I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, and a happy new year's day. Or, you know, whatever you celebrate, I hope it was fun for you, as Reel Big Fish says. On with the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ
Chapter 55
Goten and Trunks stared at the man on the throne in confusion. The shock of such a familiar face made them lose their fighting stances.
"Goten?" Trunks started. "Is… Is that your…"
The younger boy didn't answer and continued to stare. How was this possible? They hadn't even used the Namekian dragon balls yet. Had his father somehow found a way to come back to life without them? He did it before when he came to the tournament, right?
"D-daddy?" Goten asked.
"AHAHAHAHA!" The Saiyan threw his head back and laughed. The four females joined in, and suddenly, the two Saiyans from earth were surrounded by a cacophony of laughter. They looked around them in surprise, not having noticed anyone else in the room. At least a dozen other warriors were present, each one wearing Saiyan style armor.
"Well, Daiz." The leader said with a chuckle. "Can it be that you've reunited me with my long-lost brat? Oh, what joy."
"Can't really see you being a 'daddy' Lord Turles." A bald warrior with no eyebrows said.
"Yeah, can you imagine him playing ball? Or reading a bedtime story?" A younger looking man said while laughing. "'Once upon a time, I killed everyone. The end.' HAHAHA!"
A dark-skinned female with bikini style armor rolled her eyes at her comrade's joke. "I knew you liked to have fun, my lord, but you could've at least told us you had a kid."
"Seriously." Another female with a mohawk nodded. "I mean what kind of trashy parent doesn't even bring his kid to work every once in a while?" This comment earned a look of warning from the other females, but she seemed to ignore them.
The mohawk girl jumped away from the throne and landed in front of Goten. "I bet you would have liked to go on some missions with your pops, right little man?"
Goten responded by dropping to his fighting stance again. The action made the girl grin. "Nice. You got some real Saiyan spirit, dontcha kid?"
She disappeared, and Goten looked around frantically. The next thing he knew, he was being lifted up by his collar. He started flailing, trying to hit the girl behind him.
"Hey! Let him go!" Trunks yelled and launched himself at the girl. Unfortunately, his efforts were wasted, as the minute he stepped into her range, a brown tail coiled around his wrist and hauled him up next to his younger friend.
"Woah! You boys got a lot of moxie. I guess you're one of Turles' kids too, huh?"
"Speaking of moxie," Daiz said with a smile. "You should have seen their mom. Nice choice on the blonde, sir."
"She wasn't our mom!" Shouted Trunks as he tried to free himself from the girl's tail. "And he's not my dad!"
"He's not mine either!" Goten yelled. It was true that the man on the throne looked a lot like his dad. It was especially hard for Goten, who had only seen his father in person once, to see any difference. But the moment he heard that man laugh, he knew it wasn't his dad. His dad's laugh was warm and made him feel safe, like Gohan's. This man on the other hand, only reminded him of Buu. The mention of 18 made him focus his anger. These men had hurt miss 18. Who knows what they did to her? He glared at Turles, who smirked in amusement at the struggling toddler.
Goten gritted his teeth and growled. "Let. Me. GO!" With his final shout, Goten's ki exploded, making the mohawk girl loosen her grip in surprise.
The youngest Saiyan launched himself at Turles in anger. His smug face only served to infuriate him and he doubled his speed. Before he even covered half the distance, the boy felt himself smash violently into the marble floor. Standing with his foot on Goten's back was an ugly man with an afro and a face like a gorilla.
"Kekeke! Easy twerp." The man laughed cruelly. "That's no way to greet your papa."
"He's not my daddy!" Goten yelled while thrashing his limbs wildly. To his frustration, no amount of struggling worked against his captor. "Let me go! What did you do to miss 18! If you hurt our friend, I'll-"
"Shut up!" The Saiyan forced Goten's head into the floor with a wicked grin. "Someone needs to teach a brat like you some mann-OOF!"
The Saiyan grabbed his stomach and staggered back. Goten looked up to see the mohawk girl, brandishing her fist, standing between himself and his attacker.
"What's wrong with you, Goyan? He's just a little kid."
"Kekeke, just teaching the brat his place in the hierarchy Nazz. Looks like you want a reminder yourself."
"Bring it on ape face!"
Goyan snarled. "Why you-"
"I got 20 on Nazz!" One of the shorter females yelled.
"Bet." A bald Saiyan grinned.
"I say Nazz gets the first hit, but Goyan sneaks the win." A man with a long braid said.
"No way. She just got another zenkai boost. She's got this."
Soon the room was filled with the noise of bets being exchanged, along with the egging/cheering on of the two potential combatants. Nazz and Goyan squared off, while Trunks ran to check on Goten. Both children grew increasingly confused by what was happening. The fervor reached a peak when the two fighters charged each other, ready to strike.
"Enough." All motion ceased at the quiet command. Goyan stopped immediately, while Nazz took a moment to consider. After taking a look at Turles, she too stopped and both dropped to a knee, bowing to Turles.
The leader smiled, pleased that even his softest command was obeyed. He looked at the boys as trunks was helping his younger friend to his feet.
"There'll be time to show our little brothers how we play later. We wouldn't want to give them the wrong impression of us before we even get the pleasantries out of the way." Turles stood from his throne and walked toward his young captives. He folded his arms and started to circle them with a curious expression on his face. Despite his earlier loss, Goten was still willing to fight. Trunks on the other hand, couldn't hold his curiosity any longer. Seeing these people up close, the way they were dressed, even the tails…
"So, you guys really are Saiyans?" He blurted out. "All of you?"
"That's right. All except Daiz. Of course, he's served me for long enough to merit a place here." Turles replied with a smile. "What about you? The smaller one has the look, but I've never seen a Saiyan with hair like yours. And neither of you have your tails. Just what are you? Some kind of half breed?"
Trunks bristled at the insulting tone. "So what if my mom's not a Saiyan? I'm still more Saiyan than anyone, including you mister."
Turles chuckled at the boy's audacity. "Well, with an attitude like that, I can't imagine you could be anything else. Not to mention you're both far too strong to be ordinary children."
Trunks couldn't help but smile at this. This was a real Saiyan, and he was praising him as a member of their race.
"So, little Saiyans. You've made it clear that you're not my offspring, but tell me, who's are you then?" He looked directly at Goten, eyes brimming with curiosity.
While the younger Saiyan just quietly glared back at the older one, Trunks was more than happy to share his lineage.
"I am Trunks, son of Vegeta, the prince of all Saiyans!" The young boy proudly declared his father's name and waited for the other Saiyans to bow down. Unfortunately, the name did not inspire the obeisance that he expected. The silence that he thought was due to some kind of reverence was unceremoniously broken.
"Pft. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The group of Saiyans once more erupted into laughter. Trunks looked around in bewilderment, then in rage. "Hey! Stop laughing! My dad was your prince! He was the strongest full blooded Saiyan there was!"
"Ha! That brat?" A Saiyan with a ponytail and a scarred face scoffed. "Oh, sure, he was talented, but he never could have reached the level of strength that we have."
"That's not true! My dad was a super elite! That means he could grow stronger than anyone!" Trunks retorted furiously.
"Maybe using that flawed system." A long straight haired Saiyan with a stoic expression said. "Some of us here are old enough to remember how we operated before we fell under the frost demon's heel."
"Boy, aint that the truth." A fat Saiyan with close cropped hair nodded. "Back in the days when strength was all that mattered. It's not about how strong you are when you're born, but how strong you can get that makes a true Saiyan. Just look at the guy that beat Frieza. He got that strong, and I'd never even heard the name before. He didn't even need the fruit."
"Shut up Onio." The ponytail Saiyan said, shooting a fearful look at Turles. "We don't know how that Saiyan got strong enough to beat Frieza. But you're right about one thing. Some random Saiyan got strong enough to overthrow the tyrant. Meanwhile the 'prince' stayed on his leash, like Frieza's little dog. Super elite? What a joke."
Trunks was stunned that these Saiyans were saying such things about his father. "My dad wasn't a joke." He persisted. "He was way stronger than Frieza, and he was a super Saiyan!"
"Hah! That old legend?" Goyan laughed. "Sorry to break it to you brat, but there's no such thing."
"Of course super Saiyan is real!" Onio argued. "What about the super Saiyan of the Jade empire?"
"Propaganda." Goyan shrugged. "No way did they actually have a Saiyan in their ranks, let alone a super Saiyan. If anyone would be a super Saiyan, it'd be lord Turles. But if he isn't then the whole thing must be made up. There's no such thing."
"There is too!" Goten shouted. "Trunks's dad was a super Saiyan! And so was mine!"
"Oh yeah?" The ape faced Saiyan put his face close to Goten's. "And just who was your dad then?"
"My dad's name is Goku!"
Turles' eyes went wide at this declaration.
"A super Saiyan named Goku, you say?" The Saiyan leader asked. "Don't tell me you're from Earth?"
"That's right!" Goten said defiantly.
Turles became thoughtful. While their leader was thinking, none of the other Saiyans dared to make a sound. Turles knew of Frieza's downfall, of course. It was what allowed him to step out of the shadows and really build his power. The fact that the tyrant was killed by a Saiyan was perfect and served as a rallying cry to all the Saiyans who had been in hiding. Outcasts and exiles were all that was left of the Saiyan race, but they were Saiyans all the same. He recruited them and built a force that would soon rival even the mighty Cooler. But there was one Saiyan that he would not pursue. The super Saiyan Goku of Earth.
While he believed that the jade empire's 'super Saiyan' was propaganda, Goku was another story. What if the legend was true? What if the super Saiyan was unbeatable? Turles ruled over the others because he was the strongest. His power was rivaled by Cooler, and even Slug, but he had the loyalty of his race. What if this Goku overthrew him though? No, best to let sleeping dogs lie. The Saiyans were his, and until he had obtained the ultimate power, he decided to leave Earth alone. But now, the child of this Goku was on his base. Not only that, but the son of Vegeta was here as well. The children were nothing compared to him, or even his weakest subordinates. But what if the fathers appeared? Turles was trying to consider every factor, every variable of the situation. Daiz said they were only accompanied by a blonde woman. Were the fathers on their way? Why were they so far away from their home planet? Something felt off about this whole situation.
The thoughts of the Saiyan boss were interrupted by an ungodly rumble.
*GROOOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLL*
Turles looked at the smallest Saiyan, who despite maintaining his fighting stance, was red-faced with embarrassment.
"Kalif. Rhubub." The straight-haired Saiyan with a stoic face and the straight-haired female stood straighter.
"Take our young friends to the dining hall. I believe it's time for the welcome feast."
Cheers erupted from the group. There were two things that got every Saiyan excited. Fighting, and feasting.
""Follow us."" Rhubub and Kalif ordered.
Goten was starving, but his resolve remained firm.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell us where miss 18 is." The boy stated.
"Yeah, that's right! Saiyan or not, you can't kidnap us and hurt our friends! Where is she?" Trunks may not have been as hostile toward their captors as Goten was, but their remarks about his father still stung. His pride wouldn't let him be led around like a sheep.
"If you're talking about the female who was with you, I'm sorry to say that she was kidnapped."
"What!?" Goten.
"By who?" Trunks asked.
"I will explain everything while we feast." Turles said before he gave a nod to the remaining Saiyans, giving them leave to go.
"But-" Goten protested, but Nazz grabbed him and Trunks by the wrist and dragged them behind her with a big grin.
"Wait till you kids see it! Boss always prepares the best food when we get new recruits!"
When the last of the Saiyans were out the door, Turles turned to Daiz with a serious look. "Return to Slug's base. I don't want him operating without us having our eyes on him."
"As you wish lord Turles." Daiz bowed low.
"Report everything that happens, understand? Something's going on that doesn't feel right."
"You mean other than what you're up to, my lord?" Daiz grinned. The smile was returned by Turles.
"We're this close Daiz. Only a few more harvests. Nothing will stop me." Turles looked down at his hand and closed it into a fist. "Now go."
Without another word, Daiz was gone.
Break
Never before had such young eyes witnessed such carnage on the battlefield. The devastation that one or two Saiyans could cause was mind blowing, but over a dozen? Such a thing would cause entire star systems to surrender. Trunks and Goten looked at the long dining table laden with a veritable mountain of food. Every type of dish imaginable, and several that are better left in the imagination, was lying before them, and quickly disappearing into the mouths of the full-grown Saiyans.
Some of the Saiyans were duel wielding utensils to shovel the contents into their faces, while others decided to forego the silverware and devoured the carcasses straight off the bones. The boys were largely forgotten about as the food took priority.
Trunks leaned over to Goten. "Goten, do you think this stuff is safe to eat?"
The younger Saiyan had no time to answer, as Onio leaned over and spoke with a mouth full of food. "Ohm ya. Dfinitly thry dapurple shtuf."
Trunks looked from the large man to the purple meat. It did actually look pretty good. Almost like that wagyu beef stuff they had back home. He was really hungry.
"I'm not eating anything until they tell us what happened to 18." Goten said firmly. Hunger was weakening his resolve, but the guilt he felt about 18 bolstered it. Maybe if he and Trunks had just listened to 18, or if he had been stronger, they wouldn't have been captured, and might already be at Namek. Another rumble shook the table, but nobody paid heed. Nobody, that is, except for Nazz.
"Hey, you really should eat something, kid. Saiyan's gotta eat to get stronger, you know. Besides, you can't help your friend if you starve yourself."
In protest, Goten stuffed his hands in his pockets, refusing to even touch the food. Trunks was losing his will power by the minute. Honestly, he didn't think the Saiyan's were all that bad, but refused to give in before Goten did.
Seeing the children's stubbornness, Nazz let out a sigh.
"Hey boss! Can we stop for a minute to tell these kids what's up?" The clatter and munching sounds abruptly stopped. Everyone looked at Nazz with wide eyed fear. Nobody had ever suggested they stop a meal midway before, and to suggest such a thing to the boss? Nazz had a way of pushing things, but this might be too far, even for her.
Turles looked at his subordinate with annoyance. Fortunately, the male Saiyan brain is wired in a way that responds favorably to feisty females. He gulped down his food and let out a large belch.
"Fine. Story time it is." He paused. Something was going on, and he felt that these boys were key to unraveling the mystery. "Long ago, the Saiyan race was the most powerful and feared across the galaxy. Our power was limitless. Even an infant could wipe out a planet single handed under the right circumstances. With our unlimited potential, even the gods would have bowed to our might."
"Then, we allowed ourselves to be subjugated by the cold empire." Turles spat. "They used us as war dogs, and we loved it. The only problem was, we were too good at what we did. That coward Frieza feared us and destroyed our planet, along with every Saiyan on it at the time. I survived because I had defected long before. I refused to bow to a non-Saiyan, no matter how strong. Other Saiyan's, like Rhubub, survived the genocide the same way. A few were exiled before the event, and others were on missions and refused to return when they were called. Then, of course, there were the infants. I've been slowly gathering the Saiyan survivors, but while Frieza still ruled, our people were unable to live in the open. Fortunately, after your father defeated Frieza, it seemed like a new era was beginning. The Saiyans would once again reign supreme. I started gathering every Saiyan I could find, building our forces back up little by little. But another threat to our survival appeared, even worse than Frieza."
"The tyrant had a brother, Cooler. Cooler has vowed to destroy every last Saiyan. He has created some type of machine that boosts his power to unheard of levels. To survive, we have formed an alliance with other… Freedom fighters, to defeat this frost demon. No matter how hard we fight, he keeps coming back. The only means we had to fight him was the divine fruit of the tree of might. But he has cut off every attempt to harvest the fruit. So, now all I can do is recruit more Saiyans, in the hopes that we can overcome him with our races legendary power."
"It was in one of our skirmishes that our allies found you. They thought you were with Cooler, but once Daiz identified you as Saiyans, he and my other friend, Ammond, risked their lives to rescue you. Unfortunately, I do not think your friend was as lucky. She was captured by Cooler's men."
Goten and Trunks listened quietly to the story.
"How do we save her then?" The older boy asked. Like Goten, he felt responsible for getting the girl into trouble.
"We beat Cooler." Turles replied. "And to do that, I'll need every Saiyan to join my crew. What do you say?"
"You mean you'll let us fight?" Trunks asked with excitement. "Like, with the adults and stuff?"
"Ha! Of course. You are Saiyans after all. But as strong as you two are, I'm afraid we'll need more help."
"Hey!" Onio stood up, much to Turles satisfaction. He could always count on the clueless one to play his game. "What about your dads? I mean, if Goku and Vegeta really are super Saiyans, then there's no way they can lose, right?"
Trunks' excitement subsided, and he looked down. "Er, well, the thing is, our dads can't really help out right now."
"What?" Onio whined. "Why not? Are they on Earth? We could head there in no time at all and pick them up. Man, I can't wait to see how a super Saiyan compares to lord Turles."
"Th-they're not on Earth." Trunks seemed to be debating something in his mind. Finally, he seemed to make up his mind. "They're dead."
"I see." Turles grinned internally. If those two were dead, then his rule of the Saiyans would remain unchallenged. The kids' presence must have been a coincidence after all.
"What!?" Onio cried. "How could they be dead? You said they were super Saiyans!"
"See? It's like I said." Goyan grinned maliciously. "The legend is nothing more than that. If it were real, there's no way that they could be killed."
Goten was about to retort by mentioning Gohan being a super Saiyan. Then it hit him. If these Saiyans really needed help, he could tell them about Gohan. If they were good guys, then his big brother could help them, and if not, then he would be able to rescue them. The boy opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Trunks continued with a plan of his own.
"The legend is real." Trunks decided to go all in. "And we can prove it to you. Take us to Namek."
Goten eyed his friend with worry. He didn't trust these guys, no matter what they said. Especially not the copy cat Turles. He couldn't understand why Trunks was telling them their plans. Gohan told him that the Namekians were a peaceful people. He was sure that they wouldn't want someone like Turles there. He decided to keep his mouth shut though. As long as Trunks didn't say anything about the dragon balls, maybe they could contact Gohan on the way. Somehow.
"If you take us to Namek, we can bring our dads back, we can defeat Cooler, and we can revive the Saiyan race."
Turles smirked. He knew what the boy must be referring to. You didn't travel through multiple galaxies without hearing a legend or two. Rumor had it that the mystical orbs is what drew Frieza to Namek in the first place. "You want to use the dragon balls, don't you?"
Goten and Trunks were shocked. "How do you know about the dragon balls!?" Trunks yelled.
"My partner is… Very knowledgeable on Namekian culture. I've heard many tales of the mystical orbs that can grant any wish."
"That's perfect! Then let's go there now! We can solve all our problems!"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but its not that simple." Turles shook his head with genuine disappointment. A wish was an enticing prospect, but it was just impossible. "You see, Namek was destroyed when Frieza was defeated."
Trunks waved the comment aside as a small detail. "Sure, old Namek may have blown up, but new Namek is another story."
"New namek?" Turles looked at Trunks with greed in his eyes. Suddenly, a new plan was forming in his mind. "Tell me more."
Break
Angila looked around the room at his fellow elites and sighed. For months now, their missions had yielded nothing but failure. Even before that, they were barely able to scrape an acceptable harvest from the outer worlds ever since Cooler's return. The latest mission was a complete disaster. Not only did they lose another seed with no fruit to show for it, but they also lost the two strongest non-Saiyan elites in the organization. Ever since their enemy had obtained their mysterious new technology, each excursion to a planet was met with destructive force that decimated the Elysia Crispata's grunts. Morale was low, the seed supply was dwindling, and now it felt like any one of them would be the next to fall.
He knew that his lord was biding his time, waiting for the moment when his power would be sure to defeat that iron lizard, but the feeling among the ranks was that Lord Slug and Turles should just fight Cooler now. Of course, Angila understood the need for patience on his lord's part. Right now, Cooler held the advantage in power and resources. Neither Turles, nor his lord trusted each other to not stab the other in the back during such a battle. But one more harvest, just one more piece of fruit, and Lord Slug would once again be the dominant force in the universe. Even that Saiyan trash wouldn't be able to defy him, no matter how many monkeys he collected.
But even one harvest was hard to come by now. With Cooler having regained control of his empire, they were forced to hide and wait for an opportunity to strike. An opportunity that may well be on the horizon.
Automatic doors slid open, allowing Daiz to enter the room.
"Sorry I'm late. Had to drop off a couple of monkeys at the zoo."
Angila smiled while Dorodabo and Metamatcha laughed. Of all of servants of Turles, Angila disliked Daiz the least. Amond and the others were sycophants who bristled at even the suggestion that Slug might be superior to the Saiyan, but Daiz didn't seem to show much reverence for his boss. Besides, those leg warmers were stylin'.
The tall warrior took his seat next to Cacao and propped his feet on the table. "So, this better be important. I haven't slept in days."
"Indeed." The metallic voice of Cacao affirmed. "My reconnaissance drones have been searching for viable planets on which to plant the next tree."
"Yeah, tell us something we don't know, scrap for brains." Dorodabo sneered.
"There is insufficient time allocated for your request."
"Huh?" The comeback went completely over the winged fighter's head.
"Nevertheless, the importance of the information I have gathered will be self-evident. Even to those with low capacity for intelligence."
"Have you found our next target?" Lakasei asked, trying not to get his hopes up.
"Affirmative." The cyborg nodded. This seemed to grab their attention. "The planet has the ideal parameters for optimal production. I calculate that a tree grown on this world could yield between 7000 and 9000, with 10% being seed bearing fruit."
These numbers were certainly attractive to those at the table. Such a harvest was greater than any they had ever had before.
"Great." Metamatcha rolled his eyes. "To bad there's no chance of us reaching this place."
"He's right." Lakasei reluctantly agreed with the green toad. "Cooler has his drones surrounding the sector. If we try to leave his empire, they'll alert him, and we'll be caught before we get there."
"And if it's in the empire," Rasin continued, "Then we've got another losing battle with the rust buckets."
"The enemy has become very efficient at routing our plans." Cacao admitted. "Fortunately, the target is neither outside of Cooler's domain, nor is it defended by his forces."
The group raised a collective brow at this information.
"Are you saying that there's a planet in this galaxy with the energy we need, and Cooler hasn't secured it? How is that possible?" Angila asked.
"The planet was once occupied by his forces, but as of 3 days ago, that is no longer the case."
"You mean, the iron lizard just abandoned prime real estate?" Daiz asked curiously.
"Negative. The data from the drones suggests that he was forced to evacuate."
"What!?" Dorodabo yelled with wide eyes.
"What nonsense is this?" Angila tossed his head. "We've never been able to hold off his army for more than an hour before, let alone force a retreat."
"Maybe lord Turles finally mobilized the Saiyans again?" Rasin turned to Daiz with a questioning stare. "They fared pretty well on Rhizome. They even drew out Cooler himself."
"The drones were unable to detect what the attacking force was. It merely recorded massive bursts of energy, the destruction of many Cooler-bots, and the evacuation of the planet. The planet has been vacant for several days."
"You're telling me that there's a great ball of energy out there just waiting for us to plant the seed?" Dorodabo asked excitedly. "What are we waiting around here for?"
Despite the winged elite's zealous proposal, the others remained silent in contemplation. At last, Daiz spoke.
"It's a trap."
"Gotta be a trap."
"Definitely a trap."
"Trap."
"This is Haku all over again."
"What!? No way!" Dorodabo denied their claims. "You heard the tin man. Cooler was chased off. It's there for the taking. Don't tell me we're gonna pass this up just cuz you guys are scared?"
The others looked at the orange fighter like the idiot he was. However, it was Cacao who came to his aid.
"While I agree that there is a high chance of deception on the part of Cooler, we cannot afford to let such an opportunity pass by. The cold empire has many enemies, and if one of them has mounted an attack, then it would be logical to take advantage of this."
The others thought about this. Success had been scarce as of late, and Cooler had wound a pretty tight net around them. It was only a matter of time before the final confrontation happened. This harvest could give them the power boost they needed to take the fight to him. It could be a trap, but then again, what if it wasn't? Could they really pass up something like this?
"Then I have a proposal." Daiz offered. "I say we go to the planet with a seed, along with a sufficient detachment of fodder-I mean, soldiers on standby. If it is a trap, we can easily retreat with the grunts for cover. Meanwhile, we send other units to other planets as a diversion. If it works, we get the harvest."
Angila thought about this plan. It wasn't bad, all things considered. The loss of soldiers would never matter so long as the elite survived. "What about this mysterious force that kicked Cooler off the planet? Even if it's not a trap, we may have to deal with that."
"Chances are that this new player, if they exist, doesn't even know about us." Daiz waved a hand airily. "We can keep the army off world till we need them to avoid detection. By the time they notice us, the fruit will be ripe and ready for picking."
"To increase our chances of success, I suggest all available elites participate in this mission." Cacao added. "In addition, Lord Turles and Lord Slug should not be informed of the mission until after its success."
"What!?" Angila stood from his chair. "Why not!?"
"Think about it, Angie." Daiz started to explain. "If this is a trap, it's not meant for us. Cooler wants the big fishes. Why should we tempt them to take the bait? We should take the risks our masters can't afford to. Besides, we're on a losing streak. One more failure could lead to a permanent dismissal from the big boss men." He drew a line across his neck to illustrate his point. "If we don't tell them when we go, that means we won't get the firing squad if it is a trap and we fail. On the other hand, if we succeed, promotions and fruit for everyone."
Angila thought about this. Lord Slug was incredibly upset with the failure of Zeeun. He counted the fallen commander as lucky that he didn't make it back alive. Perhaps this way was better. Even if his master did find out, he could always shift the blame to the 'crusher corps.'
"Alright." Angila nodded. "Metamatcha, get a seed. Dorodabo, gather the second and fourth legions. They will accompany us. The others you can send to random planets, take your pick which. The rest of you… I honestly don't care what you do, just be on the ship in one hour. Hopefully we can get this done quickly."
As the officers of the Elysia Crispata left one by one, Daiz leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He touched a finger to his ear and smiled. "You got all that boss?"
"Well done, Daiz." Came Turles' reply. "This should keep them busy till I finish my other project."
"Of course. And if it's not a trap, we'll save you a bushel of fruit."
Break
The planet was a full day's journey from planet Slug. When they reached it, the second and fourth legions were left in orbit, waiting until they were needed. Unlike the elites, most grunts were incapable of controlling their energy output, so it was left up to the elites to plant the seed as stealthily as possible. Dorodabo, Metamatcha, Angila, Lakasei, Rasin, Cacao, and Daiz landed on the surface of the lush green world. Life was abundant, as was energy, but just as Cacao had said, there was no sign of Cooler, or any of his men.
"This is gonna be too easy." Dorodabo grinned.
"Stop smiling and plant the seed." Angila ordered. "Stay on your guard. The rust buckets have a habit of coming unannounced. Everyone, fan out to cover him."
The others formed a perimeter around Dorodabo, while the winged elite pulled a seed from his pocket. He grinned at the prospect such a thing would bring. All the fun of destruction, with the power that the fruit would bring. He gathered a small ball of ki in his fist and shot it straight down, making a slender hole that went for at least a mile. He dropped the seed in and dusted his hands off.
"Hehehe." He chuckled. "How long till it bears fruit do you think?"
"Not long." Replied Metamatcha. "Give it a few hours, and we'll be rolling in it."
"Just don't get too comfortable. We have to be ready to get the fruit and go." Angila was on edge. This whole thing was going too well. No Cooler, not even a sign of sentient lifeforms. Just what happened on this planet?
As time passed, the tree began to sprout from the ground. The greenery that surrounded them began to fade as the trunk ascended higher into the sky. The planet was slowly dying, and still no sign of Cooler. Maybe Dorodabo was right. Maybe this wasn't a trap after all. All they had to do now was wait for the fruit to ripen.
"Lord Angila?" An uncertain voice sounded in the Slug-jin's ear.
"What is it?" Angila replied with a sense of urgency. "Is the enemy approaching? Who's leading them? Salza? Kuriza? Cooler?"
"No sir." The soldier sounded more confused than panicked. "I don't think this is the empire. It's just one man, and he doesn't have any cybernetics. He um… He told us to surrender."
"What?" Now Angila was confused. As far as he knew, the only ones strong enough in Cooler's army to take them on were his cyborg generals and none of them would have offered any quarter. He wouldn't send someone without cybernetics to deal with them, let alone a single fighter. He looked around at the others, but they just shrugged.
"If it's not the empire, he shouldn't be a problem. Destroy him."
"Yes sir. We already told him to go pharek himself, and the men are engaging him now. Just wanted to keep you inKSSHHHHH!" The communicator transmitted static for a few seconds, then it went silent.
"Captain?" Angila called. "Captain, what happened? Answer me, you stupid grunt!"
"Calm down." A sinister voice sent chills down Angila's spine. The elites of the Elysia Crispata turned quickly to its source. Sitting on the lowest branch of the tree of might was a man with wild, spiky black hair and a dark purple outfit.
"No reason to lose your heads." The man continued casually. "Your friends already did." Then he tossed something white and round to the ground at their feet. Angila recognized it as one of the Slug soldier's helmets. Only this one had the head still inside it. Eyes widened at the sight, and the blonde put his hand to his ear.
"All channels, respond!"
"No use." The man in purple said with a smile. "They're all pretty much like him. I did give them the chance to surrender, you know. Kind of disappointing actually. I'm hoping you'll be more reasonable."
The elites were stunned. There was no way that he had wiped out their entire support detachment in so little time. Even Salza wasn't that powerful. "Cacao?" Daiz asked the cyborg while keeping his eyes glued to the man.
"The second and fourth legions have been eliminated. Not surprising, as his energy signature is identical to the one which attacked the empire. Though his exact power level is difficult to measure, I suggest we proceed with caution."
"Smart robot." The stranger nodded. "Smarter than the ones I fought a few days ago anyway. The rest of you can prove that you're just as smart by doing exactly what I tell you to do."
The cool confidence along with Cacao's analysis of this mysterious fighter made an impression on the majority of the group. As if to further make his point, the black-haired warrior clenched his fists, and a wave of energy flowed through the air forcing them to step back.
Sweat started to run down the faces of the Elysian warriors. Daiz, for one, knew how to recognize a superior combatant when he saw one. He'd been among the Saiyans often enough. That display of power told him they had only two options. Comply with the stranger's demands or call Turles for aid. Considering Turles was busy with some secret mission right now, he decided to try for compliance.
"Alright, we'll play along." The blue-haired warrior nodded. "What is it you want from us."
The stranger smiled. "Glad you guys are sensible. Before I start with my questions…" The warrior let a fist fly through the air and a compressed shockwave traveled straight through the air and tore through the tree of might.
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL!" Dorodabo yelled then launched himself at the warrior.
"Wait!" Daiz yelled in vain. He really didn't feel like dying today.
"No way!" Metamatcha growled. "He hit the tree, so all bets are off!"
Gohan examined the tree with some surprise. His attack had only torn through about half of the tree's width. "Huh." He folded his arms. "You're tougher than you look. Too bad the same can't be said for you."
He swayed to the side and a ball of orange streaked past him. The winged fighter spun around and charged the teen again, this time, with Metamatcha coming from the direction and Angila coming from above. The teen sidestepped Angila, caught Dorodabo's fist, and stopped Metamatcha with a foot on the green monster's forehead. He swung the Orange fighter into the blue one, sending both speeding over the horizon, then descended to the ground in an instant, smashing the green toad into the planet's surface.
"Why you!" The winged warrior was the first one back and on the offensive. Not having learnt his lesson, he tried to tackle Gohan and Angila sent a flying kick at his face. Unfortunately for them, even the tank-like bulk of Dorodabo didn't so much as budge the fighter, while Angila had been caught by the ankle with his foot inches from the smiling face. Lord Slug's three most powerful servants struggled in vain to move this single combatant, as he stood there calm and immobile. Finally, Gohan pushed the winged creature away, let go of Angila's leg and hopped off of Metamatcha.
The three elites tried one more time to get the best of Gohan as they surrounded him with an endless tornado of punches and kicks. Rather than a tornado, the teen looked like he wasn't even feeling a summer breeze, such was the ease of his movements. Evidently losing his patience with the barrage, he headbutted Angila, kneed Metamatcha in the gut, and spun around Dorodabo, gripping him by his wings.
"You can use Ki." Gohan stated with an almost curious tone. The larger fighter tried to turn and face him, but found himself unable to move. "These wings are essentially pointless. But don't worry, I've got a use for them."
With that statement, the winged fighter felt himself being spun around at a sickening speed before finally being released. The fat man spun like a shuriken toward the tree of might, the centripetal force compressing him into a flat disk. Like a buzz saw he tore into the trunk, followed by a yellow flash of light that served to finish the felling of the tree.
Gohan didn't stop to admire his handy work. He spun around and kicked a small green projectile into purple mist. He caught to more objects in his hands, crushing one immediately, and a fourth was heading straight for his head. As the mini Metamatcha drew closer, it let out a scream. Gohan opened his mouth wide, caught the little leech in it, then chomped down, severing the head from the body. The full sized Metamatcha looked appalled by this action as Gohan spit the head out with a disgusted look.
He held up the last creature to examine it. It felt like it was trying to suck out his energy from his hand but had not been able to latch onto him properly.
"I see. You must be hungry." The leech started to glow, then it got a panicked look as it started to swell up like a balloon. "That's right, eat up." He took off, flying straight at a fearful Metamatcha. The toad-like creature tried to run, but Gohan grabbed him by the neck and lifted him in the air. "Don't worry, I saved some for you too!" the Saiyan stuffed Metamatcha's leech down his throat and a moment later, he started to swell like his leech had done, until he exploded. The smoke and purple mist cleared, and Gohan floated there, calmly shaking some goo off his hand.
The teen was brought back from his distraction by the feeling of two rubbery arms coiling around his body. He looked down and saw the blue-skinned guy pulling down while two identical fighters made their way to him.
"Not really in the mood for hugs. But if you need something to warm you up…" the air around Gohan began to distort, and steam started to pour off of Angila's arms. A dark red fire enveloped them, and the alien released Gohan with a howl of pain.
"GYAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The arms flailed about like two snakes with no head until the flame consumed the rest of his body as well.
The Saiyan grabbed an incoming twin by the head, nearly crushing the oversized skull, while the other one's neck was encircled by Gohan's unbound tail.
"Wha!?" Rasin, the one in the tail gasped. "You… You're a Saiyan!?"
"That's right." Gohan narrowed his eyes. "And trust me, I feel more like one every time some idiot tries to stand between me and what I want."
"W-wait, don't kill us." Lakasei begged.
"P-please." Rasin added. "We can take you to more of your kind."
Gohan smiled. "Oh good. Looks like you get to live." He released Rasin from his tail. "But you still attacked me. So, just to make sure you've learned your lesson…"
The Saiyan turned his attention back to Lakasei, and loosened his grip. The twin looked relieved at first, but then, his eyes went wide. Complete darkness filled his world, and he felt pain far more intense than anything he had ever felt. The feeling was so suffocating, he couldn't even breathe. He felt as if he would go insane at any moment. Death was preferable to such agony.
While Lakasei was unable to utter a sound, Rasin gripped his head and shrieked out in pain. Gohan looked at the convulsing twin in surprise, then back to the immobile victim in his hand. Kili manipulation was a new skill he was developing, but he had no idea the effect would bleed over to the twin. He released his technique on the twins and let them fall to the ground before descending himself.
He walked over to the last two combatants, who for whatever reason, decided not to engage him. He wondered if it was because they were smarter than the others, or just more cowardly. Either way, they would be the ones to give him the information he wanted.
Daiz had suspected that the mission may have been a trap. He went along because it distracted from what his lord was doing. Not only that, but it was their best chance to finally get some fruit, not to mention this was a perfect chance to whittle down Slug's forces for his master. What he did not expect, however, was that such a powerful Saiyan would appear. The fact that he was a Saiyan absolved him of any connection with Cooler in his mind. That and his power was enough to make him pushing Cooler's forces back very believable. At the first step Gohan took toward them, Daiz and Cacao dropped to their knees and bowed their heads to him.
"Hail to the Saiyan warrior!" Daiz shouted. "The great Saiyan, Lord Turles sends his compliments to his brother in arms." The greeting was one he was supposed to give to all Saiyans he came across. Of course, this was the first time he genuinely feared one enough to say it sincerely. The fact that a Saiyan could reach this level without the fruit was inconceivable.
Gohan stopped in front of the prostrate forms and folded his arms. "This Turles can keep his complements. They won't help him, or you, if I don't get the answers I want."
"O-of course." Daiz neck was covered in cold sweat.
"Good." The Saiyan nodded. He had to play this right if he didn't want to endanger the boys. "You said this Turles was a Saiyan, right?"
"That's right." Daiz replied.
"And that guy with the weird head said he could take me to more of my kind?"
"Yes." Daiz nodded, keeping his eyes to the ground. "My master, Lord Turles, has been gathering Saiyans, in the hopes of rebuilding your race, and establishing them as the dominant power in the universe once more. He would be honored if a warrior such as yourself would join his ranks."
"I don't care about any of that. I'm looking for someone. Two Saiyans, in fact."
"Well, if they are in this part of the galaxy, then chances are they work for my lord. Perhaps if you could describe them to me?"
"Sure. They're only half Saiyan, so they don't have tails. One has lavender hair and the other one has spikes going in every direction. They're children. One of them is my little brother."
Daiz's eyes went wide. 'Oh, pharek. This wont end well for me.'
"Y-your brother, you say? How lucky you ran into us then."
"You've seen them." Gohan asked, knowing full well what the answer was.
"Oh, yes. You see, the same organization that you defeated to take over this planet is an old enemy of ours. About a week ago, we were fighting them on another planet when the boys you described appeared on the battlefield. I was fortunate enough to rescue them from those cyborgs and take them to my master. Unfortunately, their caretaker was not so lucky. She was taken by the Cold empire. No doubt to be experimented on."
"But my brother and his friend. Their safe?" Gohan asked keenly.
"Indeed, yes, very safe. My master has a deep loyalty for his race. No need to thank me though. I serve Lord Turles, and by extension, all Saiyans."
Gohan nodded. "Good. Take me to them. Now."
Daiz stood up and bowed. "Just follow me to our ship and I will do so."
Gohan nodded, and Daiz wiped his brow. As he left, a voice that was audible only to Daiz spoke in his ear.
"I heard everything. Just keep our new friend busy until we get back." Turles ordered. "I'd like to know more about this one. Try not to let him kill you." Turles signed off with a laugh.
"Easier said than done." Daiz mumbled.
"What was that?" Gohan asked sharply.
"Nothing, sir." He replied with a forced grin. "Only, it may take us some time to get there with our meagre transport pod."
"There is an additional factor to consider." Cacao added. "I have just received a transmission from lord Slug. He wishes to see us immediately."
"Great." Daiz rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'Could this day get any better?'
End chapter
Omake
Towa's first interaction with humans was educational to say the least. Her experience at the Z festival had taught her that these creatures all had vastly different motivations, and desires. The contest for which the Son matron had prepared her was filled with numerous women (and men) each with varying costume qualities. It was clear, even to her, that many of them had put an enormous amount of time, effort, and money into what she deemed to be a ridiculous contest. At first, she thought the reason for this effort was the gold trophy. She knew of human greed for gold, after all. But when it was handed to her, she could tell immediately that the thing was not gold at all. In fact, it wasn't even metal. She walked through the woods turning the thing over in her hands, trying to locate something, anything that would make this lump of plastic special. She found nothing and was forced to conclude that humans were very strange indeed.
Another conclusion the experience brought about was that humans will do just about anything for the proper motivation. Some of the contestants were there to compete, others to have fun, or make friends. Some just liked dressing up and making costumes. She may have been reluctant to attend the festival at first, but she received a very crucial revelation while there. She needed to find out what motivated Son Gohan. It was for this reason that she was creeping below his bedroom window, trying to sense for any ki in the house. When the coast was determined to be clear, she teleported into the room of her new assignment.
Perhaps Towa, who knew little of Gohan beyond the battles she had witnessed, had expected to find a room filled with weapons, training equipment, or a meditation chamber. To her surprise, his room was nothing of the sort. Textbooks of every subject lined the shelves on the walls. Stacks of papers, samples of varying sorts, and a plethora of scientific instruments were neatly organized throughout the room.
"This… Is the room of a scholar." She whispered in surprise. The room she stood in was not dissimilar to her own. The books were more rudimentary, and the instruments primitive, but there was no mistaking the energy she felt. She walked over to the desk and picked up a rather thick stack of papers stapled together.
"The Properties and Applications of Time Dilation. Son Gohan." She flipped through the essay that, in addition to being well researched, she found to be quite engaging. The insights he shared were incredible and seemed to come from a person with decades of intimate knowledge in the subject. The boy clearly had a brilliant mind, despite the primitive world in which he lived. She set the essay down and picked up another packet of papers. This stack, however, was not an essay. At least, that wasn't all it contained. She flipped through these papers as well, with as much interest as she had in the previous ones.
"How interesting." A plan was forming in her head. This was a much more solid plan than simply buying her way into the family. This was a plan that was suited to her strengths. "Ufufufu." She laughed at her own brilliance. "Son Gohan, your life is about to change."
"What are you doing in here?"
The voice made her jump. She spun around to see the Namekian, Piccolo, frowning at her. He looked at her, then at what she was holding. He bared his teeth and growled.
"I don't know what you demons think you'll gain by messing with Gohan's homework, but you've got another thing coming if you think I'll let you waltz out of here with it. Give that to me. Now!"
Frightened as she was from his fierce order, the demon girl had a mission to accomplish. She held the packet tight to her chest and shook her head."
"Fine." Piccolo snarled. "I guess I'll just have to take it from you!"
He lunged forward, knocking over one of Gohan's science experiments, but Towa managed to evade. She made for the door, but Piccolo blocked her escape and grabbed again. She spun out of the way, and Piccolo only managed to destroy a remote-control spaceship Gohan was working on. Towa ran for the window to escape.
"Oh no you don't! DESTRUCTIVE WAVE!" Piccolo shot out his attack and the bright yellow light consumed everything in front of him. When the light cleared, he saw no sign of Towa, or half of Gohan's room for that matter. Running footsteps came echoing down the hall, and Chichi burst into the room with panic on her face.
"Gohan!? Are you back!? What's…"
She stopped when she saw Piccolo. Then she looked at the giant hole in her son's room, then back at the Namekian. It was at this point that Piccolo realized that things didn't exactly look good.
"Wait, Chichi, I can explain!" Piccolo held his hands out in desperation. To his surprise Chichi didn't yell. She put her hands on her hips and waited for his explanation with a stern face. Piccolo gulped and pressed forward. "Well, there was this demon girl that we met during the Buu thing, and she was in here trying to steal Gohan's homework. I had to stop her so… I… fired a ki blast."
Chichi looked at the Namekian, then at the hole again, then at the ceiling and she closed her eyes. "Do you really," she took a deep breath. "Expect me to believe," she took another breath. "That a homework stealing demon was in here, and you had to blow up my son's room to stop her?" Piccolo opened his mouth but was quickly cut off by Chichi. "Did Zangya put you up to this? No, you know what, I don't care. Just fix it." She turned to leave. "And stop destroying my house! Honestly, first the window, now this. Homework demons? You gotta be kidding me." The griping continued for some time, and Piccolo heard every disparaging word as he set to work restoring the damage.
Meanwhile, just beyond the tree line, Towa breathed a sigh of relief before teleporting away with her stolen packet.
End
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The Saiyans, minus Onio and Turles, are from Dragon Ball Fusions. The movie villains didn't really get much chance to develop a lot of personality so I may have tweaked their characters a bit. For example, I made Cacao more like an evil Data, and Turles is more of a plotter than in the movies. He also has different goals and resources than in the movie, so that's why he's different.