Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods, by Chronos-X
Saga I: On Mortality and Consequences
Book Two: Quitela
Chapter 1 Summary: God of Destruction Quitela has been feeling uneasy since the Tournament of Power. A year later, Grand Zen-Oh gives him the dressing down of a lifetime, makes him mortal, and sends him to Universe 7's Earth on his own high-flying adventure.
All Quitela has to do is survive. Should be easy enough... right?
Chapter 1: Subject Q
God of Destruction Quitela of Universe 4 lately spent hours doing what he hadn't done in centuries: pondering. Not plotting, not scheming: thinking.
How? How did everything go so horribly wrong? The Hakaishin had been so sure his machinations would win him the Tournament of Power, yet everything fell apart thanks to that gods-damned Son Goku and his friends from Universe 7.
To think Quitela had taken such pains to dupe trick con deceive persuade that moron Sidra and his Universe 9 meatheads to go after them first! Granted, it was a risky gambit, but it had its benefits: either U7 would rise to the occasion and eliminate one set of obstacles for him, or U9 would perform a miracle and wipe that lazy fuck Beerus off the face of the Multiverse once and for all.
Too bad things didn't go according to plan. U9 bit the dust and got erased as intended, but U7 did away with U4's warriors without breaking a sweat. Barely a year afterward, Lord Quitela remained rather sore about it.
"[Do you seriously not know how to dodge, Shantsa!? Nice job handling that cueball and his bimbo, Shosa! Just wait till I get my hands on you, Damon! You'll beg for that walking junk heap to blast you to atoms!
Really, Majora, a stinky shoe!? That's what it takes to beat you!? Should've locked you in my closet and thrown away the key!
I know you're not much of a brain trust, Monna, but how the fuck did you get through life not knowing about freaking power levels!? I know babies who could use ki to tell their parents apart from everybody else before they were old enough to crawl!
Caway… gods dammit, Caway! You let yourself be eliminated 'coz you didn't want to get groped by an old pervert!?]." (Mimics Caway). "['Oh, please don't ravage me, Mr. Turtle Fondler, Sir! I plan to spend the rest of my life barefoot and pregnant, and I don't wanna gross out my future suitors! Not my fault Queen Mommy and King Daddy didn't teach me anything else!' Note to self: pay a visit to Their Majesties later. Nobody makes a fool of Quitela Rosángel.
Dercori… dearest Dercori, Miss I'm-Invincible-in-the-Darkness-Long-As-Nobody-Brings-a-Jar! A fucking jar! Should've kept my mouth shut, let the Zen-Ohs use you as a pincushion or something! Shame Sazerac and Kagesa croaked ages ago: would've loved to see them bury their mortified heads on the ocean floor, where you and the rest of your overrated family belong!
Nice plan, Gamisaras, turning invisible and all... too bad everybody can sense energy! I could clench my butt-cheeks all day long and still end up with a better strategy!
Nink… I never thought much of you, and that's exactly what I got]." (Mimics Nink). "['Duh, I know! I'll grab the monkey man and drag him off the arena! What could possibly go wrong?' You're lucky the Zen-Ohs were watching, or I would've kicked a field goal with that huge shithead of yours, you knuckle-dragging ogre!
I wouldn't relax if I were you, Ganos. Yeah, go ahead and taunt the old coot who just eliminated two of your teammates: that won't come back to bite you in the ass! Useless piece of bird shit… would've been better off roasting you alive and stuffing my pillows with those filthy feathers of yours!
Fucking idiots. Why Super Shenron brought you losers back is beyond me. Just wait, though: I'll make the whole damn lot of you wish you were never born! You'll beg me to Hakai you when I'm through with you! I'll make whatever the Omni-Kings did look like a fart in the wind! You wastes of space have let me down for the last time!]."
Quitela tried not to dwell on what followed after U4's elimination. The mouse deity knew Zen-Oh All-Sovereign could purge entire universes in a matter of seconds.
Nothing new there. There was no difference between that and what he and his fellow Destroyers did to maintain the balance of Creation and Destruction throughout the Multiverse, except in scale. Not even the most powerful Hakaishin could rival the Omni-King on their best day… but to have it happen to him?
The erasure itself was humiliating enough, but to have Beerus not just watch, but dance for joy as it happened!? Not only had Quitela's brilliant strategies fallen apart: they crumbled right in front of that anorexic cat, who only got to be god 'coz his dear old daddy gave him the job, whereas the Destroyer from the Conspiracy Universe had to fight tooth and nail to get to where he currently was!
"[Truly there is no justice in this world…]."
Then the unthinkable happened: Universe 7 won. Not only that, their greatest warrior, one Android 17, used his wish from the Super Dragon Balls to bring back all the erased universes, as Cognac later told his charge. Just as Quitela found himself slumbering in nonexistence in mere seconds, so did he find himself back in the world of the living, right alongside Ganos and those other morons who'd disappointed him so much.
Everyone else was singing and dancing on account of not being stuck in permadeath, but the rat deity was in no mood to celebrate. He couldn't understand it: he lost. He, God of Destruction Quitela, King of Thieves, Despoiler of Vaults, Scourge of Wealthy and Poor!
Worst of all, if he still drew breath, could taste food and so much more, it was only because somebody else had acted against his own best interest for the sake of others, for the sake of people he would never meet, let alone care about... for his sake.
How? Why?
The Naatsusian had been pondering thus since around midday, when he got out of bed (in the sense that Cognac doused him in cold water to wake up his lazy ass). Truth be told, Quitela didn't care much for that teacher of his. The mouse had long since outgrown that blue-skinned wet blanket with ridiculous hair, who constantly pestered him to do his job, or at least to not misbehave so blatantly. Their relationship had never been particularly close, thank Supreme Kai, but at least they could share a living space without trying to murder each other on sight.
If Quitela had learned anything throughout his eons-long existence, it was the importance of surrounding yourself with people you can easily manipulate, or who at the very least won't try to smother you in your sleep. It was uncanny how many people he'd known tended to forget that. It was still more uncanny how many times he'd had to remind them…
Enough! The Destroyer hadn't eaten since breakfast, and lunch/dinnertime was upon him. Quitela had half a mind to dispense with Cognac's services just this once, throw together a little something himself, but who else would make sure the Angel had something to do?
Those so-called warriors of his were too polite to request so much as a freaking glass of water. How did they expect to get anywhere in life if they refused to make others work for their benefit instead of the other way around? That's what made him God of Destruction. Universe 4 was his and his alone. Long as he upheld the letter of cosmic law and didn't do anything that attracted attention, particularly of that idiot Omni-King and his lapdogs, he'd be perfectly fine.
Nevertheless, Quitela had grown tired of pondering much about nothing. Noticing it'd been quite some time since he'd last seen his Attendant, the rodent set out to find him.
"Cognac! Where are you!? You'd better have lunch and/or dinner ready!"
That's funny. Usually the Angel would be by Quitela's side before the Hakaishin even made up his mind whether he needed him. Now, however, it was as if Cognac had never floated around this magnificent palace, a proud symbol of glorious accomplishments, made all the more impressive by the fact that their achiever had not aged a day past the human equivalent of thirteen (or fourteen?) since his ascension ages ago.
However, the mouse deity was in no mood to sit on his laurels. After a long fruitless search, an exasperated Quitela stepped out into the uppermost balcony of his temple.
"Cognac! Didn't you hear me!? Where—"
Cognac was there, alright, but he wasn't alone: he was accompanied by the Grand Priest, Whis, the Guide Angel of the hated Beerus, and him, the Dreaded One, He Who Must Not Be Named. Mind racing all over the place, Quitela sloppily bowed before his august audience.
"G-Grand Zen-Oh! Grand Priest! Whis! W-What brings Your Eminences to my humble abode on such an—"
"Zip it, rodent! We've got important matters to attend to, so I'll cut to the chase."
The King of All had spoken. Quitela all but sweated ice.
"[When did Zen-Oh become so decisive, so assertive… so articulate!?]."
"God of Destruction Lord Quitela IX, heir of Sazerac, of House Rosángel, you stand accused of corruption, bribery, theft, kidnapping, extortion, murder, and negligence, among countless other crimes you yourself committed, or otherwise duped / forced others to commit on your behalf, during your tenure as Hakaishin of Universe 4. How do you plead?"
"W-What?"
Having gently floated to the rodent's side, Zen-Oh nonchalantly yanked one of his ears and screamed into it.
"I SAID YOU STAND ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, BRIBERY, THEFT, MURDER, EXTORTION, KIDNAPPING AND NEGLIGENCE! HOW DO YOU PLEAD, YOU OVERGROWN PLAGUE RAT!?"
Smiling awkwardly, Quitela nervously uttered his trademark "Kekeke!" laugh at the same time he wondered what kind of fucked up alternate reality he'd woken up to.
"W-What? I-I have no idea what you're talking about, Your Eminence, I-I swear!"
Grinning slyly, Zen-Oh materialized a writing board out of thin air, then jotted something down.
"You swear? Guess we can add perjury to the list…"
"What?"
"I SAID WE CAN ADD PERJURY TO THE LIST, AS IN LYING UNDER OATH IN A COURT OF LAW, YOU BARELY PUBESCENT TWERP!" (Brief pause). "Seriously, how can someone so smart be so fucking ignorant!?"
The mouse deity's jaw practically hit the ground.
"[Did the Omni-King just swear!?]. What?"
"SAY 'WHAT' AGAIN, YOU BUCK-TOOTHED, BUTT-UGLY MOTHERFUCKER, I DOUBLE-DARE YOU! SAY 'WHAT' AGAIN!"
"I… don't understand."
Staring in utter bewilderment, Quitela looked towards Cognac. The Angel seemed distracted, not at all invested in the dressing down he'd yearned to witness for gods know how many centuries. The Naatsusian then turned to Beerus' stooge lackey boot-licker servant, but the Guide Angel of U7 bore a strange expression of perplexity bordering on stupefaction.
"[Alright, where's that mangy cat of yours, Whis? No doubt he's perched atop the highest parapet, trying not to laugh himself stupid while he films this dumbass prank so he can upload it to GodTube and get more likes than that old fart Gowasu]."
"Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about your crimes."
The moment he stepped forward, a dispassionate Grand Priest unfurled a scroll that reached all the way down to the palace's main entrance, some two-hundred floors below.
"Lord Quitela, not only have you been derelict in the fulfillment of your duties as God of Destruction: you have also retained unlawful connections with organizations including, but not limited to, the Association of Thieves, the Galactic Raiders, and the Gonzago Scourges. More concretely, you stand accused of fathering over one-hundred illegitimate children throughout the eons in at least five different universes. Furthermore, you are also suspect of committing over one thousand thefts against the royal family of Planet Aspen, from your own universe, I might add."
"I… I…"
The plaintiff audibly gulped as a spiteful Zen-Oh took over.
"What's the matter, rat boy? Lost for words? Luckily for you, I happen to be in a forgiving mood today, so I'll spare myself the rest of this rap sheet."
With that, the King of All snapped his fingers, causing the scroll to disappear in a puff of smoke.
"As for you…"
Grand Priest, Whis, Cognac, and attendants flew away to a safe distance up in the sky. Throat cleared, the Omni-King took a deep breath and let the young vermin have it.
"GOD OF DESTRUCTION QUITELA, FOR YOUR CRIMES OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER, HIGH TREASON, UNSANCTIONED INTER-UNIVERSE TRAVEL-SLASH-ESPIONAGE, GRAND THEFT, PETTY LARCENY, EXPLOITATION, DRUG TRAFFICKING, RUNNING SPEAKEASIES / PROSTITUTION RINGS, UNLAWFUL INTER-UNIVERSAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY, NEGLIGENCE, WEARING GREEN AFTER SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, HAVING AN ANNOYING LAUGH, AND BEING AN ALL AROUND FILTHY MCROTTEN ASSHOLE, I HEREBY JUDGE YOU AND FIND YOU… GUILTY!
MY SENTENCE SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS: HENCEFORTH, YOU ARE STRIPPED OF YOUR TITLE, DIVINITY, AND ALL ATTENDANT RIGHTS AND DUTIES! YOUR GODLY POWER SHALL SLUMBER IN THE REALMS BEYOND UNTIL YOUR SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED! AFTERWARDS, YOU SHALL BE REMITTED TO PLANET EARTH OF THE SEVENTH UNIVERSE, WHERE YOU SHALL REMAIN IN EXILE FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR NATURAL LIFE AND BEYOND! I, ZEN-OH ALL-SOVEREIGN, HAVE SPOKEN!"
Ears still sore, the awkwardly smiling Naatsusian glanced up to the sky.
"O-Oh, w-will you look at the time! (Kekeke!). I-I just remembered I left something in the oven, so… bye now!"
The Naatsusian flew towards Cognac. At that very instant, an orb of silver energy formed above the hand of an unimpressed Zen-Oh. It chased, devoured the Hakaishin like a tornado, drowning out his screams as it tore every bit of God ki and Energy of Destruction out of his body.
Quitela weakened with each passing second. The energy signatures that surrounded him dwindled, then vanished altogether, previous presence of mind giving way to unending fretfulness. In no time at all, the mouse went from a hale and sprightly youth to a sickly wreck barely able to stay awake. The bright colorful world he'd long taken for granted dwindled to a bunch of blurry reds and greens colliding with a dark-tinted mishmash. At long last, the confiscated energies returned to the Omni-King as the maelstrom extinguished itself, allowing Quitela to plummet downward.
The Hakaishin ordered himself to fly. His body wouldn't (or couldn't?) let him skip its imminent reacquaintance with the law of gravity.
Bored by the affair, the Supreme Benefactor snapped his fingers when Quitela was about to hit the ground: all of a sudden, the mouse found himself suspended in mid-air, ensconced within an energy field that kept him fixed merely an arm's length from what nearly became his final resting place. Brandishing a cheeky grin, Zen-Oh set the rodent upright and made him float to where the All-Sovereign waited.
"Going somewhere, Riazul Sauza?"
"W-What!?"
"Don't tell me you forgot your own name… mortal."
"M-Mortal!?"
Heart skipping a couple of beats, the Naatsusian almost screamed.
"[It's not true! It can't be! That blue thumbtack's gotta be lying!]."
It wasn't a lie. Quitela knew that much when Zen-Oh bounced the sphere of reclaimed energies in his hand.
"Kinda hard being a god without this. Don't worry, though; I'm sure your replacement will put them to good use."
At Zen-Oh's signal, the God ki and Energy of Destruction transformed into a column that shot high above the atmosphere, where it disappeared to parts unknown.
"You're lucky I got bored with this whole courtroom motif, or I'd hold you in contempt… well, more in contempt, but you get the point. Now, I believe you have some things that belong to me..."
The All-Sovereign snapped his fingers. The former deity's neck stole, waist sash, and armbands transformed into pure light and were absorbed into a pouch Zen-Oh conjured up. Quitela wept bitterly by the time it was over.
"P-Please, Sir! I-I'll give back everything I stole! I'll apologize to the royal family! I'll be your personal slave for eternity! Don't do this to me, please! Don't throw me out! I'll do anything!"
"Anything?"
Wicked smile on his lips, an unsympathetic Zen-Oh devoured the fallen god with appraising looks. Before Quitela knew it, the Omni-King's fingers caressed the yellow fur around the rodent's face, chest, and flabby abdomen.
"Wow… your fur's really soft."
Quitela swallowed hard. Spiteful smirk on his visage, an unmoved Zen-Oh relished the sight of an ex-Destroyer sweating buckets. As for the Naatsusian, part of him wanted to run away, thoroughly wash himself in an ocean of bleach, crawl into a hole, and cry himself to sleep. However, another part was becoming invested in the whole ordeal, to the point of wanting such treatment to… continue?
"What's wrong, Riazul? Am I making you uncomfortable?"
Tone increasingly disdainful, the Ruler of Time and Space turned away.
"Such a damn shame; such a waste of power, skill, intelligence. That son of a bitch Sazerac sure knew how to pick 'em."
Stealing a glance at Quitela, Zen-Oh couldn't help but chirp a hearty laugh. The mouse was blushing pure crimson as he tried to conceal a small unflattering bulge between his legs.
"And here I thought you weren't happy to see me, Sauza." (Brief pause). "What's the matter? Are you… crying?"
Eyes awash, frame trembling with outrage, Quitela stared death straight into Zen-Oh's eyes.
"Enough's enough. If you're going to erase me, get on with it already."
"You have a lot of nerve, heir of Sazerac. Who do you think you're talking to?"
"A sadistic brat whose ass I'm gonna introduce to my foot one of these days."
Zen-Oh laughed out loud, sound reverberating throughout the palace halls.
"That's cute, coming from you; enjoy mortality, kid. Oh, and one more thing: say hi to Beerus for me."
Snapping his fingers one last time, the King of All created a wormhole that swallowed the screaming rodent, spiriting him from Universe 4 all the way to who-knows-who-cares. Once the last echo of Quitela's screams died out, the King of All sighed while Grand Priest and company reached the area.
"Well, that felt… underwhelming."
A chipper Whis put away a video camera.
"On the contrary, Sir, it's sure to be a smash hit. 'Overgrown plague rat', 'barely pubescent twerp', 'Filthy McRotten Asshole'… I wasn't aware Your Eminence had such a colorful vocabulary."
Zen-Oh shrugged.
"You'd be surprised what kinda things you learn, hanging out with mortals."
"More importantly, unlike your first victim, Mouse Boy actually deserved every single nasty thing you said to him." (Brief pause). "Not sure how I feel about… you know."
Cheerful expression given way to emotions he hadn't experienced in veritable ages, the Father of Angels approached.
"Your Eminence... there was no need to use Quitela thus."
Cognac somberly shook his head.
"I must agree as well. As much as I despise that mongrel, I still think—"
Zen-Oh frowned.
"It had to be done. How else is he gonna learn?" (Brief pause). "It wasn't easy; when I was doing, saying those things, I felt… I felt gross, even worse than when I banished your student, Whis. What's next on the agenda, Father of Angels?"
"That's two Destroyers you have brought to mortality, Sir. According to your list, two more remain. Shall we see to them?"
"Later; I need to get my strength back, and we need to check up on Future Me. Tomorrow morning, however, we got another cat to spay. Come along, Cognac; your services are required."
The group left Universe 4 in a pillar of light…
Meanwhile…
Quitela was spinning right round, baby, right round, like a record, baby, right round, right round, screaming his guts out as the Multiverse took him for the joyride of his teenage life. Why couldn't he fly or tear open a portal to safety!? Why did Zen-Oh tell him to say hi to Beerus!? That's the least he wanted to do right now!
One eternity later, the wormhole opened somewhere in a forest, dumped the Naatsusian face-first into mud, right in the middle of a downpour. Wobbling back up, a coughing Quitela tried to walk, only to ignominiously fall facedown.
Already vexed, the growling mouse willed himself to fly: nothing happened. He tried harder; still nothing. Harder still; nada.
"W-What's going on!? Why can't I…!? Cognac! Where are you!? Cognac!"
Nobody came.
At last it all sank in for the fallen Hakaishin: the Omni-King had stolen from him, God of Destruction Quitela, Scourge of Decent Folk, Defiler of Fair Maidens, Breaker of Hearts, Shatterer of Padlocks! The Divine Brat had made off with his ability to fly and gods know what else!
"I'm… I'm alone… they… they threw me out… again… I… NO! Can't think about that now! I need to find food, shelter, or I'm as good as dead!"
Fighting a losing battle against fear and despair, the Naatsusian shambled back to his feet. Trying to assess his surroundings proved futile, no matter how much he squinted his eyes.
"Everything's so… blurry. If that blue eyesore was telling the truth, then I'm not in Universe 4 anymore, but in Universe 7. Universe 7… UNIVERSE 7! I'm in Beerus's—NO! Get a hold of yourself, Sauza! Little Boy Blue's just testing you or something! Y-Yeah... that's gotta be it."
A sneeze disrupted the storm, followed by another, yet another, another still...
"And now I have a cold. Terrific."
Quitela tried to walk, only to collapse yet again. Ankle-deep in mud, the Naatsusian realized his left shoe was gone, swallowed by the earth. He made to retrieve it, but ultimately decided not to.
"[Whatever stunt Zen-Oh pulled has drained my strength to the dregs. Saving energy is a must if I wanna make it through the night… easier said than done…].
Half an hour later…
Quitela at last crawled out of that muddy hole. Clothes soaked, body aching, spirits faltering, the rat managed to shamble some three feet away from his landing spot.
"Noise (sneeze x2). Too much… too much (sneeze) noise… gotta… gotta focus… remember, remember (sneeze x4)... what he taught you…"
Riazul sat down. Legs crossed, eyes shut, the Naatsusian frantically breathed in and out till his breathing eased into a gentler place.
"Forget (sneeze x2) yourself; don't worry about later; focus (sneeze x2); focus on here and (sneeze x5) now; relax; focus… focus… focus…"
Senses fine-tuned, resolve strengthened, the sneezing, coughing Quitela walked a good ten paces into an adjacent clearing. The disgraced deity spotted a raging river about a stone throw away from his current position, the sight of which got his mind running.
"[If I… if I follow the stream downward, it might lead to civilization… key word being 'might']."
Once he helped himself to a nearby tree branch slightly above his size, Riazul Sauza hobbled down the river path, praying to find a town or a group of campers before the last of his strength deserted him and he fell into darkness, never to rise again. His one-track mind, constant sneezing and coughing made the rodent lose sight of a bunch of sharp stones in his path. The Naatsusian scraped the top of his left foot shortly before collapsing on top of the pile, having barely enough time to cover his eyes with his right arm.
Barely a minute later, Quitela surveyed himself. Both knees bled; the area from the chest to the stomach looked bruised. At least nothing was broken, thank Supre—
"OW! FUCK!"
The ex-Hakaishin's right arm hurt when he tried to move it.
"[Definitely a big loss, but not insurmountable; 'bout time freaking left-handedness was useful for a change…]."
Staff in hand, Quitela walked further down the trail, fighting weakness and despair through sheer willpower. Too bad this new determination didn't come with a flashlight and a pair of glasses: his next step caused the Naatsusian to plummet headfirst into a cliff below…
Later…
"So this creep's my new training partner?"
"More than that. He's going to be your student."
"Whoa, really!? But what about Shu?"
"I'll take over his training for a while. You get this rat back on his feet so I can whip him into shape."
"I dunno, Piccolo... you really think this is a good idea?"
"We have our orders, 21. I'm not happy about it either, but—"
"Look, look! He's waking up!"
"C-Cognac? (sneeze). Owww… w-where… am I?"
As he brushed somnolence from his eyes, Quitela's waking blurry world was suddenly invaded by a strange visage belonging to a green bug thing with black spots. Dressed in a purple uniform of sorts, Bug Thing's yellow eyes brimmed with child-like curiosity as they met the Naatsusian's; speaking in a cheerful tone, its smiling toothy orange mouth motioned to speak.
"Hi!"
Jumping away in a panic, the disgraced deity fell flat on his ass while pointing at the spooked creature, who looked around frantically.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! MONSTER! A (cough x2) HIDEOUS MONSTER!"
"MONSTER!? WHERE!? WHERE!?"
"I DIED (sneeze x2) AND WENT TO THE (sneeze) BAD PLACE! THE BAD (cough x2) PLACE!"
"WHAT BAD PLACE!?"
"HELL!"
"THIS ISN'T H.F.I.L.!"
"WHAT DOES (sneeze x2) THAT EVEN MEAN!?"
"HOME FOR INFINITE LOSERS!"
Leaning on a nearby stalagmite, Riazul Sauza slowly staggered back up, much to Bug Thing's joy, who then reclined on an adjacent wall.
"That… (sneeze x3)… that actually makes sense."
"I know, right?"
"It's 'coz they're cast off from Heaven, isn't it?" (cough x5).
"Yeah… the 'Infinite' part's a little on the nose, though."
The late Lord Quitela shook his head.
"I'd (sneeze x4) have to disagree. It (cough x2) fits the acronym perfectly (cough x3), says they're irredeemable and—"
"You two…"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"QUIET! BOTH OF YOU GET A HOLD OF YOURSELVES!"
Heartbeat all over the place, a wheezing Quitela realized he'd jumped into Bug Thing's arms, prompting a sheepish smile from the rodent as the unimpressed creature unceremoniously dropped him on his butt, then stepped back into darkness. Looking at himself, the rodent realized the remnants of his Destroyer uniform were gone, replaced by a purple outfit not unlike Bug Thing's, save for the pair of triangular-pointed shoes that shielded his feet from the elements. The ex-Hakaishin also wore a splint over his right arm, the sight of which recalled quite a few bad memories from the previous hours.
Seeking a diversion, Riazul took in the warm glow of a nearby campfire, the smell of stew cooking in a pot, wafted by a litany of owls lulling would-be prey into a false sense of security. The rodent got up, fell back down, then squinted, trying to take a closer look at the source of that deep-voiced scream… well, as much as the blurriness in his eyes, sneezing, and coughing allowed. Even so, the green skin and pointy ears were a dead giveaway.
"You're one of the warriors from Universe 7! The slug man!"
"Namekian. My name is Piccolo, and this is my student, Android 21."
Piccolo was not amused. For his part, 21 waved back like an amused child.
"There were (cough x2) two other fighters like (cough) you in the (cough x3) Tournament."
"Those two are from Universe 6. You're in Universe 7's Earth."
Quitela nearly had a heart attack.
"Oh gods, i-it's true! I-I'm in Beerus's universe! [This is bad. Gods dammit, it's beyond bad!]."
"Take it easy, kid. You were—"
"Hey, who're you calling a (cough x2) kid, green man!? (cough x2)."
Android 21 all but exploded.
"That's our Master you're talking to, brat! Show some respect!"
"BRAT!? (cough x2). THAT DOES IT!"
Jumping back to his feet, Hakaishin stance assumed, Quitela extended his arm towards Bug Thing.
"Hakai."
Nothing happened.
"I said Hakai."
Still nothing.
"HAKAI! HAKAI, GODS DAMMIT, HAKAI!"
Nothing still.
"N-No…"
Collapsed on his knees, Sauza despondently stared at the palms of his hands as an indifferent Android 21 rolled his eyes and Piccolo awkwardly cleared his throat.
"It's obvious what happened, Quitela: the Omni-King took away your powers."
For his part, 21 flashed a cheeky smile.
"That's why you couldn't fly when you got here… oh, and you're mortal now, like us. Isn't that just peachy?"
Piccolo stared sourly at his disciple, who then let out a grin of embarrassment.
"Sorry, Master. Couldn't resist."
"W-What!? (cough x2). W-Were (sneeze x2) you two watching (sneeze) me this whole time!?"
"Duh! Who do you think saved you when you fell off that cliff?"
"Not my (cough x2) point, bug breath…"
"The name's 21."
"Whatever. How do you (cough x2) guys know what (sneeze x3) Zen-Oh did to me? I don't (cough/sneeze x2) recall inviting you two to Universe 4!"
"Little birdie told us."
"That's enough, 21."
The Namekian crouched to the Naatsusian's height.
"Look, all you need to know for now is that 21 and I are going to train you so you can regain your powers."
The disgraced ex-deity beamed a wide smile.
"Really? You'd do that? For me? (Kekeke!)."
21 groaned out loud.
"Dear Kami, please tell me he's not gonna be doing that all the time…"
A clearly annoyed Piccolo stood up, ready to rebuke his pupil yet again, when a little boy's voice was heard from an adjacent cavern.
"S-Sensei? M-Master Piccolo?"
Piccolo and 21 turned around. The android grinned an apologetic smile.
"We're here, Shu. Sorry 'bout the noise; didn't mean to wake you up."
Quitela squinted some more: not far from 21 stood a little (dog?) boy who wore the same purple outfit favored by Piccolo and the mechanical warrior. Though the rodent's hazy vision allowed no clearer details, he thought it safe to assume the lad was quite tired, if the tone of his voice, oscillating between somnolence and puzzlement, was to be believed. Yawning out loud, Shu bowed the moment he caught sight of Quitela.
"O-Oh, pardon me, Sir! Are you here to train with us?" (Brief pause). "My name is Shu… Shu Soba. May I ask your name?"
"Sauza… Riazul Sauza. Call me Quitela."
Failing to repress another loud yawn, Shu turned to Piccolo and 21.
"My apologies. Guess I'm a lot more tired than I thought. May I be excused?"
Piccolo nodded once. The canine bowed one last time.
"Nice meeting you, Mr. Sau—I-I mean, Mr. Quitela, Sir."
With that, the dog boy took his leave, followed by 21.
"Better keep an eye on him. See ya tomorrow, mousey."
"M-Mousey!?"
"Ignore him. "You must be hungry."
Stirring the pot of stew, Piccolo poured some into a bowl, throwing in some warm bread for good measure. For his part, Quitela blinked in utter confusion.
"(You're going to give me food? Just like that?)"
"Did you say something, Quitela?"
"N-N-No, n-n-n-nothing at all, Sensei!"
The Namekian handed his guest a bowl full of stew. Much to Piccolo's wonder, Riazul all but wolfed down its contents, beamed an awkward smile following a loud burp.
"Sorry 'bout that. Thanks, by the way (sneeze)... for saving me; food was good, too."
The green man warmly smiled.
"Don't mention it, kid."
Riazul was not amused.
"Don't call me 'kid'."
It took Quitela well over an hour to fall asleep. Even after he managed it, his thoughts constantly replayed the events of the day as he called in vain for Kuru, Cognac, Ganos, anybody…
The Omni-King's Realm…
Zen-Oh turned off the projector. Shortly afterward, the Omni-King and Grand Priest looked on ahead as a group of nine entered the hall escorted by attendants, who saw themselves out while the newcomers bowed.
"Welcome, warriors of Universe 4. Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. I realize you have very busy schedules, so I'll keep this brief."
A gigantic orcish male ventured a look at the All-Universal Benefactor.
"Please... don't trouble yourself on our account, Sir. We're honored to be in your presence."
Reverent tone gradually shifting into sadness, a pink-haired human-like female took over.
"Indeed, Nink. We are also honored that you wish to aid our cause, Your Eminence. We were beginning to think Lord Qu—Subject Q would never answer for what he has done… […for what he did to him]."
A green-furred fennec fox solemnly continued.
"Caway echoes our feelings as a group, Sires. While the royal family of Planet Aspen has expressed reservations regarding this endeavor, I am certain they will offer their support once we assure them it has the blessing of the Omni-King himself."
A shy, seemingly disembodied voice was heard.
"Let me get a word in, Majora. Please forgive my doubting, Sir, but is it true? Has Qui—Subject Q lost his godhood and been exiled to another universe?"
The Omni-King allowed himself a warm smile.
"It's true, Gamisaras. He's set to begin his new training regimen on Planet Earth of Universe 7, under Piccolo Jr."
The King of All showed the group a projection of Gohan's dad a Namekian clad in a turban and purple gi. A bemused Nink scratched the top of his head.
"I remember him. He scored many victories for Universe 7 at the Tournament of Power. He strikes me as an honorable warrior. A very powerful one."
A wolf with dark-green pelt cautiously stepped forward.
"Yet another obstacle to overcome, guys. We've made it this far: we can't turn back now."
As if on cue, Zen-Oh extinguished the projection.
"I never implied anything of the sort, Shosa. The terms of our deal are clear: once Q's fighting skills return, you nine will have my leave to challenge him. Should any of you defeat him, I shall rescind his exile and have him return to Universe 4 to stand trial for his crimes." (Chuckles). "Rat boy's in so much hot water, I wouldn't be surprised if his defense attorney requested the death penalty."
A small blue creature standing to Caway's right swallowed hard.
"I-I don't think this is such a good idea, guys. He's a God of Destruction!"
"Not anymore, Shantsa; rat boy's mortal now, like you. Surely you guys can handle a no-good rodent with an annoying laugh, right?" (Brief pause). "Nevertheless, you are not allowed to use lethal force under any circumstance. Oh, and one more thing: Piccolo Jr. and his students are off limits; same goes for Son Goku, his friends, and anyone other than Subject Q (exceptions may or may not apply). I don't care how you do it, but make sure no harm comes to them. Feel free to get even with the damn rat, long as you adhere to these stipulations."
A small, green insect-like being jumped to Majora's shoulder.
"When will we receive permission to proceed?"
"In about a week's time, Damon. Now if you'll be so kind, please wait in the outer hall. I have other matters to attend to."
Bowing once more, the group exited the hall. Whis and Cognac entered at around the same time an uneasy Grand Priest approached Zen-Oh.
"Sir, I have serious reservations about this part of the plan. You yourself chose Subject Q as a member of the Five Failures. Given his weakened condition, it is quite possible Nink and his warriors will defeat him. Do you intend to honor your promise if that happens?"
"We're playing a dangerous game, Father of Angels. You know I wouldn't be putting us through all this hassle if we had other options." (To Whis and Cognac). "Any news about the missing gods?"
A neutral Whis shook his head.
"None to report, Your Eminence. We sent word of their disappearance to the other Universes. We also instructed their Attendants and Destroyers to come to this realm posthaste."
"I fear we may be too late. My men just found the corpse of an envoy. Among his possessions was this missive addressed to you, Sir."
An uncharacteristically grim Cognac handed the message over to the Grand Priest, who broke its wax seal and examined its contents: a letter, one the Father of Angels nearly dropped.
"Oh dear. It states that Geene and Arak were taken from their universes two days prior to the writing of this message."
Having taken a look for himself, Zen-Oh pocketed the message.
"The date's from three weeks ago. This is bad." (Brief pause). "Change of plans: I'll travel to Universes 6 and 9 and carry out the undeification of Subjects C and S right here and now. In the meantime, Future Me can entertain our guests."
"As you wish, my Lord."
"We'll tell Vados and Mojito to be ready."
Following a joint bow, the Angels left the hall. Zen-Oh turned to one of his attendants.
"Tell Future Me to come here at once. It's urgent."
Notes:
This chapter contains references to "The Tale of Universe 4," by GigglesMcfiggles ( —id: 12795595).