OPENING THEME:
Episode 22:
BATTLE OF CONFUSION: WHO IS ON WHOSE SIDE?
"Soldiers!" the King bellowed despite his worn body. Vegeta noticed that as the King called for these soldiers a third time that he kept his hand on a device on his person. It was identical to the one the Elmorites wore about their wrists.
There was a loud crash and the earth trembled slightly and Vegeta knew that a gathering had alighted just outside of the castle. His theory was proven as a massive pool of bright light swiftly approached them. The anticipation was nagging at him and he twitched in excitement but instead he looked on with dread and surprise upon noticing who these men and women were. His countenance was greatly exaggerated upon the group falling to their knees in respectful bowing.
"At first, that was why I allowed the boys to survive. I thought that they would have made a great addition to the team despite their disgusting heritage, for I have never encountered such power or at least such resilience from mere children but then again - I changed my mind," the King laughed.
Gawking at the swooshing of tails that hung tight onto the lower backs of several of the soldiers, Vegeta gasped, "Are those - saiyans? But - Beerus, the God of Destruction - he - he confirmed that there were no other survivors in all of the universe but Kakarot and I and our sons! I - I - I can't believe this. I just cannot. Explain yourself, dammit. Explain how is it that you really are still alive?"
"It's simple really," the Great Ruler added, "After the King and I met on the Igmite planet, he needed to be off the radar, so to speak. With their brilliant technology, the Igmites allowed the King and the saiyans and any future generations under his care to be covered from ever being sought out. No one, no matter who they are or what they are could ever trace them. As far as it was known - the saiyan race really and truly was extinct."
"So then - it is true? My race - my people - I am no longer alone."
"Why yes, son - indeed, somewhat. I have been harbouring them for years, low-levels but still very useful after all because of me I have unlocked their true potential. Now I've found you or rather you've found me - together, son, we can build a new world. A new planet Vegeta! Stronger and better than ever before. Forget my past transgressions as I have forgotten yours. Soldiers, show him your power!"
The saiyans whose head count was nearing 60 and the intense golden sheen radiating off of them forced Vegeta to shield his eyes with his arm. As the light subsided, he studied the spectacle with curiousity. All of them were adorned with lengthened, golden hair. All of them had effortlessly transformed to super saiyan 3.
The King laughed, "You've always been a bit smart. With their efforts combined, do you really think that you can take on all of them at once? There is strength in numbers, my boy."
Vegeta smiled and with a wave of power, the crowd of saiyans fell instantaneously. The King looked on both baffled and enraged and his son's mockery only furthered his rage.
"What part of I am a level beyond god do you not understand!" Vegeta chuckled, "And besides, unlike you, I do not lack experience and as such cannot be overwhelmed in such a way. At least your cowardice was not in vain. I must say, it eases the pressure that my race has survived after all and will continue to thrive. I've searched for over two decades without any luck - thinking the worst had already happened. At the very least father, you did some good."
Suddenly, Vegeta stopped laughing and his eyes widened at the odd sensation he was experiencing. He fell to his knees in a dizzying display and he fought to keep on all fours. Without warning, the Great Ruler pounced towards him but there was no preparation for the cruel blow to the side.
Noticing that the metal bar had dug deep into his target, he edged it even deeper much to the awakening of Vegeta's cries of anguish.
"Can I kill this scum now?" the Great Ruler asked. Despite the obvious tell-tale signs of his wounds, he was standing firmly as though he had the energy of a thousand men.
Before the King could respond, one of the saiyans interrupted, "But, kill him? The prince, sire?" The man trembled, mimicking the fear of so many others but just as many looked on with keen interest.
"Indeed," the King proudly declared as he grabbed onto his bruised shoulder, hoisting himself against the rubble for a more comfortable seating, "Great Ruler! Stop - that is enough."
The Great Ruler looked up at the man with surprise but obeyed nonetheless. He withdrew the metal bar and returned it to the confines of his inner shirt, "Whatever it is that you are planning to do with him, it must be good."
The King smiled deviously, "His power should be just beneath that of the weakest of these warriors. How funny! My son, the so-called prince, is about to be beaten by a bunch of low-levels."
In his agony, Vegeta cast a menacing glare at the man and then back at the lingering group of soldiers.
"Come on out, Sukasshu! Step forward!"
The crowd shifted as a tall man with an incredible built stepped forward. His golden sheen was the only one that remained amongst the group as the others had returned to their bases. His evil grin spurred on similar grins of his two masters.
"Ah, I see," the Great Ruler exclaimed, now understanding the situation, "You saiyans do sure live to fight, don't you? If it was up to me, he would be dead long time."
"It is more than that. There is nothing more torturous to a warrior than losing to one who should be times weaker than you. So son, get up and fight! Give us a show."
"Sukasshu, no!" a female warrior bellowed as she forced her way to the front of the crowd and hung on tight to his arm, "You cannot do this! Please, I beg of you."
The man growled and shrugged her off and then proceeded to quiet her with a steady punch to the stomach. Wide-eyed, she fell to the ground as she clutched around her waist. Many looked on with sympathy and worry.
"Hm. The best of the best as always. Now kill her," the King ordered.
"What!" Sukasshu bellowed, looking down at the woman with sudden pity as their eyes met.
"Great Ruler - why don't you!"
"As you wish, sire!" the Great Ruler said excitedly as he raised his hands towards the couple and shot a blast.
Vegeta looked on with pure dread as he saw them fall. He shook with the rage that was building up inside of him. Was this really happening? Was he surrounded by a pack of cold-blooded murderers that would even hurt their own? And was his father the leader of the pack?
He struggled to get to his feet as he held on tight to the open wound in his side.
"Hm. The boy is ready to fight," the King declared.
"But sire, why! You said it yourself that he was the best, I don't understand!" a heavy-set man bellowed, trembling at the sight of the lifeless bodies.
"I could make you the best, you know? I can allow exclusive access to gaining more power."
The man bowed, "That would be most gracious, sire."
"Right after you kill him."
"What!" the man looked up, with shock evident in his eyes, "But - but!"
"Are you disobeying a direct order?" the King growled.
"No, sire. Of course not."
The man stepped closer towards Vegeta and prepared himself in a battle-ready stance but his unsurety got the best of him and it showed, "But sire, he is hurt. This is not a fair fight. Isn't it the saiyan way to always seek out a fair fight?"
The King chuckled, "That baloney only fools live by. Go in for the kill immediately if you wish but don't patronize me with your hogwash about having the opponent fight at his best."
"Right, of course," he muttered.
"Yo, Poompa! If you don't want the job let someone in who does!" roared the voice of a dark-skinned warrior.
"Yeah, why the hell not. If the King allows me more power perhaps he might even make me his wife. Oh, how quaint!" a girl with skin as white as snow exclaimed, "Me! Queen Zakura! Has a ring to it, doesn't it."
"You! The queen! Ha!" another female warrior shouted as she played aggressively on her sparkling diamond necklace in an effort to calm herself down, "The King is mine and mine alone!"
"You're beautiful, so what! We all know I'm the real fighter girl around here," Zakura said, her voice thick with jealousy as she eyed the other woman venomously.
The other woman pounced towards her but was stopped by a trio of males. She seethed loudly, kicking and screaming and eventually settled into a fuming lump.
"Hmph," Zakura directed her attention back to Poompa and drew closer towards him. She knelt over and kissed the shorter saiyan on his chubby cheek and he blushed furiously, "Come on. Let me be the one to finish him off. I have been working damn hard but cannot ascend to the next level. With the King's help, I'll be sure to be there soon enough."
Poompa's legs shook beneath him and his lustful glare caught sight of the woman before him and he nodded.
"Good. Now step aside," Zakura said and opening her palm, a mighty wind sent the man tumbling back. The crowd divided momentarily and he crashed into the wall behind.
"I do this, I get more power, correct?" she asked as she looked at the King.
The King nodded, his evil intent shining in his eyes. 'Even better,' he thought, 'To see my son fall at the hands of a woman! Ha!'
Zakura motioned Vegeta forward and he eyed her maliciously.
"How 'bout you attack me first? I'm being a gentleman, here," he smirked as he released his hand from the wound, his bloodied glove now curled into a tight fist. The earth shook beneath him as he transformed effortlessly to a super saiyan, "Well, how 'bout it?"
"Hm. Your mistake," the girl quipped as she launched forward at him. Her powerful blow sent Vegeta back somewhat as he blocked, leaving behind a deep trail in the dirt beneath the mess of the broken tiles.
"Is that all? You can do much better than that!" Vegeta mocked.
Growling, she shot forward with her aura focused about her fist and threw Vegeta through the walls and ultimately far beyond the vicinity of the castle. Appearing before him as he clambered to his feet, she smirked, "And you are suppose to be our prince? At least put in a little bit of effort into it."
She made a grab for him but Vegeta held her hand. She smiled, "Oh, so you like to play, huh?"
Vegeta growled and lurched his head forward, his forehead collided into her own. She fell back but could not go any further as Vegeta held on even tighter. Her head had begun to bleed profusely as she grimaced in her agony, carefully wiping away the mess with her free arm.
"That was a cheap shot!" she cried, "You're weaker than me. The Great Ruler - he drained the majority of your power."
"I am an experienced warrior and thanks to the hogwash of fighting fairly for many years, I have found numerous means of winning a battle without relying solely on power. You might be a fighter, girl but you sorely lack the skill to back it up," Vegeta proclaimed as he released a powerful punch to the stomach, his aura surging in the midst of the attack. The girl fell unconscious immediately. "Nifty trick, isn't it?" he spat as he watched the motionless woman on the ground.
Alerted by approaching energy, he looked up to see the Great Ruler before him. The curious saiyans chose to spy from within the building.
"I'm tired of this bull. I will kill you now, regardless of what the King says. He's too weak to do anything anyway, the last ounce of his energy is all mine now," the Great Ruler smirked.
Vegeta's aura surged once more but the spectacle was far greater than before and the earth shook violently about them as the winds picked up. He dashed forward and plummeted the Great Ruler with impressive blows and followed it up with an impressive blast, maintaining focus and drive.
As the smoke cleared, Vegeta was pleased to see a fatigued and battered opponent, "I was about this strong when I first fought Beerus and I made somewhat of an impression on him. Seeing as I can sense you, you're not even operating under full power."
"Well then, in that case," the Great Ruler's worried frown transformed into a smirk.
Unsure of what to think of it, Vegeta was not prepared for the crippling effects of his energy being sucked away.
"The metal bar from the Igmites is a most valuable thing indeed. Their recent technology allows your power to become my own immediately. Even a large gulp of energy at once will not affect me as it had in the past. So in this moment, as temporary as it is, your ultimate defeat will be at the hands of a god."
Vegeta fell to his knees and he looked up at the man with fury.
"Your eyes give away your confusion. The metal is a part of my anatomy and at will, work when I want it to. Think of it as an extra limb so to speak. It is a very painful and long operation that is so worth the trouble. I've forced my most trusted Elmorites into having the same done to them and convinced the King to fear it. You see how it works, as long as I am close enough, the power I seek will be mine. I suppose I stabbed you for the heck of it," he laughed menacingly to which Vegeta growled.
"Damn coward," Vegeta said through forced exertion. He was extremely weak now and it showed as his golden aura retreated and he finally succumbed and fell flat.
In the midst of his joy, the Great Ruler was not prepared for the group of nine that was quickly advancing. In unison, their blasts hit the target. And they waited anxiously for the outcome of their actions amidst the turbulence of the clouds of smoke.
END THEME:
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
The aura about a female warrior's hand is aglow and it punctures straight through the chest of another.
"Son Goku here! Aye yai yai! This battle is getting fierce out there! It seems like every man...or woman...for themselves! Where's a leader when you need one?"
The tall, dark skinned saiyan from before steps forward amongst the group wearing a serious and authoritative countenance.
"Oh boy! Look out 'cause this guy sure looks like he's got a lot say. See you NEXT TIME ON DRAGONBALL SUPER: THE SPEECH: A WARRIOR REMEMBERS"
END CREDITS : Author/Creator of the DBZ series and characters: Akira Toriyama
Author/Creator of this Story/Series; Creator of a decent reason why saiyans are still alive (at least I think so): Chrissi B (c) 2017
A/N: Hey, let me know what you think about my Saiyan names? :D