I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 81: Dark Tourney 4: Chal's Troops
Verto couldn't find Piccolo or Frieza initially due to both their suppressed energy and the demon crowds. He actually found Yusuke and his team by accident, as it seemed that they were keeping a nervous eye on him. He held back the urge to tell them off and opted to simply lose them in the crowded corridors. That plan utterly failed when the demons suddenly showed much more respect and cleared a path for Verto at every turn. Funny how things work out. After the fifth subtle attempt to lose them, Verto literally ran into Kuwabara and gave up. Both Yusuke and the smaller masked fighter were with him, partially blocking the way. Kurama and Hiei quickly closed in from behind, springing the obvious trap.
"Fine, you got me, what do you want?" Verto asked.
Kuwabara stuck out his chest slightly before bending over, "Hey tough guy, we'll ask the questions here!"
Verto's glare intensified, "Oh really?"
Kuwabara recoiled, "Or, maybe not!"
Yusuke stifled a laugh, "Smooth Kuwabara, you just got stared down by someone half your age."
"I did not!"
"The fool notwithstanding, just who the hell are you?" Hiei demanded.
"And for that matter, why are you with Toguro?" Kurama added.
"Does it matter?" Verto countered, "My business isn't with any of you."
"Then who is it with?" Kurama asked.
"Someone else, be glad for that," Verto replied as he stepped forward.
Kuwabara dared to block his path again, "Hey shrimp, we're not done talking to you yet!"
Verto paused long enough to glare at the tall teenager, "Unless you want to be buried in that ridiculous suit, I suggest you get the hell out of my way."
"No way, you can't take the five of us!" Kuwabara claimed. Verto glanced back at the rest, and while they did look ready to jump in at a moment's notice, he sensed nervous hesitation.
"I thought you were a man of honor?" Verto asked instead.
Kuwabara was quite taken aback at this, "Well, I, uh…"
Verto pressed the verbal advantage, "And seeing as I helped Yusuke out earlier, I figure I get a free pass for now. Excuse me." The bumbling oaf let him by, unsure how to respond. Hiei however, was not so accommodating and flashed forward, back into Verto's path.
"Not so fast, you haven't answered me yet. Unlike the fool, I will make good on my threats!" Hiei declared.
Verto scowled up at Hiei, who was only a little taller than him, "Not with one arm you won't. As I said already, I don't have any business with you and I think we all agree to keep it that way."
"Then why'd you help me deal with that ugly bastard from before?" Yusuke asked.
"Because I was asked to for a return favor, nothing more. I assume you saw what I just did to their whole team. If you have a problem with that, file a complaint," Verto suggested. He stepped past Hiei, who phased out again and this time pressed his metal blade into Verto's gi.
"I won't ask again!" Hiei shouted. Verto mimicked Hiei's movement, confusing the group momentarily until they spotted him walking away behind Hiei.
Kurama held an angry Hiei back, "Stop, we can question him later. Right now we need to be focusing on the next fight." Verto's reddened eyes shifted a bit at this, as he had been rather close to the point of explosion.
Damn it, I almost let him get to me, I need a punching bag or something. Ahead, he finally spotted Piccolo, but no Frieza. Piccolo had his usual stern expression as he and Verto locked eyes.
"You nearly lost control again, and this time you weren't even in a fight. Need I remind you that they need to live through this?" Piccolo stated.
Verto nodded grimly, "Yeah I know. It would be easier if we could have just teamed up with them instead."
"Easier perhaps, but not necessarily wiser. Did you learn anything about the Saiyans?" Piccolo asked.
Verto grimaced, "Shouldn't I be asking you that? I was watching Yusuke, who almost got killed by one of these weak demons."
Piccolo stared at the wall, "I've been a bit….sidetracked."
"Is that why Frieza is missing?"
Piccolo visibly blushed, "Sort of."
"And you can't sense where he is can you?" Verto growled.
"He may not be able to sense energy, but he can suppress his very well. I can't find his among all the different energy levels here. Too much evil," Piccolo claimed.
"Yeah, I guess that's understandable. I'll find him," Verto said. He shut his eyes and concentrated hard, using his astral vision technique to quickly scan the stadium for Frieza. It didn't take him long to find the changeling, who was in the process of bullying three very human looking women. Verto isolated his position to behind him, past where Yusuke and his team had first started to tail him.
"Damn it, here we go again," Verto muttered.
"Did you find him?" Piccolo asked. Verto motioned for the Namek to follow and moved quickly through the corridors. He blew right by Yusuke and the others in the process.
"Hey, what the!" Kuwabara stammered. Verto didn't stop as he flew through small packs of demons who could barely get out of his way. Piccolo followed close behind as he felt a distinct change in the air, centralized within Verto's energy as waves of pure rage. Verto arrived just as he saw Frieza about to make a move on one of the women he had cornered. Two were of average size and shape, though one had blue hair and the other brown. The third was younger by far and in the process of trying to tell Frieza off while the other two shook in fear.
Frieza caught a slap meant for his face and laughed, "My my, aren't you spunky?" He pulled back and reached for her body. He didn't quite make it though when Verto's fist smashed into the side of his face. Frieza crashed into the wall, causing part of it to crumble as he lay there, stunned.
The shorter girl wasn't sure how to react, "Um, thanks." She gasped slightly when Verto's heated glare turned towards her before he focused on Frieza. As he stepped forward, waves of heated air came off him, causing a drastic temperature change. Frieza shifted and got up to a weak knee as he spat the blood from his mouth. Verto stopped and stood over Frieza with pure contempt, and judging by the way he was shaking, he was going to snap if he was given any more incentive.
"Why you disgusting little monkey brat!" Frieza crowed. Verto's eyes flinched in rage and Frieza's level of fear skyrocketed. The next blow left nearly a two inch indention on Frieza's face. The halls lit up with bright red light, all of which was coming from Verto's outstretched hand, and Frieza found himself in a very bad predicament.
"No, wait! Please don't!" Frieza begged.
"Shut up! You killed my whole family, my whole planet!" Verto shouted.
"No I didn't! Have you gone mad?" Frieza pleaded.
Piccolo arrived, but wisely stayed off to the side, "Verto, stop this!"
Verto seemed to be in a different place altogether, "I won't let you do it again!" Piccolo sweated nervously as Yusuke and the others ran in. He knew full well that he wouldn't be able to stop Verto if he lost control.
"Keiko, Botan!" Yusuke shouted.
Piccolo turned and blocked the way, "Stay back."
"What's going on?" Kuwabara asked. All eyes were on Verto as he appeared to be hesitating. His dangerous blast was still charging, but there was clearly a mental conflict going on.
Piccolo bravely elected to try and assert himself, "C'mon kid, you know we need him for now. You can kill him again later." Red light shot out from the blast and Frieza winced when it crashed a few inches from his dented face. Verto used the odd variation of his sword to cut an outline around Frieza's head. Frieza dared to sigh with relief, until the red beam moved into his shoulder. He cried out in agony as his shoulder was torn to shreds by Verto's energy. Verto stopped after about ten seconds and promptly walk away without another word. Piccolo took it as a good sign as Verto's power level slowly fell off.
Frieza clutched his ruined shoulder as a torrent of blood trickled out, "Argh! Find a leash for that damn kid Namek!"
"Just consider yourself lucky that I actually tried to stop him. There wouldn't of been much else I could have done," Piccolo admitted. Piccolo then gave Frieza a stiff shove in the direction Verto had gone. He gave Yusuke's team a brief nod before following.
Keiko, the girl who tried to slap Frieza, seemed very confused, "What was that all about?"
Kurama stepped in, "I don't know, but the amount of spirit energy I sensed just now was incredible. I think it would be prudent to stay away from that boy if it can be helped."
"He's on Toguro's team, we'll have to deal with him eventually," Hiei pointed out.
"Maybe." The group turned to see the mostly bald newcomer leaning against the wall nearby.
"Hey, you're…what's his name again?" Kuwabara asked.
"It's Ranot, don't try too hard Kuwabara, I would hate for your brain to melt down. Anyway, that kid has a different mission than you all. And as long as things go to plan, you won't even need to worry about him," Ranot explained.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke asked.
"It means that there's someone else out there that Team Toguro will be facing before the finals. We should examine the tournament bracket when it is released in the morning," Kurama said.
"Just so we can help psycho kid? No thanks," Yusuke muttered.
Ranot snorted slightly and stepped away, "I advise caution Mister Urameshi, and also don't be too quick to judge. That kid may actually be the strongest ally you have."
Piccolo literally drug Frieza back into the hotel room and slammed the door, "So what was all that about?" Verto was already there, slumped on the couch and visibly shaken as he attempted to calm himself.
Frieza stumbled slightly as he favored his bloodied shoulder, "Isn't it obvious Namek? The brat has gone insane!"
Piccolo glared sternly, "I was talking to you Frieza, I'll get to him in a minute."
Frieza's eyes remained cool, "Settle down Namek, I was merely searching for some entertainment."
Piccolo's right index finger lit up and shot a blast that grazed Frieza's face, "Don't wonder off again."
"Whatever green bean," Frieza muttered as he stuck out his tongue.
Piccolo then turned to Verto, who was back to glaring at Frieza again, "Well, what happened? What did you feel?"
Verto's intense stare softened slightly, "I've felt it ever since my battle with Frost. It's like this sudden overload of anger and rage."
"Your hidden powers?"
"Partially, but I can control that to an extent. While I was out in deep space, we had a joint mission to capture one of the Renegade Saiyans, Chal. I fought him and won, but I know he didn't try to beat me. He wanted to get captured and running into me was his key to escape later," Verto explained.
"How?" Piccolo asked.
"Chal has a mental ability where he can influence and project negative emotions into others. While I was there, he caused multiple fights between Frost's own soldiers, and he didn't even have to be in the room to do it. That led to me and Frost fighting each other as well. After that first round, he escaped and used that mental technique on me. The result wasn't pretty, and I slaughtered the majority of Frost's troops like they were animals. You know the rest," Verto continued.
"So you're still suffering the side-effects of this mental ability?" Piccolo surmised.
"I have been, it's why I can't use my Feedback technique. But what I felt just now is different, it feels too strong. That means he's here, Chal is here."
"Wait, I thought you and Frost fought because of Lenz?" Piccolo asked out of confusion.
"We did, but it was Chal that helped her release her Berserker power, it had to have been. Frost then saw her as a threat, though I'm pretty sure he was planning to betray us anyway. It just happened a lot sooner," Verto finished.
"So, your training to control yourself was a failure," Piccolo guessed.
"Not completely, but he got to me at a weak moment, no thanks to Frost."
"Cursed monkeys," Frieza muttered aloud.
Verto stared at him, "Haven't you tempted fate enough for one day?"
"Go on boy, finish me off! I'm waiting!" Frieza dared to say.
"I just might next time, instead of letting you suffer like this. I hope that seems like familiar behavior to you," Verto warned. Frieza promptly shut up when it seemed as if Verto was about to strike again.
Piccolo resumed the conversation, "Well, if this particular Saiyan can influence others like this, our situation is going to get much more complicated."
"Maybe, but we're in a crowd of demons that already fight with each other. This seemed very focused on me, which means they know we're here. We need to confirm their presence and what team they're on. We can proceed from there," Verto said.
"Agreed, I'll consult with Toguro and Sakyo about it. You get some rest," Piccolo ordered.
Verto stood up, "I'll do it, it's my mission."
"And you're on the straight path to failure if you can't control yourself. Stay here and refocus," Piccolo urged.
Frieza's skin became whiter than usual, "Are you out of your mind you green-skinned hobgoblin? You're leaving me alone with him?"
"It's the perfect place to retrain himself to better control his rage, around the person he hates the most."
Verto smirked, "If that's the case, I'll have to release this aggression first. Good thing Bulma packed a few Senzu beans."
"What are those?" Frieza asked.
"If I don't kill you by accident, you'll find out," Verto said. Frieza's eyes widened as he grasped the full meaning of Verto's words. He cringed and glanced towards the window, as if he were plotting an escape route.
"Just don't destroy the room too much, I would like a place to sit," Piccolo said as he turned to leave. Verto cracked his knuckles a bit and grinned evilly as he stepped towards Frieza. Piccolo gave off a brief expression of amusement before opening the door and stepping out. Frieza was already screaming in pain before the door closed.
Piccolo had his own reasons for wanting to make the short trip through the hotel. The only reason he had dared to leave Verto alone with Frieza was that he felt the boy had regained control for the moment. Piccolo had already been forming a training regime for Verto to counteract the mental damage done in the last year or so, but the urgency was becoming more apparent.
It's not his fault, and he has been through a lot. Anyone else would have already cracked. It's that damned hidden power of his, he needs a long period of peace to refocus. Once he's done beating Frieza to a pulp, I'll have to start the training. It'll be difficult here in this strange and evil place, but it needs to be done as soon as possible. Piccolo arrived at Sakyo's suite a short while later and collected himself. The door opened before he could knock, revealing Toguro, who had likely sensed him coming.
"What is it?" Toguro asked.
"We need to talk, seeing as the kid did what you asked of him. I only ask for any new information you might have found about this Team Gorenja," Piccolo said.
"What about them?"
Piccolo looked smug, "They're the ones you two were talking about when you mentioned imposters."
"You were eavesdropping on a private conversation?"
"These ears do more than just frame my face. I was unable to watch their match due to complications, so I'll ask you. What did they look like?" Piccolo asked.
Toguro adjusted his sunglasses, "They all had spiky hair and brown tails. Each of them appeared to be fairly strong and they won their matches swiftly against inferior opponents."
"I see, thank you. I suppose they were all wearing body armor as well?"
"Yes, are they who you're looking for?"
"Their characteristics are an exact match."
"The boy doesn't have a tail," Toguro pointed out.
"He did at one time, pray there isn't a full moon," Piccolo replied.
"Why?"
"Let's just say that the problem would be a lot bigger."
"You can let him in Toguro," Sakyo said from behind. Toguro stepped out of the way enough for Piccolo to get through before shutting the door. Piccolo immediately spotted the shorter of the Toguro brothers, sipping a drink. He also made note of a very tall man wearing heavy armor that was standing off to the far side.
Sakyo held up a small piece of paper, "This is the new tournament bracket. As you can see, we won't have another match until the semi-finals. We will most likely be facing these alien imposters you spoke of."
Piccolo eyed the paper suspiciously, "This bracket looks wrong. It's unbalanced."
"So it is, but it wasn't our idea. That would be up to the tournament committee," Sakyo said.
"There isn't much in the way of honor or fairness around here," Piccolo muttered.
"It's kill or be killed. If you can't handle that, you should leave," Toguro said sternly.
Piccolo barely acknowledged the powerful statement, "Hmph, I used to think that way."
"I invite you and the boy to sit with me tomorrow to enjoy the matches," Sakyo offered.
"The boy most likely, I have other things to handle," Piccolo said.
"You needn't worry about keeping an eye on Yusuke Urameshi. I expect he and his team will be in the ring for most of the day. After all, they'll have two rounds to fight tomorrow, if they can win," Sakyo pointed out.
"What?" Piccolo gasped. He glanced at the paper sheet again and saw that it was indeed true.
"It should be a most entertaining day, don't you think?" Sakyo asked.
Piccolo stared into Sakyo's cold eyes, "Perhaps, but what if Yusuke's team doesn't make it through?"
"Then he's not worth fighting me and we'll have wasted our time. They will be killed," Toguro said.
"I see, what about their sixth member, the substitute?" Piccolo asked.
"I have no idea who he is, most likely a representative from Spirit World I expect," Sakyo guessed.
"No, he's not from Spirit World, I would be able to tell," Toguro corrected.
Piccolo grimaced slightly, "Alright, thank you for your time."
"The first match starts at noon," Sakyo reminded. Piccolo nodded and left the room, and a wave of uneasiness swept through him. He kept his ears locked onto Toguro and Sakyo, but heard nothing worthwhile from them.
Upon returning, Piccolo found Verto was asleep and completely relaxed. The walls had been hit by something, or rather, someone, and were cracked all over. Frieza was down and battered, lying in a heap in the corner. He was obviously in pain, but didn't appear to be able to move. His shoulder was bleeding again, leaving quite a stain on the carpeting. His left leg was bent awkwardly, a sign that it had been broken. His face was a puffy, bloody mess and he was barely able to breath. Piccolo eyed the open capsule case on the coffee table and reached for the one marked 'Emergency'. Inside was a small white case and five loose Senzu beans that spilled out onto the table. Piccolo grabbed one and walked over to Frieza's fallen form.
He paused when Frieza starting mumbling, "Damned primate! He's just lucky Frost didn't kill him!"
Piccolo scoffed, "It was more than just luck, you should have realized that by now."
"Shut up lizard breath! I don't need any lip service from the likes of you!" Frieza rasped. Piccolo kicked Frieza lightly in the back, and he groaned from the impact.
"If you want to prevent more of this, I suggest you cooperate Frieza," Piccolo stated.
"What for?"
"Because I have more restraint than Verto right now, and even I can't stand the sight of you. It would be far better for me to kill you than him," Piccolo pointed out.
"Why?"
"Don't play dumb Frieza, I know you've seen what he can do. Even to those who are already dead. You've seen the soul burning technique, correct?" Piccolo asked. Frieza paused before nodding resignedly.
Piccolo could tell that Frieza was frightened just by the words, "Then help me train him to suppress these violent outbursts, because they will only get worse."
"And the next time he feels the need for a punching bag, he'll kill me anyway!" Frieza claimed.
Piccolo flipped the Senzu bean to Frieza, where it landed next to his hand, "Eat that."
"What? Is this some sort of Namekian joke? You're feeding me beans?" Frieza laughed.
"Just eat it," Piccolo said in frustration. Frieza struggled to get it into his mouth, even more so when he tried to chew it. Within seconds though, his pain was gone, as were the injuries.
Frieza stood up in amazement as he examined the shoulder that Verto had nearly destroyed, "Astounding!" Piccolo snorted and walked away while Frieza continued to look himself over.
He finally stopped after a few minutes and glanced at Piccolo, "So, how do you wish me to proceed Namek?"
Piccolo turned on his heel, "You're actually willing to help?"
"I despise the both of you and hope that you'll both end up rotting in the bowels of hell. But I'm not stupid, I am very aware of the danger that kid poses, especially to someone like me. I do not want to end up barbequed and ceasing to exist. Now what do you want me to do?" Frieza asked.
Piccolo smirked, "What you do best."
"You want me to do what?" Verto asked.
"You heard me, I want you to attempt to meditate while Frieza taunts you. If you can remain calm and still around the one you hate most, you should be able to fully control your rage. And for every time you lash out, he gets a free shot at you in any way," Piccolo explained.
"Better get Dende, we'll run out of Senzu beans," Verto muttered.
"Maybe so, but this won't be just during your meditation time. He's going to follow you around all day and night," Piccolo said.
"What?" Verto exclaimed.
"WHAT?" Frieza shouted.
"You want better control over your emotions, I can think of no better way. Here are the Senzu beans. Yusuke's match starts in about thirty minutes," Piccolo said as he handed over the capsule.
Verto shook his head, "You know, Lenz was right. You are too logical."
"Speak for yourself! The blasted Namek is even worse than I am! At least I would have offered a mercy killing before forcing someone to work with a monkey!" Frieza claimed.
Verto knocked Frieza into a previously undamaged wall, "Shut up!"
Piccolo held his head, "Ugh, well this isn't starting off well."
Frieza grumbled a bit as he pulled himself out of the wall, "I get a free shot now, right Namek?"
Piccolo pointed to the door, "Take it outside first, you've done enough damage to the room." Verto left quickly, to which Frieza reluctantly followed, but kept a small distance of at least a dozen feet. Verto walked briskly from the hotel, through the woods and towards the stadium without one word. Frieza thought about getting his supposed free shot in, but thought better of it when Verto's death glare set in.
Damned monkey brat, if only he wasn't so strong. I doubt if anyone here can win against him. Frieza paused mid-thought, remembering what had been said about the tournament rules and what the champions received. Of course! The champions are granted one wish each! They must have something like the Dragonballs here. I can wish myself immortal again! The only problem is the brat and the Namek, but with the kid going off the handle and those other Saiyans running around, it shouldn't be too difficult to place myself into this tournament. I merely need the right opportunity to slip away. Frieza chuckled lightly, drawing Verto's dark stare again.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"The fact that I would be needed to hold a Saiyan's leash again, it is truly ironic," Frieza laughed. Verto rolled his eyes and faced forward as they neared the stadium and it's crowd of demons. Upon entering, he spotted Koenma, or rather the older one who had recruited him to begin with. The blue ogre, Jorge, was with him, making Verto weary as he suddenly wasn't sure if he was the right one or not. When he turned to stare back, Verto knew the answer.
"Koenma-sir, it's that really powerful kid form Toguro's team!" Jorge claimed nervously.
"Thank you Ogre, I noticed," Koenma carefully replied.
"He's looking at us!" Jorge gasped.
"Just stay calm, keep moving." Both were clearly shaken as they quickly walked in the opposite direction.
"Look boy, I think they're scared of you. Maybe you should pull out a banana to reassure them that you're just a monkey," Frieza suggested. Verto's fist shook as he resisted the urge to pound Frieza again. Moving on, Verto found Sakyo in the next chamber beneath the stadium. He was with a young adult human female that looked like one of the three Verto had partially rescued the day before. They didn't appear to be talking at all though, just smoking. She gasped slightly upon seeing Verto and Frieza coming closer.
"Relax, they're with me," Sakyo said.
"That's not reassuring," she claimed.
"Isn't about time for your brother's match?" Sakyo asked.
She huffed slightly, "Sure, chase me away, like every other guy…" She walked off with a hint of frustration, giving every demon the evil eye.
"Your girlfriend?" Verto joked.
"Kuwabara's older sister. Hopefully Yusuke's team can survive the matches. I wouldn't want to have to see her be punished or killed if they can't," Sakyo claimed.
Frieza chuckled, "I could just kill her now and she won't have to wait."
"And I could just cut off your limbs for suggesting it," Verto snapped back.
"No need for that. The match is about to start, let's go," Sakyo said as he led the way. Verto and Frieza followed while giving each other death glares. Upon reaching the stands, Sakyo descended a few stairs down before picking a conveniently open spot next to the aisle. Verto had enough room on Sayko's left to sit comfortably, but on his right, Frieza did not. He shoved the nearest demon out of the way, prompting another confrontation. It was a big one this time with a dull gray skin color and glowing yellow eyes.
It bared multiple sets of teeth at Frieza, "Get your own seat, this one is mine!"
"Looks like it's mine now, too bad," Frieza laughed. The demon attempted to force the issue, and was wiped out by a very minor blast wave from Frieza's hand.
Verto shook his head slightly, "And I thought Vegeta was one of a kind, guess not."
Frieza's head snapped around, "What's that supposed to mean kid?"
Verto smirked, "I guess the simplest term for you would be that you were 'behaving like a monkey'."
Frieza filled with anger as his fist balled up, "Curse you!"
Verto relished Frieza's misery, Well, maybe this training won't be so bad after all.
Down in the ring, Koto the referee announced the next team battle, "And now, Team Urameshi will take on the Doctor Ichigaki Team!" Both teams entered the ring, but appeared to be short two members each. Verto squinted a bit, spotting Yusuke, Kuwabara and the masked fighter.
The two demons are missing, the one with the red hair and the other that looks like Vegeta. The Ichigaki team had three humans that each had some sort of attachment on their backs and neck. They were supported by a short demon in a lab coat that had troll-like features, but he didn't look like a fighter.
"Hmmm, it seems that Hiei and Kurama have gotten lost," Sakyo mentioned. Verto shut his eyes and searched for their energy signals, but there was too much interference from the other demons for him to pick them out of the crowd.
"Hmph, so it's only six weaklings this time instead of ten. Good, maybe this will go faster," Frieza said.
"Perhaps, I'm curious to see how they handle going up against other humans," Sakyo claimed. Below, Verto could hear the short troll-doctor laughing over and over again about whatever he was using to control the humans on his team.
"I despise mad scientists, he's lucky he doesn't have to face me," Verto commented.
"Maybe, but each of his warriors are strong and relentless. Yusuke still seems tired from his fight with Chu," Sakyo pointed out. Verto scanned the six fighters thoroughly, finding what Sakyo said to be true.
"Judging by their energy levels, their chances are slim. Only the masked fighter can stand up to those three easily, so they'll have to rely on him," Verto stated.
"Wise deduction, but do you think he can fight three times in a row?" Sakyo asked. Verto didn't answer as the sound of the mad doctor began to overtake everyone's ears.
"…You want to know why Urameshi? It is said that the human body can generate an endless amount of spirit energy! Humans themselves are all sitting on a monstrous power. Take free will away and the monster says hello!" Ichigaki declared.
"Psst, hey monkey, he's talking about you!" Frieza chuckled. Verto blinked sharply as Ichigaki's words and paid no mind to Frieza's.
"Hey, asshole, why don't you come fight me yourself?" Yusuke asked.
"Oh we'll be spending plenty of time together Yusuke. It's already been arranged that if we win, you will belong to me. Think of it Yusuke! If I can get a normal human to produce an incredible amount of energy, just imagine what I could do with the Spirit Detective!" Ichigaki pointed out.
"I like my free will right where it is, no thanks!" Yusuke claimed.
"Haha, I'll take care of that problem. Now let's get this show on the road, no more stalling!" Ichigaki demanded.
Koto frowned, "So it appears that we will be down two members for each team for the duration of the round. And remember that neither team can use a substitute until someone has died."
The masked fighter then stepped forward and gave her input, "I request that instead of single matches we make it a three on three battle royale. The last team standing wins."
"So there's a young lady under that mask, I was under the impression that it was a man," Sakyo claimed. Other demons in the crowd had a similar reaction, but most were more focused on picking up the 'Kill Yusuke' chant again. Ichigaki fumbled with some sort of electronic device for a moment before hooting with joy.
He quickly calmed himself, "Accepted." Koto then announced the doctor's team as M-one, M-two and M-three. The doctor and Koto cleared the ring and the match started. Almost immediately, all three of the controlled humans charged at Yusuke and Kuwabara.
"Oh wow, look at the Ichigaki team go, they're out for blood!" Koto announced. The smallest among them, M-two, jumped into the air and fired off six small energy rings simultaneously. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara dodged erratically, barely missing them all. Two of the rings ripped into the ring surface, but the other four dissipated and faded without even a blemish.
Verto watched intently, Only two of those were real, the others were illusions. Not bad. The short barrage separated Yusuke and Kuwabara, allowing M-one to go straight for the Spirit Detective. His palm lit up with dim red as he tried to attack. Yusuke stood his ground, preparing to fight hand to hand. He suddenly glanced at the masked fighter before ducking out of the way. M-one's blast made a small crater where Yusuke had been. On the other side of the ring, Kuwabara faced off with M-three, who, like an old master, was maintaining distance. He suddenly threw his arms up and created a long, narrow swatch of blue energy that was rather similar to Verto's Psi sword, but not as concentrated. Like Yusuke, Kuwabara didn't show any signs of running. M-three brought his arms down, hitting Kuwabara, who dropped to the ground.
Verto quickly realized what was happening, They can't see the attacks, not fully anyway. Yusuke should be able to…when he's not running low on energy like he is now. The masked fighter stepped in and attacked M-one from behind, stunning him with a kick to the head. She was chased by M-two and his energy rings before she artfully dodged a knife-hand strike attempt. She caught M-two by surprise with another kick to his torso and then spun him around, tossing him into M-three. The masked fighter landed next to Yusuke and spoke quietly as she took a protective position. The three mind-controlled humans slowly recovered and focused their attention on her alone. Verto grimaced, as he could tell that she was going to have a difficult time against the three of them on her own, especially while protecting her teammates.
"What's keeping the other two?" Verto asked.
Sakyo looked thoughtful, "That's a good question."
"What's wrong boy? Concerned about a few lowly humans?" Frieza laughed.
"More than I would be about you," Verto growled back.
"I'll try to act like that bothers me," Frieza replied coolly.
"If you're so concerned, perhaps you should go and look for them," Sakyo suggested.
Verto eyed him, and then gave Frieza an evil look, "You move one inch Frieza, and you're dead!"
Frieza shifted a bit to the right, "Is that enough?" Verto bit his lip and ran up the stairs. He didn't encounter anyone initially and made for the stadium entrance.
Before he got there, Piccolo stepped out from behind a pillar, "Where are you going?"
"You may not have noticed that two of Yusuke's team are missing out there. I don't like their chances, especially if someone else got to them first," Verto said urgently.
Piccolo stiffened, "Alright, you stay here and I'll search for them. You keep an eye out and keep track of Frieza." Verto nodded slowly as Piccolo took off into the woods. Verto turned back the way he came, slowly walking as he tried to calm himself. He was nearly to the correct stairwell when he felt something out of place. It was some sort of subtle energy displacement that hadn't been there before. The area is spanned wasn't very big, but it was enough to make Verto feel as if there was a trap and he had sprung it. All of a sudden his arms and legs locked in place and his breath became short. He tried to move, but struggled to even budge.
Great, now what? Verto cringed as he tried to break free of whatever had snared him. He sensed a small degree of unfamiliar energy in the air and prepared to break out of it by powering up.
Just before he did though, he heard laughter from a male voice, "My my, did our little friend wonder off on his own?"
"Who's there, show yourself!" Verto demanded.
"Well that's just rude, he didn't even notice me and I was right behind him," another voice said, feminine in nature. Verto's eyes widened as he suddenly felt four strong presences around him, and the closest one had spoken second.
Demons? No wait, I sense two energy signals with each and I sense Saiyan energy. It's the Renegades! Alright, stay calm, don't alarm them too much yet. Verto remained as calm as he could and felt each energy signal out, noting that none of them reminded him of Chal. A hand brushed his shoulder and Verto felt it get much colder. A young woman about a foot taller than him stepped into view. She had blue hair that spiked slightly on the right side of her face, along with light blue eyes and a slightly flat nose. She was very thin yet curvy overall and despite her energy level, didn't appear to be that strong physically. Even though she was grinning at him, her icy eyes put Android Eighteen's to shame. She dared to run a finger across the side of Verto's face, and he shivered from the contact. She was wearing black Saiyan armor with shoulder pads and a violet jumpsuit.
"So, shall we start with names, I think I can guess your abilities," Verto said.
The female smirked, "My name's Laysh. Your blood runs hot, I'll bet you'll be a real lady killer in a few years."
"Better tell your friend to let go of this hold he has on me or I'll really kill a lady," Verto suggested.
Laysh was surprised, "You sensed him already?" The next two Saiyans stepped out from opposite pillars, one of them was thin but well muscled with brown hair. The other was of a smaller frame, but looked almost exactly like the first. The bigger one of the two had on brown armor while his skinny counterpart wore black.
"Lieutenant Chal was right, he is very perceptive. Alright kid, I am Dorit, and this is my twin brother Frit," Dorit said, gesturing to the smaller man to his left. Frit had a slight grin on his face as he snapped his fingers, and Verto stumbled out of the apparent hold. He turned to see the last Saiyan stepping out from hiding. This one was the tallest of the group, but also the oldest by far with graying hair.
"I'm Selffur, pleased to meet you, Verto," the older man said.
"I guess I won't bother to ask what he's told you, why are you here?" Verto asked straight away.
"Should we be somewhere else?" Frit countered.
Verto raised his eyebrows, "Is that a trick question?"
"Maybe we like it here, it wouldn't take long to conquer this world after all," Frit pointed out.
Verto clenched his fists, "If you think it'll be that easy, you're welcome to try."
Dorit held his hand up, "No need for that yet. We've learned from Lieutenant Chal that you're very powerful and we'd like to make an overture."
"So before I say no, go ahead and offer away," Verto replied in a bitter tone.
"We have a common enemy, Frost," Dorit pointed out, "Join us and we will destroy him together."
"This sounds familiar, and tempting. Though I can't say that I'm in a big hurry to go up against him again. What do I have to do in return?" Verto asked.
"Nothing," Dorit said simply.
Verto turned his head slightly, "That I don't believe, there's always a catch."
"No, that aspect is true, for the moment," Dorit hinted.
Verto felt the tension rise, "By nothing, you really mean stay out of your way."
"Yes."
"I can't do that."
Laysh threw an chilly arm around his shoulder, "Come now, you owe these creatures here nothing."
"It isn't what I owe them, it's what I owe myself. I don't break my word and I gave it to save someone important to me. I'm returning the favor and I really don't care who I have to beat in order to do that," Verto explained.
The older Saiyan Selffur cleared his throat, "As Chal said, smart, perceptive, strong and naïve."
Verto turned to face him, "We'll see, what do you want here in this dimension?"
"Dimension? This is an isolated planet," Dorit claimed.
"And you called me naïve? Haven't you noticed the drop in energy levels you've undergone? You probably should have noticed it once you crossed the rift, you know, the one with the storm."
"You know, he does have a point. That sure was a bumpy ride when we entered this area. That storm did kind of pop up out of nowhere, and I remember that it wasn't on scanners until we were in the middle of it," Laysh said.
"True, but atmospheric conditions read this to be a planet with odd energy fluctuations, which would explain why it's harder to concentrate our energy. You make an interesting point kid, however it's of no real concern. We were ordered to come here. Lieutenant Chal never expected to come across you so soon, but it will not matter. I strongly suggest you stay out of our way," Frit suggested.
"Or what? You can't push me around and you know it," Verto declared.
Frit lifted his hand up, "Interesting you should say that." Verto suddenly felt a massive force push against him. He struggled against it, but he was forced backwards by this invisible technique. The Renegades watched on as he was plowed into a wall. Frit kept his hand aimed at Verto, who couldn't do much more than budge or breathe.
"We should just kill him now, he won't be of any use to us," Frit claimed.
"No brother, Lieutenant Chal said specifically not to touch him. He has something special planned for him," Dorit said.
"A waste of time, let me do it now!" Frit refused.
"I don't know Frit, you sure you want to anger the Lieutenant again? He may not let you off so easily this time. Besides, I wouldn't mind keeping this kid around, he's kinda cute," Laysh said suggestively.
"Frit's logic is sound. However, it is not worth dying for, let the boy go," Selffur ordered. Frit scowled slightly and gestured to the left. Verto was yanked from the wall and sent flying out of the stadium. The four Saiyans watched him tear through several dozen trees before Frit dropped his arm. In the distance, a momentary flash went off before part of a nearby mountain cracked apart and a sizeable piece of it fell to the ground, causing light tremors.
"Time to go I think. Selffur, use your ability on this area in case he comes back in the next few seconds," Dorit ordered.
Selffur nodded as Laysh drooped her shoulders, "I really wanted to fight him now. These stupid demon creatures are no challenge."
Dorit smiled slightly, "Relax Laysh, I think we'll have our chance to enjoy ourselves here." As the Saiyans departed, a shadow in the back of the area moved out, revealing the larger man Ranot. He eyed them carefully before he backed off.
A/n: Everyone catch the food puns I brought back into play here? Here's the fun part, while I was struggling to think them up, I got hungry at work and raided the snack machine for chips. Need I say more?
Flew solo on this one, WDG was unavailable so I apologize on any errors I might have missed.