"My reputation precedes me, it seems," Bojack guffawed, looking quite proud of himself and he got right in Trunks' personal space, leering at him face-to-face. The Hera's breath made Trunks nauseous. "Tell me more what you know about me."
"I know you're a coward," Trunks replied. "You're willing to kill even your own teammates to protect yourself. I also know you're weak and I have the power to easily destroy you."
"Hm, interesting," Bojack said and his fist smashed into Trunks' face. The hybrid's head rang in response, stars exploded before his eyes and blood trickled from his nose. "You think you're strong enough, when all I see is another weak Saiyan unworthy to face me."
"Take these shackles off me and we'll test that theory."
18 watched the exchange with interest. Clearly, Trunks knew this 'Bojack' and believed he had the power to defeat him. All she needed to do was find a way out and present Trunks with the opportunity to kill Frost's master. It had only been three weeks, but she already missed Earth and couldn't wait to go back. With that in mind, she yelled and vaporised her handlers and caved in a Saiyan's skull with her fist. Bojack was swift, his fist slamming into 18's body and she smashed against the wall of the temple. She trembled, surprised at his strength and he approached her, powering the Grand Smasher in his hand.
"It's such a shame to see a pretty face go to waste," Bojack commented. "You showed such promise, but no-one tries to attack me and get away with it."
"So, where are your friends?" Trunks interrupted and the Hera paused. "They still around or did you kill them? Why are you here, anyway?"
The Grand Smasher faded as Bojack turned to the hybrid. "As you know, I was imprisoned by the Kais, trapped within a star. That star was destroyed by Broly and I followed his energy signature to this planet. The inhabitants had already suffered Broly's rampage, so naturally, they stood no chance against my Galaxy Soldiers and we conquered it. I hoped to have Broly brought to me, to test him in my arena. Twenty years of waiting and all I got instead was you, this woman and a Namekian."
"Arena?"
"A test to see who the strongest warriors are amongst these pests, so I can crush them and watch the hope faded from their eyes. A gladiatorial battle to the death, where only the strongest survive. But enough talk," Bojack snapped and 18 finally collapsed from the wall. "She is remarkably resilient. Strange, since I cannot detect her energy. Hm, perhaps she could be my pet instead."
Trunks quickly raced through Bojack's words. "Okay, so whoever wins in the area gets to face you, is that correct?"
A grin came to Bojack's face. "You wish to fight me, weakling? Are you worth my time?"
"I could defeat you right now if you wish."
"Ha! Bido! Kogu!" the Hera called and his two henchmen appeared at once. "Show our new entertainment their accommodations. As for the woman," he motioned to 18. "Send her to my chambers. It's been so long since I've had a pet. Let's hope she lasts longer than the previous one."
Trunks glared at Kogu, his victim in the past and the Hera swordsman slung 18 over his shoulder. "Don't you dare harm her," he warned, because he knew Bojack wouldn't have anything good planned in store for her.
"Or you'll do what, slave?" Kogu sneered at him.
"I wouldn't take that attitude with me. I killed you in the past."
"What?" the swordsman recoiled and with a snarl, he drew his sword, even with 18 still hanging over his shoulder. "How about I kill you right now, you cocky twerp?"
"I don't think Bojack would like that very much," Trunks said with a look at the Hera master. "I would provide excellent entertainment in the arena and you'll be depriving him of that entertainment. Do you want to disappoint your master?"
"Put it away, Kogu," Bojack ordered and the swordsman obeyed. "Big words for a Saiyan. Let's hope for your sake, you can back that up. I have no problem with crushing the weak and pathetic. Now, be gone!"
Frost remained with Bojack, as Kogu took 18 in a direction away from Bido, who led the prisoners into the depths of the temple to the dungeon, where Bujin and Zangya stood guard, both wearing smirks. Trunks growled at the sight of them, his battle with them in the past all too fresh in his mind.
"Ah, Master has some new playthings," Bujin chuckled. "I cannot wait to see what entertainment they will provide."
"This one here," Bido said, grasping Trunks by the hair and yanking his head back, "has quite the mouth on him. Says he killed Kogu in the past or something and thinks he can defeat Lord Bojack."
"A fool, no doubt. No-one has ever survived a fight with our master. He is all-powerful and none can ever match him. The graves are littered with those foolish enough to believe in the impossibility."
Trunks glanced at Zangya, whose gaze seemed to linger on Ocarin and she finally spoke. "Enough. If they can prove themselves, let them face our master in time and they can realise their folly. Put them away and let them get acquainted with their fellow slaves."
"With pleasure," Bido grinned.
"Oh great, another prison. How wonderful. Haven't had enough of those," Trunks commented sarcastically when he was led inside. "So, when do I get the chance to 'prove' myself?"
"In time," Bujin replied, shoving him into a cage, Ocarin joining the hybrid. "When the master decides. Until then, enjoy."
He left the dungeon alongside Bido, but Zangya remained, still staring at Ocarin. "Well, aren't you a fine-looking specimen. Perhaps I should ask Lord Bojack if I can keep you as a pet."
"I'd rather die," Ocarin snarled.
"Hmph, your loss. You can face the Berserker then. Maybe you'll die. Maybe you won't. Don't disappoint me," she smirked and she slinked out of the dungeon, casting a final leer at the Namekian over her shoulder before she left.
"So, any ideas?" Trunks asked Ocarin.
"Who are you guys?" a voice asked.
While there were multiple cages, they all faced each other and Trunks was able to get a good look at the person who spoke: a young Saiyan male with large eyes and short, spiky black hair.
"I'm Trunks and this is Ocarin," the half-breed replied. "What's your name?"
"I'm Cabba. So, Bojack got you as well? Yet, you don't look like you're from around here. Your clothes are strange and your hair…no Saiyan has hair like that."
"I'm from Earth and I'm only a half-Saiyan," Trunks answered. "How long have you been here?"
Cabba gave a little shrug. "A while. All my life, I've been running from Bojack and his Galaxy Soldiers and they finally caught me. I guess I could only run for so long."
It sounded hauntingly similar to Trunks' own childhood and he felt sympathy for the young Saiyan. He didn't expect much different from Bojack in this timeline, but all the same, Trunks felt the white-hot rage burning inside him at the thought of Bojack and his minions mercilessly hunting down Saiyans like animals. Not unlike the Androids, but at least 18 was slowly turning things around.
"So, what, Bojack forces you to compete in some arena of his?" Trunks asked.
Cabba nodded. "It's all for his own entertainment and he has people like Frost go out and find new competitors across the galaxy."
"Hasn't anyone tried to fight back?" Trunks asked. "This is a world full of Saiyans. Has anyone ever gone Super Saiyan?"
"I don't know this Super Saiyan you speak of, but we have tried to fight back. Bojack destroys anyone who opposes him. It's hopeless. This is our life now."
A planet of Saiyans and not a single Super Saiyan amongst them, even with Bojack and his minions ruling over it? Trunks realised right then and there that he was the only chance Sadal had in liberating itself from Bojack's tyrannical rule.
"Alright, so what's this Berserker that Zangya mentioned?"
Again, Cabba shrugged. "It's a recent addition, but I've never seen it. Bojack only brings it out for those who've proven themselves and it fights instead of him. I'm only an opening act."
"That's how I'm going to do it," Trunks said. "I'm going to defeat the Berserker and Bojack will have to face me. Once he's gone, this world will be free."
"Don't be silly," Cabba said with the resigned tone of someone who had accepted his fate. "No one survives against Bojack. No one."
"No one is a Super Saiyan. I am."
-X-
18 felt humiliated and violated. She wore clothes that hardly left anything to the imagination and a thick collar was locked around her throat, nullifying her powers. Not only that, but the collar was connected to a chain that was looped around Bojack's forearm, essentially making her his slave. When she first saw the chain after waking up, she tried to remove it and Bojack yanked so hard on it, she thought her neck had been broken with the action. Even now, a day later, her neck still ached.
This was not what she'd planned. She though Frost's master was someone who even she could handle, but she was wrong. Once again, her arrogance had cost her and instead of death, she was Bojack's pet and oh how she would rather choose death than this humiliating position she was forced to undertake. She could only hope that Trunks or even Ocarin had a plan for escaping this mess.
18 glared at Frost when he sat next to her and he returned it with a smug grin, obviously quite pleased with the outcome. Bojack sat on his throne, the Galaxy Soldiers standing guard like loyal servants as the crowd of Saiyans and aliens cheered for their king. Bojack savoured the roars of his subjects, a feat twenty years in the making. There were a few rebel outposts still on Sadal that needed dealing with, but they were minor inconveniences and he would deal with them soon enough. Right now, he was putting on another show because he had to see the power of the lavender-haired Saiyan. He had to see if Trunks' words were true or just merely hyperbole.
The gate in the gladiatorial arena slowly opened and 18's heart thudded when she saw Trunks in the small group of competitors. She didn't know what that meant, but she was glad to see him. Apart from looking worse for wear from his three weeks imprisonment, he didn't appear harmed, although like her, he wore a collar. All the competitors had one as well, no doubt to force compliance and 18 felt…sympathy? She knew what it was like to be forced against your will and nothing earned her ire more than that. She shot a glare at Bojack, but he leered back at her and she made a face of disgust.
"Our lord and master, King Bojack," Bido announced through a horn that amplified his voice to the arena and the crowd immediately went quiet, "has something special in store for today. A new competitor, who claims he can defeat our king!" The crowd laughed and Trunks glared at the throne, as Bido continued. "And so, it has been decreed, that he shall face death at the hands of the Berserker!"
The crowd roared their approval and Trunks saw 18 at Bojack's feet, a chain around her neck like she was a dog. Whatever his feelings on her, the sight still made his blood pound in fury, as the gate on the opposite side of the arena began to open. Trunks focused on that instead, anticipating his opponent, trying to figure out what they were up against.
What was this Berserker? How powerful was it?
Whatever it was, Trunks did not expect a young girl to be tossed out onto the sand. Beside him, Cabba and a young female Saiyan named Caulifla startled in surprise.
"Kale," Cabba gasped. "I had no idea she was still alive. I thought she was dead. Is she the Berserker? Impossible."
Trunks silently agreed with the young Saiyan. This Kale appeared so incredibly weak that even Pan in her base form could defeat her without effort. Caulifla seemed to throw caution to the wind and had already rushed to the other girl's side. Trunks glanced at the throne and saw the annoyance on Bojack's face. The Hera master motioned to Bido and that's when Trunks saw the energy shield shimmer into existence. It protected the crowd, as Bido fired a red ki blast at the two female Saiyans. Caulifla went flying and violently hit the ground, while Kale shuddered, her body glowing with green energy.
"Does that look familiar to you?" Trunks asked Ocarin.
The Namekian frowned and his eyes widened in shock as Kale unleashed an inhuman roar of fury, her body bulking up to massive proportions as her hair turned into wild green-tinged golden locks, her eyes empty white pits of rage. A Saiyan combatant trembled in fear at her power and she seized him by the head with one beefy hand and squeezed.
"Kale, no!" Cabba cried, but it was too late. The Saiyan's headless body dropped to the sand and the crowd cheered at the violence.
"Oh Kami," Trunks said, the ground shaking from Kale's footsteps. "It's like Broly all over again."
18 stared in shock as the battle swiftly erupted. Fighting for survival and despite their numbers, the Saiyans were hammered by Kale, her vicious blows so reminiscent of Broly that the Android felt the fear building in her body from the flashbacks. She looked to Trunks and he was forced to dodge an Eraser Cannon, surviving by an inch. Her heart hammered as the fight unfolded, Kale dominating with ease and Bojack smiled in satisfaction. He had been most surprised when he discovered Kale and her hidden power (i.e. torture), her energy similar to Broly and he knew he had to put it to good use. Bujin and Zangya had done their work on the young Saiyan and now she was a major draw for his gladiator battles, fighting on his command.
"Kogu," Bojack called and the swordsman knelt in an instant. "Loosen the shackles a little on that Trunks. I wish to see his power, but keep him restrained still."
"Yes, master," Kogu thumped his fist on his chest and he adjusted a dial on a technological device. 18 watched him and she started to work on a plan on getting her hands on it.
Trunks dodged Kale's fist, but she caught him with a backhand and he slammed into the arena wall. She was powerful; her strength was practically on par with Broly in the frozen lake fight, if the pain that ran rampant through his body was any indicator. The bodies were slowly piling up, as Ocarin struck Kale with an energy-powered punch. The Berserker snarled and drove Ocarin head-first into the sand. She then booted him, bloodied sand spraying into the air to the delight of the crowd.
"Kale, stop this!" Cabba cried, standing beside the injured Caulifla and Kale faced them.
"Come on, Kale, it's us," Caulifla said. "Caulifla and Cabba. I don't want to hurt you, sis. Can't you see they're forcing you to fight us? Fight it. Fight them. We're on your side."
Kale snarled, the effects of Bujin's work too powerful for her, and she lunged forth with an Eraser Cannon, blasting the two across the arena. Trunks gritted his teeth, fury charging through him and he glared at Bojack. The bastard had forced an innocent woman to become a monster to suit his own purposes, just like Gero. With a shout of fury, Trunks transformed into a Super Saiyan, catching Kale's attention and surprising himself. Now, he just needed to go higher.
18 had never felt so relieved to see that golden form.
"Ah, so he can transform as well," Bojack commented with interest and he settled himself in for what he thought would be excellent entertainment. "This should be good then."