Chapter 7: Meet the Armoured Squadron!
[spoiler]The scenary below her always looked like a repeated painting stuck on a merrigo round, churning out ahead of her to give her the impression that she was making anything close movement in her flight. It felt so strange zipping through the sky that she had to keep her eyes peeled for when the subtle changes in the terrain appeared to remind herself she was making any progress. Or many she was simply nervous.
Pan’s mouth was as try as the wasteland that tricked into the Earth’s canvas before her very eyes, prompting her for the fifth time to lick her lips for some moisture. And for the sixth time adjust her gloves. And for the sevenths look down at her attire of training gear made of a tight blue short and shorts combo (Thank you, Mom!), wondering if she was wearing too much for a training session, or too little. She did recall hearing about how the Z Fighters had a tendency to rip off their shirts for some reason.
Maybe it’s a secret technique, does nudity increase my strength? But only in the middle of battle. Maybe I should try that, catch Trunks off guard? Or would he be expecting that? Wonder if the androids did that… While her nervousness fuelled her inner monologue on the ‘science’ of nudity power, her hands went back up to secure her bandanna, which kept her hair in place and out of the way.
She wasn’t usually a person to strike a nervous chord easily, really, she was usually seen as too out going and not knowing her own strength, but today was a special occasion. Today was training with Trunks. And there was more riding on it then just her getting strong. Really, this would be the first time that the boy would be able to glimpse her potential, and admittedly she wanted to make a show of it. Maybe it was that quarter of Saiyan blood in her sparking a hidden pride, but she was worried how Trunks would treat her in their sessions.
Would he still see her as the little girl who needed him to hold her hand when he taught her how to fly? The baby who punched him into the wall because she was afraid of his strange hair? Would he even treat her as a student? Would he hold back? Would he even take her seriously? She’d never know what was going on in his head, or if he was pushing her to her fullest, so she had to task herself with making sure to leave Trunks with the impression that she was not someone in need of the kiddy wheels.
It wasn’t hard to find the Saiyan Half-breed, after all he was the only living thing in the area that had a noticeable trace of ki to sense, as well as standing atop the highest peak of the landscape’s mountain with his sword stabbed into the ground; the glare of the sun like a beacon to all those who looked towards it.
When she landed she noticed that for once Trunks had ditched his usual mid-rift exposing jacket, Pan guessed that he probably had less reason to show off his muscles in peace time. He greeted her with a smile.
He’s in a good mood? Maybe? Before confusion drowns out his eyes as he took in her clothes. “I was right, I should have come naked, shouldn’t I?!”
“Wha- No!” Trunks exclaimed, crimson staining his cheeks as he tried to shake away the image in his mind, where did she get that idea!? “Please, keep your clothes on. I don't have any need to anger Videl!” First day as a teacher and his pupil was making him blush. “I was going to say that you kind of remind me of my father, with the stance, training tights and all” He broke back out into a chuckle. He was better than yesterday, she could stick her finger on it, but she found that something seemed off about Trunks the other day. Tense? 16 and him seemed to be on edge before she got there.
“Oh, really?” Pan gaped for a moment, looking down at herself. “Wait, your father wore a bra too?”
The boy merely gripped the bridge of his nose at the question. “NO! I mean, your clothes kind of look like the spandex he’d wear” Now he couldn’t get the image of Vegeta rifling through Bulma’s closet out of his head.
“Wait, how would you know, I thought you’d never met your father?”
For a moment Trunks had forgotten that Pan knew nothing of his journey back through time. “Oh? Really? Yeah, that’s probably right” He tried to pass if off as nonchalantly, and though Pan clearly felt that there was fish in the air, she didn’t push it. She just fixed him with an unimpressed rather Vegeta-ish look. It’s not that Trunk’s trip to the past was a terrifying secret or anything, but his Saiyan side had to admit that he rather ashamed of his uselessness in those times, and he also didn’t want to risk Pan knowing that there exists a timeline where her family are still alive. She might do something… Crazy.
“So, did you already have this all planned out? Or did you just pick this spot at random?” Pan still hovered a bit, peeking over at the wasteland’s landscape. “I assumed we’d just be training at capsule corp”
“We’re part-Saiyan, Pan. This training will be a gruelling and powerful process, aspects like ki are not concepts to be taken so lightly, if I wanted I could turn this whole land into glass in a blink of an eye” He faced her with a serious crease to his gaze, making sure she took all of this in. “We hold power that far outstrips even the strongest human. If used carelessly a lot of people can be harmed. I will teach you discipline, technique and control” He moved to crouch down in front of her, holding one finger up, and to Pan’s amazement easily creating a ball of ki on the tip.
With ease he flicked the ball of energy into the air and allowed the two to watch as it exploded above them, manging to leave a small imprint around the two despite it’s range. “The art of fighting is a thirst for improvement, and a battle of determination. This wasteland is our training ground because anywhere else we’d endanger others” He racked his brain for words that sound like something Gohan would say back when he was simply a student. “From now on you will be my… Pupil. Are you prepared to learn? Willing to endure? Uh… Respect my wisdom?” And he was starting to lose himself, but Pan at least seemed invested.
“I’m willing, I am, I am!” Seems like Trunks would be taking her seriously, or was simply fluffing himself up to be more dramatic. It really seemed to fade in place of Pan’s excitement at the ki ball, she was absolutely ecstatic at a chance to learn about ki control, her mother was nowhere near an expert; maybe she could even learn the Kamehameha! “I’m a Son, fighting’s in my blood, I was to live up to my grandpa’s legacy. Please, train me!”
Trunks gave a sad smile at her pleading, her begging striking a familiar chord for when he convinced Gohan to train him. Though her cries held a much more joyful undertone to her declarations, she didn’t need to be a fighter, she wanted to be one. And he’d be damned if he denied her that. “No time to waste then” He stepped to the side to reveal a small looking case sitting behind him. “You know, this is where Gohan used to train me, way back when…”
Pan moved over to the case, taking the hint to open it and take out it’s contents. “I miss him too, Trunks…” She was surprised when she felt his hand on her shoulder.
“Then let’s make him proud. Where he and Goku are watching from King Yemma’s” Dying back at the Cell Games had been an eye opening experience for Trunks.
She smiled at Trunks’s words and took a moment to pat the comforting hand, before reaching inside the case and taking out an assortment of wrist bands and shoes, all noticeably troublesome to pick up. “What are these?”
“Weighted clothing. You’ll be wearing these at all times during our sessions. Your struggle will increase tenfold with all of these weighing you down, I visited Master Roshi to get them, he made them in case Goku ever wanted to continue his training” He attached the wristband, boots and gloves to Pan, who immediately fell faint under all that weight.
“How am I supposed to fight like this? I can barely move!”
“That’s the point, determination and willpower is a big factor in your abilities. Every piece of clothing is the doubt weight down on you, every snippet of failure, every cry of your bones, every yell that it’s all pointless. If you can’t push yourself through all that, you can’t excel” He watched her drag herself around the ground with great difficulty. “Get it?”
“I think so…” She started attempting to punch the air, but found it hard to raise and aim her fists. “By training my body to adapt to pressure, I’m making my body gone for when I don’t have anything weighing me down?”
“Kind of” She finished her attempts by stopping in front of him, a bit winded, to which he simply smirked. “Now, I’ll see you when you get back”
“Back? Back from w-“ She had no time to react as in the blink of an eye Trunks’s image flashed in and out of view, his fist flying forward to just and inch away from her chest, unleashing a powerful shock wave that blasted her off her feet and sent her tumbling over the mountain’s edge.
Trunks moved to watch her fall all the way to the foot of the mountain, worried that h might of hit her too hard. “Training time”
***
A blaring barrage of noise completely shattered the peaceful silence of space, crimson light drowning the interior of the space shuttle as at approached Earth at a modest pace, it’s thrusters steadying the craft as to avoid getting too close to the Earth’s atmosphere. Leaving the ominous glare of the sun to tower over the ship.
Within the halls of the craft there was no end to the constant noise, the high-pitched whine of the alarm whittled away at the walls before multiple doors began to automatically open, followed by a marching band of hurried footsteps, armoured boots crashing into a metal surface.
Leading the charge was the shortest of the three, a man of fair blue sin and a wild array of short curled blond spikes. The man barked orders at the two larger men behind him, signalling them to fan out in formation. While short in stature and rather fragile in complexion, Captain Salza was Lord Cooler’s right hand man for a reason, and was treated as such.
“We’re just rushing to the observation deck, it ain’t an emergency, why do we have to-“ The hulking green wrestler’s complaint was cut short by Salza’s curt response.
“Ze are ze Armored Squadron! And ze need to stay in form, or even the Ginyu Force will out-pose us!” The third member, tall and lean amphibian creature of light brown, found himself rolling his eyes at Salza’s comment.
“ The Ginyu Force can’t do a lot of posing at the moment, they’re kind of dead” Neiz pointed out, catching up to his blond haired comrade, while also starting to wonder if the ship corridors were always this long. “I mean, they don’t even have bodies anymore after the whole ‘Namek exploded’ thing”
Salza scoffed “Bah! Don’t be so narrow minded, Neiz, z’ere are many other ambitious soldiers eager to show us elites up. V’e must be vigilant!” He soon came sliding to a halt in front of the door to the observation deck. “Besides, Dore is only whining like a wounded mare because this is the first exercise the lazy vegetable has gotten in months. Layabout!”
“Bollocks! Do you not see these muscles, Pretty boy?” Dore stopped to flex at his superior, resulting in Neiz crashing head first into the walking mountain’s back, not fazing Dore. “Though, I wouldn’t mind a few more winks…”
A multitude of tutting emitted from Salza as he gave a taunting smirk, shaking his head at his comrade. “I hope not, v’hy anyone v’ould enjoy gazing at z’ose mounds of flabber are beyond me. Just hurry up and get Neiz off the floor, if we don’t hurry Lord Cooler will-“ Salza’s expression feel as the door pulled back, revealing the back of their Emperor calmly taking in the view of the large blue planet, with his trademark sour look burning holes into the window. “-get here first… My lord!”
As fast as Neiz had been dragged up, swaying like a drunken sailor in his state, he was immediately smack back down onto his knees to join his team in paying his emperor proper respect. “A minute and a half, Salza. You’re getting sloppy” Cooler’s gaze didn’t shift, instead giving a simply nod to tell the three to get off the floor.
“Apologies, my lord! Our sloppiness disgraces us” Salza pushed his head down into an apologetic bow. “But may I be the first to inform you: It is an utter honour to be back under your command. We were never allowed a chance to congratulate you on your new throne, Emperor” It had been years since Cooler had brought the three together, not only as a team (Much preferring to have them separate to lead his forces elsewhere), but under his watchful eye. It was a joyous reunion in a way.
“I see the years haven’t changed your attitude, Salza” Cooler responded dryly in what could be considered a compliment. “But there is no need for congratulations towards the ruler of collapsing empire”
Dore raised a hand to yell his objections “Oi! Mind me language, sir, but that’s nonsense. We’re number one in the universe! No bloody gobshites can touch us”
The Arcosian’s hover chair turned so that his cold gaze could face Dore directly, his finger raised in a single threatening gesture. “I dislike lies from my men, Dore. Even if in a poor attempt to boost my ego. You three have been on the front lines, faced the rebellions, you should be able to see clearer than most the state of my Empire”
Dore immediately felt his lips clamp up into silence “Of course, my lord” Salza spoke for his green skinned friend, rising from his bow. “Dore was only trying to help. Just know that your personal squadron are always behind you, no matter what traitorous swine from backwater planets may have to say about our great leader”
Cooler’s lips were pursed for a moment, maybe attempting a smile, or a frown. Simply stating “Noted.” Before gesturing for them to join him up near the observation window. “This is Earth, once home to the same Monkey that made a mockery of my family. And now it serves as one enormous tomb for some of our Empire’s top minds… Oh yes, and my family as well” The three crowded around their leader, Neiz finding it somewhat difficult to keep balance after being knocked t the ground twice. “This dust ball also possibly holds the key to our success. Salza.”
The blue skinned captain nodded in response, continuing the briefing as he explained to his comrades, pulling up a picture of what looked to be an empty wasteland on a screen beside them. “While this may look like a simple collection of rock and sand, years ago this was both the site of King Kold’s landing, and his death at the hands of filthy filthy monkies” Next to the image, he brought up a map of the area. “Our scouts have made little progress on the current state of the planet, and were unable to pinpoint the exact point where King Kold had first landed. But we have reason to believe that one of Kold’s advisors might yet have survived the Saiyan attack. And it is of great interest for us to retrieve this person, alive”
Cooler chimed in with a serious scolding scowl glaring at Dore and Neiz, his tone clear. “To be clear, this is not a plea for conquest. As mentioned before, reports are inconclusive about the status of the planet, and for now we’ll assume that the same mechanical monstrosities that disposed of that Saiyan garbage long ago still wreak havoc on the planet. Our objective is to investigate the site of my father’s death for clues, find the legitimacy of our dear general’s chances of surviving, and to retrieve them without attracting any needless attention. I shouldn’t have to remind you how important this mission is, which is why I set my trust in its success to you, my elite unit. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir!” Neiz and Dore broke into a rousing cheer in response, committing their own ‘special’ interpretation of a salute (Leading to some very awkward poses).
“And if our enemies to make themselves known, do remind them why we are the ultimate power in this universe” With a curt nod Cooler’s gaze returned to his second-in-command. “Salza, do you have a landing point?”
“By pulling together a couple of scouting reports, I’ve managed to pinpoint a location that is relatively free of life in it’s general area. That should allow us to land without trouble, as long as we keep our power level’s low and don’t make a show of our arrival”
“Excellent work, Salza. And in such a small time frame. Remind me to give you a compliment later” Salza simply bowed as he moved over to behind the observation platform, standing by the ship’s controls. “Now, take us in, quickly”
“Alright, everyone lower your power level, the people of this planet hold to ability to sense your energy signatures without the use of a scouter” The two moved to grab hold of something, bracing for impact as Salza started to increase the ships speed, catapulting it into the Earth’s atmosphere. “Channelling ze engine power to thrusters, ve’ll break through the atmosphere zo fast that these cretins won’t even realise there’s something in the sky”
True to his word, the ship shot forward and in seconds the barren void of space had dissolved into a calming scenery of sparkling oceans and towering islands, clouds wrapping around their ship like a blanket. The entire vessel began to shake violently, unbalancing Dore and Neiz, forcing Salza to grab onto the console for support and causing Cooler to lay his head on his closed fist to get more comfortable.
“Brace yourself, we’re coming in for a sudden halt!” The window showed their ship careening down in an arc motion, just skimming across the water before the momentum of the fall sent it flying back up into the sky, the clouds briefly embracing them again. But soon after they came crashing back down, now manuvering through a maze of mountains that Salza clearly showed he was not expecting.
With a few close scrapes, sending Dore tumbling across the deck (A sight that sent Neiz into a laughing fit), another swerve up (Forcing Neiz up into the air to slam his head against the ceiling) and one sudden twist the ship managed to come out rather… Not destroyed. Ending with the ship puling to a sudden and powerful halt, hovering over a grassy plain. “Ve… Have arrived…”
Cooler rolled his eyes at Salza steadying himself, before looking over the rest of his fallen unit, finally removing himself from his hover chair and allowing himself to be seen standing in his full glory. “Salza, make sure Neiz hasn’t a concussion on his hands. I’ll be taking in the sights” He move out of the room in a blink of an eye, properly internally overjoyed at the prospect of finally stepping off the ship in so long.
Nodding, the young Captain moved over to quickly assist his amphibian friend. “Neiz, are you okay?”
“Urg… This is why you never let a Brenchian pilot…”[/spoiler]