AnonymousDBZFan, Thank you so very, very much for your feedback! I didn't even hope that Remmnya would have any impact on the readers - heck, I was considering cutting out the entire chapter "Executioner" where Remmnya's featured and just write a tie-in one shot. I am so, so moved that Remmnya's and Touketsu Vegeta's interactions reached you! It is the most wonderful, heartening thing to hear and I was truly surprised. Thank you!
I know, this was a crazy-long wait. I knew I'd be slower with updates by the time I got to the midpoint of the story, but this still took (much) longer than I thought. I jumped ahead and refined some future chapters, and the biggest change I made was expanding the role of a couple characters. I thought it would be a travesty not to. When I circled back to chapter 12, I realized I needed to make major changes. There was just nothing at stake here. I ended up writing a back story and timeline that didn't even make it to the final (though I may write a one shot one of these days).
At one point this chapter was over 9000(!) words, but I managed to chop it back to just over 8,000. Still stupid long, but I hope it makes this chapter worth the wait!
I can say with confidence that updates will be less frequent and less predictable from here on out, so please consider subscribing so you can stay updated! As always, I value constructive criticism as much as positive comments. Please tell me how you truly feel! Thank you so much for reading!
Dishonor
The Inimucus kept to their own cliquish pockets, the individuals banding with others alike in background, race, or region. Some had temporary encampments on the snow-dusted outskirts. Others had created more permanent lodgings of modest wood hovels or sod houses embedded within the hills.
High above, sulky storm clouds gathering around him, Touketsu flew on. He had done some exploration of Nav since his arrival, and he'd discovered several caves in the chalky cliffs that lined the coastline. Touketsu alighted on a broad ledge in front of a relatively narrow cave entrance. He remembered this one; it widened into a decent space within.
His scale mail armor clanking softly, Touketsu maneuvered through the craggy entrance and stepped into the spacious cave. Adequate. Dropping the parcel of food on the cave floor, he sat down and began unwrapping it, famished by this point. The insulting "gift" tumbled out. He frowned. Ah, yes. Grabbing the piebald cloth doll and storming purposefully to the cave entrance, he stepped out onto the ledge. He flung the thing far off into the wine-dark ocean below, watching as it disappeared into one of the many pockets of mist hovering over the water. "Fuck you, lady."
He held no such disdain for the food he'd been gifted, however. Having missed out on both dinner and breakfast, he made short work of the offering, pitiably small by Saiyan standards. His stomach demanding more, he took to the skies to see what game was in the area. Before long he spied a little white hare-like creature streaking across a snowy clifftop.
He swooped down on it like a hawk, trapping it between the earth and a clawed foot and instantly killing it. Picking up the dead animal, he tore into it with an enormous bite and chewed thoughtfully, blood dribbling down his chin. He shrugged. It was as good as anything else. Marenna was full of shit. Casually eating his grisly snack as though it were an apple, he walked along the edge of the clifftop and experimentally stretched out his senses for power levels in the area.
A snarl of derision tugged at his lips. He aggressively stripped the last bit of meat from the carcass, now just a head and some vertebrae. Tossing the remnants aside, he glared off in the direction of the ki signature. Nappa. "Came back after all, huh?" he grumbled, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Stupid old fool." He was sorely tempted to go beat the everliving shit out of Nappa's spirit body, but his pride won out. He would not be the one to go to him. It was a comfort knowing he'd get to kill his high and mighty bodyguard again tonight. This was not a bad arrangement after all.
"Trunk's 7th birthday is coming up in less than a month."
"I'm well aware of that, woman."
"Well, I was thinking about taking him on a Dragon Ball hunt…"
It was dark in this section of the colosseum, the light above barely reaching. The sound of the visitors was muffled. Verdant moss and other vegetation covered what remained of the stone walls. Here, armor-clad slaves and prisoners were once hustled along to go up and fight to the death while amused spectators gawked down imperiously like gods from a safe distance. Vegeta walked the grass covered passageways where the long dead warriors had once tread…
"Your birthday's coming up, little girl! Are you excited?"
"Yeah!"
A war horn sounded.
Touketsu awoke with a start, disoriented. It was dark. He shifted uncomfortably on a hard, uneven surface, his movement somewhat restricted by the armor he was wearing. Armor. Battle…
He sat bolt upright, the war horn again blasting in the distance. The Tournament. It was a good thing the horn was sounded every night; had he slept in, a warrant for his arrest would have been issued. With a grunt he got to his feet to stand before the cave entrance, yawning and stretching out his muscles. A silhouette against the twilight sky, he planted his hands on his hips and snorted in wry amusement, his tail lashing once. He was once again reporting for duty upon pain of death.
Separated into two single file lines, Inimicus and Familia contenders walked through the participants' entrance to the Volkfangr Arena. Side by side they marched down a broad corridor, and at the end blazed the Fire of Life, its colorful flames flashing like light scintillating off a Valkyrie's armor. The contenders walked through unflinching and obtained their temporary bodies. Armed for battle, they diverged into their segregated areas along the periphery.
Touketsu descended from the sky to the arena. Moving to stand along the outskirts among the other Inimicus, he crossed his arms and leaned back against the onyx wall behind him. His ears pricked up and his nails dug into his biceps when he registered curious whispers, then snickering from the other Inimicus. Unless they were defendants, Inimicus were excluded from court proceedings. They didn't know that he had been downgraded, but it sounded like they were putting two and two together.
Before Touketsu had taken on the temporary role of executioner, the Fourth Quarter matches always began with the least skilled of the ki wielding fighters, the winner of each match going on to fight a stronger opponent. Touketsu frowned; he'd be dead last, only squaring off against his bodyguard before the Tournament concluded. The only other fighting he'd be doing was against those two weakling Luscepians in the Third Quarter. Pathetic.
For once Touketsu wasn't paying attention when new participants emerged from the fire from training, so immersed in the creative ways he'd kill his disloyal former cohort. He happened to glance up, and his jaw began dropping open at the sight of the tall, long haired warrior that strode out from the flames. He closed his mouth and covertly watched the warrior make his way towards Nappa. Can hardly believe that coward did any training…
Raditz was no Elite and so failed to gain the respect of his two surviving peers. Nonetheless, he was proud of his Mid-Class status to the point of complacency. Knowing that a Saiyan could never move beyond his or her caste, he didn't see the point of pushing himself in training or battle. Crafty and articulate, he instead combined his impressive strength with words in order to win, deceiving his opponents or weakening their resolve.
A patriot, Raditz often reminded the slightly younger prince of Saiyan traditions and customs much like Nappa did, if not more eloquently. Vegeta valued action over words, however. How could Raditz wax poetic about their proud warrior race when he held no interest in getting stronger? That poser's vocabulary was the strongest thing about him…he combined his looks and his greatest "strength" to get women in bed with him.
"Long time no see, Raditz," Nappa rumbled, arms crossed and expression guarded as the long haired Saiyan approached. Then, a knowing smirk spread across the bald man's face. Raditz looked at him in bemusement before breaking out into a broad grin. He barked out a laugh and slapped a hand over Nappa's back.
Touketsu scowled at the sight of them chumming it up and looked away. Since when were the Saiyan general and that Mid-Class loser buddies? Touketsu tuned his highly sensitive hearing to the two Saiyans whispering amongst themselves.
"You did it," Raditz laughed, giving the taller Saiyan a congratulatory shake by the scruff of his neck. "You finally did it, old man."
Nappa waved him off. "Can it, Mid-Class. You may have beaten me to Super Saiyan, but I've taken it to new heights."
Touketsu stared with unseeing eyes at the empty arena, his brain scarcely able to grasp what his ears were telling him. Raditz. …Raditz. That lazy weakling had become a Super Saiyan even before the Saiyan general!? It was bullshit! And to think he had once died trying and failing to achieve this overhyped transformation…
"Is that so?" Raditz countered as Marenna's voice rang out to routinely list the Tournament rules. "I look forward to seeing this new level of yours."
Turning away, Nappa bit back the growl that nearly escaped his throat. He had tried duplicating the Legendary transformation all day without success. He likely had to lose himself in battle in order to reach it again. He should have stayed in the Realm of Fire for training, but he felt compelled to confront Vegeta. Unfortunately he hadn't seen him anywhere in Susmir, nor could he pick up on his muted ki signature. When he asked other Inimicus about him, he was astounded to learn that he wasn't even dead. Yet…Nappa frowned to himself. Vegeta's lack of detectible life force was even more disturbing than his appearance…
Freiza turned you on us. I failed you, Vegeta, Nappa thought, his eyes dulling. They hardened again with resolve. But I swear, I'll make it up to you…I won't let you live on as this thing, this insult to you and your race. You'll have the honor of dying at a Saiyan's hand. He looked askance at Raditz who was eyeing an attractive female Familia contender. One way or another.
"People of Nav," Marenna continued, "before the Tournament begins I have an important announcement to make. As of last night, it was revealed that our reigning champion and temporary executioner, Mr. Touketsu, is in fact an Inimicus under the name Prince Vegeta IV." Raditz's eyes popped wide, his head swinging up to the queen. "He was identified by his Familia earlier today, and Prince Izo and Prince Chisto were selected to represent and fight on their behalf. The Tournament will again proceed as normal, and Prince Vegeta will face his Familia in the Third Quarter as required. However, as Prince Vegeta possesses a permanent body, a measure has been passed in order to increase the chances that his Familia have the honor of defeating him in battle. Therefore, in the event that Prince Vegeta moves on to the Fourth Quarter matches, he will be exempt from facing Executioner Lord Zeygorn. Let the Tournament begin!"
Raditz slowly turned to Nappa as the gong sounded and the audience cheered on the First Quarter contenders. "Permanent body?"
"Hm. Seems Queeny doesn't think anyone else can beat 'em but Dragon Breath-"
"Nappa, what the hell did she mean by 'permanent body'? How did he even get here then?" Raditz demanded, but Nappa wasn't answering. Frustrated, he fanned out his ki senses as his eyes scanned the assembly. He shook his head. "I can't sense his energy. Nappa, this has to be a mistake-"
"He's here Raditz." Nappa said shortly. He sighed. "But 'cha ain't gonna recognize him." Raditz looked at him, confused, but Nappa was in no mood to elaborate. He turned and placed a big hand on the bewildered Saiyan's shoulder guard. "Raditz. I don't know what Vegeta's become, but don't be fooled by his power level." He lowered his head and looked down at Raditz very seriously. "And don't hold back."
The Tournament went on through the Melee and to the Third Quarter, the latest match ending with boos and hisses when a Famila fell under the sword of her opponent. With the aid of her staff, Marenna interred the body into the pyre before announcing the next match.
"Next, Familia Prince Izo and Prince Chisto versus Inimicus Prince Vegeta!" The audience clamored as the two Luscepians emerged onto the arena. "Prince Izo, Prince Chisto, may you emerge victorious and find peace."
"MAY YOU EMERGE VICTORIOUS AND FIND PEACE!" the spectators shouted in unison.
Touketsu rubbed his eyes tiredly. Lets get this farce over with. His plated scale armor clanking, he pushed himself from the wall and walked towards the barrier. Stepping through, he was magically transported to the center of the sprawling, opalescent arena.
Raditz was looking out expectantly to the arena when his eyes widened, his mouth dropping open. His head snapped up to the magical projection above to confirm what he was seeing. "Nappa…that…That isn't-"
"Yeah," Nappa rumbled grimly. "It is."
Raditz's brows drew together as he looked back to the arena, aghast at the feral blend of Icejin and Saiyan prince that strode out to meet his contenders. "…Where is his…life force?" he whispered. It was unnatural. Appalling. Was Vegeta even Saiyan anymore?
It was a different atmosphere when Touketsu walked out onto the arena. He was not greeted with the cheering adulation that he had become accustomed to. He was instead greeted with deafening silence, then whispers. Several 'boos' punched through. They quickly escalated until the stands rang with shouts of derision and screams for his defeat.
His nose twitched. Ah. Now THAT'S familiar. I'm home. Stonily, he looked to the two silver skinned princes, their white hair framing hard, young faces. Blue eyes filled with tears, two terrified little boys embraced each other tight.
"Mama!"
Touketsu's heart constricted.
The tears finally spilled over Trunks's cheeks. "Dad," He spoke softly, his voice cracking.
Not. NOW. The gong sounded, and Touketsu pushed aside the intrusive thoughts. "Have at me, kids." They both rushed him.
It was over in all of 2 seconds. Deafening screams of condemnation rained down on him. Head held high, he strode off the arena floor. Food was thrown at him, some of it making its mark. He didn't so much as flinch, and the bodies of the princes were gently interred to the ravenous flames behind him.
Fourth Quarter. Nappa and Raditz stood across from each other in the arena. The gong sounded, and with a collective roar they both went Super Saiyan. Knees bent and one fist drawn back, Nappa got into his battle stance but faltered when Raditz's power continued to climb.
The Mid-Class's already intimidating bulk ballooned out, veins straining under the taut skin of his bulging, bare arms. He released a deafening cry and his long spikes fanned outward in spears of gold, his eyes flaring a blinding white before blazing, blue-green irises emerged.
Standing on the sidelines, arms crossed and expression neutral, Touketsu raised an appraising eyebrow.
Raditz had attained Ascended Super Saiyan. His sheer mass now on par with Nappa's, the two Saiyans clashed. Nappa quickly found out he was no match for Raditz's sheer power in spite of being evenly matched in speed and size. His nose was broken in a spray of blood, his cheekbone fractured next as Raditz landed punch after kick. To Nappa's chagrin, his battle fury wasn't being awakened the way it had when he went against Vegeta. In fact, he was taking severe damage. The edge of Raditz's hand sliced through the air towards Nappa's head, and the general threw up a forearm to block it.
Raditz chopped straight through the arm in a spray of blood and struck Nappa in the temple. Nappa tumbled end over end before coming to a stop before the fire, his skull fractured. The sacrifice of his arm had protected his head from being sliced clean through, but he was finished. Blinking away the double vision, Nappa got to his knees as Raditz walked up to him. "Don't hold back, Raditz," Nappa rasped through bloody lips.
Raditz scowled, conflicted. The Saiyan Royal Family represented the Saiyans themselves. "Nappa…he's alive. You want me to kill the heir to the Saiyan-"
"LOOK at him!" Nappa's telepathic voice hissed into his head. "He's no more Saiyan now than your traitor brother. Frieza saw to that. Don't let that reptile bastard win by allowing Vegeta to continue like this. Don't let him live in disgrace! End him! The Saiyans must win!"
The Saiyans held Spartan views. United as a people, the weak were culled out for the good of the race and the individual lived for the collective. It was how the Saiyans thrived. Raditz was trained early in those Saiyan values when his weaker brother was sent off planet to either die or return to his people strong. It was those values he reminded himself of when his father accompanied the boy prince on the difficult mission to Rygal 7. He had pushed down his childish, selfish jealousy; his Low-Class father brought honor to their family with this assignment. Raditz had yet to accompany his sire on their first mission together, a Saiyan rite of passage, but for the royal family it could wait.
The death of his father, his people, and his entire planet, sadly, did not.
"But how can you obey Frieza when you know what he's done to us?!" Nappa demanded.
Vegeta's back was to them. "So he killed my father, destroyed my people. That means nothing to me now. Strength is the only thing that matters in this world. Everything else…is just a delusion for the weak."
Raditz had been thunderstruck. The Saiyan individual lived and died for his people, and their own prince…their leader - he didn't even care to avenge them. He thought only of taking Frieza's place. Raditz didn't know what revelation had shocked him more: Frieza's betrayal of the Saiyans, or Vegeta's.
Raditz looked at the dying Saiyan general and saw a loyal man murdered by a mad prince. Raditz's eyes became steely. A true warrior never hesitates to kill. This is for Saiyan honor. He nodded. "You're right, Nappa. The Saiyans must win." He blasted Nappa through the chest, sending his body tumbling into the fire.
The gong sounded. "Raditz is the victor! The next match is Raditz and Prince Vegeta!" An enthusiastic mixture of cheers and jeers tore through the amphitheater.
Touketsu strode in, his red eyes locked on the taller Saiyan. Raditz was a posturing jock before, but the extra-bulky muscles and the bristling gold spikes of hair had taken his appearance to a whole new level of ostentatious. Whatever power Raditz possessed, it was on par with Super Saiyan 2. Congratulations, Raditz. You're worthy of the dark ki. He wouldn't need to use much to dispatch Raditz quickly.
The gong sounded, but neither made a move. Touketsu felt his hair bristling under Raditz's scrutinizing. "Long time, no see, Raditz," Touketsu drawled sarcastically, parroting Nappa's greeting. His eyes ticked condescendingly up and down his form. "So what is this? Super Raditz?" He chuckled. "Very flashy. It suits you, show pony."
Raditz clenched his fists, his massive muscles flexing. "This, Vegeta, is the strength of our people."
Touketsu snorted. "Finally backing your idealistic words with action? Perhaps you learned something of a Saiyan's pride after all."
"At least one of us did." Raditz answered gruffly. Touketsu frowned, and Raditz began circling him. "We were the last of our people, Vegeta. Brothers in arms. My faith in your leadership was shaken the day you denounced our people's memory, but still I clung to my belief in the crown. It all makes sense now why you left me dead and murdered a loyal servant. It makes sense why you took this form." Raditz stopped. "You've been turned inside out and your true spirit revealed…and it isn't the spirit of a Saiyan."
Rage ignited within Touketsu. This Mid-Class dare speak to his prince like that?! "AREN'T you a brave one?" he barked. "Ironic that you grew a spine after losing your body."
Raditz summoned a modest sized ball of blue-white ki and took several steps back. He scowled, his voice condemning. "Shocking that a devil grew a pair of horns."
Fucking smart-ass! "DIE, YOU LOW-CLASS SHIT!" In a brief pulse of darkness and a flash of molten ki, Touketsu flew at Raditz.
"You will know the might of the people you abandoned in pursuit of your own power!" Raditz shouted, his arm drawn back.
Infinitely faster than Raditz's bulky form, Touketsu extended his leg in a flying kick. His clawed foot met Raditz's sternum with a satisfying crack of armor and bone. Raditz flew back, losing his hold on the ball of energy. The projectile sailed over Touketsu's head to travel harmlessly into the sky.
Touketsu straightened. He had barely managed to keep his rage in check, but he successfully stuck to his plan. He wielded less raw power without the shadow's presence, but he maintained more control over the flow of dark ki. In this state, he was less susceptible to its rage-inducing influence. Perhaps he could have some fun tonight after all. He glanced over his shoulder at the energy disappearing into the sky.
"Tch. Bad aim, premature release," he snorted. "Thought your lady friends trained you bett-" His insults died on his tongue, horror overtaking his features when he looked back at Raditz.
Raditz was extending his hand over his head, fingers splayed. "Can you still go Oozaru in your new form, Vegeta?" His expression darkened in contempt. "Because I doubt it."
"Ra…RADITZ, DON'T!"
"BURST AND MIX!" Raditz clenched his hand into a fist, and the energy in the sky burst into a blinding light. Touketsu turned away and shielded his eyes; the energy coalesced behind him into a burning bright sphere of artificial moonlight. "Thank you for sharing my father's discovery!" Raditz crowed, his voice deepening.
Raditz's eyes went red, his lips peeling back from lengthening fangs and sharpening molars. With a growl, his nose and mouth lengthened into a muzzle, his black armor expanding to accommodate his rapidly growing body as golden fur sprouted over his exposed arms and legs.
Roaring, Raditz transformed into the Golden Oozaru of legend, blazing spikes of gold fanning out around his shoulders.
Touketsu's eyes squinted open and he straightened, his jaw dropping at the incredible, awe inspiring sight of the Great Golden Ape. His stomach likewise dropped when he registered the titanic power level radiating off the beast: It far exceeded that of Super Saiyan 3. There was no way he could win without going all out using the dark ki, and the last time he did that, he made Zhernobog and his army nearly indestructible.
…I'm going to have to up my game, Touketsu thought in a stupor. He watched the Golden Ape raise a massive, booted foot in the air. Casting him in shadow, it came down in a rush. Touketsu shut his eyes.
He dove out of the way at the last second as the immense foot crashed into the white opal floor of the arena. Can't look at the light. I can't risk transforming! Touketsu dodged a mouth blast, his tiny size, speed, and low power reading making it difficult for Raditz to lock onto him. Touketsu had no such problems, for even without eyesight he had his other enhanced senses. He threw a Destructo Disk of true ki, intent on cutting off Raditz's tail. After coming out of the transformation, he'd be weakened and easy to dispatch.
Touketsu threw one after the other, all missing. Although the Oozaru generated great rushes of air with every movement, the tail itself was far too difficult to pinpoint. Backflipping, Touketsu threw up his arms and caught the titanic fist that came down on him. He switched tactics; if he couldn't get to the tail, he'd destroy the Power Ball. Body darkening and dark light strumming, Touketsu's aura burst in dripping flames of blues and purples as he descended into his berserker state. With a roar he flung the gargantuan ape into the arena's protective barrier.
Raditz impacted the magically generated wall in a shower of sparks and crumpled into a stunned heap. Eyes still closed, Touketsu urgently scanned for the energy emitted by the Power Ball. Damn it! Its signature was being drowned out by the sheer power of the Oozaru's presence, and the ape was already back on his feet.
Light strobing through his still darkened body, Touketsu whirled on Raditz with a snarl. "Kurokei!" The shadow left his body with the blast. It would either kill him or drop the ape's energy down.
Far too large to be ensnared by the attack, the Oozaru caught the spinning ball of black energy in a massive hand blazing with gold ki. "THINK YOU CAN PLAY CATCH WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED, VEGETA?" Touketsu's eyes nearly flew open in surprise. "I SUGGEST YOU OPEN THEM!" Raditz flung the contracting ball back, gold and purple energy crackling over the spinning orb.
Touketsu inwardly cursed himself. Raditz mastered both an enhanced Super Saiyan state and the Power Ball Technique. Of course he learned to control the Oozaru transformation. He'd be more difficult to beat so long as he retained intelligence. Touketsu dodged the deflected attack just as it imploded, the power pulling him into the ensuing vortex. Before he could free himself he was struck down by a gargantuan, ki-laced fist. He hit the ground, bouncing and tumbling until he ended up on his back, stunned. Touketsu's eyes cracked open then snapped wide in horror at the sight of the brilliant orb above. No!
He slammed his eyes shut and rolled over, panic prickling his skin. Shit. No, no, no. It was too late - it was happening. Touketsu could hear his heart pounding in his ears even as he continued to dodge Oozaru Raditz's attacks. Touketsu opened his now completely red eyes. "Raditz you FOOL!" He raged, the pitch of his voice deepening.
"SO YOU CAN STILL TRANSFORM. WHAT WERE YOU WAITING FOR?"
Trading blows with his enormous opponent, Touketsu engaged his rapidly transforming body in combat. He glanced feverishly over to the Imperial Box where Marenna was seated. He didn't know what he was searching for…for her to stop this? Surrounded by the frenetic energy of the screaming crowd she simply gazed back, an unmoving maiden woven into a wavering tapestry of chaos.
He snapped his attention back to his adversary, his nose and mouth lengthening into a muzzle and his teeth growing. It was suddenly more difficult to breathe; rivets began shooting out of the scaled cuirass covering his growing torso as though it was a bursting ship's hull. Touketsu realized there was a drawback to his armor.
Damn you Raditz, you ASSHOLE! he cursed inwardly. Preoccupied with the petty concern that his only worthwhile possession was about to be ruined, he pulled the cuirass over his head even as he struck and blocked Raditz. His body steadily expanding and fur erupting from his chest and down his back and tail, he alternately deflected blows left and right while fumbling with the tightening belt about his waist, finally succeeding in tearing the belt and attached thigh guards off one-handed.
His shoulders suddenly thrust forward with a crack. Crying out in pained frustration over his runaway body, the loincloth wrap that was tied about his growing waist unraveled and fell away. His pelvic bones changed shape, and he pitched forward to land on the knuckles of his lengthening hands. Raditz delivered a double axe handle over his metamorphosing opponent's shaggy neck, and Touketsu dropped to the floor with a crash. The flesh between his ribs split into the garnet markings of the Demon Oozaru before he was kicked hard in his side.
Touketsu tumbled away, the ridge of fur down his back continuing to lengthen into a spiky crest. The straining metal shin guards and arm bracers over his shaggy limbs finally exploded into shrapnel as he rolled over. Leaning forward on his knuckles, his pale body rapidly reached its full size and the transformation completed. Massive, reptilian tail lashing, the enormous animal still had to tilt his head up at his bipedal adversary. The arena barely accommodated the two beasts.
The Golden Ape's muzzle crinkled in disgust at the quadrupedal, simian mishmash before him. "IT SUITS YOU, VEGETA."
The Demon Oozaru caught sight of his dancing double shadow, cast by the bonfire and artificial moonlight. His red eyes widened, simian brows furrowing in cold fear. Destroy it… Touketsu thought urgently. Destroy it! He whirled around, dark light strumming throughout his markings as he hastily gathered the only energy he could use in this form.
The Golden Oozaru leapt onto his back and grabbed his horns, slamming his head into the ground. Touketsu's chin crashed onto the arena floor. "GET OFF, RADITZ!" He roared, yanking his head around in the other's grip as he got up and looked for the Power Ball. He only got a brief glimpse when Raditz gave a hard twist of his neck in an effort to break it.
Touketsu roared in pain, panting and stumbling away in a circle under the burdensome weight of his golden adversary. Head still turned awkwardly to the side, he bucked and reared, running aimlessly in a desperate bid to throw Raditz off. His body listing to one side from the sliding weight of his rider, they both crashed to the floor.
Raditz hooked one arm around Touketsu's throat and gripped his wrist with his other hand. Crossing his legs tight over the beast's midsection, he pulled back hard. "FIRST YOU AVOID THE TRANSFORMATION, NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO REVERSE IT. ARE YOU ASHAMED OF THIS FORM, VEGETA?"
"GUH-GET OFF, DAMN YOU!" Touketsu choked.
"YOU SHOULD BE."
"GET! OFF!"
Light racing through his markings, The Demon Oozaru's toxic purple aura exploded from his form. Raditz was blasted off and sent rolling as Touketsu got up and spun around, dark purple energy snapping between his curling horns like the voltage of a taser. Raditz was just getting up when Touketsu lowered his head and charged.
The Golden Oozaru was gored in the stomach. Blood spurting from his mouth as he was driven back, Raditz was quickly infected by the Demon Oozaru's enraged energy. Howling in fury, the Golden Oozaru grabbed the other's head, shoving him away before wrapping strong arms around his neck. Raditz dug his heels in and hoisted Touketsu over his head as he fell backwards.
Touketsu was suplexed into the arena floor, the breath knocked out of him as the stone shattered under his back. Raditz landed an elbow to his belly and began raining blows down on his head when Touketsu's enormous mouth swung open. Poisonous purple ki snapping along bared fangs, he clamped down on Raditz's incoming forearm straight through the gauntlet.
The Golden Oozaru roared, standing and yanking Touketsu up with him. Muzzle wrinkling into a snarl, Touketsu chomped and tugged, shaking the golden ape around like a dog with its chew toy. In vain Raditz tried prying him off before pummeling him over the head with a desperate fist. Purple lightning snapped up and down Raditz's arm, ever-growing hatred coursing through his blood like venom. The Golden Oozaru's red eyes flashed into a blazing purple.
Raditz jerked his captured arm forward and bit deep into the draconian ape's neck. The Demon Oozaru howled in pain and released his hold. Back feet scrabbling backwards, he tugged several times before wrenching his neck free, bounding away with a shake of his shaggy head. Chuffing once, a deep growl reverberated from his throat as he began warily circling the other, shoulder blades rising and falling rhythmically as his fin-like crest of hair bristled.
The Golden Oozaru spat out the great tuft of black hair that was still in his jaws.
With a roar Touketsu lunged back, rearing up on his hind legs and planting giant forepaws against the other's shoulders. Raditz stumbled back, grappling and smacking the attacking animal's head away as he snapped and lunged. The Golden Oozaru lost his balance and fell on his back as Touketsu went for his jugular.
Raditz knocked his head aside with a hard right hook before grabbing the stunned animal by the jaws. Flipping him over, he pinned one knee into the horned ape's side and yanked his head up. Touketsu roared and shut his eyes, his legs scrambling futilely over the rubble when Raditz began pulling his jaws in opposite directions.
"SHUT. UP, YOU PRIVILEGED BASTARD," the great ape seethed as he leaned over him. "YOU NEVER DESERVED TO BE THE VOICE OF OUR PEOPLE, AND YOU WERE NOT WORTH ME SACRIFICING A SAIYAN RITE OF PASSAGE!"
The Demon Oozaru's eyes fluttered open. What? What the hell is he - "AAAAAGGGH!" Touketsu's jaw cracked further. Raditz was going to rip his head apart if he didn't blast him off. Panting and tongue lolling out from the side of his mouth, dark light began to strobe through the markings beneath his eyes. It raced through the markings on his arms and in between his ribs, and the beast's watering eyes closed tight, his brow wrinkling. They'll come for me…
A purple glow grew beneath Touketsu's shaggy mane. The blast he was generating now could be enough to tip the scales in the Kagemazoku's favor, but he had no other choice. He had to risk enslavement or be torn apart by Raditz. His eyes cracked open at Raditz's looming face before snapping wide at the brilliant object on the edge of his peripheral vision. There. To his right. Touketsu's eyes ticked to it.
The Power Ball.
Struggling to take aim, he wrenched his head about in Raditz's grasp but was yanked from his target just as the blast was released. A column of black wreathed in purple light, the attack missed both the Golden Oozaru and the Power Ball to race harmlessly into the sky. Raditz grunted as the ongoing stream of dark energy blazed past his fingers. Even as they began to blacken and decay, he stubbornly maintained his weakening grip.
Touketsu's eyes flared with desperate fury, the dark light strobing though him with renewed energy as he leveraged his jaws down. Let go, you IDIOT! His jaws snapped shut over Raditz's fingers.
The Golden Oozaru shrieked when they were bitten off. He wrenched his mutilated hands away as dark energy shot out from the sides of the other beast's clenched teeth, the attack still going. Touketsu quickly opened his maw as the attack continued on, swinging his aim up at his target in the sky.
Dark energy imploded the ball on contact, the resulting black hole sucking in debris before at last collapsing to disappear. The stands roaring in excitement, Touketsu and Raditz quickly began to shrink in size. Temporarily spent after the Oozaru transformations, both Saiyans collapsed onto the shattered arena floor, Raditz a short distance from the fire.
Touketsu lay on his back, bare chest heaving and rivulets of sweat carving streaks of white through dirt and blood. He pushed himself up into a sitting position before twisting his torso over to lean on one arm. He dropped his head in relief. They didn't come. Thank the gods, they didn't come.
He dragged himself up to his feet, his back to the still prone Raditz as the crowd continued to cheer. "Mmph. Fffuck," he mumbled, bringing a hand up to cradle his aching jaw. He worked it experimentally before turning around. "You're dead, Rad- OOOF!"
Raditz plowed into his midsection and knocked him onto his back.
The back of Touketsu's head bounced once off the floor and Raditz immediately laid into him. Raining down blow after blow, his aura purple, Raditz went rapidly from Super Saiyan to Ascended Saiyan. Enraged, the shadow fell over Touketsu and he struck back, his dripping indigo aura bursting forth. Grunting and gouging eyes, the two fought gracelessly as they grappled and rolled around on the white opal floor. The stone blackened and crumbled under Touketsu's crawling aura as the crowd went rabid with renewed excitement.
"They even hate each other, ha ha ha!"
"Kill each other, monkeys!"
"Fuck the Saiyans!"
Raditz rolled Touketsu back under him, one mangled hand pushing the side of his face into the floor. Raditz's intense teal eyes flared into a burning magenta, and his long, gold spikes began to grow all the way to the floor. He screamed as his infected aura burst forth, the edges of the blinding gold blast rimmed in purple.
Touketsu squinted between the splayed, uneven stumps of Raditz's fingers. His eye widened. Raditz glowered down at him from beneath smooth, simian brows, his pupils twin black holes set in irises of pulsing purple. A war god, his now outrageously long hair fanned out around him, the golden spikes reflecting his purple aura.
Touketsu blinked…Super Saiyan 3? The power coming off this form however was far greater than anything Kakarot had wielded. It was different…insidious. Raditz quickly raised his fist.
Touketsu struck out with both feet, shoving Raditz off him before performing a nip-up and throwing a roundhouse kick. To his utter shock it was blocked by a powerful forearm. Standing on one leg, he could only watch as Raditz threw out an arm and blasted him center mass. The sheer power of the small blast drove him sliding back on his feet, his Shadow Cast dissipating as it absorbed the attack.
Raditz barreled forward and slammed a ki laced fist into Touketsu's unprotected stomach. Gasping, Touketsu doubled over his arm, blood and bile flying from his mouth. Raditz sent him staggering with a hard right before knocking his head back with an uppercut. Touketsu was stomp kicked in the chest and sent back to the floor. A booted foot slammed over his solar plexus.
Grinning manically as he towered over him, Raditz curled the stumps of his bleeding fingers into mangled fists. "My brother in arms," he sneered maliciously. "What a treat that I could educate you on true Saiyan might tonight. Care for another demonstration, Vegeta? HERE!" Raditz pushed down hard.
"Gah!" Touketsu cried out when his sternum cracked.
"No hurry, brother. Suffer more!" Raditz cackled. Raditz had become completely unhinged, only wishing to deliver painful justice to this traitor. It was his little brother Kakarot under his boot again, the unworthy that had denounced their heritage yet had inexplicably garnered his father's brief attention before being sent off-planet.
Touketsu squinted up at Raditz, one hand going to the boot that was pinning him. His brows drew together at Raditz's hate-filled expression. He looked…
"Die," Gohan hissed. "I want you to DIE!"
…He looked like his nephew. His aura…It was the purple of the Demon Oozaru. Touketsu narrowed his eyes. I'll take the edge off. His pale body going jet black, his hand over Raditz's boot tightened and his aura turned blue. "Kuroshimo."
Raditz gasped as the darkness crawled up his leg, the rest of his body going ashen. He looked down at Touketsu and saw his numerous wounds healing, and he felt the breath beginning to leave him as he struggled to maintain Super Saiyan 3.
"Get off!" he snarled as he tried shaking Touketsu off. Raditz brought his right arm back, a ball of blue-white ki in his mutilated palm. "You fucking vampire, GET OFF!" He kicked Touketsu's arm to the side before pinning it underfoot. He clenched the stumps of his fingers around the ki ball. "RIOT JAVELIN!" The energy shot out from either end of his fist like a lightening bolt before straightened into a blazing spear. Raditz brought it down over Touketsu's chest.
Touketsu calmly caught it with his other hand, his onyx skin going flat black and his aura contracting to a thin corona of blue light. In this state, the energy would be drawn into his being and captured like light down a black hole. The spear point came down over his chest and Touketsu's eyes widened at what he saw: Like water beneath a hovering aircraft, the flat shadow swirled away in a widening circle around the tip of the weapon, exposing white skin.
Impossible! Gritting his teeth as the shadow over his body drained to grey, Touketsu flared his berserker aura and tightened his grip on the weapon. The spear tip began to burn a dazzling gold as the shadow continued to retreat, leaving Touketsu's face and torso stark white.
"Bardock taught you the Power Ball but he didn't teach you the Riot Javelin, did he?" Raditz panted, his magenta eyes lighting up with manic glee as purple energy began snapping up and down the length of the weapon. "It was nothing when I watched him practice it, but in death I honed it. As long as I hold it, its power will grow. There'll be nothing left of your black heart."
With a desperate roar Touketsu's dark tail lashed around the leg that was pinning his shadow-cloaked arm and jerked it away. Raditz pitched forward, and Touketsu quickly grasped the spear with both hands to keep it from impaling him. The protective shadow covering his palms began to burn away, and he winced when his flesh began to sear. Arms shaking, he looked back up at Raditz, his features tight with concern.
The bigger Saiyan leaned over him and smirked. His other hand slowly came up to grip the blazing spear, and he began leveraging the deadly weapon down. "The riot is the language of the unheard, Vegeta." He pushed the crackling weapon into Touketsu's flesh, earning a strangled cry of pain. "Hear that?" He pushed further and Touketsu screamed, tears of agony leaking from the corners of his eyes as the energy spear set his heart alight. "That's the sound of your people. The people you turned a deaf ear to. The people you abandoned!"
"THEY WERE DEAD!"
"The dead speak tonight, Vegeta."
Touketsu cried out in torrid fury. His aura flared and the dark ki raced up to concentrate in his hands before blasting through the spear. The energy weapon barely wavered as Raditz stumbled back, and Touketsu scrambling to his feet as the shadow contracted back over his body. With a terrifying war cry Raditz leapt at him, the Riot Javelin held aloft in his right hand. The shadow over Touketsu's body plunged flat black as the spear was brought down over his head.
"KUROI TATE!" The concentrated darkness raced up Touketsu's left arm faster than the eye could process. A black shield wreathed in spinning ultraviolet flames forming over his forearm, he brought it up over his head; it was the shield he'd instinctively brought up against Zeygorn, perfected. The Riot Javelin met its mark, driving Touketsu down to one knee.
The javelin disappeared inside the shield, its power lighting up the accretion disc of the black hole until it looked like a spinning solar eclipse. Raditz's eyes bugged wide when his arm was quickly pulled in up to his shoulder, and Touketsu began pushing himself to his feet. Teeth grit tight, Raditz dug in his heels and slowly drew out his spaghettifying appendage, his jaw dropping open in horrified fascination as sinew, muscle, blood and bone were drawn out into one cartoonish thread of meat.
Touketsu suddenly drew the shield across his chest, snapping off the extruding flesh before striking Raditz across the face with its blazing edge. Raditz went stumbling to the left, the bonfire blazing behind him. The stolen arm converted into energy along with the hijacked Riot Javelin, the velvet-black darkness shot back over Touketsu's body. His markings and the stone strobing with gold and violet power and his irises burning like twin suns, he brought his arm up, two extended fingers stacked like an over-under shotgun. Holding back the shadow, he took aim and fired.
Raditz was blasted straight through the solar plexus with his own concentrated energy. "DAMN YOU!" He screamed, the force sending him skidding back towards the fire behind him. His right arm gone at the shoulder, he dropped out of his transformation and sank to his knees, one butchered hand pressing futilely over the bleeding wound in his torso. Raditz looked up at the approaching demon and spat a glob of blood at his feet.
Touketsu stopped, the shadow dropping from his body. Sneering, he flipped Raditz off with both hands before letting them drop to either side. "I'd give you more fingers if I could, Raditz," he panted, his chin tilting up haughtily. "Looks like you could use them."
"Fuck you!" Raditz spat, his slashed face twisting in hate as he pushed himself up on shaky legs. His swollen, bloody lips peeled back from broken teeth, his voice garbled over the wreckage of his mouth. "You wouldn't avenge them. You knew it was Frieza's doing, and you insisted we continue to serve him. You dishonored us all-"
"SILENCE!" Touketsu thundered. "You dare judge me for not stupidly rushing into a battle I couldn't win, and all over some misguided sense of honor? You're a complacent mediocrity, Raditz, and the sense of entitlement you have to my strength disgusts me! My power is mine to do with as I please."
"YOUR POWER WAS MEANT TO SERVE YOUR PEOPLE!" Raditz raged as he exploded into Super Saiyan. Touketsu fought back his flinch at the words, so much like those of the Supreme Kai. Raditz's aura and furious teal eyes flashed into an ardent purple. "We all expected you to be our greatest king. I served you. I set aside my own desires in deference to you, and you refused to so much as honor our people's memory!"
Touketsu's countenance darkened, his body quick to follow as the shadow manifested. "Still burning over lost Saiyan rites?" Touketsu rumbled. He flicked his chin to him. "You just keep burning, Raditz. Forever BURN!" His berserker aura burst forth.
"AFTER YOU, DEVIL!"
They leapt at each other, arms drawn back with charged attacks. Touketsu's molten indigo aura bled to red as the spectators howled in rabid encouragement. The charcoal shadow began to drain, seeping into Touketsu's aura and changing it to a roiling purple. Teeth bared, his eyes flared into the blank red of the Oozaru.
Time suddenly slowed down for Touketsu. He would kill Raditz just as he murdered his bodyguard in life. He had played into his overlord's lifelong manipulation, betraying his only connections to his lost culture. Frieza had succeeded in turning him against his own people. I turned against them…
He saw Bulma and Trunks.
Touketsu's blank red eyes shifted back to normal.
No-
Raditz's head was torn off his shoulders, his Super Saiyan form winking out like an unplugged lamp. The head of wild black hair spun through the air like a nightmarish pinwheel and disappeared into the bonfire beyond.
Cheers and whoops tore through the air as the headless body stood swaying before Touketsu. Blood spurting and bubbling from the stump of the neck, it crumpled to fall backwards to the floor. Hyperventilating and spattered in blood, Touketsu stared wild eyed at the bonfire, his grimy body ghost white once more and the purple aura gone.
Not really seeing, Touketsu grabbed the headless body by the ankle before chucking it hard into the insatiable flames of the Fire of Life. Pleased enough to see another brute meet his bloody end, the fickle crowd was awash in laughter and roars of approval. A few spectators jokingly encouraged him to throw himself in while he was at it. Soon others were joining in until the whole of the stands had erupted into a chant.
"JUMP! IN!"
"JUMP! IN!"
"JUMP! IN!"
The deafening sounds assaulted Touketsu's ears.
"The dead speak tonight, Vegeta."
Standing next to Marenna in the Imperial Box, Zeygorn's three, smug heads broke into broad grins. "Not taking audience requests tonight, Vegeta?" they called out in unison. Renewed roars of laughter filled the air. The chanting continuing as Touketsu moved about the arena, mechanically picking up the discarded components of his armor as he ignored their mocking. Marenna stood from her throne and held out her arms to silence the crowd.
The taunting tapered off as Touketsu turned to face the Imperial Box, his cuirass gripped tight in one hand, the belt, tassets, and wrap in the other. Head lowered, he glared hard at her from beneath his dark eyebrows, silently demanding she put an official end to this deplorable show. She didn't meet his eyes, only looking out to the stands.
"This concludes this evening's Tournament! The Fallen, if you so choose, rise and join us at Susmir!"
He shot off into the sky.
Touketsu arrived at his cave overlooking the sea, and he dropped his armor to the stone floor with a muffled clang. Shuffling forward, he knelt down and lay on his side, his arm bending at the elbow to rest beneath his head. He stayed unmoving for a bit before his legs drew up, his tapered tail lifting to lay across his thighs and curve around him. He stared catatonically at the dark cave wall ahead, the tip of his tail twitching every so often. Distant thunder rumbled as freezing rain began to come down behind him. Minutes ticked by.
His brow furrowed. His facade continued to crack, and he brought a clawed hand over his face.
I'm in hell.
Yes. You are.
It didn't matter where he went. He took a shuddering breath, swallowing before breathing out carefully and slowly. He soon fell into a dark sleep.
I don't know if it's just me, but I realized that a SS3 Raditz with a purple aura bore a strong resemblance to Ultra Ego Vegeta, lol. I hope you liked my take on Raditz. I revisited the manga, and he seemed very much a pre-cursor Vegeta. Not just in appearance (that widow's peak!) but in his eloquence and rabid Saiyan pride. The thing is, he was MORE proud of the Saiyans than Vegeta was at that time. Vegeta was proud of his own strength and title, not so much his people. He had to rediscover the pride for his race. Side note, I quote manga Raditz verbatim several times throughout this chapter.
Riot Javelin is the alternate name for Bardock's Final Spirit Cannon, the blast he launched as a final stand against Frieza's planet destroying attack.
I referenced King Kong VS the Tyrant Lizard King for the battle between Golden Oozaru VS Demon Oozaru (which in and of itself struck me as being inspired by art of Hercules and the Nemean Lion). Anyone notice? :D And yes, I created a little backstory between Raditz and Vegeta based on the cheesy Ocean dub about Bardock being a scientist that developed the Power Ball, lol. Not that I acknowledge that particular line as canon, but it provided some inspiration. ;)
Vegeta's pose when he's pushing himself up after destroying the Power Ball was a reference to a marble sculpture titled the Dying Gaul, which can be found in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. I don't know why, but I'm just intrigued by that art piece. In fact, in chapter 2 of Touketsu when the family goes on vacation and visits museums, I had that sculpture in mind when I wrote of the "solitary soldiers dying with dignity".
When I was writing the part of Raditz leveraging the Riot Javelin down, the words of Martin Luther King Jr. went through my head. When I get flashes like that I just roll with it, then I circle back and reevaluate to see if it actually holds up. There were several times I considered editing this part out for fear of controversy, but the words rang so true to me that I kept them in. Raditz is literally driving the point home on painful truths that Vegeta would rather not acknowledge, "setting his heart alight" with awareness.
The battle in this chapter was originally very uninspired and short and there was no chemistry between the combatants. I'm much happier with it now than I was before, even if it ended up longer than I would have liked. Thank you again everyone for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!