Number 32

Chapter Five

The Green Snow Tavern

Goku's never felt a winter like this.

He's constricted by a padded airy fabric which encompasses him snuggly, him now resembling more marshmallow than man. Krillin looks much the same as they struggle through the snow, feet cutting deep into shrouds of white; the soft yellow lighting from the desolate mountain lodges impressing a warm glow from the snow, as though it's a collection of plush, comfortable clouds. Each step makes his feet number the further he walks.

Krillin groans from under his layers.

"Couldn't the Cilo r-rally be somewhere warmer? L-Like a tropical island or I don't know… the sun?"

Goku tries to laugh but only manages to chatter his teeth. "Th-that would be t-too easy."

"Oh yeah, of c-course," Krillin grouses. "They can't make things too easy for us, can they?"

"Hmm? What are you two grumbling about?" Ytvl asks from up front.

He jogs back to them with enviable energy. Goku has never done well with the cold. He's barely able to trudge his way forward, feet sinking unforgivingly with each step.

Jealously, Goku watches Ytvl bound like a rabbit in spring. Even though Ytvl mentioned himself not spending any time in snowy regions, he seems at home in it, wearing about as many layers as Goku and looking equally puffy and wide and ridiculous. Still, he doesn't complain. Or maybe he does and they can't hear him because his voice is so muffled. Unlike them, Ytvl has been instructed to always wear his hood due to his recognizability as an ex-captain of the Frost Empire. Lya had been anxious about him accompanying Goku to the rally today in case soldiers should try to apprehend him. She'd taken him aside earlier and they'd whispered a private – albeit heated – conversation on the matter, with Ytvl snagging victory somehow. She'd been displeased as the three disembarked the ship atop a naked plateau, one hidden deep in the cove of a mountain district. The blizzard had been less cruel, then.

"Practice caution," she'd warned them, "Arrogance has felled many a warrior, Ytvl."

"She seems pretty mad at you," Goku had later pointed out to Ytvl, who'd turned to him with his usual bland, easy-going smile that makes Goku's skin crawl. "Did you do something?"

"We disagree on a couple of principles. Healthy professional debate. You must understand."

He doesn't, but Goku does understand over-confidence. Ytvl is brimming with it.

Even now, Ytvl shows no concern. A tune is whistled entirely for his own enjoyment as he manages a healthy distance ahead; not too far away, not too close.

He's still wearing that awful smile as he strolls.

Krillin does his best to keep up. "Y-Ytvl, we've been walking for so long now. Are we nearly there?"

The tune dies. "Mm, I think so. But… who can say? I've never had to walk before."

Then no, Goku summarizes.

They've been going for over an hour now. Originally, they'd planned to fly there but Ytvl had quicky put a stop to that.

He'd snagged Goku by his jacket before he could even leave the ship. "Because this planet is a major territory belonging to the Frost Empire, it enforces tight security by using scouting devices, sensing any amount of ki being expelled.

"This also extends to flying."

Which means, according to Ytvl, they must stay low, keep quiet and draw the least amount of attention to themselves as possible – even if that means trudging hours through a blizzard.

This planet, Central as Goku comes to know it, sits in the centre of a cluster of Frost-ruled planets in a solar system in the deep South Quadrant. Distinct to Earth, there is no nearby star to orbit around, with the light and heat inorganic and sourced from a manmade contraption millions of miles away at some space station that's also Empire ran. Goku doesn't understand any of it. The gravity. The force. The pull. The lack of flying.

But Goku knows that he's cold, and that he's worried his fingers are going to drop off any moment now.

So, this South place has the most inhabited non-habitable places in the universe. Planets here experience little to no sunlight and the harshest winters, and Planet Central is not an exception, with its blistering winds and desire to part Goku from his toes and fingers. All around, snow swarms the hazy landscape in its sweep, swallowing some buildings entirely. The visibility is getting worse, too. Peaks of mountains are barely legible, and the dry, harsh gales bring forth so much white that, in the distance, Goku can barely recognize where the ground stops and the sky starts.

They're attached to one another with wire so not to lose one another. Ytvl leads, Krillin is in the middle and Goku carries the rear. Though, they can see and hear one another just fine now, Goku does wonder when that could change.

"Th-This… this is…" Krillin grunts, wading until his foot becomes wedged once more. "This is just something else!"

"I wish I had snowshoes," Goku adds, also trying to pry his ankle free. Did he mention how much he loves his fingers and toes? "I'm stuck again."

Ytvl makes no move to help them. "So much complaining. Honestly. Where's your adventuring spirit?"

"About two miles back that way."

Goku breathes out a chilly laugh. Oh, how he's missed Krillin.

"Come on, princesses." Ytvl tugs at the wire. "Let's get you both to your warm, stately destination before what little light there is disappears."

The snow underfoot gets worse before it gets better, suctioning each step into its greedy, frozen mouth. Goku has to pull Krillin free at one point, and at another, Krillin yanks him from a creaking, collapsing plate that was far too delicate to walk over. Ytvl regularly drags them both forward, not bothering to hide how amusing he finds their trailing.

Ahead, he laughs, hands in pockets, after once again hauling them down a cliff's edge.

"Psst, Goku. Hey, uh, do you really think we can trust that guy?" Krillin's pink cheeks are barely visible over his scarf. "He seems all right, all things considering."

Goku's brows pull together, and he swallows his instant reaction to disagree. "For now. He helped save Vegeta, at least."

"Yeah, but I just can't shake the feeling that we're going into the monster's lair on this one."

"I'm not gonna' let nothin' happen to you." Goku attests, "Especially not after seeing you in… uh, what's it been?"

"Three years."

"Wow. That long, huh?"

"Marron's nearly two."

"That's insane." Goku gives his friend a firm pat against the puffs of his jacket. "I still can't believe you've got a kid!"

"I said the same about you," Krillin replies, bright, until realizing the topic broached and then the awkwardness catches a hitch in his throat. "W-Well, y'know—"

"It's fine."

"We'll… uh, we'll find out what happened."

Not 'we'll find him', Goku recognizes. No, never that. For years now, Goku has known that he could very well be one of few who believes his son is out there – somewhere – waiting for him, waiting to be brought home. If he must, Goku will spend his entire life trying to find Gohan, and then he'll do it for however long it takes after he's dead, too. For ten years, Goku has searched.

He won't give up now, even in the cold.

Krillin chuckles to himself, self-depreciative. "How do we keep ending up in these strange situations?"

Goku goes to reply, just to be interrupted by a long, piercing whistle from Ytvl up front. He gestures to a flicker of something not white. A light. Red and flashing in the distance. The snowstorm does seem to be withering, too, easing as they manage to reach the centre point of the valley.

"I can see the eastern gate," Ytvl tells them when they make their way to him. He's made his way under a concrete slab for shelter, and they quickly join him, hiding from those awful, frozen crosswinds emitting across the plateau. "You can see it straight ahead. See that red light? Yeah, that's it. We shouldn't have a problem entering through the guard tower. It's never guarded. There's nothing of value in the area, mostly squalors and markets."

If Goku squints, he can just about make out the stone walls. "And that's where you guys wanted the rally?"

"I know it doesn't seem ideal but Lya knows what she's doing. She picked this area because of the high residential population. Most of them are not supporters of the Empire and the patrolling soldiers who make their lives difficult. But with little funds, they've never proven to be a hindrance to the Empire, mostly staying quiet and performing industrial roles for little pay."

"So, they're slaves?" asks Krillin.

"Without the title. Oh, over there. If you look in the other direction you can see the observatory from here. Yeah, it's that big sphere up ahead. That great, ugly pink thing. Talk about an eyesore. So, from there, the Empire's Southern capital is just an hour's walk opposite. Just down that way."

"Oh, yeah, just down that way," Krillin mocks. "Like it'll be a jolly walk in this snow storm. How the heck can people live out here?"

Ytvl snorts. "We say as much in the North. These Southerners are hard people."

"Hard?" Goku queries. "Hard to beat? Hard to…?"

"They're hard. Tough. Known for being rough around the edges, trusting no-one and working themselves into an early grave."

"Oh. I wonder if Vegeta ever lived out here."

"Absolutely not. He's a Northerner, that one. Did he not tell you? He was famously Frieza's favourite. His life must've been pretty cushy in comparison to most. Southern soldiers would hate that – hate him. I know they hate that about me."

"They sound kinda' proud."

"Oh, yes. And they're awful to work with. Terribly unfun."

Goku wonders what constitutes fun in Ytvl's head but decides it's better not to think about.

"So, this Hailer guy is the boss of the South, right? And Cooler oversees the North?"

"Yes, but one can only wonder how long for. They hate each other, and the soldiers follow suit, of course. So, it'll only be time until something goes awry. War will be declared. It's a matter of when as opposed to if. As Lord Cooler's first hand man, I can tell you from experience that there's no love lost between them.

"And, well, before I'd left, it'd been getting worse in terms of tension between the North and South, especially with Vegeta's execution hanging over our heads. No-one trusted anyone, and for good reason. One wrong word – one slip up – would result in a one-way ticket to the pearly gates, and that's especially true if you're unfortunate enough to be serving under Hailer. He takes no prisoners. Lord Cooler is, at least, more reasonable."

Goku can't help himself. "Who's stronger?"

Ytvl's eyes sparkle in the warm light. "Yes… Who, indeed?"

They soon brave the winter once more and continue onwards for what must be another twenty minutes. Ytvl grows talkative. He reveals the secrets of being a soldier. It's like finally peering into Vegeta's mysterious world.

It'd been mysterious for a reason, because Vegeta is unanimously hated by all soldiers and has been since before his betrayal of Frieza. In fact, most believed that he'd been killed by Frieza in some kind of poetic irony back before planet Namek bit it. Ytvl tells them how disturbed they'd been to find out that he'd had been alive all this time.

"They threw me a party when I brought him in," Ytvl tells them, "It's all rather funny now, considering."

"Why did they hate him so much?"

"Oh, come on, Goku. All you've gotta' do is think back to when he first came to Earth," Krillin says, "He'd been a total jerk – and that's putting it lightly."

"I'd never met him until I apprehended him. I'd recognized him immediately, though. He does strike an imposing figure, even if he's… well, he's taller than you, isn't he, Earthling?"

Goku beats Krillin to the response. "He's different now – Vegeta, I mean."

"Whatever you say."

Ytvl uses this as a jumping off point, telling them about the horrid conditions for lower ranked soldiers, about how a lot of them are used as cannon fodder, and about how their captains would kill them in due for the smallest of errors. Goku notices how Ytvl doesn't elaborate on any of his own dealings with his underlings, but he does expressly mention Vegeta having an especially high kill count.

"So, captains are super tough, right?" asks Krillin. "Like you… you're not the norm, right?"

And it's then that Goku remembers Krillin's lackluster fights against the soldiers; the reason Vegeta had been captured in the first place.

"Look," Ytvl starts, "Captains are not comparable in terms of strength, only power. Some can't fight for their weight in gold but may carry themselves on their wits. Others bought their position. Money speaks, even in the most prestigious Empire. Back when I took Vegeta down, I knew I wouldn't have been able to take both him and this guy on together, so I had to play it smart. I took you for ransom."

Horrified, Krillin halts in his tracks. "Eh? So, you used me!"

"Well, I'd been hoping to distract this one here by using you as bait. You're buddies, right? I could tell right away. But it'd been Vegeta to save you. I'm still trying to get my head around that."

"Oh… Oh, man…"

"Don't look too glum. I am… was a captain for a reason – and I was one of the best. Your defeat was predetermined by your infiltration of the Empire's territory. Really, your attempt was foolhardy."

"You sound pretty defensive."

"Of the Empire? I suppose so. It's difficult not get wrapped up in it all when serving from within the echo chamber. I served my position there and I served it well."

"Then why did you—?"

"Oh, Goku, you could at least treat me to a drink before you interrogate me. Did you give Vegeta a hard time, too, after he joined your merry clan?"

"He changed all by himself," Goku revisits, steering the conversation down a lighter avenue. "After coming to Earth, he found peace. Now, he does the right th-"

"Peace? Don't be ridiculous," Ytvl laughs, so suddenly that both Goku and Krillin startle. There's a pause, and Goku recognizes Ytvl's demeanour shift into something less pleasant if only for a second. "My apologies but… I mean… one does not just forget their time in service."

"You saw it first-hand. Vegeta willingly put himself in harm's way just to save Krillin. That's gotta' say something, right?"

Ytvl doesn't reply to that, instead choosing to answer the question Krillin earlier put to him.

"Back to my earlier point, Earthling. Whilst I'm not the norm in terms of your average captain, there're still a good few captains that'll give even this guy a run for his money. Brute strength isn't everything. I mean, power comes in all different shapes, and sure, there are a handful who buy the title, but you shouldn't disregard them, either. Money is just another form of—"

"So, don't pick fights," Krillin summarizes.

"There you go. You got it. Captain is just a title, more than a position, but it was still achieved one way or another."

"I've got a feeling that I'm just gonna' get in the way."

"No way," Goku quickly says. "You're here and that's what ma—"

"You're right, Earthling," replies Ytvl, "You don't have what it takes to be here. You're putting your own life and ours in jeopardy."

Krillin laughs, all nerves. "Talk about brutally honest."

"Don't listen to him," Goku bites out. "We need you here. Gohan needs you here."

"One wrong move and you're dead."

"Ytvl, stop it."

"Do you want another situation like back when Vegeta was apprehended?"

"That won't happen."

"You're too optimistic. The Empire won't hesitate in slaughtering a weakling."

"Is that coming from experience?" Goku pushes. It comes out harsher than intended, but Ytvl doesn't so much as blink.

"Absolutely. Now, you, I bet you'd give Lord Cooler and Lord Hailer a run for their money. Here's hoping that Frieza thing wasn't a fluke."

If Cooler or Hailer are anything near Frieza's level, then there shouldn't be too much of a problem, even if their soldiers are suddenly so much stronger. They defeated Cell four years ago now, and the memory of his wicked power still holds firmly in Goku's memories. If they managed to take that monster down, then they can take down anyone.

"I think we'll be fine," Krillin tries, tone a touch brighter. "After everything we've been through on Earth, I think we can take on a couple of lizards, right, Goku?"

That's the spirit.

Ytvl hums. "If you say so. Since the fruit fiasco a few years back, I haven't met anyone able to take on those two…"

Fruit…? What fruit?

"Yes!" Krillin suddenly rejoices. "Civilization!"

Finally, the snow has started to thin out. Instead of powdery, winter whiteness, the vista has turned somewhat – well – grey, with unsymmetrical hills circulating a hamlet of sporadically clumped buildings. Slowly, these hovels grow into houses and then into high-rises. Taller and taller, they grow on either side of the road as the group journeys onwards, making Goku miss the openness of the mountain district. Everything here is so… depressing. So dark. Even the sky has gone into depression, barely illuminating piles of what used to be snow, which now sit in gloomy pyramids haphazardly. Chiseled, snowless paths to common establishments like shops and eateries reveal equally gloomy stone, which Goku relishes walking atop of. No longer does he sink into sludge.

Flickering lights, one after the other, blink to life from darkened windows. Goku has arrived just before the night, and just before dinner.

Then comes the smell of meat. Cooked meat. Cooking meat.

His head whips left.

"Oh, you're definitely a saiyan, aren't you?" Ytvl says through a cloud of his own breath. "This way, now. Come on. I'm sure your stomach can wait."

There aren't bustling crowds, which Goku had expected, but rather, small groups of people walking quietly along squared, uniform pavement. There are a lot of different species of alien, some looking like overgrown frogs with limbs far too willowy for their own bodies, others small with great big, oranges spots on their cheeks and bloated bellies. Goku spots many who look like him – the most common lifeform, according to Lya – with pink noses and ears, appearing to struggle with the cold about as much as Goku is. Though, five minutes in, Goku notices the tiniest man he's ever seen – he manages to make Krillin look like a giant!

"Don't you dare say a word," grumbles Krillin.

The strangest looking individual Goku sees is a woman with five eyes, all looking the wrong way – though, what's the right way? She says something in a language Goku can't understand when she catches him staring. When Ytvl laughs like a donkey, he assumes it wasn't very nice.

Ytvl turns them down a side street where the block of buildings doesn't look as identical. Most appear crooked and tired; they vary in colour (colour being a strong word). Each paint job is different but equally as muted – as boring – and unoriginal as the last. Some whiter buildings appear as they walk. They blend into the snowy backdrop and look comparatively invisible when likened with their neighbours. To counteract this, they've been decorated with fairy lights to give a festive atmosphere to an otherwise dreary collection of stone.

They stop.

"Are we here?" Krillin asks, hopeful. Red, blue and green illuminate his face, flashing.

Goku looks at the sign below the lights. It's um...

"According to the map… this is it." Ytvl says, looking unsure, himself, but he tightens his hood and jerks his head. The scarf is pulled up and fastened to expose two muddy eyes and the bridge of his nose. "Follow m-"

Suddenly, a man from the street grabs Goku's arm, and he finds himself being dragged along towards a decrepit shopfront. The man has wild eyes, and he speaks in a quick, strange language that makes him sound like a snake. He gestures to a group of questionable trinkets, and then strikes a sign with equally questionable writing on it. Squiggles. Goku is looking at circles and dots.

"Wh-What. Er, Ytvl-"

Ytvl, whilst amused under his layers, is relatively fast on the case. He ambles forward and pushes the man back into his shop, giving him some choice words in the snake like language.

"What did you just say to him?" Krillin asks when Ytvl moves away from the salesman.

"Oh, it doesn't translate," Ytvl says dismissively. He walks on but makes sure to stick closer to Goku and Krillin this time. "My Southern-Tongue isn't as good as it could be, but I know enough suitable words to keep beggars like him at bay. There are far too many of them crawling about the village."

It does look rather run down. The entire area feels oddly claustrophobic, as if Goku's energy is being reined in. It doesn't feel… right, whatever it is.

"The entrance, I believe. Let's go, gentlemen."

The door is a mouldy green, appropriately so.

"The Green Snow Tavern," Ytvl tells them as he gestures to a (barely) hanging sign.

Krillin pulls down his coat, astonished. "We walked all this way for… a bar?"

Ytvl's eyes twinkle under his hood, and Goku would bet a sack of senzu beans that he's grinning.

"In we go."

The tavern doesn't look as bad on the inside, and most importantly, it's warm. There's a wonderful smell of hearty food and beer here, too, which soothes away the aches and pains of the cold. Even the syrupy flagons of alcohol look tempting – now, Goku doesn't drink often, maybe one or two during a festival – but man, everything here looks wonderful, as though a few hours in the snow were enough to reset his palette completely.

Though, it's busy so there must be something special about it, food or not; the barman is darting between patrons with comical speed, without so much as sparing a glance in their direction. Customers are boisterous, some are singing. Especially loud, a thud of a glass bottom hits the bar hard and Goku sees the aftermath of some teenager downing a shot of alcohol.

"This way," Ytvl says as he pulls them through the crowd of drinkers.

Wow, there's a whole bunch of people here. It's super packed, so much so that pushing through the crowd is akin to trying to part a stone. The group starts to thin out when they reach the far side of the bar, leaving Goku to wonder where they're supposed to be going. And with so many people around, the temperature is getting to him. After being in the cold for so long, Goku is suddenly very, very hot and in dire need to strip the layers free. That's when Ytvl says something to one of the workers, who must have activated something from under the bar top because a door near what looks like a dartboard opens.

"Cosy," Krillin deadpans loudly over the crowd. "Looks like a one-way ticket to a horror movie."

"I didn't ask for your commentary, Earthling. After you."

"The name's Krill–uwahh!"

Ytvl pushes Krillin in first and Goku follows them, a little surprised to find himself walking down a steep spiral staircase into what appears to be a dungeon. It'd looked so small originally. Soon, the bitter cold from the outside can be felt again, and Goku wishes he could go back upstairs for a spot of warmth and a bite of whatever they're serving. Instead, they keep the company of the broken casks and beer kegs which line the walls. Boxes also lay flattened on the floor, and there's a general unpleasant smell of dampness.

"Enjoy, gentlemen," Ytvl says, bright. He pulls down his hood and laughs at their horror. "What did you expect?"

"Something with heating!" Krillin complains. He sits on one of the empty kegs. "Why are we down here and not upstairs in the warmth?"

"I'm recognizable so I can't risk hovering about upstairs, I'm afraid. And you're down here with me because I'm your one-of-a-kind tour guide."

"How long do we wait here?" Goku asks, trying to keep focus away from the lingering aromas of upstairs.

"It shouldn't be too long. No, don't you look at me like that, Earthling, really. All of those people upstairs are here for the meeting. When it starts, we'll head up."

"Really? All of them?"

"Yes. A lot of people want to speak up against the Frost Empire but are just unable to do without the safe environment. I recognized a few soldiers up there from my quadrant. They've travelled a long way to be here tonight for the rally."

"Because they're slave soldiers."

"Right."

"How about you, Ytvl? Were you forced to be a solider, too, or were you always undercover?"

Ytvl bats his hand passively as though the question is beneath him. "Oh. It's a tale as old as time. My planet was taken over when I was a boy and then they enlisted me. But because I was of royal blood, I did just fine."

"Royal? Like a king?"

"The Empire likes to make examples of leaders. My father was felled, my mother, well – it hardly matters – it's all rather a common story as I said. Look at Vegeta. What does royalty mean in the face of the Frost Empire?" He clicks his tongue and looks strangely nostalgic about the entire thing, as though he's reflecting not on genocide but on a humble childhood memory. "I became captain four years back. Only last year was I approached by Cilo."

Krillin leans forward. "So why did you? Join Cilo, I mean."

"You people are just so nosey," Ytvl says not without humour. "Why, indeed. Maybe I just wanted a life where I don't deal with any lord above me."

Goku can't tell if this guy's lying or not but doesn't push it. It's none of his business.

Upstairs, something bangs hard against the floor, rattling the ceiling above them. Dust trickles down. It'd sounded harmless but Ytvl's amusement drains into impassivity – he stands – and he moves in the direction of the door.

"Wait here."

Boots jog up the spiral stairs and then Goku and Krillin are left to hear little else.

"You know," Krillin starts, "I bet Vegeta'll be happy he didn't come. I can't imagine that guy has enough patience for all this."

Eyes dancing between his friend and the ceiling, Goku hums. "I don't know. He's still grumpy he's not allowed to exert himself. I think he'd do just about anything to stretch his legs."

Piccolo didn't come, either, at Lya's recommendation. Namekians apparently don't do so well in cold conditions; something to do with the amount of water their bodies are made up of, though Goku understands very little of it.

So, Bulma, Piccolo and Vegeta are waiting on the ship for their return, anticipating Goku's opinion of the rally.

Vegeta is very stubborn about it. He doesn't like this group or any rebel group for that matter.

"They're just trying to steal power from Hailer and Cooler," Vegeta had told Goku in private. "Don't do anything stupid out there, like getting caught up in all their bullshit."

He hopes Vegeta is just overreacting. Goku didn't sign up for politics. He just wants assistance in getting Gohan home.

"Well, at least they get to be warm on the ship," Krillin complains.

They wait for what must be around seven or eight minutes until Goku suggests they go upstairs to check on Ytvl. There's been but not a peep from the tavern above – it's spookily quiet, one might say – and the guy had looked anxious when he'd left. Perhaps it's all right and Goku's gut instinct is off key, but he believes it best to make sure. Krillin, of course, jumps up at the suggestion and makes for the door. Something tells Goku it has little to do with worry over Ytvl and more to do with the fireplace they'd spotted on the way in.

They traverse the steps quietly, twist the knob of the door leading out and…

Well.

"Crap," Krillin manages.

The tavern has been trashed. How they'd not heard anything somehow seems impossible now. Chairs lay broken on the floor, tables smashed and the patrons are divided into corners, some terrified, some even trying to escape what has befallen their situation. Glass has shattered, food and drink spilled - it's a mess. And now, soldiers fill the tavern. Goku can tell they're soldiers because the uniform hasn't changed much since he last saw it on planet Namek all those years ago. Only, it's been adapted for harsh winter. It looks heavier but no less awkward to maneuver in. The scouters across their eyes, however, are different. They look oddly sleek. Modern, perhaps, if he knew enough about them to comment.

He hears multiple beeps when they register Goku and Krillin entering.

One, two… three… eight… nine… Oh, there's more. They're surrounding them.

Worse yet, on the floor, lies the bruised and beaten form of Ytvl, blood pooling from his mouth. A leathery, studded boot rests atop, pressing down against the cavern of his chest as he breathes hard. Upon seeing Goku and Krillin, his eyes widen, and he goes to say something, just to be cut off when that same boot squashes his cheek to the floor.

Above, a figure wearing thick layers of furs, stands broad and tall. Goku immediately recognizes him as Vegeta's would-be executioner and the fighter he'd seen chasing them on the roof. And as he'd noticed during the first time he'd seen him, this person has no energy reading whatsoever, and whether that's because he's suppressing it or if he's an android, Goku's unsure. Whatever the case, it's eerie. Goku doesn't like it.

When the person – this captain, if Goku remembers correctly – turns to look at him, he's obscured behind the red of a scouter. There's a pause when he settles on Goku. Perhaps there's a reaction, though it's not one Goku can see due to the scouter and the same face covering from the execution.

From behind him, a small collection of soldiers is poised. One steps forward and says something to the captain in that language Goku had earlier heard.

This soldier seems to have said something especially terrible because Ytvl tries to push against the boot, shouting in a tarry garble.

"Run, you idiots!"

But they don't. They can't as they've been pressed against the cellar door, with the only way out being to charge through the small army of soldiers. Goku could. They're merely a wall.

No, he'll try to talk them down first.

He looks around, angling for an out in case it doesn't go well. The tavern's once lively atmosphere is now deceased. No longer do heavenly smells part the room, and not a single word is being shared, nor song sung, leaving Goku and Krillin to stand there like deer in the headlights, hanging in the silence like wilting plants deprived of the sun.

"I think you're hurting my friend there," Goku tells the captain, trying to keep it light. Smiling, even.

From behind the captain, several of the soldiers laugh, and Goku can't help but join in, awkwardly. He scratches at the back of his head as Krillin pulls at his arm.

"Goku, something's wrong. I can't sense that guy's en-"

"I know," Goku interrupts, taking a step forward. "Stay back. Let me deal with this."

Krillin's right. Something feels very wrong.

"Here, Captain," says one of the soldiers, this time using the universal language Goku's more familiar with. "Your Astra."

In his hand, sits what looks like to be a … is that a gun? Why are they bothering with one of those?

The captain very slowly takes it, eyes deeply rooted into Goku's own. Gaze tied, he twists the firearm until a faint clicking sound is heard from the barrel; he lowers, raises and repositions it in Goku's direction all in one smooth motion.

Under the tavern's dim lights, the slide of the gun shines.

"Who are you?" asks the captain, muffled from behind his mask.

"Say nothing!" Ytvl barks.

The captain doesn't refrain from punishing Ytvl for his warning, bringing forth his boot and cracking Ytvl's nose against the wood. There's a wet groan.

Then, this captain says something – but it's not to Goku – and it's loud and commanding despite its foreign nature. It's not to be understood. Not by Goku, at least, but by the many of the observing patrons, and they make haste towards the door. One after the other, they disappear under the arch of rotting wood leading out into the night. Even the bartender leaves. Some stay, however, ones who seem not to be as cooperative as the soldiers would have anticipated.

"Go!" Ytvl growls from the ground.

Goku originally thinks that he's talking to him, but one of the patrons moves forward.

"No! I refuse to stand down!" an orange-skinned creature declares from the crowd. "We're here to make a difference – I can't stand the Empire a day longer!"

A few others step forward, shouting similar objections. There is a rainbow of languages which Goku can't understand – but anger translates despite whatever words are being shouted.

The captain doesn't look remarkably moved by any of it. His gaze is empty behind his scouter. He does respond, however, with a nod to his men, something that pleases the soldiers. They smirk between one another before advancing, passing the captain and turning on the crowd, some with guns drawn.

"No!" Goku calls out. "Stop it! Just wait!"

Shots are fired, blood is spilt, and it all happens so fast that Goku doesn't know where to look. Krillin tries to pull at his arm again, but he doesn't budge, unable to turn away from the carnage.

He tries to move, but his body feels heavier than normal, and when he tries to call upon his ki, he finds it completely unresponsive.

What?

Why aren't his legs working? Why can't he help?

"You finally noticed," the captain says, his voice afflicted with accent – Goku now just realizes. The tone is understated but carries a level of authority, making Goku want to strain his ears and listen. "I had the tavern surrounded with sheenks," continues the captain, "Whilst we're all affected by a reduction of power, I'm confident you don't carry one of these."

The gun hovers threateningly.

A swill of panic churns in Goku's belly. He hadn't even noticed. But it's true. Goku can't properly pull upon his energy, as though the reins on it had been loosened to an uncontrollable degree.

Krillin audibly reacts, taking a reactive step back against the door.

Still, the captain doesn't turn away from Goku. He keeps the gun the level, the gaze tight.

"I want two things. The first is something I already have." To emphasize this, the captain plants his boot against Ytvl's neck. Ytvl, impressively, does not make a sound. "And the second-"

From behind, from somewhere in the tavern, someone screams.

"Call them off!" Goku shouts, trying to move again – to power up, but the reins won't cooperate. "Stop it!"

"I want Vegeta," the captain continues, unbothered. "Give me these two things and you both shall live."

"Vegeta?" Goku parrots. Are they still trying to carry out the execution?

"He's not here!" Krillin then calls out. "It's just the two of us!"

"It's true," Ytvl tries, his voice gravelly. "I only brought these two."

Finally, that mask cracks just a little, and Goku notices a slitter of irritation in the captain's eyes. Just as he goes to say something, two soldiers rush forward and deliver a lump of a man at the captain's feet.

"M-My honourable Captain, sir," the man blubbers, reaching past Ytvl and towards those boots. "S-Spare me, please! I'd tried to leave originally but I wasn't fast enough, but – but I want to help! I want to help you, Captain, you and the Frost Empire!"

"You fucking traitor!" shouts someone in the crowd amidst the chaos.

"You fat piece of shit, Kray!"

It doesn't deter the man. "I can give you names. I know some of Cilo's biggest-"

The gun lowers momentarily as the captain considers the man, and just as Goku's about to make a move forward, Krillin beats him to it. He rushes forward and aims to kick the gun free. It surprises Goku, but it doesn't seem to surprise the captain, of who also seems to have some moves of his own.

Before Krillin even reaches him, he manages to sidestep away, leaning away from Ytvl, to raise his arm horizontally. The forearm perfectly catches Krillin in the throat, stopping him mid-air, choking him and sentencing him down to the woodwork. But the captain isn't done. He's quick. His foot sweeps Krillin upwards, striking him into the air before reconnecting once more. Goku's heart stops at the crunch of impact.

Through the wall of the tavern, Krillin soars.

"Krillin!"

It's dark outside now. The hole looks impossibly black against the warmth of the tavern, breathing the icy chills of the night.

Goku moves towards Krillin, getting only so far until he feels the cold kiss of metal against his cheek. The gun clicks again. "With sheenks, your power drops low enough for this to cause fatality," says the captain, lowly.

The soldiers have now done their duty and most of the people that were in tavern have either fled or have been murdered. So, they reform around their leader in wait. As Goku tries to weigh up his options, he finds himself thin on ideas. Taking on this many people under such circumstances is going to prove itself tough.

But Goku's beaten worse odds.

He grips the wrist and bends it backwards, causing the gun to drop. Goku must have surprised the captain because he stumbles backwards, nearly tripping. Yet, as suspected, he's quick on his toes and catches himself, pivoting around and pressing a foot into Goku's side.

Someone relies too much on their legs.

The sentiment is proven correct when another kick comes down on him. Of course, this time, Goku's ready and catches it, spinning his opponent around with surprising ease. The guy is not as heavy as he looks. Still, it explains the dexterity. Even with Goku getting the upper hand on the captain, the lack of weight resistance threw him long enough for the captain to strike back, and he's punished with an elbow to the throat.

It stings, but little else. The strength just doesn't compare to Goku's. The move doesn't paralyze him like the captain had intended and Goku's able to stop his opponent reaching for that gun once again.

This time, Goku kicks him, straight in the gut. It's a good kick. Something that'll leave more than a bruise. But this guy knows how to take a hit. Whilst it momentarily halts him from reaching for the gun, it doesn't stop him from retaliating.

Goku dodges the first strike but takes the second punch directly in the gut again. The power isn't what it could be, but the attacks are impressively precise, as if the captain knows exactly the right place to hit over again to wind him, because that's what happens.

Goku doubles over, gasping.

When a hand reaches forward for a surprisingly brazen choke hold, Goku takes it, squeezes and throws it back, using the advantage to trip the captain. The captain goes to fall, only catching himself in the nick of time by grabbing at Goku's coat and rebalancing his weight. It works but Goku's fast too and punches him hard across the face – several times, in fact – before taking initiative and head-butting him in a reactive moment.

It's like head-butting steel.

Pain ruptures from his hairline, tingling all the way down the spine.

"Ugh!"

It'd be comical if it wasn't so serious. Both the captain and Goku react, hands rising to the impact areas, and for the first time, the captain breathes out a sound of discomfort.

Goku's satisfaction over the matter is short-lived when he's punched in the gut one more, making him stumble and then fall when a second follows. A third sends him free from the tavern and into the outside snow. Its icy grip rains ache down his exposed flesh, and Goku struggles to move from the shock of it, hating the snow more than ever.

The captain follows, emerging from the silhouette of the tavern's warm golden sheen before striding across the snow like a duck to water. If Ytvl had been able to walk well in it, this guy can glide. None of the other soldiers tail him, which Goku finds strange. Only the captain advances, quick to reach him and keep him low in the snow.

Goku's fast on the uptake.

"Can't beat me the old-fashioned way, huh?" He goads. "Gotta' fight me in the snow for the advantage?"

The captain doesn't at all react. What's to be seen of his face, mostly cast black by the shadow of the night and hidden behind material, is devoid of emotion.

Even when they both hear that click of the gun from behind, his dark eyes don't falter.

"S-Stay there!" Krillin demands, pointing the firearm.

Not once does the captain's attention leave Goku, but he acknowledges Krillin in a flat voice.

"You don't even know what that is," he says, low.

"But it stopped you, huh?" Krillin replies, giving it a light shake for emphasis. "Goku, come here – quick!"

But he doesn't. Goku's unsure of how to move, of what to do. Something about the captain has him momentarily immobilized. The vacancy makes him nervous, perhaps, because his legs suddenly won't cooperate again.

And then it's too late. The captain moves, fast – gosh, so fast across the ice – sweeping the snow under Krillin's feet, tripping him and sending him over into a mound of limbs. When the gun flies high, the captain catches it with impressive finesse, twirling it and repositioning it before aiming at the six dots atop his Krillin's head.

"Krillin!"

The finger grazes the trigger but does little else.

Krillin is deathly still, staring down the barrel of the gun he'd been holding mere seconds ago.

"Thirty-Two!" shouts a voice from the tavern. "Captain Thirty-Two!"

It's Ytvl. He's leaning against the wood, appearing haggard as several soldiers surround him, watching but not looking to involve themselves. They must be under order not to, which is strange in itself.

"Back on that ship, before the execution, I'd presented you with a choice," Ytvl tells this captain, Captain Thirty-Two, "Do you remember?"

Thirty-Two doesn't turn, but his eyes shift ever so slightly. He's listening even if his guard remains high.

"I extended my hand of friendship," Ytvl continues, "I suggested a truce. Lord Cooler and Hailer do not care for us or the Empire, only their worth. I know you're not a loyalist. I can see it… as can my superiors. They want you to assist them. They've been trying to reach you for months now."

Thirty-Two's eyes all at once become quite easy to read. He's thinking, but it passes so rapidly that Goku's unsure that he'd even seen it to begin with. The cloud has returned, and that stare is just as frosty as the snow he and Krillin are sitting in.

Between the rapid beating of Goku's heart and attempt to focus, he can't help himself but stare at the captain. There's something about him that he can't put his finger on; something which deeply discomforts him. Is he an android? A robot?

"I know Lord Hailer did not give you the role of executioner out of respect or even fondness, as do you. Think about it, you'd had no training and st-"

Thirty-Two doesn't falter. "Don't talk about things you know little about."

"You could be free. Join Cilo and… and you could have all the riches you could ever dream to obtain. Think about the freedom, Thirty-Two. Imagine it. You could be your own man. Rich and free and away from all this.

"No more answering to any lord, no more political relations we have nothing to do with, no more warring over non-issues you need not pretend to care about. Only the satisfaction of being your own person. You were in the Youth Program so I'm sure you'd know-"

Finally, a reaction. Thirty-Two cocks the gun higher. "Not another word!"

"Cilo can offer you so-"

BANG!

Ytvl's sweet words die on his tongue the exact moment Krillin dies in the snow.

It'd been so fast. Instant, really. Krillin had been there – until he'd not.

Goku vomits the name, screaming. "KRILLIN!"

He runs over to the body, capturing it from out of its white resting place. Eyes wide in horror, Krillin stares into the abyss with a red dot firmly centre between the six others atop his head. There's only a single trail of red running past his nose, but Goku feels the blood of his best friend seep from the wound, hot like lava, against the nakedness of exposed skin.

Goku's heart stops, throat heavy, and rage like venom gags him until he hisses like a snake ready to strike.

He'll kill him!

"Y-You… You bas-!"

But the captain isn't done. Further shots are fired, this time at Goku; one to be buried within each limb and one in the shoulder for good measure. Goku cries out with every bullet passing through his body, surprised that they hurt as much as they do.

He falls backwards, encompassed by what he earlier felt looked to be warm clouds.

Cold.

Thirty-Two leans over Goku, casting a long and dark shadow.

He watches, the gun cocked.

Goku stares down the barrel, realizing it's all over. He'd been arrogant. He'd underestimated his opponent. He'd... God, he'd failed, hadn't he?

Gritting his teeth, he wills himself to move, to talk. Instead, his limbs have turned to stone. And Thirty-Two – Goku's maker – keeps those eyes firm; those dark and dreary eyes hidden by red.

The gun weightlessly hangs between him.

Firm.

Firm and pointed at Goku, ready to kill.

Absently, Goku notices the sleet. White lands atop the steady steel in aim of him. There's so little movement that he cannot help but focus on its withering descent. The meandering reminds Goku that he's still alive, that he's not yet joined Krillin, that this capturer has not pulled the trigger.

That –

BANG!

He sucks in icy air through his teeth, awaiting the black.

But it doesn't follow.

Instead, the bullet hole embedded in the snow to Goku's left serves as a confusing reminder as to what could have been. Steam courses upwards. Hot. Goku swallows his heart, breathing a hard breath as the captain's eyes drag over his wrangled mess of a body.

Dark eyes. Eerie. Haunted.

And then, nothing.

There's crunching of snow underfoot as the captain returns to the wreckage of the Green Snow Tavern, the yellow luminescence of the tavern so bright, the air too thin, as all Goku can do is bring himself to watch the fur lined back move further into the light.

He'd been spared.