Collab with Brit, Naval, and SaintThe Day After the Party: PTO Garrison, Central City, the Earth, Spring 507 AU“As requested,” Arashi started, but paused when he glanced at his scouter to check the time, “Scratch that, two minutes late. Now what mess of yours do I need to clean up this time?” He asked with a grin.
Spicer let out a sigh.
“Before we start, I hope your sister doesn’t mind watching Hugo for a while,” Spicer said as he gestured for Arashi to sit. As with his subordinate, Spicer leaned back in his chair.
“More so than other missions,” he began, “this one requires particular discretion. Officially, as far as Kyotu and everyone else knows you’re being sent to the Makyan Front alongside General Teikoku and handling the restructuring of our defenses after the last Hegemony Border Conflict.” Spicer paused again.
“In reality, you’re being sent to Mars.”
Arashi complied, plopping down haphazardly in the chair provided, mouth coming open just a bit, “That’s...great to hear.” The Tohran glanced away for a moment, bit the inside of his cheek, and then met Spicer’s gaze again, “Glacia pulled some strings I take it?”
The Saiyan general nodded.
“Yes, and we managed to work out a deal with AEGIS’ Mars branch to transport you there. They’ll also provide you with some intelligence when you arrive so you can link up with the Tohran resistance.”
Spicer handed Arashi a tablet.
“Everything you need is there. Your flight is scheduled for this evening, so you’ll have to make your peace with Hugo and Kyotu before then.” Spicer sighed again.
“I couldn’t delay it any longer than that, I’m afraid, and I don’t know how long you’ll be gone, but it’s imperative that Arsle is stopped.”
Arashi accepted the tablet and took a deep breath, “No, this is perfect. I’ve been itching to get over there as is.” He stood and spun the device between his fingers, “Thank you, Spicer.”
Spicer rose likewise and nodded.
“At the very least,” Spicer started with a wry smile. “You won’t have any paperwork for a year.”
Arashi chuckled at that, “And thank the gods for that,” he managed to match the Saiyan’s smile for a moment, “I don’t think you’ll find it too hard to pick up my slack. But,” he raised his hand and pointed to Spicer, that grin faltering, “I’ll be sure to send you everything I have on Higu. I haven’t been able to pin him down yet, but we’ve made some progress on that front.”
The Saiyan nodded.
“It would be good if you did. I want that handled with tact and discretion, all things considered.”
“Of course. Thanks again, for pulling this off. ” Arashi tightened his gloves absentmindedly, “But keep an eye on little Hugo for me, would you? I already miss the little stinker. I’m sure Kyotu will be fine and all, but, you know.” He took some relief knowing that Spicer, with children of his own, knew exactly what he was saying even if he was having trouble putting it to words.
“I’ll keep two eyes on him, when I can spare them,” Spicer replied. “And Tabella will as well.”
The tension in Arashi’s shoulders disappeared with the affirmation, “Good, good. I guess I’ll get everything in order then.” He offered a salute that never would have passed at any sort of event or training, “Try not to miss me too much.”
Mars“Shuttle Tydirium, what is your cargo and destination?”
Arashi perked up from his seat near the back of the shuttle, watching in silence as the AEGIS pilot answered. “Parts and technical crew, AEGIS Mars headquarters.”
And then they waited. And waited. “This should be a routine shipment,” the pilot muttered as the moments dragged on, “Are they onto us?” He glanced back at Arashi, who offered just a shrug in reply.
“Shuttle Tydirium, you are cleared to land. Follow your present course.”
The pilot let out a baited breath while his “cargo” leaned back, uncharacteristically quiet as they continued their descent. It was just now sinking in that it was possible he wouldn’t see little Hugo for a year, perhaps longer if this dragged out. Arashi clenched his eyes shut and breath hissed through clenched teeth at the thought. He cursed under that breath and stood, looking over his shoulder at the pilot.
“How long until we reach the surface?”
The pilot offered a glance through a mirror, “Little over five minutes, uh,” he paused, “General?”
Arashi nodded, either unshaken or simply not noticing the confusion at his new appearance. “Good, it’s about time to make the opening move.”
It hadn’t been hard to find the nearest settlement, with Spicer having provided him a map and all. He hovered just high enough that he was out of sight of most of the Saiyans - his eyes quite literally sharpened to adjust for the distance.
From this far out he couldn’t make out every detail, but focusing on the corner of his scouter told him he had plenty of time before what was supposed to be a rendezvous with the resistance on the planet.
The reconnaissance, however brief, was far more revealing than any of the bits and pieces he had been able to scratch together throughout the last few months. His heartbeat quickened as he took it in, what had been a peaceful coexistence was clearly not so any longer. If his senses were true, the Tohrans - who made up the vast majority of the population, were centered in one area...which showed a stunning lack of Saiyan activity. The buildings appeared to be far more run down than they had any right to be with how recently they must have been constructed, be it a lack of upkeep or a dusting of the red that had defined this world not so long left to coat the structures.
“Odd,” he muttered, voice low in contrast to the pounding in his chest. Just based on numbers, or really even the average strength of the respective populations, it was surprising that the Saiyan population was able to maintain control. Yes, the threat of Arsle and her honor guard was there, but if not ever-present, it couldn’t be enough to contain them. “No, that’s wrong.”
Something was amiss. He began to focus his senses on smaller parts of the town. But his senses proved keen, no one strong enough to really deter the populace on their own. Whether it was the Tohran’s apparently designated area or the more high-scale, open and bright majority of the city, he could find no outstanding powers.
What did pique his interest though, was that the number of energy signatures he was picking up on didn’t add up to the number of bodies he saw moving. And upon closer examination, not all of those bodies looked Tohran - even accounting for the most deviant of assumed appearances his people took.
Arashi began to descend ever so slightly to get a better look, stopping just at the point he was concerned he’d be seen. And once he got a better look, his stomach twisted into a knot. Those bodies without energy readings were mechanical as he predicted. Worse, their designs resembled an abomination he’d only had the misfortune of running into once. Arashi’s fingers dug into his bicep when he saw one of the machines bearing down on a Tohran in the dirt, but he didn’t make a move, not yet.
But why not?He extended a hand and closed one eye, zeroing in on the robot. He’d have to be accurate, but the energy of the other Tohran gave him a reference point, at least.
Without Spicer here to defer to, I’m going to have to move the pieces as I see fit, his energy spiked to what he could only imagine was adequate to take down the offending machine,
Some trade off to avoid paperwork that I didn’t do anyway.His own scouter chirped to alarm him of a spiking power level nearby - which made him very aware that those in the town may have been able to pick up on it as well, but by the time the sound reached his ears, his infinity spear had lanced through the neck of the offending mech, the machine bursting into flames while the Tohran it had been assaulting scurried off, oblivious as to their savior.
Arashi concealed his power level once again, and once he was satisfied that no Saiyans - or the disturbingly Hator-like guards they employed - had seen the conflict or noticed his presence, he began to head towards his rendezvous with what resistance the Tohrans had been able to form on the red planet.
Arashi tightened his gloves as he waited in a small valley between a trio of hills, a relatively hidden tract of land with trees peppering those hillsides to break up any clear line of vision. He focused on the corner of his scouter to check the time.
“Any minute now,” he muttered to himself, a crisp gust carrying the scent of pines that must have been transplanted from earth. Earth, where Hugo was probably just waking up to the sight of someone else for the first time in months. The general’s mouth curved downward, knowing damn well that was how things would have to be for a while.
Going without that grin every morning, usually accompanied by various gibberish, would likely wear on him more than anything this fiasco threw at him. He was no stranger to war after all, having served under Spicer as long as he had.
From a ways off, he felt a cluster of relatively high powers - suppressed to a degree if his senses were right - drawing closer, all bearing that unmistakable tinge of magic that he could only assume indicated fellow Tohrans. Arashi set his jaw and pushed his more sentimental thoughts aside before turning to meet whoever was coming.
His gut turned, however, when the trio of Tohrans landed in a triangle around him, and he realized that this wasn’t going to go the way he had assumed. “Morning gentlemen,” he greeted while all three relatively human-looking Tohrans raised their palms towards him. “I hate to say it, but I don’t think any of you are the one I was expecting.” No, he didn’t even need to look at the two standing behind him. If the information Spicer had given him was good, then they weren’t anywhere near powerful enough to be the one he was supposed to be meeting here.
“Shut up, put your hands in the air, and do not resist!” The Tohran in front of him ordered and stepped forward, “Turn the scouter over to me, while you’re at it.”
Arashi raised an eyebrow, arms still crossed, and looked over at his shoulder to his other two would-be captors. For just a moment, he smirked and his arm twitched in anticipation of a fight, but he stopped himself short.
“Right,” he reached up to the red scouter, “I’ll keep this, it’s one of a kind,” Arashi pulled the instrument off and stowed it in his gemstone while those around him tensed up. Arashi met the intense glare of the leader and frowned, “So what’s the plan here, attack as a group? Stow me in prison until your leader makes time to investigate?”
“If that’s what it comes down to,” the Tohran lowered his hand and advanced until he couldn’t have been a foot in front of Arashi, “We’d prefer if you cooperate, of course.”
Arashi didn’t move, meeting his potential new comrade’s glare for what must have been an intense moment for the other Tohran, and then nodded, “Alright, I’m all yours mooks, do what you will.”
Now, with the intelligence he’d been given, he knew these resistance groups had been acting in a far from civilized manner. He
expected them to move suddenly, and while he braced himself, he didn’t raise his suppressed power level. There was no need to defend himself from those he was hoping to call allies.
Unfortunately for Arashi, he didn’t realize that his assumptions had been very, very wrong until there was a blade halfway through his neck.
Arashi’s fingertips twitched. It was his first sign of life since being unceremoniously beheaded - what came next was a sharp intake of breath. Next up his eyes shot open and he stood up, only to fall on all fours. He soon realized that not only was he blind, but his equilibrium was far from on point. And a lightning bolt in his spine was kind enough to remind him that he may have healed enough to be conscious, but not enough to stand yet.
His own continued labored breathing at least clued him in that he could hear, but Arashi’s fists curled as sensation returned. Something unintelligible made its way from his throat, but he didn’t attempt any more than that.
Someone pulled a hood off of Arashi’s head, and a voice came through.
“So he’s finally awake,” the gruff male voice opined.
“Seems so,” another male spoke, his voice calmer.
“Give him some space,” a female spoke.
Arashi found himself in what looked like a basement or a warehouse, with Tohrans all about, armed to the teeth with various weapons. On the far side of the, Beryl was cleaning one of her swords, the body of a Saiyan not far from her. All around the room hung tails--Saiyan tails.
“General Arashi,” she called out. “Our mutual friends said you would be coming.”
He scowled, taking in his surroundings before his gaze settled on her. It took a moment to mentally file through the information he’d been given, but he knew this one. “Beryl,” he grunted, trying to steady his breathing to limited success. Rather than remain on his hands and knees like a dog, Arashi sat back, one hand supporting his weight while his body finished fixing itself up. “I take it you’re not one to roll out the red carpet.” His attention went to the corpse at her feet for a moment.
“Sorry, but we don’t take too kindly to traitors,” Da’ud said, off to Arashi’s right side. Beryl put up a hand and rose from her seat, walking over to Arashi.
“I apologise for my subordinate’s rudeness, Da’ud’s opinions are the consensus among us” she told the PTO General, kneeling in front of him and squinting.
“Not that I have anything against the PTO personally, and I understand their situation, but trust between us and off worlders like yourself…”
“I figured as much,” he waved his free hand, “I knew the consequences of leaving Tohra.”
“Right,” Beryl said, unconvinced by the General’s words. She stood up to her full height, and gestured for the others to unbind Arashi before she walked back to her seat.
“I’ll get to the point. Although we have some reservations, we cannot do this without your help. The Saiyan Great Apes and their robots are turning this into a war of attrition.” Beryl gave a sigh. “But you’ll need to prove your mettle. I won’t let you meet our other friends until I am absolutely sure you can be trusted.”
Arashi managed to bite back whatever quips he’d have normally fired back while the chains were undone, “Your cells are all working separately from what I’ve gathered?” Arashi stood, meeting the eyes of those around the room and trying to steady himself, then looking back to Beryl. “And most of you are here. So you’ve got something up your sleeve.”
He didn’t bother asking what that something was. She didn’t seem the talkative type.
“We’re heading out soon,” she said laconically. “Make sure you’re ready.”
“Cute,” he muttered, and cracked his neck.
Arashi stood still, arm extended, a blade forming from his fingertips. That blade ended just a foot past the chest of a Saiyan who’d never had a chance. That blade dissipated and Arashi was moving on before his enemy hit the ground,
“So, you want the left or right half?” Arashi joked to Tohran at his side, utterly unworried - if put off - with the motley crew of androids and their lone Saiyan chaperone standing below.
The other Tohran didn’t play along, eyes narrow as burns along his arm healed themselves. “You step out of line and I’ll do the monkeys’ job for them,
general,” he shot back, that last word almost mocking, but Arashi waved him off.
They didn’t have any more time for their playful banter, the lone Saiyan’s tail lashing about as he sized up his opponents,“You gems never learn, do you?” he scowled, muscles on his considerable frame bulging.
“Nope, we’re a stubborn bunch!” Arashi shot back, “You’re the last man standing here, just playing to delay the checkmate at this point.” He paused and began pointing out the individual androids in turn, “Might wanna run while Snuggles, Fufu, Metalhead,
other metalhead, and uh,” he paused at the fifth android, “What’d you say your name was?”
“Kato!” Arashi and his fellow jumped into the air to avoid ‘Kato’s’ bullrush, the Saiyan leaving an emerald trail in his wake.
“Well Kato Jr. then!” Arashi finished without breaking a sweat, “I’d suggest you make a break for it while they’re still kicking. Or are you a stickler for the whole dying with honor thing?”
“I think the robots are a bit out of your league Malachai, can you hold off the monkey?” He didn’t need to ask, just feeling them out, Malachai was outclassed by just enough for it to be worrisome.
Regardless, the other Tohran practically snarled and pulled his arms back. “Of course I can!” He thrust those same arms forward, a flash of ki enveloping Arashi’s vision before he turned to the androids.
He hopped down from the gradually crumbling building they’d been standing on, azure flames gently licking at the sides of his body, “I would just love to know where they got the designs for you guys from.” The first android moved, the others following soon behind. Arashi met the first with an uppercut straight to its chin - normally a debilitating type of a strike. But the satisfying crunch of metal plates and framing collapsing lulled him into a false sense of security. He had accounted for the others, but this one following right through on its swing was surprising.
Just that fraction of a second being staggered was enough for Arashi to be surrounded, but fortunately flight was an effective bail out for such situations. “Aaand,” he said under his breath while opening a palm towards the ground, “Boom.”
Blue ki burst into existence, propelling those hunters that had been on his tail down to earth. Three of them appeared out of commission, but the other two were a bit more persistent. “Metalhead and Other Metalhead!” He announced, meeting their blows in time, “I knew you’d be the last ones standing.” In a classic move, Arashi slammed their bodies together with enough force to compromise the synthetic structure supporting them, and then went into free fall.
He maintained a grip on their wrists throughout the descent, bringing them down with all the force he could muster just before he hit the ground.
Mars’ terraformed surface quaked in protest at the force on display, and Arashi let go of the androids, dusting off his wrists to get any bits and pieces of them off. “Abominations,” he muttered, before suddenly feeling Malachai’s energy plummet.”
“You gems just can’t seem to understand that you’ve lost!” Arashi whipped around to see Kato holding his comrade’s broken body by the ankle, “So I’m going to tell you exactly where you screwed up.” He tossed Malachai aside, but as torn up as he was, Arashi didn't observe any damage to his gemstone. He’d be fine. But the Saiyan before him was still approaching, thin, wispy green flames just starting to come to life around him.
Arashi matched his pace and began to walk forward as well. The Saiyan’s fingers twitched, and Arashi found himself being forced back when Kato launched himself forward with a roar.
When the two collided, viridescent flames roared off the Saiyan, whose teeth were gritted as he forced his opponent back. “For as prideful a race as you are, there’s nothing to back it up!” Arashi grunted and planted a foot, halting their backward trajectory, “No training! None of the decades of blood we Saiyans spill to reach these heights!” Arashi brought his arms up and then jerked them down to break his assailant’s grip before engaging in a more classic clinch.
Arashi couldn’t help but smirk. As much as he was restraining himself, this was proving to be interesting. Each combatant pressed into the other, with one grip around the other’s head. Kato attempted to shift his forehead to the side to reach Arashi’s temple. Arashi was a step ahead though, simply shifting down slightly. Before Kato knew what was happening, the Tohran’s skull was pressed up into the bridge of his nose. Kato’s head lurched up, but not before his nose broke, and with his reeling Arashi was able to shift to his side and wrap him up
“No training? Seems like you’re still a rookie on that front!” With a kick to the back of the leg, it was a simple takedown, albeit one with enough force to crumble whatever nearby structures had survived the skirmish until that point.
Rather than follow him down and take the fight to the ground, Arashi extended a hand to deliver the final blow, unleashing a copious amount of energy into a screaming Saiyan warrior. The excess energy buzzed in the air until it drowned out his sounds of pain, and Arashi took to the sky just before his attack detonated, shielding his face from the resulting dust cloud.
“Not good enough, rockling!” Arashi grimaced when the dust cloud yielded to an explosion of emerald within, “Every ounce of your power was given! Not earned! You don’t deserve to wield it!” The Saiyan raised his hands to the sky, his aura beginning to crackle with static, “And I’m going to take it all away!”
Arashi pulled one hand back, realizing too late what was happening, and a lightning bolt crashed down from the sky into Kato’s hands. The Saiyan grit his teeth and swung his arms down to face his enemy, the lightning arcing down and coalescing before him, changing its color to match that of his aura, and just when it seemed like the energy would be too much for him to command…
“Now die!” The emerald wave practically exploded towards Arashi, who barely had time to thrust his hand forward and let loose his counter, a much less impressive cobalt wave that met the onslaught just a few meters in front of him.
“Not bad f--” Arashi flinched when a stray bolt of electricity arced off Kato’s attack and struck him in the shoulder, breaking his focus enough that the epicenter of their struggle was only inches in front of his hand. An expletive flew out of the Tohran’s lips and he completely let go of his beam- his own aura bursting around him for an instant - and slapped away the Saiyan’s last ditch effort.
“Sorry,” Arashi cracked his knuckles from above his stupefied opponent, “I’ve only got so much patience when it comes to dealing with featherweights like yourself.” The Saiyan stood dumbfounded, mouth agape as Arashi extended a flat palm towards him. “The well’s run dry on that front, if you hadn’t noticed.”
Kato regained his composure just as the infinity spear lanced out, catching him between his ribs and forcing him to stumble before he fell to the ground, his side now bleeding profusely with such a gash. “That doesn’t make any sense, '' he panted, “The scouter shows you’re--” He was cut off when a second blade went through his gut.
“Your scouter lied.” The blade dissipated and without its support, Kato collapsed. Arashi, unphased and able to feel the Saiyan’s energy plummeting, began jogging over to Malachai’s location, dusting off his shoulder as he went.
The other Tohran glowered at him, still nursing a broken arm while a multitude of bruises slowly receded, “Took you long enough.”
“You said you could hold him,” Arashi reminded him with an accusing point of his finger. He knelt down to inspect the injured warrior though, biting his lip. “Did he hurt your gem?”
The other Tohran leaned his head back and grimaced, “No,” then his eyes shot open. “Did you finish that Saiyan?”
“He shouldn’t last more than a couple minutes,” Arashi answered, “Why?” Malachi just pointed up to the sky, and the sudden flash of what could have been mistaken for moonlight saved him the trouble. “Damn monkeys.” He spun on his heel, watching as Kato shakily pushed himself to all fours. The Saiyan was quivering as his wounded body flooded with blutz waves, lips and nose ever so gradually lengthening.
“I-I told you!” Kato roared with a voice now reeking of primal instinct, “I’ll take it all away!”
Malachai began to rise, and Arashi waved him off, “I’ll buy you enough time to recover, he’s focused on me. When you have your strength back, go for the tail.”
“Didn’t take you for the suicidal type,” the cripple shot back with a wince, “He’ll snap you in half the second you’re in reach. Now get me the hell out of here.”
“Maybe,” Arashi watched as the monster before them began to take shape, already searching out his prey, and suppressed a shudder. If the heights he’d seen Spicer achieve in that state were a good measuring stick, perhaps he was biting off more than he could chew. “No. This one’s not as strong as I’ve seen, if we play our cards right, we can win this. But you’re only going to get one shot.”
Malachai’s breath hitched, “He’ll kill us. He’ll kill us both, if he gets you, I won’t have time to escape! We’ll die for nothing in this shithole!”
“Nah,” Arashi rolled one of his shoulders as Kato’s spine began to expand just before the rest of his body followed suit. “Wait until your body’s ready to go. I can handle him until then.”
“We can’t fight a great ape!” Malachai pleaded, his words sharper as he realized that his ally wasn’t joking. “If we could, the playing field would be leveled. As it is, if they resort to transforming, we have no choice but to retreat. Don’t tell me you’ve never dealt with a Saiyan before!”
“Stick to the plan,” he replied, “and I’ll show you that we can.”
The moonlight that had been shining on them was soon replaced with the looming shadow of a great ape, any words of protest Malachai had left lost in a roar that shook the roots of the planet with its challenge. Arashi dashed into the air to put some distance between himself and his ally. And to Malachai, it must have looked insane, a death sentence even.
And Kato? He had his own brand of insanity. There were no smiles, no words, just pure, unadulterated rage. Every transformation-bloated muscle in his body twitched, begging to release the tension building throughout his body. But still, he didn’t lash out. Rather, he opened his great maw and, with another roar, their war began anew.
Arashi escaped incineration by the skin of his teeth, the silver bolt’s heat warming his skin in its wake. “You’re big!” He called out, an utterly unconcerned smirk defining his features, “Fought bigger!”
Even through that thick fur, he could see massive shoulder muscles rippling before a sweeping blow went wide as well. Rather than continue dodging until he was caught, Arashi landed on the outstretched arm and ran up its length as fast as his legs could carry him. Just as he pulled an arm back to ready an attack though, he was shaken as the terrain suddenly shifted beneath him. He realized - mid stumble - that all it had taken was for Kato to flex his bloated musculature. Unfortunately he was given no time to consider this development, as an open-palm strike followed.
Arashi yelped, and subsequently left a trench in the dirt in cliche fashion upon his impact. He tore through the earth for what seemed like an eternity, but eternity didn’t put quite enough distance between himself and the great ape. When he opened his eyes, he saw something dark above him, and those same eyes went wide when he realized it was a descending foot.
Thinking fast, he brought an elbow into the ruined terrain below and, predictably, its already compromised integrity gave way. The monster’s foot plowed through a few feet of Mars’ terrain, sure, but stopped just short of crushing Arashi, now just a bit lower. The still reeling Tohran tapped into his reserves just a bit, and his energy illuminated the shadowy retreat for just a second before it was let loose.
For his part, he propelled himself up and out of the ground a few meters past the titan’s foot, cleaving through earth without a problem. His opponent, though, was caught off guard when the ground below caved in, suddenly collapsing below and around his leg and momentarily immobilizing him.
“Gotcha!” Arashi shot behind him, an energy blade already forming around his hand to sever the tail. If only it were that simple. Before he could make a move, the uncooperative appendage lashed in just the right direction, slamming into him and predictably shooting him up into the air.
Kato tried to pull his foot out of the ground to no avail while the pest above him tried to get his bearings, eventually just bringing a hammerfist down to obliterate the tons of stone that had caught his leg in a vice. “Die!” He roared to the heavens, unleashing another silver beam from his maw. And another. And another. None found home, though Arashi was forced to redirect one when it came just a bit too close, but the barrage abated after that.
“You’re fast, rockling.” Kato chuckled in disturbing fashion, his outrage from earlier apparently abated. “But not fast enough.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night!” Arashi shot back, pulling a hand back and beginning to pool energy within, “But I’ve got a more permanent fix, if you’re interested!” He clenched his fist, that power fighting to escape his grasp.
The sneer that spread across the great ape’s snout was disturbing, but his speed was even more terrifying. Arashi never saw him move, only the colossal beast hovering in the air before him, arms outstretched. Thinking he was going to be grabbed and crushed, he sent himself hurtling towards the ground, only to hear a thunderous clap from behind and realize he’d been mistaken. There was no stopping it now though, as the shockwaves hit him a second later. His attack escaped his grasp and dissolved harmlessly while its creator once again crashed into the ground below, ground now ravaged by their clash.
Arashi didn’t move for a while, wheezing for breath as Kato descended in a controlled fashion.
“Too easy, gem.” Before the more diminutive of the two could escape, he was hoisted up with much less force than one would anticipate by the ape. “But where others tuck their tails between their legs at the sight of the Oozaru, you stood and fought. You are a bold one. You died well, warrior.”
With whatever strength he had left, Arashi willed his body to shrink dramatically just as Kato began to squeeze. In the nick of time he slipped from the ape’s grasp, and the Saiyan was left growling in frustration, his other hand coming down open-palmed to try and smash his prey, who was soon obscured from sight under its shadow.
No such luck though. When he brought his hand back up, not so much as a spot of blood to be seen.
Arashi clung for dear life to the fur on the back of the great ape’s calf as he jerked and twisted and turned, searching for his target whilst simultaneously keeping his tail on the move. Arashi of course was hoping such a tiny pinprick wouldn’t be noticeable to such a gargantuan creature. But he knew he wouldn’t have to hold on long. He could sense Malachai’s approach. The other Tohran couldn’t be a minute away by now.
“
Where are you!” Kato’s cry rolled across the landscape,
Or was I wrong, are you as cowardly as the rest of your gemlings!?”
He steeled himself, took a deep breath, and shot into the air just as the ape turned again. For a fraction of a heartbeat, his speed increased exponentially, leading him straight into the jaw of Kato and hitting him with enough force to stagger him.
“Don’t you wish it were that easy featherweight!?” Arashi brought his hands back, “We never got to see which of us has more raw power! Care for a do over?” Cobalt light burned in his palms, and the ape chuckled at the goading.
“A warrior's death indeed, gemling!” Kato opened his mouth, preparing his own attack.
“Now or never Malachai,” Arashi said under his breath.
A distant shout from below was enough to startle both parties, and subsequently Kato doubled over. The ape fell to the ground, his cry of pain nearly bursting Arashi’s ears with its volume along with the thunder of his falling on all fours. It was done.
But when he looked down, the tail was still attached. Malachai had left a nasty gash, but he simply didn’t have the strength to cut through the bone.
“Always keep the queen in reserve,” Arashi hissed. With the power he had gathered, he let loose, firing at the base of Kato’s neck in a desperate bid to buy himself some time while Malachai pulled an arm back to take another swing. He never got the chance.
Kato pushed himself up and didn’t even acknowledge the brilliant explosion above his spine, whipping around in a fury as shining crimson eyes locked themselves on the newcomer.
Malachai was paralyzed at the sight, he knew death was the only thing waiting.
And then everything stopped. A great rumbling sounded from behind Kato’s enormous frame, and both the Tohran and Saiyan turned to see what it had come from.
They were both stunned to see Kato’s tail cleaved straight off, Arashi on one knee beside it, leaning on a golden blade far too large for one of even his impressive stature to wield.
“N-no!” Kato managed, but it was too late. As fast as the Oozaru transformation had been, his regression was much, much faster. Within seconds, he was reduced to his normal state, blood from the wounds he’d been given before now pooling where he lay in his own footprint.
Arashi pushed himself to his feet while his companion watched in stunned silence. “I swear,” he limped forward, “You throw another moon ball, and I’m gonna lose it.”
The former great ape was on his feet by the time he reached him, his lifeblood dribbling from his lips now. He managed to throw a weak punch, only to lose his balance and begin to fall forward as he did. Rather than let him have that dignified death, Arashi caught the back of his head and pushed it down as hard as he could while bringing up his knee to meet it. The result was a spattering of Saiyan blood and a corpse bearing a concave skull being cast aside. The victor stood stoic for a moment, but soon the tension in his body disappeared, and he leaned down on his weapon with a gasp.
“You actually did it,” Malachai said as if trying to convince himself, “You brought down a great ape.” He touched down, looking between Arashi and Kato in turn.
“Yup,” Arashi wiped the sweat from his brow, not so patiently waiting for his body to repair itself, “I’d love to say that’ll shake the Saiyans, but knowing them, the chance to die a glorious death is only going to make them even more excited.”
“But we did kill one,” Malachai clenched a fist and looked to the sky, “And that means they aren’t invincible, even their elites. This is a victory for Tohra.”
“And a needed one, by all accounts.” Arashi’s gaze flicked over to his ally, “Don’t get too excited. They aren’t going to be any less dangerous just because we killed one.” For his monotony, he couldn’t help but snicker. Malachai’s opinion of him had clearly taken a turn for the better after the battle. “Now let’s get out of here before they send us another one.”
New Tohra City, MarsFrom the outskirts of the city that was the haven for the Tohran population on Mars four ships would be spotted flying towards their location. On the lead was two Pelcion with a third behind a PTO cargo craft that was painted over to bear the monochromatic color scheme and insignia of AEGIS. The four aircrafts would enter the city unmolested.
Much like Arashi's ship the cargo ship was stopped by customs but the process to go through border patrol was much faster for AEGIS as obstinately AEGIS was on the Saiyan's side as stipulated on the agreement the Imperative made when they agreed to have bases on Mars.
As far as the Saiyans know, the cargo ship was meant for the base stationed close to New Tohra.
The small squadron of crafts would make a turn and fly to the left as they travel deeper into the heart of the city.
The crafts would find an empty basketball court and the cargo craft would hover over the court and begin to land down.
As the craft landed several humans and Tohrans stepped out of the shadow to approach the ship. As the doors of the craft let out a hiss as the pressurized air was being vented out the doors will reveal a group of soldiers with a man in a suit leading them.
The group would step out from the craft thanks to a retractable ramp.
The soldiers in question were noticeably different from before. The dark armor from before was now replaced with a mostly
white armor that had purple crescent patterns painted along the body; even the
helmets were changed. The rumors of AEGIS making a new line of armor for their soldiers was apparently true and these are what they were going with.
Behind the group carts were being pulled down by carts. "I hope you have what we want?" the man asked as the carts stopped next to the soldiers.
The Tohran leading the other group would respond with. "I will give you what we agreed on so long as you kept your end of the deal." the man looked at a soldier and nodded. The soldier would open one of the crates and reveal capsules within them.
"Thank Kami for Sora stealing alien technology. Those capsules make smuggling weapons so much easier." the rebels all smiled at what they saw.
The Tohran would have some of his comrades bring over boxes and when the soldiers got a hold of them they would open one box and all would see plastic ziplock bags containing a white powder within.
"My agreement will stick. It's nice seeing someone helping us to right the wrongs these monkeys are doing." The man in charge of the soldiers was silent as he paid the Tohran and ordered the soldiers to bring in the boxes as he returned back to the ship.
Once the exchange was done both parties would leave the city; the Tohran to regroup with rebel cells, and the cargo ship to return back to Earth.
A Year Later…
Red Palace, New Saiya City, 508 AUMalla crawled around the Council Room floors, minding her own business as the highest ranking Saiyans nobles met to discuss the state of the conflict.
“Our progress in retaking the Tohran urban centres has been steady,” one of the Saiyan nobles commented. “Our continued use of Oozaru attacks and Androids has seen us begin to turn the tide of the war decidedly in our favour, however…”
“However?” Arsle growled, more interested in her granddaughter up to this point than with the meeting. The Saiyaness lifted her head off of her hand, where she had been resting it.
The noble nervously swallowed.
“However, Tohran raids continue to hinder our control over the countryside and we’ve been having problems with our intelligence network, not to mention the rumours of the Tohran unifying under a single leader.”
This was news to Arsle.
“What rumours? This is the first I’ve heard of it.”
The rest of the Council looked terrified. It was clear they were keeping the full extent of the conflict from the Queen Regent.
“Just some Tohran religious leader, calls himself ‘the Blood Diamond’,” a noble explained.
“He’s been working with Beryl of Dragonstone Clan,” another added. “They say he’s the Diamond reincarnated, and has been unifying the various Tohran terror cells,” another put in. Arsle frowned, standing up and walking over to her granddaughter and picking the small Saiyan up.
“I want this so-called Blood Diamond killed,” the queen mother demanded. “And want to hear no more about it. Is that clear?”
“No,” Arashi waved off a Tohran fighter, “We’re done here, we don’t need any more reinforcements, no need to establish supply lines to the area.” His finger tapped against a crossed arm as he surveyed the aftermath of their most recent skirmish. A ruined landscape, a few Saiyan corpses, plenty of crumpled androids, and too many of his own dead.
At the very least, he was getting used to the role that had been thrust upon him. General or no, he’d always let Spicer handle the leadership aspect of his command. More often than not he would have his own forces hang back to prevent unnecessary casualties rather than offering a guiding hand or really managing them. Here, with so many splintered factions of resistance, he hadn’t had much choice.
“You don’t want to hold our position? The monkeys were using this as a route fo-”
“No,” Arashi snapped this time, and his eyebrows narrowed, “They’ll just make an artificial moon, and then they’ll come and literally run us all over. This was enough to make their lives a little more difficult, and now we move.” The warrior took his leave then, and Arashi pinched the bridge of his nose, something along the lines of “damn mooks,” almost silently escaping his lips.
Arashi stood still, however, when he heard the same damnable voice again, “Just so you’re aware, my lot aren’t too keen on working with the dragonstone clan. They’re a bunch of aristocratic pricks if you ask me.”
“Do you actually think you have the privilege to complain about your allies?” He whipped around, towering over the smaller Tohran and gesturing to the small assembled force that had been present for the battle.
“We’re on the verge of extinction. If we’re going to function as a society, much less survive this ordeal, there can’t be any more pissing contests between clans. Together, Tohra might have a chance.” He paused, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, “But if you’re more keen on old feuds, I’m sure the monkeys would love to go back to fighting an enemy more barbaric and dissonant than they are.”
“I…” The soldier scowled, but didn’t reply.
“Your people or your old grudges,” Arashi waved him off and turned around, “That decision is on you. Now go.”
Deep breath in. The rigours of command could get frustrating, though perhaps not so much as a stubborn toddler with enough power to back it up when he insisted upon getting what he wanted. The following exhale became more of a sigh, thoughts reaching back to earth and wondering how everyone was doing, from his sister Kyotu to Spicer and his family and, mostly, little Hugo.
Little flashbacks of the tike dominated his thoughts then. Some of his frantically trying to tie the kid’s long hair back into some sort of ponytail or bun - and Kyotu eventually showing him how to do just that - to trying to avoid the ever so occasional burst of lasers from his eyes, or the panic the first time he’d flown out of his crib.
Unfortunately time for reminiscing was scarce, and he was soon interrupted.
“Arashi.” Beryl called, her hand on the hilt of her blades. She stood metres away eyeing him with keen interest behind her dark eyes. “It’s good to see that years in service of the PTO hasn’t made you forget from whence you came.”
“Come, there’s a group of people you should meet.”
Arashi spun on his heel and was immediately forced to shield his eyes against a gust of red Martian dust. He lowered his arm, blinking out what had gotten through before making his way over to her. “Finally getting to meet those ‘other friends’ you mentioned a while back?” He couldn’t suppress a small smile, recalling that she’d been clear he wouldn’t meet them until he’d earned her trust, and offered a nod as that grin creeped its way onto his face. “I’m honored.”
“As you should be,” She said, turning and walking ahead without waiting for the Tohran to follow. “You should get along quite well with them, they’re off worlders much like yourself.” The further out she led him the more the gust of reddish dust collected in the air, until they were walking through a whirling storm blocking out the sun and obscuring the surrounding hills.
Arashi flared his ki a bit to give himself some breathing room, sticking close to make sure he didn’t lose his way in the sandstorm. He started to say something, clenched his mouth shut before any of the cursed sand made its way in, left wondering if someone hadn’t checked the weather forecast before they planned their appearance.
The further they walked the more visible the figure standing in the eye of the storm became. Their arms raised, hands performing subtle combining motions through the air. Like clockwork the storm around them shifted wherever those hands went, until the figure pressed both arms forward. On command the storm pushed backward, no longer engulfing the pair, leaving them perfectly visible to the figure as much as he was to them.
“Practicing Susano?” Beryl questioned, pace slowing until she stood within metres of the white haired Tohran.
“You could say that.” Susano said. In truth he was providing a bit of cover, not just from the eyes of Saiyans but those pesky human mages who thought because they provided support to the cause the Tohrans would turn a blind eye to them. His eyes landed on Arashi. “Is this him,” He looked unimpressed.
“I’ll do one better,” Arashi stopped alongside Beryl and answered for her, sizing up the other Tohran as well. He pointed up to indicate the storm raging around them, “Is this you?”
He balled his fist, and like time had been put on hold the whirling particles froze all around them. “Answer your question?” His unimpressed gaze turned to Beryl. “Have you told this guy nothing or what?”
“We couldn’t afford to give an outsider full knowledge of you and your companions.” Beryl said. “ The mages are cooking up something. They don’t think we’re aware of it, which might be the fault of their premature brain development, but I don’t intend to let them know anymore than necessary at any given point. I also needn’t remind you of the complications the saiyans cuing into this would have given what you and your companions have been doing for us.”
Susano sighed. “Great. Now I have to monologue.”
“Perhaps not.” She shoots a ki blast at him, no hesitation, and with a considerable amount of power backed behind it. Susano for his part only grunts in annoyance as the blast nears him, as if it bothered him more to be used as a demonstration than being so casually attacked by a comrade.
The blast hits some kind of invisible wall, one that has it spiraling around the Tohran. It’s energies are subsequently drawn into Susano’s gemstone, slurped up like a cold beverage on a hot summer day. When all was said and done Susanso stood no worse for wear. His annoyed expression first on Beryl and then on Arashi.
“A Grimoire trick.” Beryl supplied. “It allows our gems to absorb ki energy with seemingly little limit. Susano and his companions have been training a legion of Tohrans to possess this ability, along with the elemental skills Susanso has been demonstrating.”
“I’m not your prop to teach this punk new tricks.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“I am going to need a much better explanation from one of you at some point.” Arashi, who was by now completely on his heels, cut in to try and get some semblance of an explanation, “What about the Grimoire she mentioned? That’s one hell of a trick.”
Susano reached into the satchel conveniently tucked around his shoulder with his spare arm and pulled out a leather-bound book. On the surface is a diamond-shaped crest which shines almost like a beacon in the light of the sun. “Scared shit. Older than the Diamond, hell, probably Older than any or the surviving Tohran clans. Everything mystical about our species is inscribed in these pages. Shit that has long since been lost to us written for all the world to see.” He turned and stared at the cover of the grimoire. “Stuff that even the Diamond benefited from.” He chuckled. “Gosh a year ago it would probably be blasphemous to say this, but I’m telling you without this book there’d be no Diamond.”
Arashi’s brows lifted at that, “What?” He managed lamely, eyes flicking between the text and Susano. There was a pause as he processed that brief claim, but eventually he managed to get his wits about him. “That explains the secrecy I suppose. But if you have that,” he gestured towards the relic in Susano’s hand, “Then what the hell did you need me for? Seems like we’ve already got our ace in the hole there.”
“Trust me, once you see what’s inside you’ll know what I said is nothing of the sort.” Susano turned his gaze back to Arashi. “Cause if this grimoire is to be believed then the “Diamond” is a state of being, a transformation,
not a person.”
“And that’s where you factor in Arashi. You are by far the most powerful of any individual Tohran.” Beryl chimed in, resting her hand on Arashi’s shoulder. “You ascending as the next Diamond not only would ensure a victory in this war but would put you on the same or greater playing field to your “friends”. If the Saiyan bitch were to ever return to try and reclaim her lost title, you as the Diamond could oppose her without calling for help from a divided companion base.”
“You can save us all essentially,” Susanso summarized. “Cause we’re not giving up on this planet. You heard the reports, hundreds of thousands of Tohrans are trying to smuggle themselves to Mars from the other regions of the Sol system to give support to their brethren. The only thing that can stop the chaos is the return of a Diamond, and a powerful one at that.”
“A Diamond?” He muttered, glancing down at Beryl’s hand, then back to the one offering him more power than he’d ever dreamed of. The proposition was appealing of course. It hadn’t been so long ago that he’d told Spicer that his own transformation just wasn’t cutting it. Whether it was in the lacking amount of raw power he attained in that state or the mental side effects, it just wasn’t working.
Just as quickly, his mind went to the discussions between Arsle and, particularly, Tora-san. He’d meant what he said when he told the lot of them he didn’t feel comfortable speaking on his people’s behalf. He had no right, having left Tohra and cut himself off from the majority of his race for so long. But then again, since he’d arrived on Mars, the circumstances had changed.
It was still far from perfect, but for the most part the Tohrans were - however haphazardly- united under one banner. So with that in mind, Arashi cleared his throat, and nodded to Susano.
“If you need a Diamond, and if that book of yours can help me get there, then I’ll do it.”