of what was Peri City.
Paragus came to a stop in midair and Broly followed suit. Thus the twenty soldiers did the same, but they were more sudden out of fear of their master turning on them in a whim of anger. However he didn't, rather, Paragus looked towards the east or his right, and Broly did the same, following his father's example. In the distance an explosion echoed out, and a series of flashing lights in the horizon could be faintly seen.
However, Paragus furrowed his brow as he didn't feel even the slightest trace of ki. He trained himself in hard on the region and focused himself both mentally and physically, but no matter what he couldn't feel anything! He glanced towards Broly who numbly looked at the distance.
"Are the two energy signatures you sensed in that direction, my son?" Broly shook his head slowly.
"No, father. I feel no ki coming from that region." Broly acknowledged causing Paragus to nod. Though it filled him with even more confusion. He turned back as another set of explosions echoed out and some lights again met his eyes. They rocked out and from where he hung in the air Paragus could make out that the blasts were not regular explosions, they looked like distant ki blasts based on the lights, and their power seemed abnormal to be normal explosive made by those incapable of tapping into their own internal ki. Paragus wondered for a moment what he should do. Part of him wanted to continue on after the ki his son had felt, but another part of him told him to look into this.
"Broly," Paragus turned to his son. "Do you feel any ki in that direction? Any whatsoever, and however small or large?" Broly stared for a moment and finally nodded.
"Hundreds of smaller ki signatures, father." Paragus nodded and turned back.
"So, there's a city in that direction." He stated, rather than asked. "Well then, perhaps we've been given the perfect opportunity to find out what's destroyed the cities we've come across so far. Maybe, all of you can make up for your incompetence." He cast a glare toward his men way who all bowed their heads in fear and maybe with shame, but it really didn't matter.
"Alright, we'll see what this is. If it's a problem, we kill it. And if it's the Prince, even better." Paragus darkly intoned, though he knew it probably wasn't with no ki signature, but there was an ever present part of him that had hope it was. He exploded towards the sounds and rumblings and Broly gave chase with the men in tow. They all flew forwards with great speeds and within a few moments they came to the outskirts of some city probably with a name, but none of them cared to learn it.
Paragus could see fresh smoke stacks rising into the air and craters riddled the ground much like the cities he had visited before. Only now he could see people, running like scared rodents across the ground. Little dots of life screaming and bounding back and forth without any coordination or thought. Recently overturned vehicles were smoking and destroyed, some with bodies hanging out of them, some sheared open with charred bodies exposed up towards the midday sun. It was, perhaps to some, a gruesome sight. However, Paragus was more than used to this and merely shrugged it off and scanned the distance for whatever was causing the destruction at hand.
"There." Broly stated and pointed his right index finger out again, and Paragus looked to his left to see a distant blackish dot in the distance hanging in the air much like they were. Small yellow lights flew down from the figure and they all careened down, or angled back up as if having minds of their own slamming into a multitude of buildings, both tall and short.
"Interesting." Paragus intoned as he watched for another moment. "Alright, let's have a closer look. Nobody make a move without my explicit order." Paragus ordered his shoulder towards his men and clenched his right hidden hand, allowing another unseen light to emanate from Broly's crown. The younger Saiyan made an almost pained groan but he nodded in reply to his father, as did the soldiers. So, with a smile Paragus flew forward towards the figure firing the blasts. And, as he grew nearer he could make out a male figure. Black shirt, orange cloth around his neck, blue leggings, and short black hair. He seemed to not notice Paragus, or possibly ignored him, though he doubted that.
Paragus got closer and closer to the figure until he was but a few feet away in the air. He came to a stop and remained silent and unmoving. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at this being who continued to rain down destruction upon the city below. The being laughed away at every blast he hurdled down onto those below who screamed and died as they ran in all directions with complete terror taking hold of them. The being finally came to a stop, his laughs dying into chuckles that threatened with every release to return to full fledged bellowing bouts of laughter.
"That's quite a lot of enjoyment you take in destroying a city, boy." Paragus began causing the being to whirl around in shock and what looked to be irritation mixed together upon his face. His blue eyes were wide but his arms were raised in a defensive, if lazy, posture. He snarled Paragus' way, but quickly made a scoffing sound and crossed his arms over his chest. Paragus then got the hint he not only surprised the boy by being there, but by perhaps flying itself. Though it was just a feeling.
"Well, you're new." The boy began with a dulled voice with a hint of snark beneath the surface. Paragus remained unmoving and quiet as Broly rounded up behind him as the tall monolith he was, catching this boy's attention. He eyed Broly for a minute, sizing him up from top to bottom, just as Paragus' men finally came near and formed a line one next to the other that curved in like a crescent towards the three.
"So, I have a few questions before I kill you all." He began causing Paragus to cock a curious brow, but a thin smile crawled along his face at the foolish threat.
"First off, what's with the getup's? I mean some of the armor I can recognize from my memory." He said look at Paragus in particular. "Though the others, not so much. I mean you," He looked to Broly who remained unfazed. "You look rather dull, for someone from space I mean."
"What?" Paragus immediately replied, taken aback by the boy's correct declaration. That confusion also brought a bigger and more smug smirk onto his face as well.
"Yeah, beyond not being very subtle I have your armor cataloged in my memory. Last guys who showed up in that getup came with...oh what was his name, hmm..." He trailed off, but his face showed he wasn't actually looking for a name. Just toying with Paragus, that brought a renewed frown onto his aged face.
"Oh! Right it was Frieza I believe." Paragus' eyes widened, if but for a moment. He controlled himself and didn't say anything. He had made assumptions, based on the prevailing rumor in the universe where Frieza had met his end, but he like everyone else, hadn't been sure. Now that he was, he knew the Prince had to have been here when Frieza had died, that was a start at least.
"Then before that came the two Saiyans." Paragus uncrossed his arms then and inched closer to the boy who caught his movement.
"Yes, one of them was Prince Vegeta wasn't it." Paragus stated, not asked, and the boy nodded once. All the while distant explosions rocked the city still in the distance.
"Now, tell me where he is, or I'll destroy you, boy." Paragus demanded with a gravely growl in his tone causing the boy to now cock his brows curiously. Though he quickly smirked and chuckled in Paragus' face.
"Oh please, you kill me gramps? That's priceless." He mocked causing Paragus to ball his hands into angered fists. "The day you can kill me I'll tell you where the little Prince is. Until then, you best learn some respect. Well," The boy chuckled. "I guess you better learn some respect fast. Because now, I think I'm gonna kill you, and your friends." He raised his arms to his sides with his fists balled and ready to fight, with his eyes piercing and concentrated on Paragus.
"That is, unless you wanna tell me where your spaceship is?" The boy suddenly offered again causing a mild sense of surprise to show on Paragus. The older Saiyan chuckled softly and let his arms drop to his sides and shook his head.
"Please, boy. Space is no place for weaklings like you. Besides, how would you even fly it?" Paragus continued to condescend and chuckle. The boy in kind smirked and shrugged.
"Eh, worth a shot, old man." With that, the boy suddenly lunged forwards and Paragus' felt his eyes go wide. The speed had been unexpected and in a second he felt pain radiate across his left cheek, and Paragus was set careening down through the sky into the ground below where he created an impact crater in the road. With a seethe and his body radiating in pain all across himself, Paragus picked himself up and nursed the left side of his face from where the boy had hit him. He growled at the sensation and turned his head back upwards to look at the smug little brat who indeed smirked down upon him.
"Why you little brat!" Paragus called and pulled his hand back from his face to find a small trail of blood. That gave him cause to curse lowly even further. Paragus threw his cloak away from his left and burst back up into the air towards the kid who smiled even greater and raised his fists at the ready again. Paragus howled and threw his right arm back and thrust it out to collide, but the boy swung to his own left and the arm extended into open space. Allowing him to thrust his left arm up and connect a hard elbow into Paragus' right shoulder. The impact elicited another howl of pain from the Saiyan and his arm went numb and radiated pain down the length of it.
"Now this is pathetic." The boy intoned. "You're less of a fight than I was hoping for. Are all you space guys this bad?" He chuckled while Paragus now nursed his right arm with his left and glared at the boy.
"What about you guys?!" The boy called to the soldiers who remained unmoving in the air. They did, however, seem unwilling to approach the boy who beat their sire into the ground. Though, of course, Paragus was never truly the one they feared the most. So, Paragus clenched his right hand tightly even as it shot pain back up towards his shoulder.
"You little piece of filth! You think you can get away with that?!" Paragus seethed on, and only elicited an eye roll from the boy who nodded.
"Well yeah, I mean what are you gonna do about it? From what I can see you can't even raise a finger against me. Though we did just start." He smirked as another explosion rocked the city in the distance bringing out further screams of terror.
"If you want to prove me wrong about you, then please, hit me. Or, at least try to." The boy offered and immediately loosed a hard right kick at Paragus that met his gut and doubled the man over in pain. Even with his arm still in pain he clasped his stomach and coughed from the shock. Paragus forced himself to look back up to see the boy but then another hard right hook met his face and sent Paragus spinning down through the air, but he caught himself.
"Broly!" Paragus called and the boy seemed to come to life out from his numbed stupor. The tall Saiyan turned to his father, and the boy looked between Paragus and Broly still with a smug confident smirk lining his face.
"Beat this little brat! As you are!" Paragus commanded, and stipulated much to the confusion of the boy who tilted his head questioningly, but he didn't seem concerned.
"Too weak to face me yourself old man? That's fine, I guess I'll just have to beat the life out of-" He didn't finish, Broly's crown illuminated his fists clasped and his eyes hardened. The Saiyan burst forwards and in an instant his left fist slammed into the boy's right cheek. His face was the very definition of shocked and he went flying down towards a torn spire. His body slammed into it sending debris flying out, before the remains of the building caved in around his now unseen form.
Broly lifted his right hand, and a circle of pure energy seemed to be called into it. A green light formed and a ki orb appeared. The Saiyan loosed it down into the spire remains where it flashed loudly whirring across the sky before it slammed into the debris sending a huge green domed sphere of destruction circling up. Paragus moved back up near to and behind Broly, still ahead of his men and smirked even as his body was racked with pain.
However, without being able to sense any ki but his own son's Paragus was shocked as the being flew out from the cratered mess still alight with a dimmed glow of ki destruction and flew up to face Broly. His face held a smirk, and his clothes were only rustled or slightly torn along his collars and the bandanna cloth around his neck.
"Now that's more I like it!" He laughed raising his fists again. "I've been dying for some variety and challenge in my enemies!" He stated to the further mild confusion of Paragus.
"17?!" A voice called catching all but Broly's attention. The other Saiyan remained glaring upon the boy and unmoved even as he, Paragus and the men turned to see a woman approach.
Paragus was thrown off by her similarities to the boy. Her only differing features being her blonde hair and her clothing. Well that and her feminine features, but Paragus immediately knew they had to be related.
"Ah, 18 glad you could make it!" The boy greeted, calling her by a number rather than name. "Look, I've found some new toys to play with!"
"And, where did they come from?" She asked ignoring them all.
"Don't know, space by the looks of it. I mean look at his armor," He pointed to Paragus who glared. "Remember the last guy we fought wearing that getup? Oh, but don't say who, that's part of the game." He warned her eliciting a raised brow from her, but she looked between Paragus and his soldiers, before finally looking to and pausing on Broly.
"Hmm, I suppose they must be with those ugly outfits." She smirked and her eyes carried the same interested glow that the boy's had.
"So, I suppose you'll want to kill them 17?" She addressed him as a number in kind.
"Kill? Hmm, maybe, but I thought we could have some fun with them before we do so. Like with blondie. Though," He turned to Broly. "This one packs the most punch so far between these two." He pointed between the Saiyans.
"Oh really? That's good. I'd like a challenge. Though, it is still your day, so you make the call." She stated zeroing in on Broly who finally cast her a glance. His dark eyes still hard and ready to lunge at any moment. She smirked his way and almost playfully matched his glare with one of her own.
"You two haven't an idea what you're getting into." Paragus warned with a renewed air of superiority about him. He crossed his arms and smugly cocked his head away from the two as if disinterested.
"It would be best for yourselves if you just told me where Prince Vegeta is. Otherwise regret would be putting it mildly as to what you'll be feeling." He offered with his own smugness this time. However, the boy, who Paragus now knew was called '17' merely smirked.
"Please, you can't do anything old man. It's rather pathetic really. You gotta get your lackeys to do the work for you. Which is fine and all, so long as I get my fun in before I kill them is all. So, why don't you shut up, and let the real fighters have their fill huh?" Paragus cast this '17' a final glare, but it turned into a smirk and he lifted his hands up and shrugged.
"Sure, fine by me, boy. If you and your friend here wish to feel devastation beyond your wildest dreams, then be my guest. Broly, beat them both within an inch of their lives. We may need what information they have." He commanded his son while clenching his right hand again causing a small unseen purple glow to emanate from his crown again.
"However, do not let those energy signatures you felt earlier sense your strength, my son. Fight as you are, that's a command." Paragus commanded as lowly as he could, though both of their opponents still heard him and shared a questioning glance. Broly seemed to come under a sudden strain in the air, but again he calmed and released whatever tension he had come under before nodding his understanding.
"What does he-" 18 began but with a sudden gruff howl from the younger Saiyan he exploded forward throwing his right hand out. She swung back but Broly clasped his hand into her hair eliciting a yelp form her, before he swung her whole body back and tossed her down into the city below where she slammed into a beaten street and carved a path up it.
"18!" 17 called but then he turned just as Broly charged him. The Saiyan connected another hard right hook against the boy's face. 17 recoiled but remained in the air and grimaced from the pain. He threw a right hook himself and immediately a left against Broly's head. Each impacted and pushed the Saiyan in the direction of the punches. 17 then threw a kick up that slammed into Broly's stomach and caused him to double over with a huff, but not like his father. He merely seemed impacted and not really hurt by the blow. However, 17 took the time he had and connected his hand together before himself creating a ki orb and unleashing a volley of dozens of blasts each of which slammed into Broly creating a plume of smoke around his form and obscuring him from sight.
17 stopped with a smirk, but in a flash one massive arm extended from the smoke and grasped him by his shirt. He tried to pull away but the Saiyan moved out from the smoke and threw him down into the ground as he had his sister causing another massive impact crater. 18 had already burst back up into the sky and angled her right leg up and slammed it at full force into Broly's gut again. This time eliciting a pained groan from him and sending him staggering through the air away from her. 18 swung her body left and brought her other foot up and slammed it against Broly's right cheek and had him recoiling again from the shock and force of her attack.
She chuckled and flew up extending both hands back and creating two ki orbs above either of them. She flung both arms and hands down firing one blast after the other, and she continued thrusting her arms back and forwards sending a massive flurry against Broly whose body was pushed and beaten by the heavy and powerful ki blasts. He grit his teeth and his crown illuminated again, subtly controlling his rising anger. He shot upwards dodging several more of her blasts that slammed into the city below, but as he did 17 shot up and connected his right fist into the underside of Broly's chin throwing his body up and smashing his teeth together. He groaned out, but recovered quickly and flung his right arm back with a green ki ball forming immediately. He thrust it out against 17 who dodged the whirring energy ball that slammed into the city destroying a building as it did. Then Broly howled and charged at 17 taking both hands he grasped either side of the boy's head much to 17's shock and in a quick motion he brought his right knee up and connected his head with it sending 17 reeling back grasping his head. His face contorted into pain and eyes went wide again from shock, likely from the impact but he recovered and charged Broly who raised both hands ready to block.
Then 18 shot over delivering a punch to the Saiyan's right while 17 swung over and above slamming a dual fist overhead punch sending Broly flying down and slamming into a domed home below. He opened his eyes with a groan, his body sprawled out along a cracked in half sofa with debris all around him. Broly looked up with a glare and bared teeth as his crown grew bright again. The sun beat down and shrouded his opponents as dark blotches as both raised their hands and began firing a barrage of ki blasts down atop his head. Broly shot up to a crouch stand and a green field seemed to pull itself around him creating a powerful barrier that absorbed the blasts as the home collapsed and disappeared around him. The raining deluge of ki blasts continued for several moments until Broly shot back up through the hail with his shield not waning in the slightest. He came before 17 and a feral grin appeared on the young Saiyan's face, and 17 thought for a moment it seemed even crazed.
Broly powered a ki blast before his chest and his shield disappeared as he loosed it and slammed into 17 who went flying back from the attack. Broly immediately swung a hard right hook against a turning 18 who took the hit at full force, and slammed her right arm against Broly's extended arm forcing it aside where she raised her left hand and sent a ki blast directly into his face which caused the man to recoil and grunt from the sudden attack. 18 flew forwards and swung her left palm into his face and sent him reeling again before she carried her momentum swinging her body around and connecting another hard left twirling kick into the very back of Broly's head and neck sending him downwards, but he managed to stop his descent and hold himself in the air.
As he turned back around he heard the woman laugh and create two energy balls in either hand. She swung one arm up and left the other low before flinging the higher one down followed by the second lower. Broly flung left to avoid the first and the second careened into him where he remained in the air, all the while 18 directed the first back around and watched it slam into Broly's face as he turned from the first impact. Again he reeled in a grunt but 18 fell upon him, and brought a full force dual fist blow to his head again. Leaving the Saiyan grinding his teeth through the immense pain his head now radiated into his body. He flew downwards slamming into three separate buildings. The first a spire and then down into a home where he bounced back up from the impact into another home with a crash and mound of smoking debris following in his wake.
Broly groaned where he lay. It was a throaty groan that sounded like a wild beast more than anything else. He pushed himself up on his left hand and clasped his head with his right. Only then for his ears to be met by a shrill scream near to him. He opened his eyes and turned left to see a woman huddling under a table in what looked to be a kitchen. She held an expression of mixed horror, fear and shock along her sunken and tired features. Though she was young in appearance, life seemed to have weighed heavily on her, and Broly only numbly registered this, until a new sound followed after her. A small huff that turned to a gasp and cough followed by a piercing wail. His eyes fully opened as he stared at her, and she looked to him like an animal trapped by a hunter. In her arms was snugly held a little figure draped in a warming cloth. It began squirming from the sounds around it and the wails grew louder with its mother being frozen in fear. Broly heard the sound for a moment, and he bared his teeth as his whole body began to shake. Something inside, something old suddenly came alive in his memory. His right hand dug into his hair from where he had been nursing his head and he slammed his eyes shut.
Suddenly he heard wailing, endless and ear piercing. Men laughing, looking down upon him, mocking him. The crying got louder, be it in his head or in reality he didn't know or care, but it wouldn't stop. Broly pushed himself off the ground into a stand and brought both hands to his head and began groaning as if in pain. The crying didn't stop, the laughing wouldn't end and it all became white noise that rung incessantly in his ears! Sweat began beading along his brow and a pain radiated in his chest that caused him to grasp at it, but found only his flesh and no wound. There were voices gnawing at his head and they wouldn't stop, and he couldn't make them stop, and all the while a piercing wail wouldn't cease! He just wanted it to stop, wanted it to end, the laughing, why were they laughing?! Didn't they know who he was, what he was what he could be?!
Broly's eyes shot open and looked crazed as he ground his teeth and loosed one animalistic grunt and groan and snarl after the other. The woman huddled in fear from the sight of the man losing his mind in her now broken and shaking home. Her baby kept crying and she did little to stop it, only shielding it from the man and the monsters she knew were outside. Broly didn't see it, but his crown jewel lit up brighter and brighter with every passing moment his control was lost further. His ki rose higher with every passing second and his hair began shaking, threatening to rise up like his ki and show the visible signs of the monster laying asleep within.
Outside Paragus saw his controller in his right hand light up as Broly was losing control. He clenched it and sent signaled commands into it for his son to calm.
"Broly! Get back out here and fight!" He called form high up in the air drawing the attention of the two fighters who waited for Broly to come back up.
"You sure he's even fight worthy down there?" 18 asked as she loomed in closer towards Paragus who sneered and held himself up in a defensive posture.
"Who knows, maybe you did more damage than you thought, sis." 17 offered with a confident and victorious smirk and smug tone of voice as he neared from even further away.
"Guess no matter how fun they are at first, they always end up breaking. Though," 17 went on. "I wish he had lasted a bit longer. Was getting bored with the usual fight myself, and you are no challenge, old man." Paragus studied both of them for a minute, as he sensed Broly's ki rising and falling rapidly and confusedly in a struggle. He narrowed his eyes on these two and wondered if they truly thought Broly was down for the count.
"You two really think he's beaten? Maybe even dead?"
"Well yeah, I don't see him coming up. Do you, sis?" 17 asked, and 18 shook her head with a wicked smirk along her face again. Paragus smiled then and mocked them with a thick chuckle his own.
"Well then, I now know more about you than before." 17 raised a curious and angered brow.
"Oh yeah? And what's that old man?"
"Well, neither of you can sense ki." 17's brow became furrowed and then the city shook below. A thundering howl was loosed and a circle of swirling green lights erupted up from the broken home as the remainder of the roof exploded out in all directions.
Broly flew up like a wild animal to escape from the howling child in the woman's arms who remained huddled, clutching her child for dear life as her home fell apart even more. Broly rampaged across the sky with dust and a green aura trailing after him and as both enemies turned to face him he pulled his right arm back and balled his fist under his chest. He came to a sudden stop before 18 who went wide eyed and he slammed his fist up into her stomach causing her whole body to cave in towards the punch with a pained expression overtaking her. Broly then grasped her shoulders in both hands and howled in rage as he swung her body up carrying himself back with the force of his strength and harshly threw her downwards into a hard and thundering crash against the city streets.
Without a seconds reprieve he swung his left arm at 17 to his right who recoiled, but Broly grasped his face. An insane smirk came along the Saiyan's features and his left hand began glowing as a ki blast form in his palm whilst still holding 17 who locked his hands onto Broly's wrist in attempt to loose himself from the grasp. However, a sudden successive set of ki blasts erupted into 17's horrified face. Each slamming at point blank into the boy one after the other and sending a pulsating shake through his whole form until Broly stopped allowing smoke to rise from between his fingers. Broly swung 17's legs up and grasped the nearest in his right hand and swung him up over his head, and as he began to fall he slammed the full weight of his right fist and arm down into 17's abdomen sending him careening down towards his sister.
Paragus backed away in the air and so did the men at Broly's feral look. The jewel upon his crown glowed quite brightly and Paragus extended his right hand outwards.
"Broly, control yourself now! That's an order!" He called and the boy began straining against the effects of the crown and his left hand came up to clasp his face as he fought himself internally.
But, the city shook again as both enemies shot back int the air with renewed determined and angered looks upon their faces. Broly saw them and growled and raised his right hand extended towards them, where a flurry of green ki blasts loosed themselves from his hand flooding the air like dozens of raining bullets of death. They swarmed around the two missing them by the vast majority and slammed into the city below tearing buildings and streets apart and sending plumes of smoke and debris flying in all directions. Both 17 and 18 twirled through the air to avoid the ki blasts, with one stray one hitting 17 in the shoulder sending him lurching back but 18 dodged them all.
She flew under Broly's arm and came up in front of him, her face a few inches from his shocked one. He stopped firing and recoiled slightly as she cast him a taunting look. She swung her right leg back and connected it up into his gut again. Then, as Broly felt pain radiate from the same spot again, she swung another dual fist strike into the exposed right temple of the Saiyan which sent him staggering in that direction. Just as 17 flew up and slammed a hard connecting uppercut into his left exposed temple.
Both of them then came over Broly, and fell down upon him. Both sending a downward straight kick into his exposed ribs that hurdled him towards the ground where he slammed into a crater riddled park. Without stopping they gave chase together, and Broly stood shakily back up from the pain coursing through his body.
17 reached him first and punched down towards his face, but Broly lifted his left hand and caught it in time throwing 17 back left against the dirt. 18 landed before him and began throwing a series of punches straight at Broly that he proceeded to catch and step back from as she pursued him. Finally she came to a stop slammed her feet into the ground and suddenly swung the right foot up at his side an angled just behind his left leg that caught him and weakened his stance. 18 grinned and launched back into a flurry of punches. Left and right over and over beating into his face and chest pushing him back until Broly raised his left forearm and caught her next punch and threw her off from himself.
However, 17 came in from his side connecting a kick into his face sending him crashing against the dirt and through a tree that was sheared in half as the Saiyan went. Both 17 and 18 fired another dual set of volleys that slammed into Broly just as he was picking himself back up. He brought his arms in an X over his face and blocked the blasts as best he could as they consumed him entirely. All the while both 18 and 17 laughed as they riddled Broly with ki blasts, and the Saiyan again felt his mind rattled and body shake in anger. Suddenly their laughs turned old and familiar, men laughing at him. Something locked away, something old, mocking his power mocking what and who he was. The Saiyan began to groan loudly until at last he again exploded. He screamed and a green aura erupted around him exploding out in a sphere that caught both 17 and 18 by surprise and threw them away from the Saiyan warrior.
Both planted themselves into the ground and created mounds of dirt behind them as they skid along the ground from Broly's release of energy. As the dust and aura cleared Broly was left standing there glaring both of them down with a hateful glare upon his features. He lowered both arms and extended his palms out, and suddenly the ground began shaking as he pulled out even more ki from within himself.
"I gotta say I do like this one 17." 18 stated with a smirk along her face catching her brother's attention. He glanced her way and chuckled.
"Yeah he's pretty fun. At least something different from blondie. But, he does pack a meaner punch." 17 stated rubbing his face along where it had been hit several times now. 18 chuckled in reply.
"Then let's return the favor." 17 nodded and both bounded forwards again one after the other. They took the same pose as they charged Broly who stood there gathering his energy. And they readied to strike, but then Broly slammed his right foot down and exploded forwards with a green aura fully encompassing him. He sped forwards like a runaway train and came face to face with 18 who he shocked and looked down at her as he punched downwards slamming her against the dirt. Immediately he let his same punching right hand plant itself against the grass and used it to thrust his legs back upwards connecting with 17 who had been almost right behind his sister and he was sent flying up into the air. Broly picked himself off the ground just for 18 to come back at him smiling as she did.
She threw a left hook and connected with his face, then punched up into his chest with her right fist and swung up and left kicking him back away just as 17 came back in. He crashed his right boot down into Broly's back planting him into the ground. The twins picked themselves back up into the air. Their hair was wild and frazzled from the fight and their clothes were torn and dirty along several spots. In fact 18's jacket was shredded along her back but she barely noticed in her enjoyment of the fight, while 17's bandanna had been torn from his body at some point and he also hadn't noticed.
"I say we finish this now." 17 stated in his more monotone voice.
"Oh yeah? Why now?" 18 asked and 17 shrugged.
"Well he's already helped ruin a good portion of my city, and frankly despite the fun he's getting to be a bit of a bother. Plus I say you owe me a whole other city now." 18 scoffed.
"Really? Because I seem to recall you saying we beat them and maybe not kill them. If you were going to change the rules I'd have never agreed to this little deal." She offered even as both charged ki blasts ready to fire down at Broly who was struggling through pain to pick himself up.
"Not changing any rules. If he lives then we'll fight him again. Let's blast him and the city to bits, kill his friends and then find another city for some fun. You still have your day tomorrow, I swear." 18 shrugged and let loose an exasperated sigh.
"A shame though. If we kill him I mean. He was certainly a nice new toy while he lasted." 17 cast her a sideways glance.
"Hmm first new guy that comes along in a while that packs a punch and already interested huh sis?" 18 cast him a glare.
"Shut up, you know what I meant. Let's just do this." She demanded in irritation.
"Fine by me." 17 laughed, and both charged their ki blasts to even greater and stronger proportions in both their hands. Until four large yellow ki orbs appeared altogether ready to rain down on Broly who had flipped over onto his back and looked up at them both with a sneer full of anger.
"Broly, get up!" Paragus commanded as he watched on and sweat began to bead upon his brow. He knew full well Broly could destroy them, but...he didn't know if he should let him unleash his full power.
"You idiots get-" he began but stopped as he sensed something that caused him to swing towards his right and there he saw another figure appear. He narrowed his eyes at the figure, but said nothing as it looked down on the two about to fire their blasts against Broly.
Suddenly whoever it was, their ki exploded and Paragus recoiled in the air as he recognized it. A golden light burst to life where the figure was and the power became astoundingly strong. Stronger than Broly was currently and stronger than Paragus ever had been. The figure angled his body to its side in the air and Paragus could barely hear it chant something.
"..me...ha...me.." It began and a blue swirling light of energy appeared at his side that illuminated parts of the city. Its swirling light flashed across the field of vision for the twins who turned, letting their blasts dim. When they saw the figure 17 growled lowly as he saw who it was.
"You!" But as he called out to him, the new figure howled in kind.
"Ha!" He screamed and suddenly a massive swirling blue blast of ki exploded towards the pair. 18 dodged but 17 bounded towards it.
"17!" She called after him, but he flew towards and in a flash met the blast slamming his body against it with his hands outstretched to push back against the blast.
"You'll pay for before! I'll make you pay!" 17 howled over the roar of the wave hitting him as he pushed hard back against the blast. Leaving Paragus stunned that the boy was indeed facing back against a Super Saiyan. His face was the very etching of shocked, but he shook himself from his stupor and turned towards his men.
"Go get my son, now!" He ordered and the men all acknowledged bursting down to the ground, as Paragus willed Broly to calm down with all the strength he had over him through the control along his right hand. As his men went for Broly, Paragus zeroed in on the woman whose back was to him, and he smirked.
"17 what are you doing you idiot?!" 18 called to her brother who fought back against the wave with a half smirk half grimace upon his face. 18 scoffed and turned towards the fighter from before, but she saw the other men besides the older one down there helping him up, and letting him lean on their shoulders as he now seemed totally unconscious and limp causing 18 to frown. She knew he hadn't been that badly beaten...or maybe he had?
"This is why sensing ki is important, my dear." She heard and swung just as her face connected with a hard left hook from the old man. Her body reeled and went crashing some many feet down into the city with a tremendous crash.
17 heard the crash and angled his face right just enough to see 18 fly down into another large building towards the center of the city.
"18?!" He turned back to see Paragus floating where she had been.
"You'll pay for that old man!" He growled out as his distraction allowed the newcomer to push him back further with his ki blast.
"Maybe, but not today, boy." Paragus smirked and raised his left hand whilst grasping his left forearm with his right hand to steady it. A brilliant green ki blast formed and in an instant he fired a full power ki blast at 17 who shut his eyes and grimaced as he awaited the blast to hit. It slammed into his back causing him to groan loudly in annoyance more than pain, but as the two blasts slammed against him 17 knew he couldn't hold them both. He howled angrily let go of the blue energy wave flung his arms up, and a second before he was consumed by the two blasts a bluish-green energy shield wrapped around his body and he was thrown violently down towards the city by the mixing swirl of both attacks that slammed into his fallen form for a moment longer.
Paragus smirked at what he'd done, but he sensed and saw the new figure bound towards him. He came to a stop before Paragus, and found himself looking, in fact, at a Super Saiyan. He was tall, and well built like any Saiyan would be. His hair a brilliant gold and waving with the pulse of his aura. His eyes bore down on Paragus and he looked him up and down with a hardened look.
"You're...a Saiyan aren't you?" Paragus met his hardened stare with one his own and nodded once.
"I am, and you?" He looked ready to answer but a rumble sounded out below and he swung to see the androids picking themselves off the ground.
"No time for that now. I don't have the best track record with Saiyans who come to Earth. Or anyone from space for that matter." He intoned whilst icily staring at the two down on the ground who looked angrier than ever and glared his way.
"However, if you've made enemies of the androids, I suppose that's something. Now go and take your friends with you. Head west from here until you see a ruined city. I will find you there after I deal with these two."
"Good," Paragus replied as his men hauled Broly behind him seeming unconscious though truly he was merely so pacified that he seemed limp. "because I have some questions that need answering." The Super Saiyan nodded.
"So do I. Now get out of here!" He commanded with a harsh motion of his right arm back towards the group.
"I will, but first your name." He turned to Paragus with his look still hard. He seemed unsure whether to answer him, but glanced back at the two below as they seemed ready to charge after brushing dirt and debris form themselves harshly and angrily.
"Gohan, yours?"
"Paragus." Gohan nodded.
"Good, now get out of here, and find the ruined city. I may be right after you." Paragus nodded, and without another word turned form Gohan and motioned his men to follow after him. They did so wordlessly and quickly with Paragus once more taking lead as they went west where Gohan had vaguely pointed them towards.
Even as a million questions entered his mind, and uncoordinated thoughts and ideas mingled with plans Gohan turned his focus towards the two androids. He looked down upon Peri City as it was lined in craters, spires were toppled homes were destroyed wrecks and just like Gingertown it looked like a lifeless wasteland. It caused him to grit his teeth and let his anger rise again. Gohan only contained it as he glanced right towards the center of town and saw that a substantial portion still stood. Even if the outlying sectors were ruined, he felt he could save something, anything this time. If he played it right.
He glared down as the androids bounded back up towards him at last. He brought his fists up and pulled all the energy he could to the fore and charged himself to his maximum for what he had to do. His anger spiked and as he readied to fight the two fiends a single blade of charged blue lightning swirled from his feet up across his body. A feature he had come to see rarely when he pulled as much ki as he could from himself. He always thought it odd, how his body would produce such an effect but his father never had. Save for the striking bolts that had furiously crashed on Namek when he first turned into a Super Saiyan. Either way Gohan shook the memories aside, they only drove to anger him and cloud his thoughts and placed himself in defensive posture for the two androids.
"That will cost you double." 17 declared coming up along Gohan's left flank while his sister loomed towards his right.
"That's twice now you've sent me hurdling away with one of your pathetic excuses of an energy blast. That's the second big mistake you've made in under a week. So bravo." He said in a sickeningly sweet and calm manner though Gohan could see utter hatred in his blue eyes. So, Gohan smirked playfully.
"Just wanted to save you from embarrassment. Looked to me like those two Saiyans were about to pound you both into dust. Can't let that happen before I've had the chance to kill you myself." His smirk fell to a deeply concentrated glare on both androids. 17 scoffed with a laugh within his voice.
"That's rich. Last time we fought, and well, every other time we've fought you've been left beaten and broken and only barely able to limp away."
"That or he uses dirty tricks." 18 added catching Gohan's attention.
"Yeah, either or. So, now I think it's time we teach you a lesson in manners. One you wont be walking away from, but one you'll have to think about as you slip away into death. Catch my meaning?" 17 asked darkly as his own smirk turned to a glaring frown. Gohan raised his fists higher, and gave a final smirk.
"Yeah, I think I do." He exploded forwards and 17 raised his hands defensively. Gohan lurched his right arm back ready to swing a hard hook into 17, but the android recoiled. Gohan smiled and swung his body right and around and sent the back of his right fist into 17's exposed right causing the android swing down through the air where he caught himself.
Gohan turned as 18 made a cry after him. She launched into a flurry of punches against Gohan. Each of which he did his best to block with the open palms of his hands. Right and left, right and left one after the other until she punched both hands forwards and Gohan caught each pushing him back in the air. She swung both arms out causing Gohan's to swing out with hers, and she hurdled her right foot up connecting it with his chin and sent Gohan flying upwards from her. She charged a massive magenta shaded ki blast in her hands and fired the single ball up towards him.
"Next hit is mine!" 17 howled rushing past 18 who shook her head at him. Gohan stopped in midair and caught the ki ball in both his hands as it fought back against him. He glanced over his shoulder to see 17 behind him, and he smirked. The male android laughed and raised both hands and began firing an immediate rapid fire volley of energy balls. Gohan swung towards 17 and threw 18's blast towards him. 17's eyes widened as it consumed his own blasts and headed for him.
However, with a yelp, he swung up and pushed his left hand along the ki and pushed it from himself. But then Gohan came rushing in with a hard kick up into his stomach causing 17 to gasp from pain. Gohan swung his right arm under the pained android and grabbed his neck. Taking his left fist and glaring openly at 17 he swung it down hard into his face sending him falling towards the open plains outside the city.
"Damn you!" Gohan turned as 18 came in and struck his face with her left fist and followed it with an open palmed slam of her right hand into his nose that sent Gohan reeling and grasping at his face. Blood began to run down from his nose and Gohan openly seethed in pain, but 18 came at him again and sent two heavy punches into his gut followed by a swift uppercut that had her flipping in air. When she came back forwards facing at him, Gohan extended his arm and howled a heaving cry and unleashed a massive golden ki blast that enveloped her, sending a massive smokey plume where she had hung in the air. Then Gohan felt pain in his back and was being flung through the air. He swung around and stopped again in the air to see 17 back up with fists raised.
Gohan coughed and felt his body radiate in pain. He nursed his stomach where 18 had punched him and felt himself shake. He knew he wasn't ready for this. He hadn't yet recovered from the Gingertown encounter, and they were just as ready, just as strong as ever. They didn't at all seemed phased by their fight with the newcomers! He felt blood running down from his nose and his mouth. However, he raised his fists ready to fight, he had to fight, he would fight!
The dust settled and 18 came back into view, her jacket now so torn that she simply ripped from her body revealing her undershirt. She glared hatefully at Gohan and readied herself behind her brother in a pose near exactly similar to his causing Gohan's brow to furrow.
"After you."
"Don't mind if I do." 17 replied as he charged at Gohan. Gohan sent a furious right hook out but suddenly 17 flipped over it and went over his head, allowing 18 to come in front of Gohan and miss his strike. Gohan made to turn back and face 17, however, a furious elbow connected with the back of his neck and at the exact moment another did so on his face as both androids sandwiched him between their attacks. They both punched and then kicked and then connected another punch at the upper neckline of Gohan who howled out in pain before they swung around simultaneously sending a kick together at his right and throwing away from their furious dance. They both came to a synchronized stop and flew up into the air, their backs together and 17 extended his left while 18 her right leg down as they crashed down into Gohan who watched on in immense pain. Their dual kick into his abdomen elicited a pained howl and blood came shooting from his mouth as he was thrown down dozens of feet through the air until he crashed unceremoniously against the dirt of the plains outside the city.
There Gohan writhed on the ground still coughing up small bouts of blood. He shook from the pain and looked up through painful groans and breathless gasps as the two androids loomed nearer to him overhead. He could see them readying to commit a finishing attack as they raised both hands each and both began charging yellow ki blasts. He turned west, a lingering hope, a promise to Trunks, the hope of the world. Those newcomers. These things entered his mind. He looked back up at the androids and their blasts grew larger and stronger. Gohan picked himself up and called on every ounce of strength every bit of anger, and he remembered every living thing these monsters had hurt...would hurt, and he howled through the pain allowing a surge of power to explode from his body in all directions. The two smirking androids suddenly stopped at the sight as the ground shook and rippling waves of air shot out in all directions from the golden haired fighter.
"What is he-" 17 began but with speed greater than expected Gohan burst from the ground heading north.
"He's running away?!" 18 seethed causing her brother to follow suit.
"Damn it, we should've fired a second sooner! After him, come on!" He yelled giving chase to him with his sister in tow.
Gohan felt pain everywhere, felt his vision become blurry from the pain and felt himself drifting towards the ground as he bounded north at the best speed he could manage. The two gave chase after him and Gohan chanced to look back at them, and found it within himself to smile thinly through the pain as the city got further and further away. He hardened himself and grimaced through the pain and anguish and exploded further north.
"Knock him down!" Gohan heard 17 howl to his sister, and he cursed under his breath. Suddenly a series of endless yellow ki blasts flew around him seeking to knock him down and out of the sky. They flew around him slamming into distant hills or mountains or the ground, some dissipating in the air, but those that hit exploded around Gohan. Thus he flew through a series of rising explosions that tore open the Earth again and again. Gohan kept on going but he flipped onto his back while still hurdling north and he loosed several ki blasts of his own back towards them that sent them scattering from one another to avoid his desperate move.
He flipped back over and frowned as they continued on north, and he realized that they were passing close to where Frieza's ship had landed all those years ago. He frowned even further, though a tinge of nostalgia hit him, as Gohan knew if he moved just northeast they'd hit where his dad and Vegeta had fought...so many years ago now. Yet, it was these mountainous canyons set in the barren hills that Gohan figured was the best place to do it. To keep them away from the cities, at least for now. To give him time, and give everyone time, a chance to run. A chance to live.
Gohan bounded forward again leaving a trail after him shining in his aura and power. The androids gave full chase and returned firing their ki blasts towards his retreating figure. He let them follow and swerved left to right, twirled under back right rolling as successive balls of energy careened around him. Gohan found a suitable high rising ridge that stood high above all the others. He burst up and came to a sudden stop atop it with his fists raised ready to defend himself. Both androids followed and landed on the ridge before him. Both smirking, both like beast having cornered their prey.
"Done running?"
"I think he just wanted a better place to die." 18 added causing 17 to smile.
"All he had to do was say so. I'll be glad to bury you wherever you want, golden boy." 17 intoned darkly readying to deliver the blow Gohan robbed of him earlier. Gohan, still bleeding down from his nose and his mouth coughed once before smiling a coy yet cocky smile all at once.
"Sorry, this still isn't the end for me. This is just what I like to call stalling the inevitable." Gohan chuckled causing both androids to narrow their eyes confusedly at him.
"And what exactly is inevitable?"
"Your defeat." Gohan then burst up and came directly before the sun, he threw both hands up at either side of his face with his fingers extended and smirk still widely present.
"Solar flare!" He called and before either could react a great white light burst forwards consuming the two who staggered and began cursing and groaning.
"I can't see!" 17 howled angrily as he numbly heard the sound of Gohan's aura exploding and leaving.
"Not this damn move again!" 18 hollered much in irritation and blindness like her brother. Both of them nursed their eyes as their vision was completely lost, at least for a time.
"What do you mean again?!" 17 growled as he tried and failed to open his eyes as they burned at the mere attempt.
"The three eyed one, Tien. I killed him, he used this on me in our fight. I..." She seethed through the pain. "I didn't think he knew how to use it!" She continued on, and for a few moments longer the two staggered atop some nameless unknown ridge trying and failing to see while Gohan bounded with as much speed as he could back southwest.
He couldn't help but grin as he made his escape. His face betrayed how he felt. His body was again shaking in pain, and he felt himself falling closer and closer to the Earth with every mile he flew and he'd pick himself back up and try to avoid crashing.
"Just need to get west...need to get to the city." Gohan murmured through the pain and lack of energy, and continued forwards. So much had happened, and he needed to understand just what exactly. Who these Saiyans were, and if they could be made friends, or if they would end up being but more foes. Either way, Gohan just needed to get back, he had to. Because, if nothing else, he still needed to complete Trunks' training. So, he bounded southwest, a hint of victory about his smiling face, and mind racked with questions as two androids wrathfully nursed their eyes until their vision returned.
He stood at the window once more of his ship. His crimson eyes glaring at the blue-green orb in the distance set about the darkness of space. His face was an eternal frown and Antarcis was pensive as he let himself feel what he was sensing from that world. For some time now he had felt it, a hint, a bare trace of that familiar power that had ravaged worlds under the control of his people, worlds of Frieza's legacy. It was, however, too faint, it felt weak, weaker than he knew it was, and that brought a frown when he had felt it and it brought a frown now.
What was more concerning though was what else he had felt. It elicited a scoff of frustration and impatient anticipation from his lips as he paced back and forth across the length of the viewing window. There had been another, a power similar in some ways to that which had destroyed these worlds, but stronger. At least in that moment. It had shaken him from his thoughts from the emergence of his quarry. He growled there in his loneliness and contemplated how long it would take his squadron to get here, though he knew the answer. He had checked their estimated times a thousands times over, and had received reports from his Captain, Orblano, en-route several times already. The temptation was too strong, and there were tempting offers feeding that temptation.
To alone head down onto the world and to set loose his awesome powers and destroy whatever and whoever was down there! No matter how many filthy monkey's how many disgusting rotten Saiyan... Antarcis sighed and closed his eyes. He took several calming breaths and disallowed himself from getting that angry. Especially over a dead and dying race. Sure, he mused as he stomped his three toed foot along the cold metal below. They had been a nuisance and he knew Frieza had his reasons for being rid of them. Only after his actions when they had been humbled and scattered throughout the universe until but a handful remained was his Lord's reasoning shown to be nothing but correct in thought,. They were more trouble than the universe deserved, more than any master and Lord needed, but they had their uses he supposed. In time they will have had their uses when they were all no more. He knew he would have to wait, to bide his time, to play this smart and see just what it was to be a 'Super Saiyan.' Because, the more he watched and felt what was happening on this one insignificant and unimportant rock set about the uncounted stars, Antarcis felt in his very heart that this world just had to be the one. Had to be the center where all his people's pride and mastery ended. Where Frieza had met his end, and where there loomed the so called 'Saiyan of Legend.'
He sneered of course. For all his knowledge and all his intimate understanding of Frieza from time now that seemed so long ago, Antarcis knew his Lord held a fatal flaw he would not repeat nor accept within and about himself. Frieza was arrogant, powerful beyond all in the universe of course, but arrogant and disinterested in bettering what he thought to be the pinnacle of power. Antarcis would not be, had not been, and would never be. No, he knew there were limits yet unreached, heights not yet attained, and power that was his people's to take and to be once more the greatest in all the universe and creation! If they just reached their hands out and took it for themselves. He knew this fact very well himself, and that was his greatest strength, so he felt.
Suddenly Antarcis heard his ship's communicator sound off and pull is attention away from his thoughts. He cast the world a lingering and glaring stare for a moment longer before he moved swiftly away towards the device and the accompanying screen. It rang and demanded his attention and he allowed his eyes to look upon the coordinates from which the transmission originated. As he did so a deep and throaty groaning sigh was released from him and he pressed his right index finger against a receiving button upon the console. In a second a figure appeared who covered most of the screen that Antarcis knew well. He'd known him all his life in fact, and that was a fate he feared he alone must suffer now in the universe.
"Hello father." Antarcis bowed at the hip in gentlemanly a fashion. His father smiled at him. Not a fatherly one, no Antarcis knew this smile well. It was one of smug domination, of mixed appreciation for his son's submission and attention to traditional and court like mannerisms. It was one of pride, more for himself than in Antarcis, but he had come to know this from a young age so long ago.
"Ah, if it isn't my son, the chaser of ghosts in the far flung wastes of the universe!" He greeted causing a frown to curl along Antarcis' face. "Tell me, have you found this great calamitous beast you've been searching for? Has this wild trip of yours born any fruit? Surely you have something to show for all this wasted time?" He went on with his smug smirk and superior tone never abating. "Regale me son, tell me of your exploits and your conquests. I and all our people must surely be made aware of your taming of the universal wilds!" Antarcis ceased his bow and stared coldly at his father without a word. His hands balled into fists as he stood rigid, and an insult stood ready to be released at the very tip of his tongue.
"In fact I have found the monster, father. He's on a world in the northern quadrant."
"On?" His father repeated with his smug tone turning to exasperation.
"You mean you haven't dealt with it yet?!" He went on. "Of all the sons in the universe I am truly blessed! You chase this thing for months and months and give me no rest about it, and when given freedom to do as you will and chase the thing down you let it stew and do nothing?!" He cast an accusatory finger Antarcis' way who remained silent.
"Was it not you who said this thing needed be taken care of?" Antarcis nodded.
"It was."
"Good, and was it not you who said you'd see it done?!"
"Yes father." He retorted. His father nodded having been pleased with his son's answer. Antarcis noted his father was also in his true form as he was. His family chose to remain in their natural form rather than many others who picked and chose from their repressed states. His father, Arctis, truly was imposing and unusual for his species. His bio armor was a brilliant bold blue, while his flesh was otherwise coal black similar to Antarcis own. His crests, the jewel like growths along the bio armor were of a golden, yellowish hue that spoke of his regal nature and emphasized the lash of brilliant blues and dark black. Other than that he looked totally similar to his son, a normal man of the Arcosian race.
"Excellent, then please explain why you're off watching something that you say is a 'threat,' to our dominion over the universe, instead of exterminating it?!" Antarcis' frown deepened further.
"It is a threat father. It has been a threat since the day it destroyed the first world! It was and is a threat to our domain, and to our subjects!"
"A few dead slaves and lesser scum would harm no one." His father waved him off.
"It is of concern to me!" Antarcis' harshly retorted. "If even one world of ours is destroyed by forces we cannot control then it threatens our place, and our rule in all the universe! If we allow any monster or beast or army to settle and destroy a planet that we hold sovereignty over it speaks to weakness, and not our strength! Just because you and the rest of our people sit freely upon the home planet does not mean the universe sits idle!" He boiled within and nearly seemed ready to froth with rage. His father looked bored and narrowed his own red eyes upon his son.
"Honestly you think too much on these petty things son." His father leaned back, allowing Antarcis to see he was sitting upon one of his thrones.
"If a world is destroyed in the depths of the Empire that is not of our family's concern why do you go off in search of trouble? The first world destroyed belonged to Lord Freegid, and did you see him lift a finger to stop it or revenge himself? No, but of course, my son takes up the nonexistent call to arms and war." He chuckled and shook his head as he looked upon Antarcis.
"The Empire will manage itself, those cronies and pathetic excuses for leaders Frieza left behind manage its affairs. We must stick to our bases of power, and look towards the future that best suits us! Not go gallivanting throughout the universe trying to protect what isn't ours." Antarcis now shook his head.
"The Empire?! You mean the PTO, that rabble Frieza left in charge does nothing but fight one another for control of every system and every galaxy he left our people. We sit on the homeworld and we do nothing! The Empire you speak of is being eaten alive on all sides. Petty lords, and fools for alien generals who do nothing but laud or race and send gifts to placate us set themselves up as masters of the universe in the loss of our Lord Frieza! You and the others sit by and do nothing, but I will not father. I have told you before I will-" His father nodded and sighed waving his hand for Antarcis to stop.
"Yes, yes you've certainly told me before." He straightened somewhat in his seat but quickly slouched again, as was common of his father, Antarcis observed at least.
"Even if what you say is true, and the Empire is falling apart it is of little concern to us."
"Who is 'us' exactly father?" Antarcis asked broodingly.
"Your family, and many of the others. The Cold's left us a mighty place in the universe, and yes the pathetic underlings fight and kill one another across the universe for more worlds and more power, but all the better to let them do it. In this way we'll have fewer pathetic races to tend to and manage. Surely you can find the silver lining son? You and I have more worldly concerns. The maintenance of the dynasty, my dynasty, your dynasty." He again pointed an accusatory finger.
"The dynasty will remain, father. I say again, I will not let our people be insulted in this manner." Antarcis placed his arms behind his back one arm hovering just above the other. A stance his people were trained in at young ages to appear lordly.
"The Empire? It can survive this sure, but what masters let their slaves fight one another like wild and freed beasts in the forests? What masters allow their dens and homes to be destroyed, burned by those within the slave ranks and beyond, without any recompense visited upon those who committed the injustice?" Antarcis shook his head again, a sarcastic huff of a laugh escaping him.
"You think I do this because I worry about the survival of what the Cold's gave us? No, I do this because I worry for what it means for our people. Everyone on our world knows that Frieza, his father and the rest of his family held strength far beyond anything the rest of our race can offer. By that his family reigned supreme, and we did in kind. Now? We sit back on our thrones built upon the foundations set by Frieza and these underlings, but we now lack the hunger to take more or even maintain what we have. So assured we are in our right to rule and dominance we have forgotten what it means to be the superior race!
'Tell me, what do you think the lesser races will think when they finally stop fighting and really think hard on the reality of it all? That a Saiyan killed our Lord Frieza? The most powerful being in the universe!"
"Nothing more than a rumor." Arctis waved off again.
"The most fearful maybe." Antarcis nodded. "But, those who have through war become hungry like we used to be? Those who have seen their power grow and ours stay stagnant? Those who will do nothing in the face of overwhelming devastation like this beast has caused, and see what the Arcosians do? What will they think when they see us do nothing? They will see we are weak, or worse still," Antarcis gave his own accusatory finger towards his father. "They will think we're afraid."
Arctis remained silent. His face curled into a disdainful one and his mouth twitched. Indeed several moments of unpleasant pregnant silence passed between them as his father made several times to speak, but each time failed and would huff or sigh in aggravation. His counters were left wanting this round, and that made a thin smile form on Antarcis' face.
"Always have you been an ungrateful child." His father finally hissed causing Antarcis to cock his brow curiously. Especially as his father uncomfortably shuffled in his seat again glaring at him and jutting a finger his way.
"You've always been eager to be the one! The one who does and will when others do not! You say everyone else sits back and does nothing, but you did not complain when the Cold's were alive and gave us all we desired, all we needed! I never heard you complain when you met with Frieza himself! Oh yes the grand duo you both made, friends until the end. So long as he ran everything as you say! But, now you can swoop in and save all, no? Become the new 'mightiest in the universe,' and make a mockery of us all?!" His father's snarl brought forth a sigh from Antarcis and he forced himself not to roll his eyes.
"You always choose to be greater than you are, greater than your family, our family! Why can't you stay where you're given stay and rule as you are meant to rule?! In all the worlds our family controls you found not a one that suits you, and not a time within you to ensure our dynasty continues! You just have to be the savior, the champion of the so called, 'dying Empire,' to usher forth a greater age! When all you do is chase phantoms of another being's concern." His father charged as his voice grew more into a snarl. Antarcis stood unshaken by his father's wrath. He'd seen it before, and knew that at this distance at his age it held little bite but ever still the bark.
"Maybe some of that is true, maybe." Antarcis began. "However, I will not stand down. This wild northern wasteland as you say is where my charge remains. When the Battalion arrives we will deal with it. Then, and only then will I return to the homeworld where we can discuss my future. Perhaps, if you're so worried about my actions you and your own army could arrive and help me deal with this monster I've fantasized into existence." Antarcis feigned the offer and his tone did little to betray that fact.
Arctis sat back in his seat. A frown and sneer upon his features and his glowering red eyes planted upon the figure of his distant errant son. He took a deep intake of breath and Antarcis saw him snap his jaw from side to side in anger.
"Finish this soon, Antarcis. When you do, if you do then these silly quests and games will cease. You have important duties to your people, perhaps. But, more to your family and to your line, my line than all else. The Empire could burn so long as we are secured upon this rock we call home! So hear me on this, you will see this through and be done with it!" Antarcis circled his shoulders in a shrugging stretching manner and sighed.
"When it is done, father. I will be ready." Arctis remained silent, he scanned his son for a moment. Another heavy silence having fallen over them as he did. He leaned once more into his seat and became pensive. He smirked and shook his head again towards his son.
"Ever the little thorn, my son." Antarcis bowed himself at the hip and said nothing in return as the image faded and their call came to a blessed end. Antarcis pulled himself back up and stomped away from the screen. His hands still balled into fists and his ki swelling, he needed quite a few moments to contain it as he found his jaw so tightly ground together, unknown to even him, that he felt soreness radiate throughout his face. Until finally he made his way towards his throne looking out towards the blue ball within his sights.
He brooded once more as he returned to considering his options for the world. A sneering smirk coming along his face as he contemplated the other option. A simple massive ki ball, what was it Frieza called it? Yes, he chuckled low in his irritation and wrath, he could use a Death Ball, and serve vengeance laced with irony all at once upon the rock.
However, he remained sitting, and pensive. He would wait, he desired to wait. Because if his father was right about one thing it was that he did enjoy a good conquest. This monster would be one for the history books, and he looked forward to reveling in it. That and in laying low but a few more errant Saiyan's in the universe. An all he need do was wait a time longer. Just a little while longer.
Paragus stood in but the fourth...no fifth ruined city of that very same day. His face was plastered into a frown as he stood waiting for the Saiyan to come to him. He and his men all waited, and his son. He cast a glance over shoulder to see Broly standing like a statue again, completely dead to the world. His eyes staring forwards and his men tending to the scratches and cuts along his massive built figure. Some healing liquids and bandages Paragus knew he hardly needed, but he did not stop them. They were jumpy, shaky and fearful enough as it was standing applying some medical treatment to the monster they knew Broly to be firsthand.
He numbly heard the approach of one of his men. The sound of a man flying and coming to a stop behind him with an ever so faint tap of boots against ruined stone beneath.
"Well, find anything?"
"Yes sire." The man began, as Paragus could tell he fell to a kneel behind him.
"There's another, even larger ruined city to the south of us. It lays just beyond a small mountainous valley." Paragus grumbled low and cast his head down with a shake of his head.
"Two destroyed cities to the west. I do hope he intends to visit both if he isn't sure which he sent us to." Paragus mumbled more to himself. Though he did note this city seemed more recently destroyed than anything. Smoke stacks rose in several places in the city and death hung heavily in the air. Of course what really gave it away was the fact he saw dead bodies, and charred vehicles still laying everywhere. Some with flesh still on them, burnt and rotting as they were. Though, it didn't bother him of course.
Paragus turned and motioned the man lazily that he could stop kneeling.
"That will be all."
"Yes sire." The man hastily dipped his head in reverence and stood, moving sideways out of the older Saiyan's way. Paragus moved towards Broly who barely acknowledged him. His men all bowed respectfully at his sight as he came to a stop right before his hulking son. The men applying the fluids and bandages stood aside and gave their master and his son some space.
Standing there in the ruined city, only with the stray winds bringing really any noise at all Paragus gave his son a hardened stare. Idly he cast his gaze towards his right hand and his controller. A gruff growl came from his unparted lips. He stared at it hard and long and his mind flashed back to the other city, and Broly's encounter with those two numbered beings. His ki...it had risen again at uncontrollably fast a rate at some point. Paragus had felt it, the ground had quaked the air seemed to sizzle and his son had become furious. It caused him to shake his head.
"Nothing will work no matter what state this planet is in if I can't control you son." He intoned to himself still openly looking to the placated Broly.
"We can't have you losing control no matter how minor. So, from now on you'll be on your absolute best behavior." He seemed to simply admonish his son like any father would. However, as he held up his right hand and forced his will through into the device the crown upon Broly's head lit up and the younger Saiyan finally showed movement. His face became strained and his eyes winced as he bared his teeth with a groan. Until at last he released all this unseen tension and calmed back down to the point he almost seemed ready to pass out.
"I don't know what got to you in that fight, my son, but it won't happen again. Understand me?" Broly nodded numbly.
"Good. Now I-" He stopped and turned back east as he sensed it. He took a tentative step towards it and looked up in the skies. And it wasn't long before an incoming dot of a figure could be seen racing towards them. His ki was less than before, but still strong. Very strong in fact. Either way Paragus smiled, as he felt he would have at the least answers to his questions if not the Prince. Though, he did hope this Saiyan knew where he could find the Prince.
Paragus scoffed a low breath and turned back towards Broly.
"Tell me son, was this 'Gohan,' the stronger of the two energies you felt before?" However Broly shook his head as a no, and Paragus felt his brow furrow.
"No father. This is the weaker energy, stronger now, but it is the same I felt before. It was and is the weaker. The stronger is suppressing more."
"Very interesting." Paragus offered with a smirk as he turned towards the Saiyan. "Well then, maybe our dear Prince is to be found on this rock after all." He chuckled and advanced nearer towards the man as he reached them and landed before them with a heaving sigh, and quickly fell to a knee causing Paragus to pause.
Gohan, was covered in blood, the top of his gi almost seemed drenched in it from his nose and mouth which had only begun to stop flowing so rampantly. His breaths were labored and heavy as thick beads of sweat fell from his brow. Yet it was only there in the ruins of Gingertown that he released his Super Saiyan form. Which caused him to fall onto both hands and knees.
Paragus in response took what appeared to be a concerned step forwards, but that only caught an uneasy glare from Gohan. Paragus paused and Gohan picked himself shakily up to a stand wiping the blood from under his nose and mouth with his left forearm.
"Well...glad you found the right city." He began with a forced smirk.
"Yes, my men tell me there's another near here. It's fortunate we followed your directions exactly I suppose." Gohan chuckled though it was labored and forced a horrific wheezing cough from him that caused Paragus to cringe outwardly.
"Yeah," His voice was in an instant hoarse. "Next time I'll give ya' more to work on than a point of the finger I swear." He offered with another cough just behind him which followed disgustingly as expected. Paragus cleared his throat and looked to his right where there was a large piece of rubble laying.
"Why don't you...sit and rest a moment." He offered and caught Gohan's attention. He looked to the debris and shrugged before staggering over towards it and unceremoniously sitting onto it.
"My men have some medical tools. Let me offer them to you as a show of good faith." Paragus offered with a motioning of his hand towards two of his men who jumped to attention. Gohan looked to Paragus warily, and then the two men.
"I...alright." He relented with a stiff nod of his head as his body cried out in pain all over. Paragus smiled and harshly motioned his hand to the men at Gohan who jumped and went to work. He chuckled softly as he realized he was letting two strangers, two aliens even start working on him.
One to his right kneeled and pulled some tube from his belt that contained a greenish-blue odd smelling jelly. He scooped it out and began applying it to the open wounds on Gohan, and on first contact he seethed harshly through his teeth causing the men to recoil. It had felt like someone was stabbing him, but it relented after a moment and he calmed. The man returned to work, and the pain lessened the more it was applied, and within mere seconds the pain from the wounds seemed to ebb and calm and he felt himself unwind where he sat.
The man to his left did the same at first but began applying patches, which seemed like regular sticking bandages to Gohan, to his skin where the liquid was applied. They, however, made the liquid which had been cool, feel warm. It made him even more relaxed and made more of the pain ebb. In fact so much so Gohan frowned and looked to the watching Saiyan, this Paragus.
"Which if these holds the painkillers?" Paragus chuckled.
"They do work fast don't they? It's the patches. They contain a cocktail of painkilling attributes and act as a soothing warmer while helping contain the fluid which does most of the healing work. It's safe, no need to panic." Paragus pointed over shoulder towards the other man, who Gohan assumed was also Saiyan just by looking at him.
"Just look at my son, he's also using them. So no need to worry about any tricks. I can assure you I haven't the time for them." Paragus stated, while internally feeling like laughing. Gohan observed him for a moment and nodded.
"So, I guess you want something?" Gohan began again. "Every time aliens have come here they've wanted something, or someone. We don't have much to give as you may have been able to tell." Gohan waved his arms out towards the city as the men kept tending to him. Paragus nodded.
"Well it is true we have come for something. Well, someone as you say. Nothing nefarious though." He assured holding up his hands. Gohan nodded, his face seeming more thoughtful even brooding.
"Who then?"
"I heard from those two back there, Earthlings, or humans I presume-"
"Those things, are not human!" Gohan retorted cutting Paragus off with more force and anger than he had intended causing the two men applying care to him to again recoil. He sighed and shook his head as Paragus looked down at him.
"Sorry. It's a long and probably boring story to you, but no those monsters aren't human." Paragus felt confused and raised his arms questioningly.
"Then what are they? From what I've seen of your world, and from what I know humans look fairly close to us Saiyans. Those two seemed from the planet, so I presume them to be human." Gohan scoffed.
"They may have once been." He vaguely returned. "Now, they're just killing monsters. We call them androids, but really you could call them cyborgs, machines, monsters who cares?" Gohan bitterly intoned further.
"They were taken and given that power you saw earlier. As far as we can tell a scientist abducted those two, and turned them into half machine killers. They killed him and well, they've taken to doing whatever they want. Destroying cities, and mass murder are just a bored day's fun for them. Though," He cast another hard look Paragus' way. "From what I know Saiyans aren't too different." Paragus remained silent for a moment longer before relenting a chuckle.
"That is true. There's no point in trying to deny it, I mean considering." He motioned to Gohan. In kind Gohan nodded and cast hardened looks over both Paragus, and Broly, with less hard ones over the other men.
"I hope my power was alone to show that in straight fight you wouldn't win, or your men or..." He looked to the younger one.
"My son, Broly." Paragus offered with a smile. Gohan sensed there was more in that smile, but he couldn't tell what, and didn't have the energy to try.
"Yeah well, you wouldn't be able to beat me, so leave my planet alone. You understand? Whatever you're looking for, my planet and its people are off limits." He warned again with a hardened glare, harder and more intimidating than any other so far. Paragus noted this and nodded once. Though internally he again felt like laughing.
"No, I don't want your planet. Though you I am intrigued with. I can tell you're a Saiyan. The rumors of the Super Saiyan abound in the universe, and this world took some time to find, but it is fabled as the last placed Frieza stepped foot upon. Can I presume you are Saiyan then?" Paragus feigned ignorance.
"I am a Super Saiyan, you're thinking about my father. Goku, or as your people called him, Kakarot." Paragus nodded having recalled the name from his distant and powerfully strong Saiyan memory.
"Ah yes, the son of Bardock I-"
"Kakarot?" Paragus turned sharply right with a sidestep and saw Broly looking at Gohan with an odd, and again strained look upon his face.
"Yeah," Gohan affirmed raising a curious brow. "That's what Vegeta called him anyways." Paragus immediately ignored his son, and clenched his right hand willing him to silence.
"Did you say Vegeta?!" Gohan nodded, again thrown off by their reaction to what he said.
"Perfect, he's the one I...we've been searching for, for so long." He smiled as his voice took on a similarly pleased tone.
"Tell me, where is the Prince? I and my men have much to speak with him about!" Gohan's gaze became downcast and he looked to the ground. It wasn't from sadness, but...well maybe a little. It was from death in general, and even Vegeta deserved a little respect in death from the androids.
"Sorry to tell you this, but he's dead. He's been dead for some, I guess it'll be fourteen years now." Paragus' expression took a minute to change, but over a few silent and heavy moments his smile began twisting. Lower and lowered it turned until an open mouth frown appeared and his brow furrowed and chest began rising and falling more rapidly.
"De...dead? But...but how, no why?!" Paragus demanded clenching his fists. Gohan sighed.
"The androids. The very same ones you fought back there. They killed him, and all my friends who stood even a chance at fighting them of-"
"No!" Paragus howled and clasped both hands to his head, his fingers digging roughly, even painfully through his hair. His men all recoiled and Broly returned to silence, though his brow was in what appeared to be an endless scowl.
"No, not here, not now! Not after all this time, damn it!" Paragus howled again on and on causing Gohan to frown, and even feel the slightest tinge of worry at the sheer strength in the older man's screams.
"Years, for so many damn years I've waited and search and this is what I get?! A dead world?! Why am I surprised, what more can be shoveled in my face?! Of course I'm robbed, of course, like always!" Paragus seethed stomping away from Gohan and pacing like a madman back and forth for a moment, all the while running his fingers through his spiked short hair.
Gohan lowly thanked the men beside him and motioned for them to stop as he shakily stood up.
"I take it he was who you were looking for?"
"Of course he was!" Paragus swung around and shot back. Gohan merely matched the glare he gave. Paragus sighed and smacked his left hand to his face and began rubbing furiously.
"Yes, yes he was." He said more controlled this time. Gohan nodded.
"Well, I'm sorry you lost your Prince, but he died years ago, like I said. I've been fighting the androids alone ever since. Though you may be happy to hear he also became a Super Saiyan, right before the end." Paragus scoffed with a disbelieving, or maybe disdainful laugh.
"Yeah...of course he did." He sighed angrily. His dark eyes turning towards random rubble around them and glaring deadly daggers into them as he did. Paragus turned with his back and flapping cloak to Gohan and stomped several paces away again and turned his head upwards. A heaving sigh loosed and he stayed unmoving for a moment.
"If that's all you were here for-"
"You say those two little brats killed Prince Vegeta?" Paragus cut Gohan off.
"Yes, along with everyone else who could fight them."
"What of your father?" Paragus asked with an inquisitive glance over his shoulder. Gohan felt a pang in his chest and emotion flood through him causing him to shuffle his feet.
"Not too long before they appeared he returned to Earth. He killed Frieza and his father, but then he got sick."
"Sick?" Paragus repeated turning back to Gohan.
"Yes, some sort of virus that attacked his heart. No idea really why it only effected him, and not me or Vegeta himself. Though, I am only half Saiyan." Paragus narrowed his eyes but nodded after a thoughtful moment.
"So you're-"
"Half human yes, and proud of it." Gohan retorted almost daring the Saiyan to mock or belittle his heritage. Paragus didn't though. He merely gave another understanding nod.
"I see. So," He began again looking around the destroyed city once more.
"The human and Saiyan races are compatible. That's...interesting I should say. Though, I am sure such a union did little to impress the Prince." Paragus intoned causing Gohan to tilt his head. He could swear that was an insult towards Vegeta.
"He didn't really say much about it. Other than mentioning me as 'halfbreed,' from time to time. He and my father didn't get along well. Not after my father beat him years and years ago, and let him live." Paragus turned sharply towards Gohan again and seemed ready to say something but in the end held his tongue.
"Well, I'm sure that tore away at the Prince." Paragus stated in monotone a voice while proceeding to cross his arms over his chest. Gohan and him remained in yet another heavy silence for a time longer. The men huddled together some standing some sitting mumbling to one another and Broly remained as he was, scowling towards the debris riddle ground.
"Well if Vegeta was who you were here for then I guess there's not much else. You should probably leave soon." Paragus shot another inquisitive look towards Gohan.
"So eager to send us away?"
"Yes, as I said, I and the people of this planet for the past near two decades have a best history with aliens. My uncle, another Saiyan, Vegeta and his 'friend,' Nappa I guess his name was. Then there was Frieza, and his father and men. Along with the androids I don't really need nor do I want to have to deal with anymore trouble on this planet."
"Seems to me like you need all the help you can get." Paragus countered, a renewed glint in his aged eyes that Gohan couldn't place.
"Maybe I do, but why would you offer?" Gohan asked with more accusatory a tone then he meant. Though Paragus just huffed.
"You think very lowly of your Saiyan heritage I see."
"I could find some pride in being half Saiyan, but experience says most Saiyans are too hung up on their own pride and need to fight. They don't offer to help freely and of their own volition. Not unless they gain something from it. Even if what they gain is just a good fight. And, from what I can recall your encounter with the androids, your son wasn't in the best position." Gohan argued nudging his head towards Broly.
"Yes well," Paragus trailed off, himself looking towards Broly. "That was an underestimation perhaps. Had we known they were responsible for the death of a Super Saiyan, and the Prince himself I and my son would have been better prepared. Plus," Paragus took steps nearer to Gohan.
"We do have something to gain from staying and helping you destroy those two."
"That being?"
"Revenge." Paragus stated matter-of-factly.
"You're right, we are very powerfully bound by our pride. This would be a matter of pride, and as you said yourself, we can't fight you, but we offered those 'androids,' an ample distraction. Even if not outright damage itself. That could be useful to you, to this planet. Just think, you'd have me, my son, and my men to help you in any capacity you see fit. Until we gain our revenge, for our fallen Prince upon those two." Paragus offered and paced nearer to Gohan who visibly could be seen mulling the prospect over.
"Then, we'd leave if that's what you wish. But, what those two did to our Prince, our future King...that deserves vengeance." Paragus coolly intoned.
"Yeah...I guess it does." Gohan agreed though Paragus could tell it wasn't really with what he had said. Gohan ran an obviously pained and tired hand through his short black hair for a moment and sighed.
"Look, if that's really what you want then give me some time to think it over. This is...I haven't had anyone to possibly help me in years. Well not...yeah not in years." Gohan hesitated eliciting a silent scowl from Paragus.
"If you want to help then give me some time like I said. And, don't try to find them. You could probably already tell but-"
"They can't be sensed using ki. We found that out." Paragus offered with a smirk.
"Yeah, so don't try, and don't go near any cities. At least, not yet. I just need to think is all." Gohan offered, and though Paragus frowned with narrowed eyes he nodded in the end.
"Very well. If time is what you need then you'll have it. Just don't wait too long."
"I wont." Gohan took some tentative steps away from Paragus, obviously signaling his intent to fly off again.
"Where can I find you when I've reached my decision?"
"We landed our ship to the south beyond a mountain range near to the sea." Paragus replied and pulled from his cloak a small device.
"This will lead you to our ship. It's a tracer for when or if we travel too far from our vessel. Mostly for my men though." He glanced towards them and they remained utterly silent. Gohan grabbed the small device and flipped it around in his hand for a moment before nodding and pocketing it into his gi.
"We'll be waiting." Paragus stated with finality and Gohan nodded, once more turning away to leave. But, as he took several steps he stopped, and glanced back at Paragus with a curious brow.
"What did you need Vegeta for, might I ask?" Paragus frowned unseen to Gohan as he had turned away once again.
"To make him our new King, Gohan. Now, we are truly a leaderless and dying race." Gohan remained silent, and he bowed his head in understanding even though Paragus could not see it, and without another word he erupted up into the air to where, Paragus knew not.
"Well, the King is dead." Paragus smirked turning back to his men.
"Long live the King." They all fell to their knees and knew what their master meant. Paragus smirked though it was tinged in disappointment. Because now with Vegeta out of the way, all he need do was take care of a few nuisances both on world, and beyond it. And it would be his, Earth, and much, much more.
Though, he wondered, as he looked to Broly still scowling. Just what had the 'greater power,' he had sensed been. Without Gohan offering anything he presumed a friend perhaps? Well it really didn't matter, he thought as he looked to his son and smirked a dark and calculating smirk.
A three pronged foot stepped down upon the dirty ridge overlooking the city in the far distance. It was followed by another, and both came to a stop as the being hunched down nearly taking a kneel and rested its right arm along its angled right knee. A slithering and long sighing moan escaped from it as its serpent like eyes looked on the ravaged city. Smoke rose up from it and buildings lay in ruin, but not all.
Unlike all the other ruined cities it had visited this one held some still standing, and it could sense a mess of scattered weak and pathetic ki signatures down there. Alive, hearts beating and ripe for the taking. It moaned another grunt and stood up. Its green tail whipped behind it. There were no signs of its siblings after all, so he figured he had missed them once again, and that saddened him. But he knew, knew it was only a matter of time before they joined with him, and together they would become...perfect.
Until then, it mused as it jumped from the ridge, its feet sliding down the dirt and coming to a stop on the grass below it in the plains beyond this city. Until then it would feed, and grow stronger by it. With its green feet slamming furiously upon the earth below it bounded towards Peri City to finish what its siblings had started. A great need, a hunger for more power writhing inside of it.
Authors Note: So, I must ask that you guys forgive or are free to point out any grammar issues so I can fix them at a later time. I dind't have the time or patience to do a full reread of this and wanted it back up. BUT that doesn't mean I wont go back and try at a later date on my own of course. So...I hope you guys liked it, and hope the development is good. This is after all my first ever DBZ story. :)
So yeah anyways, this is all just a silly little story by me, if you don't like it then you're free to your opinion, and if you wanna give constructive feedback then please feel free to. Otherwise please read and enjoy, and leave a review too maybe? :D
Until the next one guys!
Edited 6/30/2017
