Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Captain Caulifla of the Defense Force of the Sadala Army glared up at the tall, blue skin otherworldly woman in the emerald green robe that floated before her desk. Beside her was a plump faced, feline-like being who just vaporized one of her privates with some strange purple energy she hadn’t even been able to sense.

The spiky haired Saiyan kept her cool as she allowed a slight smirk to flash across her face. 

“So let me get this right. Tubs over there is a 'God of Destruction', who had a thinner, lazier brother in another universe and you've basically put together a tournament between their strongest fighters and us because Tubs and his brother because this planet Dirt or whatever has good food in it? And you need strong fighters so you came to my squad.”

Slowly the Defense Force Captain sat her armored, toned body back in her hard wood chair and scowled. 

Soldiers in the Defense Force had two options when it came to armor: The traditional style that privates like Cabba wore for the history of it and the more modern style that Caulifla and her vice-captain wore which was bulkier with color rimmed shoulder pads and a protective battle spandex. Caulifla had trained in the newer armor as a cadet and that was what she wore even while on duty. 

As usual while on the clock, the Captain in uniform: dark purple battle spandex and broad shouldered armor with a pink trim around the edge as a personal touch that denoted her rank as captain. 

Vados smiled. “That is essentially the situation, yes.”

“And call me Tubs one more time and I'll Haki you like I did your little minion.”

Caulifla glanced over where her subordinate, Jeff, had been a few moments ago. She had never liked the Sayian, finding his subordination and passively sexist comments to be grating and if not for his power and skill, she'd had dropped him from the Force ages ago.

Caulifla glanced at her sister in battle and Vice-Captain First Class, Kale. As always, she stood stoically at attention in her full body armor, bronze face stoic in the face of anything, even quite literally the gods themselves.

“Permission to speak freely, Kale. What do you make of all this?”

Vice Captain Kale swallowed the lump she had been holding and breathed, her crimson full bodied vice captain armor shifting with the inhale of air.

“Sis,” Kale said, stressing the old childhood nickname. “These two just popped out of thin air and Lord... Champa, was it?”

Champa nodded, a pleased smirk on his cattish face that some mortals at least knew how to show proper respect.

“Lord Champa just vaporized Private Jeff with an energy I couldn't even sense. Logically I think it's fair to say that these two are what they say they are.”

“Yeah,” Caulifla sighed. “Was afraid you'd say that. Was kinda hoping the stress of Captainship had finally gotten to me and I was imagining all this.” This sort of stuff never happened to my big brother Renso, probably. Figures I get stuck with whatever the hell all this is.

She turned her black eyed steel gaze towards Vados. “Who else did you have in mind for this team you're putting together?”

“The assassin, Hit. Your boss Frost, and the beings Botamo and Magetta.”

“Botamo?” Caulifla snorted. “You'd seriously want someone that lame to represent... What's our universe’s number again?”

“We are the sixth universe.”

“Right, Universe Six.”

“What's wrong with Botamo?” Champa asked, his air of arrogance temporarily gone.

“May I speak?” Kale asked the divine duo.

Vados nodded to her.

“Lord Champa, with respect, my battle sister and I have fought them before as joint exercises with the Frost Force. They are powerful, to be sure, but both have gaping holes in their fighting styles. Botamo may be immune to attacks but he can still be thrown out assuming there is a ring with boundaries in this tournament, and because of his proportions his reach is seriously lacking.”

“Further, while Magetta's metallic body would undoubtedly give him an advantage, the fact that he's weak to something as simple as insults makes his practical combat use extremely variable at best.” Kale continued.

“And who would you recommend we replace them with?” Champa asked in between a lazy yawn.

Caulifla and Kale glanced at one another.

“Us, of course.” Caulifla said with all of her seriousness as a Captain.

Vados hummed as she mused the idea over. “I'll admit, we were just planning on using Cabba as he is one of your race's strongest warriors potential wise-”

Kale snickered, causing the Angel to look at her with a slight frown.

“May I ask what your objections are now?”

“I don’t have any objections aboutPrivate Cabba's power,” Kale shook her head, bemused. “He is one of our most powerful warriors, besides the Captain and I. But he's-”

“He's softhearted.” Caulifla finished with her usual tactless manner. “Unlike us, he lacks the spine a true Soldier of Sadala needs to fight in the name of Justice. However, if my Vice Captain and I are there to oversee him during this tournament then I have no complaints about allowing his usage for this tournament.”

Vados glanced at Champa. “My Lord?”

Champa scowled. “As much as I hate giving anyone as disrespectful as you-” he glared at Captain Caulifla as he said this. “Credit. You do raise a point. Alright, then. You both can take Botamo and Magetta's places in our little tournament.”

Caulifla smiled. “Thank you, Lord Champa.”

A small twitch appeared under Champa's plump purple face but the Destroyer said nothing.

“We will return within the hour with your fellow teammates.”

With a thump of her staff, Vados and Champa vanished as easily as they had appeared and just as suddenly.

Caulifla slumped forward onto her desk and sighed.

“What the hell have we gotten ourselves into, Kale?”

“A tournament between two similar universes with disappointingly low stakes, apparently.”

“Kale, I was being rhetorical.”

A ghost of a smile crept across Kale's face. “I know, Captain.”

“Come on, Kale, it's just the two of us, you know you can drop that whole ‘Captain’ stuff when it's just us.”

Kale's shoulders loosened up. “Sorry, sis. Proper decorum and all that.”

Kale glanced over to where Jeff had been. “I suppose I might as well get started on the paperwork and funeral arrangements.”

“Eh. You're a vice captain, now. Pass that off to a subordinate.”

“Like you do with me?” Kale deadpanned.

Caulifla grinned. “Bingo.”

The shared smile between the two lasted a moment before their confidence cracked.

“Seriously, though, I'm still shaking after all that.” Caulifla admitted, holding up her now trembling hands as they shook madly. “I'm lucky I wasn't zapped from existence like that asshole Jeff, aren't I?”

“Why do you think I kept calling him 'Lord Champa'?”

“Cuz you're more respectful and deferral than I am?”

Kale frowned at her Captain. “And yet you're the Captain.”

“Cuz I got the confidence and leadership to hold the job.” Caulifla pointed out with her usual swagger. Her mind then turned to the fast approaching tournament.

On her desk, she pressed a button on the PA system before moving her mouth closer to the microphone.

“Alright you primitive screw heads, listen up: Captain Caulifla, your vice-captain Kale and Private Cabba are going to be off planet on a special mission for a few days. If we come back and find that this place isn't as ship-shaped as when we left it...” Caulifla chuckled darkly, her ominous laughter echoing throughout the entirety of her base. “Then you'll have the She-Beast to deal with. That's all, maggots! Captain Caulifla signing out. Oh, and Cabba? My office, ASAP.”

Caulifla chuckled to herself as she leaned back in the chair. “Have I ever mentioned how much I love being a Captain?”

“Only five times this week. And it's Tuesday.” Kale said, shaking her head. “And I know I've said this before but do you have to use my... other self as a motivational tool to keep them in shape?”

Caulifla rolled her eyes. “Please, Kale. We're not privates fresh off the streets of Sadala anymore. We're the bosses now which means our rules, within regulation of course, go.”

Just then a timid, male voice entered the conversation. 

“Y-You wanted to see me, Captain Caulifla?”

Cabba entered the room with his usual passive presence. Though lanky and thin by nature and with an air that said everything but a 'soldier' many a common criminal had made the mistaken assumption that Private Cabba Third Class was not much to be afraid of. This happened, generally, right before said criminal was taken out in a rib or bone shattering blow by the Private.

Caulifla smiled with a friendilyless that instantly told Cabba that something important (and more importantly, something dangerous) was up.

“Cabba, my boy. Come on in. Pull up a chair.”

Cabba closed the door behind him and did so. “Captain, we're more or less the same age, remember?”

“True.” Caulifla agreed. “But as your Captain I've always felt it's fair that Kale and I are like the big sisters you never had, right?”

“R-Right.” The first rule of serving under Captain Caulifla was to never question her logic. Sometimes she was your tough as nails mother figure. Sometimes she was your boss. Sometimes she was your 'big sis'. Whatever she said she was at that moment, you agreed with her. Vice Captain Kale, thankfully, was nowhere near as picky and preferred to keep things professional, a fact that Cabba was extremely grateful for.

“And it's the job of little brothers to help their big sisters out when they need it, right?”

“Right.” Cabba couldn't see where this was going but if past experience with the Captain taught him anything, it was nowhere good and there would be a lot of punching and screaming and energy blasts involved.

“Kale, explain the thing to him.”

Kale sighed. “Basically, you've been recruited as a part of a tournament between our universe and another by way of divine gods and angels and your Captain and I have thrown ourselves into this mix. We three will be part of a team of five, including the assassin Hit and Lord Frost himself. Oh, and the gods exist and their jerks, or at least ours is.”

Cabba blinked as he looked between his Captain and Vice Captain. “... Is this some sort of hazing thing I'm not aware of?”

“Sadly, no.” Caulifla said, leaning back once more in her chair. “I can admire a good prank but we're completely serious about this god tournament weirdness. Right, Kale?”

Kale nodded, gravely. “Indeed. As the more serious one of the two of us-”

Caulifla once more rolled her eyes as Kale continued. “I can assure you that everything your Captain just said is the truth.”

“Oh.” Cabba blinked. “I-is the universe at stake?”

“A planet from the 7 th universe will swap places where one of ours used to be if they lose.” Kale explained. “Ours has no life on it, theirs does. More importantly, it apparently has delicious food that makes the gods themselves squabble over it. Otherwise, that's it. No universal or planetary doom, as far as we know.”

“I see...” Cabba thought it over. “And these divine beings wanted you, Captain?”

“Technically, they wanted you.” Caulifla admitted. “But as good big sisters Kale and I couldn't just let you go by yourself, so we volunteered our amazingness to watch over your back, soldier.”

“Oh.” Cabba deflated a bit before quickly returning his shoulders and posture back to attention. “I-I see. Thank you both, big sisters.”

Kale shook her head and sighed. “I just wished we had a dossier on who we're fighting.”

“Ask and ye shall receive.” Vados popped back into existence, surprising everyone but really surprising Cabba in particular.

Vados giggled at the male sayian's shocked expression. “Hello, Cabba. I am Vados. Retainer to the Destroyer Champa and Angel Servant to the Grand Priest.”

“C-Cabba, Third Class Elite Private, ma’am. I-I'm greatly honored that you considered me worthy enough for this tournament.”

“Is there a reason why you've returned early, Miss Vados?” Kale asked with a frown. “It hasn't been an hour yet.”

“True. But I came to give you these,” Vados flicked her sky-blue wrist and three thick folders appeared in front of the Soldiers of Sadala.

“These are biographies I've compiled of the five warriors you will be facing for the tournament.

The three took their respective folders and began to read through them. The people they were fighting were an 'Earthling' with three eyes named Tien Shenhan, a Namkeian by the unNamkeian name of Piccolo, a half Saiyan half Earthling by the name of Son Gohan, his father a full blooded Saiyan who went by both an Earthling and Saiyan name of all things (Goku and Kakarot) and the apparent Prince of the Saiyans of the Seven Universe, a being by the name of Vegeta.

As the three read through each biography, Caulifla's shoulders began to shake as she scanned through Vegeta's biography in particular.

“S-Sis, are you okay?” Kale asked when she and Cabba had finished their respective folders.

“These Sayians need to be brought to justice!” Caulifla declared, slamming her palms onto her desk as the room rattled in recoil. “I've never heard of such despicable, vileness applied to the Saiyan race.”

“Oh. You mean the stuff about Vegeta's father and his generation wiping out the Truffles and working with that evil version of Lord Frost?”

“No, I mean the fact that these people are just stupid enough to just let their villains transform in front of them- YES THE TRUFFLE THING!” Caulifla snapped, causing Cabba to cower at the Captain's burst of anger.

“Well, they were forced to work for an evil version of Lord Frost, to be fair,” Kale said with a frown. “I'm not saying I approve of the whole 'destroyers of civilization' aspect, far from it, sis, but I hardly think it's fair to judge the Saiyan of the 7 th Universe by our own moral standards.”

“Yeah, and who forced these insults to Sayiandom to murder the Truffles?”

“Oh, no one did that.” Vados said, casually. “They did that of their own accord.”

Caulifla sneered. “Exactly. Everyone has a choice, Kale. We could have chosen to be no good thugs, remember?”

“... I remember, Captain.”

“But we chose, with some prodding from my dork of an older brother I'll admit, to join Sadala Army and become a part of something grander and more important than any mere thuggery could ever hope to accomplish.”

He also basically tricked you by insisting that two girls like us couldn't hack Basic. Kale thought. The retired Renso had proven to be many things when Kale and Caulifla had served under him as privates but sexist was not one of them (unlike the late, non-existent Jeff), thankfully.

“The point is, these sorry excuses for Saiyans may have been nearly wiped out but this Vegeta prick needs to be brought in and answer for both his crimes and the crimes of his people.” Caulifla continued. “As for this Goku or Carrotrot or whatever the hell he calls himself? Got no issues with him. He’s too lacking in discipline  and thinking through the consequences of his actions for my liking but if half of what I've read here is accurate, he's got a nobel heart and he's saved this Earth of his more than enough times over to put him in my good graces.”

“What about his son, Gohan?” Cabba asked. “I'll admit, I'm still confused as to how someone can become the strongest in his universe at least twice and still screw up.”

“I'm surprised these Sayians just let their enemies transform in front of them.” Kale mused. “How they haven't gotten themselves killed permanently yet is beyond me.”

“The son's powerful,” Caulifla admitted. “And unlike his pops, seems to actually have a proper education. But, despite all of his fancy educatmication, lacks something you and I have in spades, Kale.”

“... Breasts?”

Cabba's discipline as a soldier kept his face straight as he held back the urge to laugh at Kale's earnest response.

“Common sense, Kale. Common sense.”

“Oh.” Kale blushed. “That was my second guess.”

“And then there's this Three Eyed Tribe wannabe, Tien.” Caulifla mused. “Didn't we fight some of his kind a year or so back, Kale?”

“We did.” Kale frowned at the memory. “They weren't at our level in terms of strength but they had quite the number of tricks that gave those bastard bandits an edge. Even my... other side wasn't enough to take them down even with it's raw power...”

“Right.” Caulifla nodded with a frown. “And we have no idea how strong this 'Tien' guy is until we see him in action. Said here he's trained with freaking gods and has all sorts of tricks up his sleeve in his own right. Well, his metaphorical sleeves, anyways if this picture of him is anything to go by.”

“Has the information proven helpful?” Vados asked. “I should add that I've given similar folders to Hit and Frost.”

“Keep us all up to speed on intel,” Caulifla nodded in approval. “Thanks, Lady Vados, appreciate that.”

“Ohho.” Vados chuckled, her voice like a chiming of divine bells. “So you can be polite.”

“When people have earned my respect, yes, I can.” Caulifla replied with a smirk. She looked at Cabba and Kale. “You two ready to get this show on the road?”

“Yes, Captain!” Both saluted and Caulifla felt her heart swell with pride at her best friend and subordinate's discipline.

“Then the last one alive, lock the door! Seriously, Cabba, make sure my office door is locked before we leave or I'm docking your pay.”

“Y-yes Captain!”

Vados stomped the bottom end of her staff and the three Saiyans were whisked away to what they would soon find to be the greatest fight in their military careers. 

Chapter Text

“How are you holding up, Tien?”

Tien Shenhan looked towards Gohan before getting up from his meditation. When he had heard about this tournament, a part of him had wanted to turn it down (especially considering he hadn't even been Beerus' first pick which needled the Crane martial artist more than he cared to admit) but Goku had begged him to join and when Chotazu had joined in, well, here he was on a Nameless World between universes. 

A pawn in a game between gods alongside Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo.

A part of Tien should have been flattered, in a way, considering the company he had kept. In truth, Tien would have felt better with Chiaotzu by his side or even Yamcha. He knew where they stood. With Piccolo and Vegeta, though, well, old memories died hard as the saying went.

“I'm fine, considering our situation.” Tien arched a thick black brow up. “How about you?”

“I'm... Good.”

Tien's eyebrow remained arched.

“Alright,” Gohan sighed. “I'm nervous, I'll admit. I still remember being turned into swiss cheese by Freiza and the feeling of powerlessness until Dad showed up-”

“Welcome to my world.” Tien frowned. That had come out harsher than he had wanted. “That… didn’t come out right.”

Gohan smiled weakly before adjusting his yellow framed glasses. “It’s nothing. I know what you meant.”

The young scholar put a hand on the Crane master's shoulder. “I know we've never been close, before, but for what it's worth, I do respect you as a fighter. Power levels and Super Sayians be damned.”

A small smile graced the stoic three eyed man's face. “Thank you, Gohan. How has your training with Piccolo gone as of late?”

Though he mostly kept to himself, even Tien was aware that since Freiza had been brought back to life and Gohan had slacked off to the point where he could barely maintain the basic super Saiyan form that the scholar had returned to training with the Namkian warrior. Tien just hoped whatever training Gohan had been doing until now would be enough to carry them through the tournament.

“For causal getting back in the swing of things? Not bad. For a tournament with another universe, though...” Gohan frowned. “I'd be lying if that part didn't have me worried. Still beats having to do that presentation for work.”

“How did you get out of that, anyways?” Tien asked him. “You seemed pretty swamped when your father originally asked you before you changed your mind and replaced Buu at the last minute.”

Gohan chuckled. “I’m an adult and I work in an office, Tien. I delegated the presentation after Videl pointed out that the fate of the Earth remaining in its home universe was, honestly, way more important than some silly presentation.”

Tien nodded noncommittally. “Fair enough. Still, though,” His face returned to its stoney stoicness. “We know nothing of these other warriors. We could be fighting other versions of ourselves, for all we know.”

“True.” Gohan nodded, glancing over to his father and Vegeta. Their families and friends had been brought along to watch the fight as well as the Supreme Kais of the Seventh and Sixth Universes. 

“But at least the Earth won't get destroyed if we do lose, this time. Just relocated. According to Whis, technically speaking life wouldn't be any different day to day in terms of the sun or the Earth's place in the solar system.”

“Still, I'd rather not lose.” Tien replied. “I've lost too many times in my life as it is. Even if the stakes aren't as high as they've been in the past, it's the principle of the thing, the honor of it, that we don't lose this tournament.”

Elsewhere, the Dimensional Cube that Vados had summoned carried the five fighters of the Sixth Universe to the Nameless Planet.

Lord Frost pursed his lips together as he finished the dossier for the third time and frowned. The fact that this... Son Goku had bested his more... tyrannical self on multiple occasions unsettled the ruler of the Frost Force. The rest were a mystery, but that was what his own Saiyans were for. Unknowing pawns while Frost observed their strength in comparison to his own.

“Captain?”

Caulifla's back and shoulders stiffened and attention. “Yes, Lord Frost?”

Frost chuckled in good humor. “Please. Just Frost will do. Caulifla, then if you don't mind?”

Caulifla nodded.

“Caulifla, what do you make of these Sayians of the 7th Universe?”

“They appear very powerful, L- Frost.” Caulifla said. “But nothing I am sure my subordinates and I, your own greatest, and... whatever it is Sir Hit can do, cannot handle.”

“I see.” Frost was not above cheating and manipulating his way towards the top, it was of course how he had gotten where he was in life even with his incredible power. Still, it would be best if he fought second to last, followed by Hit as the three pawns did the fighting at first so he could judge where these other Saiyans, this Goku and Vegeta, lay in relation to his own greatness.

“And afterwards, when we win, we will get a reward, correct?” Hit glanced evenly, stone faced, toward Vados.

“Whatever is within the Super Dragon's reach. Which is everything. So yes.” The Angel replied.

“I see.”

“Tell me, ladies,” Frost said, “What, if anything, would you wish for?”

Caulifla and Kale shared a look.

“I... can't really think of anything.” Caulifla said, embarrassed. “I am content with the role my brother, Reso, had. He dared me long ago that I would never be able to hold his title so I proved the jerk wrong. At the moment, I'm pretty content with my life. What about you, Kale?”

“Me?” Kale blinked. “I can't really think of anything myself, either. I guess I could wish to become Captain, myself but I could always earn that through my own efforts plus...” Her bronze face flooded with red warmth. “I don't mind keeping the Captain here in check.”

“Very funny, Kale.” Caulifla muttered, smiling as she said this.

“What would you wish for, Lord Frost?”

“This cube would make a good reward, I dare say. Not as fancy as my ship but traveling in it would allow me to traverse the universe and help trillions more all the easier.” Frost lied, telling the do-gooders precisely what they wanted to hear.

“And what about you, Sir Hit?”

Hit glared at Cabba. “My motives and reasons are my own.”

“Fair enough,” Frost amended. He thought back to his counterpart from the Seventh Universe and what a fool he had been to wipe out perfectly good help in the name of baseless paranoia.

True, the Sayians were a mighty force between their ability to grow stronger from near death, the planet of ten times gravity, and their... transformations. But it was those very same factors that had convinced Frost long ago to train past his own natural power to the point he was the self titled 'Emperor of the Universe'. And even if he didn't have his transformations (his weakest form was a B minus rank whereas most of the universe was around the D grades) that was what his poison was for.

And then there were his Sayians. Loyal lapdogs each around a solid C + if he had to guess judging by their energies. They would prove useful pawns, to be sure. The main wild card was the assassin Hit. Where he fit in the broad Power Ranking system Frost’s scientists could never figure out. Best case he was A-.

Worse case? S Class, a class that didn’t (strictly speaking) even exist.

Until Vados had recruited him earlier that day, talk of the S Class had been pure theory but after seeing that the gods and angels themselves were real, said theory had now become reality. A reality that unnerved Frost greatly, coward as he was at heart.

By the time they arrived at the Nameless Planet, the Sixth Universe fighters had decided the following order: Cabba would fight, then Caulifla, and Kale, Frost, and then Hit.

“Hey there, I'm-”

“Son Goku.” Caulifla said, glancing up at the spikey haired martial artist with a bemused glance. “Winner of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, defeater of the ruler of the  Freiza Force. The destroyer of the being known as Majin Buu. And farmer of radishes, whatever those are.”

“Huh.” Goku blinked, blankly. “You know who I am? How's that? We've never met before, have we?” 

Goku considered himself many things but he hoped he hadn't somehow pulled another 'Chi-Chi' as Yamcha had once put it and forgot meeting this strange girl in Frieza Force-like armor.

“Don't be absurd, Kakatrot.” Vegeta barked with his usual gruffness. “Clearly this woman has done her research on who all of us are.”

“I probably don't need to introduce myself,” Gohan said as he stepped forward between the strange woman and his father. “But I'll be polite and do so anyway.”

In the crowd of Universe 7 civilians, Chi-Chi beamed with pride.

“I'm Gohan. Goku's son.”

“Theoretical physicist, with a dabbling in P.H.D. level mathematics, chemistry and a whole bunch of other sciences, unless I've missed my mark?” Caulifla finished.

Gohan chuckled. “Something like that. I mostly just say I'm a scholar because it's easier for people to get their heads around and it's just easier to say.”

“Huh.” Goku blinked. “Always wondered what sorta scholar you were, actually.”

“But I think you have us all at a disadvantage,” Gohan said. “You know us but we don't know your names.”

Caulifla smirked. “Touche. Very well, I am Captain Caulifla of the Defense Force of Planet Sadala.”

“Planet Sadala?”

Caulifla scowled as the so-called Prince came up towards her, a thunderstruck expression on his face.

“Did you say Sadala?”

“What's up, Gets?” Goku glanced at the Prince, confused. “What’s this planet salad or whatever?”

“Sadala,” Vegeta stressed the name. “Was the name of the original home world, you clown.”

“In fairness,” Gohan said. “Dad wouldn't have any way of knowing that-”

“Zip it, book boy.” Vegeta barked as he turned his attention back to Caulifla. He smirked. “So, you are what passes for Saiyans in the Sixth Universe?” He snorted. “I’m not impressed.”

“Damn right we are,” Caulifla declared, hands on her hips. “I’m Captain Caulifla, this is my Vice Captain, Kale and my lackey Cabba.”

Kale sighed. “He's Private Third Class, sis, not ‘lackey’.”

“Lackey, like I said.” Caulifla pressed her index finger into Vegeta's gray full body uniform that Whis had made. Depending on how you looked at it, Kale's armor resembled Vegeta's or the Prince's armor resembled Kale's.

“And you, you sorry excuse for a prince-”

Vegeta's brows shot up, taken aback as Caulifla continued. “You are going to answer for the crimes of the Sayians of the Seven Universe as well as your own crimes to boot. As a soldier of justice and Captain of the Defense Force I swear that once we win this tournament and the Earth is within our jurisdiction that you will be brought to heel, 'Prince' Vegeta.”

Vegeta stared down at the girl for a moment, not sure how to respond.

“Mom?” Trunks looked up to Bulma. “What's that lady talking about?”

Bulma cringed at her son's comment, putting an uneasy hand around the small purple haired boy to reassure him. “It's... complicated, Trunks. Daddy and I will explain once this is all over.

Down below, Vegeta smirked. “Is that right, you are going to make me answer for the crimes of my version of the Saiyan Race?”

“Yup.” Caulifla nodded.

“For the record, our issue is with the prince,” Kale explained, glancing towards the Son family members. “You guys have nothing to do with this.”

Gohan blinked. “I mean, philosophically speaking you're not wrong, true but Vegeta's a changed person now.”

Caulifla rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Wife and a kid and all that jazz. Tell that to the millions of families he wiped out, book boy.”

Elsewhere in the stands, floating high above everyone, Champa laughed hard as he nudged his skinnier, lankier twin.

“This is great!” Champa wheezed. “She's tearing into your so-called 'prince' and the fighting hasn't even started yet! Taking her over that stupid looking bear creature was the stroke of genius on my part!”

Beerus scowled. “You're lucky we've decided to let others do the fighting for us, brother, or I'd punch that fat face of yours in.”

Champa snorted. “Please, that wouldn't change the fact that my Saiyan has both the moral and physical high ground. What they lack in overt muscles they makeup for in righteous fury.”

Champa was, of course, pulling this out of his ass as he knew little of the Saiyan of his own universe but what he had directly experienced within the past few hours. Beerus, however much he hated to admit it, had no retort to the moral aspect of Campa's statement.

“What my Saiyans lack in morality they more than make up for in power.” Beerus replied, coolly. “Son Goku even pushed me to a good 10% of my power.”

“Bull.” Champa said, snorting again. “No mortal, however powerful besides that Jirin guy could give us a run for our money.”

“Whis, did Goku or did Goku not manage to fight me and not be instantly killed by my greatness?”

Whis smiled. There was enough lacking in full context to that statement that what Beerus had said was not technically a lie. “Indeed he has.”

“W-Well, my Saiyan... are cuter because they’re girls.”

Beerus wrinkled his nose at his brother's comment. “Really, brother?”

“... Okay, fine, I was running out of things to praise them for, bite me!”

Back with the others, Vegeta and Caulifla continued to stare each other down with equal intensity.

“I will not deny my crimes but as the Prince of all Saiyan I will not let some tailless brat besmirch their honor.”

“Honor? Honor!” Caulifla snorted. “What honor, 'Prince'? You came from a race of murders and thugs, no, worse than thugs. Kale and I were thugs once and we weren't anywhere near as bad as you oversized baboons were!”

“Tch. I'd expect such comments from a high minded lapdog, wench.”

“Ooh, wench, real great comeback there, old timer.”

“Sis...” Kale began.

“Zip it, Kale, I'm on a roll. We Sadala Sayians are noble warriors who fight to defend the weak and protect the innocent across the universe.”

“Bullshit.” Vegeta snapped back. “Saiyans are powerful warriors ruled by no one, their pride an unshakable rock.”

“Unless that someone is that Freiza joker you losers can't seem to keep down.” Sneered Caulifla. “Meanwhile we're the hope of our universe where as you lot where it's a nightmare!”

“Should we do something?” Goku asked his son.

Gohan shook his head, both having taken a few steps back from the growing back and forth heated conversation. “It's best we not get mixed up with this if we can help it, well, outside of fighting these guys that is.”

Elsewhere Tien looked at what was happening with the Sayians and sighed. “And this is why Chotzu and I spend most of our time training or building our dojo.”

“You’re building a dojo?” If Piccolo had eyebrows one would have been arched up with his questioning gaze.

“Someone has to pass on the knowledge of ki that doesn't involve sexual harassment.” Tien said curtly, third eye glancing over in Roshi's direction.

Up in the stands, Yamcha said, “So, did anyone ever figure female Saiyan would look, I'd dunno, brawnier?”

Everyone besides the kids all looked up at him and stared.

“N-Not like Nappa big, but like, slender muscle big? No? Just me?”

“Whose Nappa?” Videl asked.

Down below, a hauntingly familiar voice cut the screaming contest between Vegeta and Caulifla off.

“That's enough, Captain. Please stand down.”

“S-Sir Frost!” Caulifla's pinkened face snapped a salute, her anger evaporating in an instant. “I was just telling this dirtbag Saiyan-”

Vegeta scowled, his gaze having shifted from the Captain to Frost.

“About the glory of the Defense Force.”

“Yes, I dare say everyone has heard quite a bit about that, by this point.” Frost chuckled as Caulifla's face reddened further to the point it nearly matched Kale's armor in hue.

Frost looked towards the Saiyans. “Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am being of light and justice. Called Emperor of the Universe by some, though I have never cared for the title, and doer of good. I am Frost, at your service.”

“Hiya!” Goku gave Frost a friendly wave. “I'm Son Goku, but you probably already knew that.”

“Indeed I did. I've also read of your history with my.... Universe Seven counterpart Freizer? Freezer? However you spell his name? Either way, I can assure you I share no such traits with that horrid fellow and his bizarre fascination with men in tight spandex armor.”

Both father and son blinked in unison.

“Huh.” Goku said. “Never would have figured I'd see the day when I saw a good version of Freiza, even if it's not technically him.”

“... And I never really thought about the lack of women in Freiza's army until this point.” Gohan muttered.

“What's what, Gohan?”

“N-Nothing, dad.”

“As you can clearly see by the enthusiastic Captain and her second in command, I have no such qualms. In addition to steering the Saiyan away from their potential path of murderous monsters, I have given men and women alike an opportunity to serve in my name.” Frost declared, voice bombastic in tone.

“Was Freiza even sexist?” Bulma mused. “Cuz in all the time we were on Namke I can't recall a single girl soldier there.”

“The man wiped out planets and destroyed civilizations.” 18 said in her usual deadpan. “Somehow I wouldn't put sexist past someone like that. Besides, he's dead. Again. So what does it matter?”

“I mean he was evil, sure.” Krillin mused. “But weirdly I don't think Freiza was actively sexist? Then again now that this Frost guy has brought up the armor thing I can't get that out of my head, either.”

18 glanced down at her husband and frowned.

“You know what I mean, 18.” Krillin replied, face reddening.

“HURRY UP AND FIGHT ALREADY!” Goten yelled from the stands. “All this talking is really boring.”

“Eh.” Trunks shrugged. “Beats daytime TV anyways. My, er, grandma makes me watch it.” he explained when Goten gave him a confused look.

“The son of Son Goku is correct,” Whis said as he and his sister floated down from above.

“As amusing as this remarkably philosophical conversation of morality and possible semantically sexism has been, we are of course here to fight. By which I mean you ten.”

“Do you both have your order selected?” Vados asked the ten fighters (Hit had wisely chosen to keep to himself and far away from the Saiyan squabble as he could).

“We do, Miss Vados.” Gohan said. He nodded towards Tien. “Best of luck out there, Tien.”

The Triclops nodded as he stepped up to the ring.

“Cabba, you're up.”

“Ma'am.” Cabba saluted Caulifla before entering into the ring.

Tien removed his weighted shirt as he shifted his legs and lowered his arms into the stance of the Cane Style of martial arts.

Cabba bowed, polite as he took his own basic, militarized stance.

“Begin!” The alien announcer declared.

Tien shot forward with a two fingers strike, slightly taken aback when it landed and Cabba took the full force, sliding backwards.

“You could have dodged that blow easily.”

“Probably.” Cabba admitted. “But I wanted to see where you stood. That blow was strong. I can see how you won the... 21st Tournament?”

“... It was the 22nd, and I only won by luck then. But thank you. Now!” Tien rose back on one leg. “Prepare yourself!”

Vegeta scowled as Tien went into a flurry of precision punches and kicks. “This is a waste of time, the tricolops can't possibly win.”

Goku frowned. “Maybe. But this Cabba has yet to become a Super Saiyan, plus with all the training he's done Tien's keeping up pretty well considering.”

It was true, until this point Cabba had merely blocked and evaded every kick and punch thrown his way.

“You aren't fighting back.” Tien commented mid punch.

Cabba leaped over an incoming kick. “Just wanted to feel you out. Now, it's my turn.”

Balling his hands into fists, Cabba let out a sudden cry as his ki sparked in white aura, his power rapidly skyrocketing as the gap between his and Tien's power became all that more evident to everyone who wasn't Hercule, Bulma, or Chi-Chi.

“It's over.” Vegeta grunted. “I have no idea why you insisted on him, Kakarot.”

Goku just smiled, knowingly. “Just watch, Vegeta. Tien'll surprise you yet.”

Even Gohan gave his dad a second look at the martial artist's confidence in his friend.

“You can give up now, if you'd like.” Cabba said when he had finished powering up. “You might have a bunch of techniques up your side but not even your Tri Beam will be enough to beat me at my max state.”

“This is your maximum?” Tien frowned. “What about Super Saiyan?”

Cabba blinked. “Super what?” His eyes went wide. “Oh. You mean the Holy Soldier State. I'm afraid I haven't gotten that far in my training for that, yet.”

“The... Holy Soldier State.” Tien repeated. “Where your hair turns blonde and upright, your eyes change to teal, and you obtain a level of power beyond even that of your usual state?”

“Yeah. Do you guys really just call it Super Sayian?” Cabba asked. “Because that seems a tad... generic, if I'm honest.”

“I didn't name the form, in all fairness.” Tien replied before his expression shifted to a more serious smirk. “But that's good to know that you can't go Super, at least for me.”

Cabba eyed him, confused. “I'm afraid I don't understand.”

Tien tensed his body and closed all three of his eyes for a moment. “Kaio ken... times 20.”

“Kaio wh-”

The resulting crimson hued punch set Cabba reeling backwards as he blasted out towards the edge of the ring, blood flying in a rough trail behind him from the broken nose.

Tien's red flooded body vanished as quickly as it had come.

“Time to finally put my years of training to good use, for once.”

In the audience, the family and friends of the fighters were all stunned.

“S-Since when the hell does Tien know the Kaio Ken?” Krillin spluttered to Yamcha.

“I don't know, man! I don't even hang out with the guy.”

Everyone glanced at Chiaotzu, who just blinked. “What? Tien's always known the Kaio Ken. He just didn't get it up to 20s until just recently.”

“What about all the fights he was in, though?” Krillin asked him.

“You mean the first set of Androids that Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo mostly handled? Or the second one, where 18's brother choked him out and never apologized? Or the fact that he only had it up to times 5 at that point and combining that with the Tri Beam really messes up your body? Or the fact that the Cell Jrs were kicking everyone's ass- well, I wasn't there but still- and then there's the fact that the taller Buu sucker attacked Tien and knocked him out before he could use it and-”

“Well he could have offered to help train us in using it.” Yamcha said, defensively.

“You could have just asked Goku, too, you know.” The chalk white fighter pointed out. Krillin and Yamcha could only glance away shamefully at his very accurate point.

On the sidelines, Vegeta frowned at the technique. “You used that same technique on me when I arrived on Earth, Kakarot.”

“Yup. Turns out Tien knew it this entire time. But I guess he either didn't have it at a high enough level to do much against Cell or he got taken out before he could do anything with it like with the Androids.”

“That makes sense.” Gohan admitted. “I forgot until now but Tien did spend the most amount of time training with King Kai back then so it only makes sense he'd have that in his arsenal.”

Back in the ring, Cabba groaned as he got back up, shaking his head as he shook the stars from his eyes.

“W-What was that?”

“One of my many techniques.” Tien replied with a small smirk.

Cabba gave the three eyed fighter an uneasy look, taking a more defensive stance. The 20 times wasn't a major advantage over the Saiyan Private, especially at full power, but it was enough to wipe what confidence Cabba might have had going into the match prior.

Beside the ring, Caulifla scowled. “Great. The human's a walking bag of tricks and Cabba still hasn't unlocked his neck node path to Holy Soldier Beta.”

“You're the one who keeps insisting he's not ready yet.” Kale pointed out.

“Tch.” Caulifla scowled at her vice-captain. “I hate it when you're right.”

“Which is why I'm your second in command, sis.” Kale giggled as the two returned their attention to the fight.

Much like Goku had done against Freiza's fourth form of Namke, Tien had mastered the times 20 to the point where he was able to blend it in seamlessly with how he fought. In an instant that Cabba went in with a ki blast, having the higher energy level, Tien would summon the Kaio Ken and bat the blast away with a swift smack from the front of his hand.

When Cabba tried to cross jab the Crane Master, Tien's power would rise (literally) to the occasion and he would counter with a pressure point jab that left the Private reeling in pain.

“You... You are good.” Cabba wheezed. His maximum had shrunken slightly as the fight had gone on and exhausted and Tien's blows were starting to add up. “I knew you were skilled, of course, but I had no idea you'd be this strong, Mister Shenhan.”

“You are quite the capable warrior yourself, Cabba.” Tien said. “I can sense a great deal of potential within you. I think with the right push you could achieve Super Saiyan, or Holy Soldier, as it were.”

“R-Really?” Cabba blinked. “I know I'm pretty strong but Captain Caulifla says I'm not quite ready yet.”

“I've seen Saiyan fight for years and I've seen Super Saiyan up close.” Tien said, extending an index finger as a faintly golden aura began to envelop the tip. “And I can assure you, you're as strong as any of them and in some cases, a far better man to boot.”

Vegeta twitched in annoyance at the Triclops' barb.

“Kaio Ken Times 22. Dodon Ray.”

The resulting straight beam of narrow energy crashed into Cabba's stomach as he was sent flying clean out of the arena.

“Hang on, soldier.” Caulifla and Kale caught their subordinate with both of their hands before lowering him down. “Your captain's got ya.”

“C-Captain.” Cabba looked up at the spiky haired superior before glancing away in shame. “I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more.”

“It's fine, Private.” Caulifla said. “We had no idea how strong these Universe Seven assholes were and three eyes there is just the tip of the iceberg, I can tell.”

“Do you want me to go next, Captain?” Kale asked.

“Naw.” Caulifla kept her black eyes fixed on Tien. The three eyed fighter was taking the moment to relax and rest his body for the next match. “This is something a Captain has to do herself.”

She stepped up to the plate, which was to say, stepped into the ring and glared up at Tien. The tips of her spikiest hair points only came up to the fighter's nose.

“You do realize that I'm going to have to kick your ass now, don't you?”

“You're welcome to try.” Tien said, politely. “But I won't hold back just because-”

“I'm a girl?” Caulifla said, cheekily.

“... I was going to say, wearing armor.” Tien lied, lamely, cheeks pink.

Caulifla glanced down at her black and pink armor and frowned. “Fair point, three eyes.” She proceeded to take the protective armor off leaving only her form fitting battle spandex and causing Chi-Chi to squawk from the stands about indecency as she tried (and failed) to cover Goten's eyes.

Master Roshi simply whistled which got him a smack upside the head from an annoyed Yamcha.

Caulifla tossed her armor out of the ring as Kale caught it before turning her attention back to Tien.

“There. Fair is fair. You're not wearing any armor and now neither am I. And for the record, no, I am not taking this.” She pulled the neck of her spandex back with a snap before it snapped back in place. “Off.”

“I wouldn't care either way.” Tien replied, blandly. “But I do admire the gesture.”

Caulifla smiled wolfishly. “Of course. Unlike your Saiyan, we Soldiers of Sadala live in a society with honor. We're supposed to act in a civilized manner, using our power and our Holy Soldier States to protect the helpless and save the innocents from all kinds of power hungry assholes out there in the universe.”

“Would you mind showing me this 'Holy' state of yours?” Tien asked.

Caulifla gave him a side glance. “You sure, Earther? You're powerful, I'll give you that. But once I enter Gamma mode your little multiplying trick won't help you much there. Not at the level you've got it at. You might have taken yourself from a C to a B+ with that stunt of yours but me? I'm A class, baby.”

Tien, however, remained confident. “I’ll be the judge of that, Captain.”

Caulifla smirked. “You got balls, three eyes. I respect that. Alright, one Holy Soldier Gamma form coming right up!”

The spandex clad woman warrior let out a single cry as her aura flickered in a golden hue and her black hair turned a golden straw blonde while her eyes shifted from coal black to teal in the same instant.

“Wow!” Goku grinned. “So that's the Super Sayian from another universe, huh? Not too shabby I gotta say, her control even reminds me a bit of what you and I had working at the Cell Games, remember, Gohan?”

Gohan frowned in thought. “Right.”

Tien, even if he could manage a Kaio Ken Times 30, was horribly out class now with the enormous advantage Super Saiyan gave this Captain Caulifla. But the Crane Master remained unnerved and cool as always. Not even so much as a bead of uneasy sweat rain down his face.

“So this is the Super Saiyan of another universe, eh?” Tien smirked. “It's almost beautiful, in a way.”

“Into blondes, are ya?” Caulifla grinned, hands on her firm, fit, hips. “Would have figured you more of a brunette type to be honest.”

Tien remained silent as he thought back to Lunch, then Yurin. “I'm not into people in that way,” he said simply. “But more importantly: Kaio Ken... Times 55.”

“D-Did he just say 55?!” Krillin squeaked before Tien's Ki exploded with what could only be described as a multiplier that surpassed that of the original Super Saiyan form.

Caulifla's teal eyes went wide. “You have got to be shi-”

Her speech was cut off as Tien's left hand sank into her firm, muscled abdomen knocking the air out of her lungs as her aura flickered like a candle wick for just an instant.

Chapter Text

Caulifla staggered backwards, gasping for air as her Super Saiyan aura flickered off. She glanced up uneasily toward Tien, the three eyed warrior's body now back to its normal hue.

“Hell of a punch you got there, Earther.”

“It's Tien. And thank you. Over 50 is a recent development in my training as a martial artist so you're the first opponent I've had a proper chance to use it on.”

Caulifla grimaced. “Lucky me.”

Tien then held out his hand as he cupped his fingers into a strange position.

“I-Is he seriously going to try and combine the Kaio-Ken with the Tri-Beam?” Krillin gawked.

Yamcha shrugged with an uneasy expression. “It's the only shot he has at taking her down, in fairness. Tien knows he got lucky on the first Saiyan so if this Captain Caulifla's anything like, say, Goku, she's probably got all sorts of transformations to pull out of her spiky hair.”

As Tien's aura flared back up while his entire being was cloaked in crimson once more Caulifla set her legs into a wide bracing stance, her bare feet planted firmly on the ground, arms crossed at the chest in an X shape for blocking.

“Bring it on, Three Eyes member!” Caulifla grinned in spite of her situation.

“Neo Tri-Beam!” Tien's voice was drowned out over the swell of the Kaio Ken burst of power as he cranked it all the way to times 60. Even that against this strange Saiyan girl wouldn't be enough to close the power gab between them and the Crane master knew it, hence resorting to the Tri-Beam. It had held Cell back once despite the massive power gap then and he had only become stronger since that fateful day he had been prepared to die.

The wide golden beam of ki swept over Caulifla's entire body, engulfing her completely from view.

“Ha!” Tien grit his teeth as he mustered another blast of his own life force for another attack. Then another. And another.

And-

Tien didn't feel his knees buckle from under him until he had already crashed to the ground as his entire body screamed as if he had ben lit on fire.

Under the thick veil of smoke, Caulifla let out a barking cough as she stepped out. Her hair had become somehow even spikier and she had gone Super Saiyan once more but it was not the first or even the second state that Goku and the others had used.

On the sidelines, Vegeta snorted, unimpressed. “Of all the transformations, that one?”

Caulifla cracked her newly thickened bull-like neck as she dusted her spandex-like suit off with an enlarged hand. The trim, fit form of the Captain had given way to a bulging muscular behemoth of broad shouldered brawn.

“Huh.” Goku commented, blinking. “Looks like they can do Grade III, too. Neat!”

In the stands, Krillin chuckled uneasily as he glanced up at Yamcha. “That buff enough for ya, man?”

Yamcha stared down at the shorter fighter, gulping as his face went red.

“S-Seriously?” Yamcha stared at the shorter man. “I was kidding. Master Roshi, help me out here.”

“Herm.” Roshi stroked his long white beard as a few drops of blood began to pour from his nose. “Perhaps I've been too picky in my tastes with women,”

“I'd say I'm surprised that the old perv find's miss baroness von brawn over there hot but I'm not.” 18 sighed and shook her head.

I wonder if Gohan could do something like that. Videl mused as she and the others stared at the newly muscled Caulifla in awe. Clearly, he should keep up with his training with Piccolo even more. For my and Pan's sake. Yes. And not because I want a hunkier version of him all to myself. Although, I wonder if he has as much fondness for girls with muscle as he does girls with short hair...

By the gods you could grade meat on those abs. Chi-Chi thought, part awestruck part revolted by the sight of womanly raw power before her. At first I thought she was somewhat respectful being a military girl n'all but this is obscene! T-Totally obscene and not because I'm secretly jealous or anything!

“Huh.” Goten blinked. “Hey Trunks, could girls always do that?”

“Saiyan girls can, apparently.” Trunks muttered, red faced.

“Oh. … Do you think our universe has some long lost girl saiyans, then?”

“Shut up Goten.”

“What? They'd have to be really strong and stuff and we could fight em and-”

“Shut. Up. Goten.”

Back in the arena, it had taken all of Tien's remaining energy to keep himself conscious and slowly stumble back up to his feet as Caulifla casually strolled towards the three eyed fighter, the ground equally casually trembling in her wake with each ponderous, dense step from her newly thickened legs.

“I'll admit, I could have just gone to Alpha and tanked those blasts of yours but between the two of us, I really, really like using Delta here when I can.” She winked and Tien was too tired and exhausted to properly dismiss it.

“Now,” Caulifla cracked her knuckles as her newly broadened shoulders stiffened and she took a fighting stance, one hand outward guarding with the other pulled back. Having fought countless fighters during his time under Crane Hermit Shen's “guidance” Tien instantly recognized it as a boxer's stance.

“The form kills your speed.” Tien was stalling for time as his body did its best to rest as much as it could considering how much he had pushed himself to the limit. His best efforts had resulted in a series of scorch marks and scrapes along Caulifla's face but not much else.

Caulifla arched an eyebrow. “It does. I’m actually impressed you knew that.”

“It's one of the reasons why my... allies don't use it much as a form.”

“Ah.” Caulifla nodded. “Understandable, but short term thinking, I'm afraid.”

Tien frowned, causing his entire body to spasm in pain. “I don't understand.”

“Oh this form kills speed, sure. By our high paced standards. But it's still-”

Caulifla vanished for an instant and the next thing Tien felt was a sinking hooking jab to his abdomen as the wind rushed from his lungs and he flew backwards towards the edge of the ring. He course corrected and hovered at the last moment but the flashing black outs as his ribs screamed from internal bruises wasn't a good sign.

Caulifla's purple covered knuckles planted themselves into the side of Tien's face as she delivered a thunderous hook to the Earthling warrior. Tien finally crashed outside of the ring, defeated.

“Pretty damn fast if you can get used to it.” Caulifla smirked, victorious. “And that was for my private Cabba!”

“Hang on, Tien.” Goku said as he and Gohan helped the triclops up, lifting him up by supporting him under his arms. “We got ya.”

“You put up a hell of a fight, Tien,” Gohan continued. Tien was, by some luck, still conscious, if barely. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“You lucked out, Triclops.” Vegeta said as Goku and Gohan carried the defeated fighter back to the stands. “Fighting a Saiyan who couldn't even transform into a Super Saiyan. However, you have clearly improved since Nappa and I landed on Earth.” 

It was, by Vegeta's standards, a compliment. An attempt at one, anyways.

Tien glared at Vegeta but said nothing as he was placed on a bench to rest. Piccolo smirked down at him.

“You fought well today.”

“Thanks.” Tien winced. “You-”

Tien then chose that point to finally pass out.

Chapter Text

Piccolo turned to Goku and the others. “So who faces the female Saiyaman next?”

“Really, Piccolo?” Gohan blushed at the comparison. “Saiyman's a champion of justice. This Caulifla girl's more military than anything else.”

Piccolo smirked. “I repeat the question.”

“I will.” Vegeta declared. “That brat has already insulted me enough as is, I will not be insulted further when I have the chance to repay her in kind on the field of battle.”

“Hey Vegeta, before you go,” Goku said to the Saiyan Prince. “Try not to go Blue if you can help it?”

Vegeta stared at him. “And why, Kakarot, should I do that?”

“Well, we still got that Freiza look alike and that purple guy and who knows what they're capable of? Probably better to hold back on our real power for now.”

“Tch. I will follow my own council into battle, clown.”

Vegeta stepped into the ring and faced Caulifla. In an effort to save energy she had powered down from her muscled up state.

“Ah. Decided to step up to the plate, have ya?” Caulifla grinned like a wolf. “Good. Been wanting to punch that smug face of yours since I read all about you in Vados' report.”

Vegeta looked Caulifla. “A true Saiyan doesn't need a transformation to hold a warrior's figure.”

Caulifla chuckled. “Really, now? Funny. Cuz I was going to say that a true Saiyan doesn't need to make their muscles so obviously bulgy to show off their overt masculinity. Yeah I'm probably not as bulky as your Saiyan bitches were back home. So fucking what? Your Saiyans were also way weaker than us Sixth Universe Saiyans from what I understand. Your pops barely came up to a D + ranking and compared to some of the other weirdos that fought for this Frost knock off of yours, that's not really that impressive in the big picture, is it, Princeton?”

A small twitch appeared under Vegeta's left eye. With a thunderous yell his black hair turned blonde, his coal black eyes flashed teal and his golden aura sparked with visible flashes of lightning.

Caulifla blinked and let out a low whistle. “Not bad, scumbag. See you already have Beta unlocked in your neck of the woods. That's almost impressive.”

“The proper name for this form is Super Saiyan 2.” Vegeta said, coldly.

“Tomato, potato.” Caulifla shrugged. “You guys really suck coming up with names.”

Vegeta smirked before vanishing from view.

The next thing Caulifla felt was his gloved knuckled landing firm into her stomach as he reappeared before her.

“And you, brat, talk too much.”

Caulifla coughed and could taste the faintness of copper which in her experience meant blood.

“P-Pretty good right hook ya got there, maggot.” Caulifla gave Vegeta a faint smirk. “But you're not the only one who can play the transformation game, you know?”

Vegeta frowned as he floated backward, his fighting stance now on the defensive. “If you think going grade three will help you-”

Caulifla laughed. “I ain't talking about the muscle form, moron. Or even going Beta like you are now. But I suppose it's best I teach you, the “Prince of all Saiyans” the proper way of these things.”

Vegeta smirked and crossed his arms. If nothing else, he still had Super Saiyan Blue to fall back on.

“Is that right? Then go right ahead.”

“Gladly.” Caulifla tensed her body up as she balled up her hands into compact fists, her legs spread into a wide, firm stance. “This is my standard form, otherwise known as my base self. And this,”

Her body exploded in golden ki. “Is the first of the Holy Soldier form: Gamma.”

“Impressive.” Vegeta's voice dripped with sarcasm. “You can, of course, go higher than that?”

Caulifla smirked. “Damn right I can. This-” Her power level exploded out even further as lightning danced around her golden ki. “Is what is properly known as Beta.”

“Ah. And now you're almost near my level. Congratulations.”

The Captain  ignored the Prince's barb. “And this.” Once more her grin was wolfish in nature as her entire body tensed up like a giant muscled coil. “Is to go. Even further beyond!”

“Wait.” Goku blinked. “This is starting to seem kinda fimil-”

Caulifla let out a warrior's scream as her already enormous ki spiked up even further. All around them the Nameless Planet trembled as even the spectators from the Sixth and Seventh Universes looked uneasy.

“Great.” Krillin muttered, voice wobbling thanks to all the shaking. “It's the Lookout and Goku holding off Buu all over again.”

“T-that was Goku?” Herucle gawked, the champion of Earth's tanned face slick with uneasy sweat.

“Hey, Gohan?” Goku yelled over Caulifla's own continuous, plant shaking screams as her power continued to push to ever higher tiers of power. In her base Caulifla was a solid B class. As a Gamma. She was B +. As a Delta and Beta? An A ranking level. But in this new form of hers as her hair lengthened and her eyebrows vanished and her face took a more serious look over all, her power became A ++.

“Yeah, dad?”

“Are my kais always that loud?”

Gohan stared at his father, stupefied. “Seriously?” he screamed. “That's the question on your mind right now?”

“Well, yeah?” Goku yelled back. “No one ever told me how loud I was before all this? Was I always this loud when I powered up?”

“Not the time, dad, seriously not the time! But kinda, I guess?”

On the Sixth Universe side, Kale, Cabba, and Frost all stared at the Defense Force Captain with looks of awe and visibly impressed nature.

“I must say, I had no idea a mere Captain could have that sort of power.” Frost commented. “Though the form is taking quite a while to pull off, I see.”

“That's the Captain, for you,” Cabba commented. “Always pushing herself past her limits, never stopping because 'good isn't good enough', right, Vice-captain? … Vice-captain Kale?”

“This isn't good.” Kale frowned. “If sis is already resorting to using that form against this 'Prince' then it says more about the gap in their power than anything else if she's going all in on something she hasn't even properly mastered, yet.”

Finally, in an explosion of golden light, Defense Force Captain Caulifla's screaming ceased as suddenly as it had begun.

“Sorry that it took so long.” Caulifla said, smirking. “Haven't had much time to practice this one as much as I’d like. This bad boy is what we Salada Saiyans like to call Alpha mode. But you dumbasses in Universe Seven probably call it something lame like 'Super Saiyan Three', right?”

Vegeta, much to Caulifla's annoyance, merely chuckled. “Something like that. Your power is impressive, you self righteous brat, I'll give you that. If we were fighting just a little over a year ago I dare say you'd even give me a run for my money. But you see, there's one very big difference between you and I, ‘Captain’.”

Despite her enormous power and confidence Caulifla gave Vegeta an uneasy look. “And what's that?”

Vegeta smirked. “This.”

In an instant, his hair went from the blonde of Super Saiyan 2 to a cyan blue and his ki completely vanished from Caulifla's senses.

Kale's eyes widened. “It's the same thing that happened with Lord Champa. We can't sense his energy at all!”

“R-Really?” Cabba stared at the Vice-captain. “I-I thought it was just me for a moment.”

Frost merely pursed his lips in annoyance. It looks like  I may need my needles after all he thought.

Hit, who had opened one eye midway through Caulifla's transformation before closing it again, opened both eyes fully as he looked at the Prince with renewed interest.

“Behold! The power of the gods combined with that of the Super Saiyan transforma-”

Vegeta inhaled sharply as his eyes watered. He looked down and saw Caulifla's knee planted firmly in his groin.

“You bi-”

The following haymaker to his face sent the Super Saiyan Blue Prince soaring backwards.

High in the stands, Beerus glared at his twin.

“A groin attack, really?”

Beerus cast a lazy gaze at Whis. “Isn't that against the rules or something?”

“A fair question, my lord.” Whis mused as he and Vados shared a look.

Vados merely shrugged. “Technically, we made no charter against groin attacks in fairness.”

“Ah.” Whis nodded. “I knew we were overlooking something. Oh well.”

In the stands of mortals, 18 merely smirked as she remembered when she and her brother had been awakened all those years ago and she had broken both of the prince's arms in battle. Fun times by all unless you were Vegeta, that is.

Back in the ring, Vegeta's eyes bulged as he glared at the Defense Force Captain.

“That was a low blow, bitch.” he snarled.

“True.” Caulifla agreed. “But I'm going up against a weird ki I didn't even know existed before today on a whole nother level from my own. A girl can't help but be cautious, you know?”

Vegeta said nothing as he vanished from view completely, causing Caulifla to frown as her body tensed for impact.

Instinctively she knew he'd aim for her back and it was only with the added burst speed of the Alpha state that she managed to block the incoming kick that would have risked crippling her spine otherwise.

Gripping his extended hand, Caulifla threw Vegeta over her shoulder before following through with a flurry of red ki blasts that exploded thunderously when they hit the Saiyan Prince.

The blasts were just a distraction as Caulifla blasted towards Vegeta with all of her Alpha speed. She grit her teeth as she landed a series of snapping haymakers and jabs to the prince's abdomen only to stop half way when her teal eyes went wide. Her blows with every ounce of power in them were nothing more than love taps compared to what level of power that this 'Godly' form had given her opponent.

The hairs on the back of Caulifla's neck stood up and a part of her shivered from fear, the other from the Saiyan love of battle. Besides the obvious differences in things like tail and general muscular figures there was one difference that truly set the Saiyans of the Sixth and Seventh Universes apart.

The Saiyans of the Sixth Universe enjoyed fighting those stronger than them whereas their Universe Seven counterparts often lost their nerve against stronger foes.

In spite of herself, Caulifla grinned. “I thought my little protege and I had reached the peak of Saiyan power before. But you've completely cut the system entirely. You're S Class if I ever saw it, Vegeta.”

Suddenly, Caulifla's power shrank enormously as she reverted back to her base state.

Vegeta looked at her. “Do you wish to continue your humiliation?”

Caulifla snorted as the two lowered themselves back down to the ground. “Hardly. A good captain knows when she's beat. I give up.”

Champa's eyes bulged. “You what?!”

“I believe that the Captain has surrendered, my lord.”

“I know what she said, Vados!”

Down below, Caulifla ignored the Destroyer's outburst, her gaze still locked onto Vegeta as she continued. “I'm still going to bring you in once your planet's in our universe. The King is going to have some very choice things to say to you, 'Prince'. Though as much as I hate to admit it, I should thank you, I suppose.”

Vegeta arched his brow. “What for?”

“For showing me a level beyond Alpha. We called our transformations Holy by destination but you've just proven how much we didn't know. I don't know how you got this power but I swear to you as the Captain of the Defense Force of Planet Sadala I will bring your ass in one day, 'Prince' Vegeta.”

Vegeta snorted. “I would like to see you try. As for how I obtained this form, it was primarily thanks to my master, the Angel Whis.”

“Is that right?” Caulifla glanced up at where the angels and Destroyers floated high above them, watching them, before turning her attention back to her team.

She walked off of the arena and Vegeta was officially declared the winner.

Chapter Text

“Your time to shine, Kale.”

“Captain,” Kale swallowed the lump in her throat as she glanced over at the Saiyan Prince, his flame-like hair still as cyan as when he had fought Caulifla. “Can we win this, do you think? With respect to Lord Frost and Mister Hit, I think we may be just a bit out classed if these Saiyans have access to the same divine energy that Lord Champa does.”

“Ah, but you see, my one and only vice-captain, we have something they don't.”

Kale's naturally tanned face blanched. “Oh no.”

“Oh no?” Frost glanced between the two. “I'm afraid I don't understand, please elaborate.”

“Kale here's not exactly what you would call the 'average Saiyan warrior', right, Kale?”

“My transformations are a bit... different. More... unstable in places. I can control delta but I lose a bit of extra power in the process. It's hard to explain.”

“So don't,” Hit had spoken for the first time since the Cube. “Just go and fight with all that you have. I will clean up whatever else is needed of me in battle and assure our victory.”

“What the murder for money said.” Caulifla ignored the slight glare from Hit. “Just show those Universe Seven assholes what happens when they mess with the Legendary Alpha Apex.”

Kale cringed. “Do I have to, sis? You know I hate bringing 'her' out to the forefront in battle. There's not even anything at stake if we lose this dumb tournament...”

“Kale.” Caulifla said slowly. “Our honor as soldiers has been besmirched by an ex-criminal, no less. As your Captain I order you to bring the she-beast out.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.” Kale muttered. In a loud voice she said, “Aye, Captain. One ranging monster of destruction, coming right up.”

“Raging?” Frost frowned. “Are you saying you need to be in some sort of state of distress to use this form of yours? Is that really the most practical move for this tournament, because if need be I can enter the fray-”

Kale shook her head firmly. “No, Lord Frost. You stay back for the time being. I've got this.”

Kale began to make her way towards the arena. “Besides, my Lord. That's my secret. I'm always distressed.”

Kale turned her attention back to the arena and entered with a military-like stride.

Vegeta crossed his arms against his chest, still transformed into Super Saiyan Blue.

“I'm Kale, Vice-captain of the Defense Force.” Kale bowed, her voice calm. As she continued she began to remove her armor until only a practical mini skirt and tube-like top remained. “I just want to let you know something before we begin.”

“And what, pray tell, is that?”

“That you have managed to make me very angry with your macho arrogance and smug swagger. It reminds me too much of the bullies my battle sis and I have dealt with back on Sadala and if there's one thing I hate more than criminal scum, it's a bully.”

Kale smiled sardonically to herself. “I was willing to give you something of a pass when I saw you had a wife and child but your attitude I doubt has changed much, so it's only fair that I be the one to dish out your punishment.”

“Punishment? What are you blathering about, woman?”

Kale's gray eyes snapped up at the comment as her polite mask hardened into stone. “You've made me angry, Prince Vegeta.” She repeated, her voice almost emotionless. “And you won't like me when I'm angry.”

Kale than let out a shrieking cry as her aura changed to a sickly off-greenish yellow hue and her power began to skyrocket while her body began to swell with a sudden muscle mass not unlike the Delta transformation that Captain Caulifla had used earlier and for an instant, the two transformations seemed the same. Then, Kale's height began to increase as it exploded in meters as her body ballooned outward in countless muscles, summoned to the cry of the vice-captain as her scream echoed throughout the arena.

This power, Vegeta even in his blue state, stared in complete stunned confusion and horror. Could this be the Legendary Super Saiyan my ancestors spoke of?

Kale's body continued it's strange swelling of power and muscle, as her lithe arms and legs inflated with rock hard muscles, her trim stomach hardened into a mighty six pack, her neck thicken like a bull and her shoulders broaden to the point where they surpassed even that of Tien's in their width.

“Wow.” Goku grinned, impressed with the strange Saiyan's even stranger transformation. “That's a lot of power she's putting out. Didn't even know ki and energy could make your body grow like that, too. Even we don’t get that big in Grade III...”

Elsewhere in the stand, the civilians of Universe Seven could only stare in equal parts confusion and gobsmacked reverence as Kale's height continued to grow before their eyes.

“S-Stupid question but is anyone else both really scared and kinda turned on right now?” Yamcha was thankful that no one heard his slip of the tongue with Kale's unworldly metamorphosis before their eyes.

“Whis.” Beerus scowled at both Destroyer's.

“Yes, Lord Beerus?”

“Why  is the small mortal Saiyan girl becoming bigger?”

Whis mused on the question for a moment. “It would seem, Lord Beerus, that the vice-captain has access to a sort of pseudo God Ki of sorts. Not quite mortal, but not quite the ki of the gods. A half way between the two, if you will.”

“Yes, yes!” Chamapa cheered. “Bigger, bigger!”

Vados noticed the unhealthy glint in the Destroyer's yellow eyes. She coughed politely. “Word choice, Lord Champa.

Finally, Kale's power began to even out, her body's swelling stopping as she towered over Vegeta. Kale had gone from being slightly under the Prince's height to being the tallest person on both teams, taller even than that of Hit or Piccolo.

Kale's whited out eyes blinked and a small bit of the familiar gray came back. “Oh it feels so, so good to finally be let out for more than just mating for a change.” She cracked her neck and the sound echoed like a gunshot throughout the arena.

Slowly, she walked her way towards the prince. Each casual step she took shook the ground as her feet imprinted the flooring as the now giantess of a vice-captain leered over Vegeta with a demonic grin.

“What's the matter, O' Prince?” Kale's voice was dark as her bronze skin as she chuckled in dark humor. “Is the Legendary Apex Alpha too much for a puny god like yourself to hand-”

“Galick Gun!” The blast, even backed with the control of godly ki, was fired off in haste as the wave of Vegeta's purple energy swept over Kale's entire enormous frame.

Vegeta painted, his face wet with cold sweat as he waited to see the outcome of his attack. The girl's ki had gone from mortal to something not unlike god ki but it was continuously in and out leaving the Saiyan Prince to rely on his own eyes and ears to see what his attack had wrought.

“-dle.” Kale stomped her way through the cloud of dust, completely unharmed by Vegeta's attack. “Handle. The answer, apparently, is yes.”

Vegeta felt his face tighten as he scowled for an instant before launching himself forward, hand pulled back to form a right jab before feinting to a roundhouse kick to Kale's massive neck at the last moment.

Kale grunted as her thick knees bent slightly but the giantess remained upright otherwise.

“Good kick.” She grunted. “My turn, little man.”

The resulting lariat to Vegeta's throat knocked the air from the Saiyan as he felt his back crash into the area floor.

Vegeta strained himself to get up but felt Kale's now enlarged foot press down into his gray armored chest.

“I have a plan for you, puny prince.” Kale's dark brown face gleamed evilly. “More pain!”

Distantly, Vegeta couldn't help but be reminded of when he had let his ego allow Cell to achieve his perfect form and the punishing amount of pain he had been put through after that grievous error. What happened next was, if anything, even more humiliating as Kale grabbed the Prince by his boot and flung him about like a flail, smashing his back into another section of the arena.

Kale paused for a moment, soaking in the prince's suffering, before swinging him about with another planet shaking smash. The ring and stands trembled with the kinetic force of Vegeta’s body crashing into the ring as debris and dust flew up with each resulting toss around. 

“Dad!” Trunks leaned forward, floating in mid air only for Yamcha, Krillin, and Goten to hold him back.

“I-It's alright, Trunks.” Bulma said, wincing as Kale continued to manhandle her husband like a ragdoll. “Your father's been through worse.” Dammit , Vegeta, did you have to let her transform you idiot! How many times is someone going to have to kick your ass like this before you get it through your stubborn head that that's a bad idea!

After a few minutes of effortless swinging the Saiyan Prince around, even Kale's massive arm had grown tired from all of her swinging as she casually dropped the now unconscious Vegeta unceremoniously to the ground with an indifferent thud.

God ki or no god ki, a body could only take so much punishment before blacking out and Vegeta was after all, only mortal with god ki.

Kale glanced over the prince before turning her attention to the remaining fighters of Universe Seven.

“Pathetic. I was told we would be fighting warriors here today.”

Vegeta gurgled and Kale shifted her glance back to him.

“Oh. You are awake, still? Impressive. You are not as big a baby as I thought you were, puny prince.”

“Yes,” Vegeta hacked hard as he fought down blood and bile standing upright as he summoned forth his god ki once more. “I am a prince, you grotesque freak of nature. A prince of all the Sayians of the Seventh Universe. A prince that still has his-”

Kale's hand shot out casually as she wrapped her palm and fingers around Vegeta's mouth.

“Too much talking,” She growled. “Not enough fighting.”

Her palm glowed with the same sickly green-ish yellow ki as she blasted Vegeta at point blank range, sending the completely unconscious and badly beaten prince soaring out of the area.

“Hang on, Gets, I gotcha!” Using his Instant Transmission, Goku teleported just in front of the now completely unconscious Prince before grabbing him with both of his arms.

“Come and give me my next foe to chop down!” Kale bellowed to the Seventh Universe Team. “I can sense your energies and I am amused by your entire tiny itty bitty teeny baby TEAM!”

On the Sixth Universe side, Frost frowned. “Is she always so... boisterous and derogatory to her opponents when she's like this?”

“Oh she's way better than she used to be.” Caulifla smiled at the memory. “Used to be she'd just attack everything and everyone in sight. Least trash talking gives her Apex form a bit of control without sacrificing all the raw power like Delta does. Plus my protage is way cooler when she's all big and buff like this, right.”

Frost said nothing for a moment. “Er. Quite.” 

I am starting to see why my Seventh Universe counterpart destroyed his Sayians, weakling as they were in the big picture. The Captain alone has already surpassed me in her Delta or whatever form and the vice-captain is a force of nature in of herself. I'll have to play this all by ear.

“Well, looks like I'm up.” Goku's grin faded when he felt his son's hand on his gi. “What's up, Gohan?”

“I think me and Piccolo should go next, Dad.”

“Huh?” Goku blinked, confused. He looked up at Kale. “You sure about that, son? Cuz she's pretty damn powerful even ignoring the difference in size and reach.”

Gohan nodded, grimacing as he stared up at the waiting giantess, an increasingly bored and annoyed looking scowl on her face. “I am. I know neither Piccolo or I are going to have much hope in winning but we can at least stall this Kale girl out, tire her out, then that gives you a better shot at beating her.”

“Huh.” Goku thought it over. 

Never a deep thinker by trade, his son's logic did make sense, as much as logic ever made sense to the martial artist like Goku. True, he had Super Saiyan Blue in his corner and that one move he had been working on by himself when he wasn’t training with Whis, but if he wasted that on Kale then he’d have played his hand against two more opponents. 

The Freiza clone he wasn’t worried about, even if that guy was stronger than his Frieza had been before his second return to Earth a few weeks prior. It was the purple fella that Goku could tell was the wild card in all this. 

Years of battles and martial arts training told Goku that purple guy was someone to watch out for. Given the lowkey stakes of the tournament Goku naturally couldn’t help but get excited at the prospect of fighting him in particular. But first, this vice-captain lady had to be dealt with. 

“Alright, but be careful out there, both of you. I know killing is against the rules in this tournament but I'm not entirely sure she knows that, you know?”

Gohan gave his father a sick smile. “I'll keep that in mind.”

As Son Gohan entered the ring he then realized that he, ironically, was in the same position his father had been when they had all participated in the Cell Games in what felt like five lifetimes ago. 

The key was to see how this Kale woman fought and what weaknesses if any there were to exploit. She had already manhandled Vegeta in his blue form as if it was child's play and while knowing his dad, Gohan felt Goku had to have something up his sleeve, he hoped he didn't need that until the man who had once turned aside the threats King Piccolo and the Saiyans faced off against the biggest enigma on the Sixth team, hit.

“Ah.” Kale nodded sagely as she stared down at Gohan. “So book baby is up next, then, eh? Good.”

“Before we fight,” Gohan said. “I'm curious, is this form of yours a split personality?”

Kale arched an eyebrow as she unfolded her enormously thick forearms which had been crossed against her equally mighty, firm, breasts.

“Not precisely. I am all of Kale's inhibitions and hopes and fears made manifest. I have been called many things: Monster, demoness, destroyer of worlds,” Kale paused as she smirked in twisted pride. “Mommy.”

Gohan blinked, unsure of how to take that last one as Kale continued.

“But for the sake of simplicity, I am still Kale. Just everything she could be if she truly let loose. Does that answer your question, Professor?”

Gohan frowned at the massive girl's sarcasm. “It does. I-”

Kale's palm had struck his face before Gohan had even so much as gone Super before his entire body flew back in recoil.

“Good. Then the time for talk is over!” Kale grinned the way only an over six foot tall tower of raw physical power could. “Now we fight!”

Gohan coughed as he felt the sharp pain in the front of his skull. His nose was busted, now, as he could tell by the wetness near his lips and the taste of faint copper leaking into his tongue. Furthermore, he could feel the arena floor underneath him which meant he was still in the fight.

Though not a fighter by nature like his father was, Gohan knew what Kale had done. A show of strength. A love tap to see how much he could take.

Slowly, Son Gohan got up and glared towards Kale, who had not moved an inch since her palm strike.

No words passed between them as Gohan's ki flared honey gold and his eyes went from black to teal.

Kale giggled a disturbingly girly giggle. “Your power level. It is… is so tiny !”

Gohan said nothing as he tightened his fists furthered and brought forth more of his power. Not for the first time since he had gotten back into fighting had the scholar regretted letting the Old Kai's unlock of his full power go to waste. His 'Ultimate' state as Goten had called it would have been damn nice to have right about now. As it was, there was always Super Saiyan Del- 2. Super Saiyan 2.

A moment later lightning flickered around Gohan's Super Saiyan ki and Kale finally put her enormous hands on her equally wide hips.

“Oh ho.” She chuckled. “Book Baby has some power within him after all. Good! This will crush you like instinct that you are all the more fun.”

“I'm not.” Gohan scowled. “Finished yet!”

Gohan let out a thunderous roar as his athletic frame exploded in a series of muscles bulged forward from his arms, shoulders, legs and thighs. Even his back swelled in size with newly growing muscle mass.

On the sidelines, Piccolo frowned heavily in disapproval. “What the hell is Gohan thinking? Grade III or whatever the hell it is you Saiyans call it kills your speed enormously. Gohan knows that better than anyone.”

“True,” Goku said, taking his son's combining of grade III with Super Saiyan 2 with a somber expression. “But if he is then that says a lot about the sort of threat this Kale girl possess if even he thinks the trade off in speed is worth it just to lessen the gab between them.”

“I-I had no idea Gohan could do something like this.” Videl commented as she and the other's stared at Gohan's ever growing body of raw muscular power.

Krillin looked up at her and frowned. “You okay, Videl? Something wrong with your nose?”

“W-What?” Videl dabbed a finger and saw a faint bit of blood. “I-It's nothing, really.”

‘Nothing’ my right backside! Roshi thought. Oh sure when she does it, it's cute, but when an old man does it, then it's a problem.

Finally, after what seemed like an entirety, Gohan had finished.

“What do you think?” The scholar's voice was strained as he chose his words carefully. “It's no Super Saiyan 3 but...”

“It's damn impressive.” Kale said, nodding in an approval that somehow filled Gohan with dread more than anything else. 

“But I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else from a scholar. Though,” She smirked as she still towered over Gohan despite his best efforts. “I am still bigger, tiny man.”

“Size isn't everything.” Gohan replied, coldly.

“True.” Kale's enormity vanished from view for an instant.

“W-Where did she go?” Krillin asked, voicing the question everyone had on their mind.

The former monk's question was answered as Gohan felt the soles of Kale's feet dig into his back as she drop kicked him from behind.

“Which is a good thing I have both brawn, beauty, and speed in this form of mine.” Kale finished as she pressed her mass down into Gohan's muscled back feet first.

Gohan put his elbows on the ground and flung his back upright as best he could as Kale was flung off before floating back to the ground effortlessly on her part.

With some effort due to his new temporary muscle mass Gohan got back up to his feet.

“W-What was that?”

“Me, of course.” Kale boasted. “You no doubt thought I was channeling some sort of version of Delta form but not so. I may be big and brawny here, yes, but I am anything but slow.”

Kale vanished for an instant before reappearing in front of Gohan as the scholar's eyes widened.

“But I am not a soldier without some sense of fair play. So for our fight, you have my word as the vice-captain of the Defense Force that I will only match your puny, pitiful speed. That way all that matters is brawn against brawn!”

Gohan frowned at that but remained silent as he shifted his buffed up bulk into a fighting stance. Much as he hated to admit it, these girls knew their Super Saiyan transformations. Neither Gohan nor his father had ever thought to get used to the slower speed of the Grade… 2? 3? The Bulky Buff form. 

Partly because someone as relatively pragmatic as Cell would never have allowed them to in the short time they’d had to train before the Cell Games and partly because in a world of ki attacks playing defensive like a weaving boxer just wasn’t doable. 

But this was a tournament and the standards were different, the scholar realized. Which meant that his own mindset needed to-

Gohan’s thoughts were interrupted as Kale’s now massively thick forearm of raw muscle came crashing into his neck and face, bowing the half Saiyan over as he crashed backward, the ring cracking upon impact as his spine collided with it.

Right after I learn to stop monogloging to myself , Gohan thought with a mental groan as he felt Kale’s enormous digits wrap around the collar of his saffron orange gi. 

Gohan let out a thunderous yell as golden ki erupted around him, causing even Kale’s enormous form to slide back as her grip was broken.

“So. There is a warrior in there after all.” Kale grinned like a mountainous demoness. “Good.”

Gohan raised his newly muscle mass expanded arms so that his hands were in front of his forehead, palms spread wide as the scholar shouted out, “Masenko!”

On the sidelines, Piccolo smirked. “Good to see you haven’t forgotten everything you learned in our training, Gohan.”

The golden beam of ki blasted over Kale’s head and the vice-captain simply smirked as she took the attack without even flinching. 

Piccolo glanced at Goku. “If this was anyone else six months ago that would have decided this fight.”

Goku nodded. “Yeah. But these Universe Six Saiyans are something else. The fact that that Captain girl already knows Super Saiyan 3 says a lot.”

Kale laughed from under the thick cloud of black smoke that had been kicked up from Gohan’s attack. Besides a few superficial scrapes she was otherwise unharmed. 

“Is that the best you have, puny man?”

Gohan’s newly thickened sewnied leg came cracking down on the back of Kale’s skull, the scholar-fighter having vanished as soon as his attack had faded as Gohan followed through with a series of pounding punches and heavy kicking to her broad back and shoulders. 

Kale grunted as she felt her enormous knees buckle however slightly before turning around and swinging her enormous arm around to smack her fly of an opponent away.

Gohan just barely ducked the blow, sensing it and using his now slower frame to avoid Kale’s now ham-sized fist to his face.

Gohan countered with a punishing palm strike that staggered the now giantess of a woman as Kale stumbled back.

She spat a wad of blood from her mouth, the same twisted grin on her face as her eye’s remained cold with controlled bloodlust. 

“I can see now how you had as much hype as you have, bookworm.”

Kale said, her arrogance temporarily gone as she shifted her stance and turned around to face the Universe 7 Hybrid. 

Once more Kale charged forward like a massive bullet of muscle, arm swinging wildly in another lariat as she feinted at the last moment, lifting her leg up before stomping with a straight forward kick to Gohan’s chest.

Were he just a Super Saiyan or even in 2, he could have simply dodged the blow but the Muscle Super Sayian state was too slow for the quick reactions needed and Gohan took the full force of Kale’s stomping strike as he now stumbled backwards.

Gohan kept his balance thanks to his trunk thick legs as he once more ducked under another lariat blow from Kale.

Gohan countered with a series of combination punches, knuckles reverberating against Kale’s visible chiseled muscles as Kale flinched in recoil before countering with a straight punch that made Gohan see stars for a brief moment. 

Reflexively, he shot up into the air, avoiding the  upper that Kale had planned as he took the moment to regain his senses. Against anyone else, ki attacks would have been an ideal followup but as Gohan had seen with the Masenko the current power Gohan possessed in terms of his ki wasn’t enough to do any lasting damage against Kale. 

Still, that was no reason not to do his best regardless of the situation. Gohan launched himself with his golden ki flaring around him as he landing a flying punch to the side of Kale’s jaw, following through with an ariel roundhouse kick to the back of her head and a series of combination punches and kicks to the neck, skull, shoulders and chest (Gohan made sure to avoid her enlarged breasts subconsciously) that slowly knocked the air from Kale’s lungs. 

Finally, though, she raised up a hand and snatched Gohan’s snapping kick mid-strike as she flung him to the ground like she had Vegeta.

Gohan groaned as he felt the sole of Kale’s boot press into his chest, his ribs cracking audibly as he let out an unwilling pained cry.

“Yes!” Kale said, beaming with sadistic pleasure. “Cry some more, book baby!”

“Solar… flare.”

“Solar wh-GAH MY EYES!”

The burning of her eyes mattered little to Kale a moment later as she felt Gohan’s fists and legs continue to slam into her enormous toro and arms.

Below written 8/5 (around 730 words)

Despite his best efforts, Gohan could tell that his strikes were doing little damage as it was, even in his powered up state. Combine that with the amount of speed that Grade Three killed and the staminia strain it took on the body and there was only so long he could last against someone who had both power and speed at their disposal. 

Kale let out a guttal roar as she swung an arms wide and wildy arcs which Gohan barely managed to avoid thanks to years of training against larger opponents. The last blow, however, grazed Gohan as he was knocked back a good distance from the center of the ring to the edge.

Inhaling sharply, his body reflexively transformed back to its base state. 

On the sidelines, Piccolo frowned. “This isn’t good.”

Goku nodded, face stone-like in its seriousness. “Yeah. Gohan’s put up a pretty good fight so far but this Kale girl is something else.”

He glanced at Piccolo. “Good luck out there, by the way.”

Piccolo glared at the Sayian fighter’s casual grin. 

Back in the ring, Kale continued to grin like a demoness from hell. “Aww, is the whittle scholar out of juice already?”

Gohan grimaced as he shifted into a defensive stance. Eyes flashing teal he focused as he broke through to the second Super Saiyan level.  

Kale blinked before her grin returned.

“You really do have potential as a fighter, you know.”

“So people keep telling me. Unfortunately and with respect to my father, punching people isn’t the most stable of occupations to raise a family.” Gohan was stalling for time and knew it but every second he bought was another second Piccolo and his father could use in their fights against Kale.

“A fair point.” Kale cracked her monstrous thick neck. “Now, how about we end this?”

Gohan nodded. He had no idea how long he could keep Super Saiyan 2 going at this point and even then the power gap between them, well, he didn’t care for his chances to put it another way.

Kale and Gohan lunged towards each other and Gohan slipped past the incoming flying punch Kale had been aiming for only for his eyes to go wide when he felt the vice-captain’s knee land straight into his stomach.

The elbow blow to the back of his head knocked the scholar out cold.

Beerus from up high scowled hard to disapproval. “I’d have thought the son of Goku would have put up a better fight then that.”

“O contraire, my Lord. Gohan put up a wonderful fight against the vice-captain, considering the strange nature of her transformation and the overall gap in power.” 

“Then maybe you should have trained him instead of that ego centered ‘prince’ Vegeta instead.”

Whis mused on that concept. “Perhaps you are right. Oh well, hindsight and all that I suppose.”

Champa, naturally, was a very happy fat cat as he mewed with a pleased look on his face.

“This is glorious, Vados! We’ve only lost two fighters so far while those fools in the seventh are down to two!”

“Indeed, Lord Champa, but one of those fighters is Son Goku, does have a history of pulling out impressive victories against all odds.”

“Bah. He’s a mortal and every mortal’s luck eventually runs out.”

Outside the ring Tien and Vegeta finally had woken back up.

“Heya guys!” Goku said, offering Tien a hand up which the three eyed fighter took. Goku knew better than to offer Vegeta the same token as the Prince sat himself upright.

“What’s the score?” Tien asked.

“Gohan just got knocked out.” Goku said, motioning to where his unconscious son was laying down on a bed materialized by Piccolo. “So it’s just me and Piccolo left.”

Vegeta scowled. “So basically just you.” The prince glared up at the still-transformed Kale as she stood waiting for her next foe to knock down.

“Well…” Goku grinned impishly. “Basically.”

“Do you think you can beat her, this Kale woman?” Tien said, eyes shifting to the vice-captain with an uneasy look.

“Pretty sure, yeah. Won’t be easy, though, but between Gohan and Piccolo tiring her out I should have plenty of gas left in the tank for at least their version of Freiza.”

Both Tien and Vegeta couldn’t help but notice that Goku had left Hit out of his analyst. The fact that he had troubled both fighters greatly.

Chapter Text

Piccolo, Son of Katas, entered with his usual flourish as he dropped his Kiloton cape and cloth turban outside the ring before stepping inside.

Kale arched an eyebrow. “You are stronger than you look, Namkeian.”

Piccolo said nothing as he shifted into the stance of the Demon style.

“But we both know you won’t beat me.”

“Don’t have to beat you.” Piccolo grunted. His ki flared as multiple versions of himself split apart, soon numbering eight in total. “Just have to wear you out.” All eight Piccolos declared.

On the sidelines, Tien frowned. “He found a way to perfect the Multi Form, I don’t know if I should be jealous or impressed.”

“Why not both?” Goku suggested with his usual childish innocence.

Back in the ring, Kale frowned slightly. “It doesn’t matter if there’s eight or eighty of you, Namke. I will crush you all just the same! In fact, I think you need more warriors!”

The eight Piccolos remained silent as four of them charged Kale’s front while the remaining four vanished from view.

Kale smirked mighty as she began blocking and casually dodging each of the four Namke copies with relative ease. They were powerful, to be sure, but her power was far greater as she demonstrated when she slammed her back elbow into one Piccolo, before landing a mighty clothesline on two more and using her other spare arm to land a thunderous chop to the last Piccolo’s center.

 “Come on, Namke!” Kale roared, arms raised to the Gods. “Is that the best you-” 

Four pairs of elongated green arms with pink-red patches suddenly materialized from both sides of Kale as they wrapped around her enormous arms, wrapping them tightly against her chest.

The four Piccolos that Kale had knocked down slowly got up to their feet as they stretched out and wrapped up their own limbs against Kale, tying her arms tighter even further against her broad chest and hearty sized breasts. Kale saw the seventh materialize in front of her, changing up the same energy attack that Gohan had used against her while to her back she could sense the eight and final copy charging a different, if similar, technique.

Kale chuckled. “Clever, Namke.”

“Masenko!”

“Makosen!”

The two resulting ki attacks hit Kale point blank as the erupting explosion cloaked her in black smoke.

The remaining six Piccolo’s vanished as the front Piccolo charged forward and began fighting with all the skill and strength he had at his disposal. Being able to sense energy, Piccolo could tell that his attacks had struck but that Kale still had plenty of energy left to go, easily. 

Kale for her part took every knife-hand strike, every kick, every punch that the Namke threw at her and kept standing where she was. The last Piccolo, kept back eyeing the situation with increasing unease.

Between Gohan and himself Piccolo could sense that Kale was starting to tire however slightly but whether that would be enough to allow Goku enough energy to finish off her, not-Freiza and the mysterious Hit remained to be seen.

When the smoke cleared enough for everyone in the stands to see, Kale halted an incoming punch and casually tossed the seventh Piccolo into the eight by swinging the clone around in a 180 degree swing.

Her body was now covered in more superficial scapes then before, her breathing more heavier, but the Saiyan lust for battle was still going strong.

“Come on, Kale.” Caulifla said, voicing her thoughts out loud on the sidelines. “Finish this guy so we can move onto Son Goku and go home.”

“Is something the matter?” Frost asked in genuine curiosity. “She seems to be doing fine for herself as is.”

“The vice-captain often gets… over confident when she’s in this form, Lord Frost.” Cabba explained. 

“This is my world, Namke!” Kale bellowed. “And you are not welcome in my world!”

Caulifla face palmed. “I’m starting to remember why Kale doesn’t like transforming like this. She always says the dumbest shit in this state.”

Piccolo scowled as he returned his last clone to his original body.

His blows had damaged her, but there was still more work to be-

Kale materialized in front of him with an explosion of speed that made the former ‘demon’ reel.

“Surprise, green man.” Kale raised her hands, fingers clasped together as she delivered a mighty axe-handed blow to the back of Piccolo’s head.

Piccolo crashed to the ground like a green speeding projectile. 

On the sidelines, Goku and Tien winced in sympathy.

“Suddenly I don’t feel as bad losing against their Captain,” Tien commented with his usual dryness. 

“Looks like I’m up.” Goku said, getting ready to step into the ring when Piccolo slowly stumbled back to his feet, glaring up at Kale in defiance.

Still floating above him, Kale crackled. “You are a tough slug man, I’ll give you that!”

Spreading her arms and her fingers wide, she summoned two spheres of green ki as a visible circle of monochrome energy surrounded her hands and forearms for a moment.

“I’ll even send you out in style out of respect! Gigantic Impact!”

The two spheres of ki rocketed towards Piccolo before colliding together in a massive explosion as a thick wave of smoke and fog quickly blanketed the arena.

Kale grinned, then glanced down at Goku. “Get in here and fight me next, martial arts magot!”

“I’ll face you soon, Kale, but Piccolo’s not done just yet!”

Kale’s whitened eyes widened. “What are you-”

It was then that she noticed the mine field of ki spheres that surrounded her.

“How-”

“You only paid attention to what your eyes saw.” Piccolo said, floating many yards away from her as the Piccolo from below vanished. 

“You never thought I’d be able to create a ninth copy, while two versions of me charged up our attacks. Plus, you saiyans often have a habit of not paying attention to your surroundings when in the heat of battle. Setting up my attack while cloaking them from view was easy.”

“Was wondering why those spheres of ki were still up in the air.” Beerus said with a lazy yawn. The Gods and Angles, of course, had seen everything Piccolo had done and weren’t surprised in the slightest (though Champa was annoyed at Kale for overlooking what to him was such an obvious trap… in retrospect).

Kale cringed at her own mistake.

“Hellzone Grenade!”

Goku smiled as the orbs of ki landed and Kale’s energy dipped even further down. 

Kale for her part spent no time blasting forward towards Piccolo, grabbing him by the front of his purple gi and flinging him to the ground before landing on top of him feet first.

The Namkeian grunted as the wind and some green blood were freed from his mouth as unconsciousness came to claim him at last.

Kale glared at Goku, breathing heavily. Between Gohan and Piccolo the massive woman’s body was starting to show more visible signs of wear and tear with all the countless scrapes and scorch marks on her figure. 

She picked up Piccolo with one hand and tossed him to Tien, who barely caught the unconscious fighter.

“Now we fight, Son Goku! Get over here!”

Goku frowned. “I’m coming, I’m coming! No need to be all grumpy, you know?”

Still, as much as he would have liked to have fought Kale at her full power, the logic of the tournament and the relative stakes thereof told Goku that this was for the best. Besides, he reasoned as he stepped into the ring with the more visibly winded Kale, there’s always more fights in the future, anyways.

Goku for his part spent no time as his hair turned from black to cyan blue in an instant and his ki vanished to all but the Gods and Angels themselves. He took his signature stance, legs bent as his fist waited at his waist while his other hand stood with fingers curved defensively by his face.

Kale took a moment to collect her breath as she shifted her bulky body into its own broad stance, legs spread firm apart as she waited for the man who had turned aside Freiza and Majin Buu alike to make the first move.

Chapter Text

In normal circumstances, Son Goku would have held back from his full base’s power just enough to see where his opponent stood next to him. But having seen Kale in action the martial artist instantly summoned the power of Super Saiyan Blue. The Super Saiyan form he and Vegeta had created that combined the power of god ki with that of the transformation.

Kale arched an eyebrow as she gave a labored but still confident grin. 

“Your Saiyan friend tried the same transformation before and you saw what happened to him, Son Goku.”

“Yeah.” Goku smiled lightly. “But I’m not Vegeta, now am I?”

Kale smirked. “True. Now should me what you-”

Goku had already vanished, reappeared in front of her, and landed three short punches, an elbow strike, and a knee blow to the enlarged woman’s massive torso.

Kale winced as she staggered back from the recoil.

On the sidelines, Caulifla frowned. “This is bad. Those other fights are starting to take their toll on her and this state has a certain time limit before it starts really hampering Kale’s fighting power.”

“So turning into a massive, towering female of raw muscle is not in fact good for one’s health.” Frost mused. “How very surprising.” Frost was not the slightest bit surprised. 

Back in the ring Kale lashed out with a wild haymaker towards Goku’s chin only for the cyan haired fighter to lean his head back as the long reaching hands cleaved a blast of air against his face. The follow through hip punch connected to Goku’s toro as the martial artist slid back on the soles of his feet.

Despite his situation, Goku’s grin remained fixed on his face.

“Man, with a punch like that I can see how you gave Vegeta and the others as much trouble as you have, Kale.”

Kale’s whited out eyes glared hard down at Son Goku. “That’s ‘Miss Vice-Captain’ to you, maggot!”

Goku’s smile had an impish air about it. “Good to know, but as King Kai will tell ya, I’m not the best when it comes to titles and stuff, Miss Kale.”

A small twitch began to form under Kale’s left eye. She blasted forward, arm raised so that her knuckles would demolish Goku in one blow only for the Earth-raised Saiyan to vanish in an instantaneous burst of speed.

Kale halted, almost stumbling forward due to her increased muscle mass and scowled as she whipped her head around. “Where is he…?”

Goku reappeared in front of her, spinning his entire body around as he landed a full spinning kick as his heel collided with the side of Kale’s head. 

Kale’s head snapped back as a wad of blood shot from her newly busted lips. Kale’s leg swung out in Goku’s general direction only for the cyan Saiyan to once more weave past the blow, landing a straight one-two punch combo from his hips which forced Kale to stagger backwards.

The Vice-Captain scowled for a moment before a small, twisted smile returned to her face.

“You are more skillful than the boastful prince, and more powerful than your son and the Namke. I will enjoy crushing the last of the seventh universe’s fighters as your friends and loved one’s watch on help-”

Goku landed a reaching, chambered punch towards Kale’s throat, cutting the giantess off mid-speech.

Gasping for air, Kale took a ponderous step backwards. The blow had hit with more force then she had expected, with her energy having been as spent as it was and her guard having been down at the same time. 

“Sorry.” Goku said in a ‘not really all that sorry’ sort of tone. “You were just rambling like that and your open guard just said ‘hit me’.”

Kale let out a beasterial snarl as she lunged toward Goku with wide, wild swings. Fast and large as she was, Goku had spent a majority of his life fighting people who were both, he effortlessly weaved in and out of her incoming strikes with little trouble, counting with a snapping side kicks for the longer reach as his blows, combined with Gohan and Piccolo’s efforts from before, rapidly started to take their toll on the vice-captain’s stamina and overall performance.

“It seems I will have to fight after all.” Frost said in a bemused tone as Kale continued to flail around in growing frustration. 

Goku continued effortlessly evading every punch and stomping kick that Kale tried to land before finally stepping in, raising his god ki with just enough power as he landed three elbow strikes to her stomach and two hooking punches to her face. 

Finally Kale crashed to the ground as her eyes snapped shut, her breath ragged and labored as her body shrank to it’s smaller, trimmer, tanner self.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Kale slowly rose back to her feet. Now that the vice-captain had returned to normal the battles with Gohan and Piccolo were far more evident, to say nothing of Son Goku’s own strikes having added to her countless bruises and scrapes.

“You should give up.” Goku told her. “You’re clearly running on fumes now that you’ve shrunken back your base form. You gotta know you can’t win this in your current state.”

“S-Shut up… B-bumpkin.” Kale blinked with a dazed look on her face. “I-I’m still the vice-captain  of the Defense Force and I still have my pride as a Saiyan, you bozo.”

“Bozo?” Goku blinked, his serious expression temporarily gone. “Is that like a clown? Cuz Vegeta calls me that one a lot.”

Kale said nothing as her aura flashed golden and her eyes turned teal.

Goku’s confusion gave way to his more serious look. “You’ve got power, Kale, but as you are I wouldn’t even need Super Saiyan Blue to beat you.”

“You Universe Seven Saiyans are terrible at naming things.” Kale said, raising her hands in a rough brawler’s stance. 

Goku wondered if this was what it had been like when Freiza had fought him on Namke, too stubborn to give up when given a proper out.

To prove his point, Goku’s hair changed from cyan to gold. Not the wild, flaming aura of gold that Kale was using, but the controlled Super Saiyan form he and Gohan had mastered years ago preparing for the Cell Games. 

For a moment, Kale just kept glaring at Goku, wobbling back and forth on her feet before finally crashing to the ground unconscious, this time for good. 

“Alright, Kale, rest up soldier.” Caulifla said as she picked the smaller girl up under the arm. “You’ve earned it three times over today.”

She stared up at Goku. “You’re not as good as the report made you out to be, Son Goku.”

Goku blinked again, confused. “Huh?”

Caulifla smiled sardonically. “You’re better. For the first time in a long while Kale and I have a goal to work towards. Besting you and that pompous windbag you call a prince in battle. Regardless of how this tournament shakes out, you and I are going to spar one day.”

Goku’s confusion turned into a look of contented confidence. “I’d like that, Caulifla.”

“That’s Captain Caulifla to you, blue boy.” Caulifla said over her shoulder as she carried the unconscious Kale back to their side of the sidelines. “I didn’t bust my ass for five years just to be called by my name you know!”

Chapter Text

Piccolo awoke with a low groan. “What I’d miss?”

“The vice-captain finally went down, thankfully.” Tien said. “Thanks in part to you and Gohan wearing her out as much as you did. Now Goku’s fighting the sixth Universe’s version of Freiza.”

Piccolo smirked as he floated himself upright, resummonding his turban and cape over his shoulders now that his turn at fighting was done with. “Figured as much. Still, if a cheap copy is all Goku has to face next he should be fine.”

“I must say that was quite the impressive display.” Frost said as he entered into the ring, his off-gray tail flicking causally from side to side with each step. 

Goku, still in the mastered state of the Super Saiyan, merely glared down at the Freiza doppelganger. 

“Just cut to the chase and transform into your final form.”

Frost blinked, taken aback. How in the world could this Saiyan know of his transformations? Unless he had fought his Universe’s version of Frost’s own counterpart. Yes, that would explain a few things. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“I fought your counterpart from my universe a few times,” Goku explained. “You were probably going to test my power one form at a time, weren’t you?”

“Perhaps. You yourself clearly aren’t lacking in transformations yourself, Son Goku.”

“True.” Goku nodded. “Which is why I recommend going all out and I’ll do the same with just my mortal ki.”

The implications didn’t slip past Frost’s attention. “Oh, do I not rate that blue transformation with the strange ki?”

“Maybe,” said Goku. “But I’d rather just fight you as a mortal, if it’s all the same to you.”

Frost smiled and nodded in approval. He had planned on doing just that, testing where he personally stood against the Universe Seven Saiyan power wise (Kale had been tired by the time she fought Goku and was hardly an accurate measure in Frost’s estimation). But by the same proxy, Frost knew the Saiyan could turn into that strange blue form where his energy vanished completely, not unlike Beerus and Champa’s own energy (or lack thereof) from his senses. 

“Very well, so be it.” If the Saiyan was foolish enough to risk his entire planet with nothing more than his own ki then so be it. Far be it from Frost to complain about something like that.

His body tensed as he summoned all of his dormant power, his body rapidly changing shape in the blinding flare of dark purple ki from his base form to his Power form to his Charge form all the way to his Assault form. His final form. 

“This, I hope, meets with your approval?” It was tempting, so tempting, to just poison the fool and be done with it but doing that with Goku being the Seventh Universe’s last fighter now would bring too much suspicion his way and that was the last thing Frost needed right now. 

Still as uncontrolled as his final form’s power was, surely it would be enough to best this backwater saiyan from some third rate universe. 

Goku nodded. “It does, actually. You’re a lot stronger than your counterpart that I first fought all those years ago.” Granted, that fight had been a life and death struggle that Goku had barely come out on but this was a tournament with rules and regulations. Still, whether the battle was for a tournament or a life and death struggle, Goku didn’t like losing whatever the stakes were.

As Goku and Frost began to clash in mid air and traded punches back and forth with equal skill and tenacity, Cabba stared up with an unblinking gaze.

“Hell of a sight to see, isn’t it private? Lord Frost’s final form I mean.”

Cabba nodded dumbly. It was an impressive sight to behold; Frost’s blue skin color and white torso arms had become smooth like a polished stone while his torso and head bio-gems had become a brilliant pale-blue hue. Frost had become more streamlined, more compact compared to his more well known (and monstrous looking) Charge form but all the more subtly dangerous in the process judging by his sheer amount of power the emperor of the universe was currently putting out as he traded blows and blasts alike against Son Goku.

“Hey private?”

“Yeah…?” Cabba’s voice trailed off as he continued to remain glued to the fight, eyes darting wildly as Goku and Frost zip about in mid air at speeds Cabba hadn’t thought possible until today.

“I’ve secretly always had a crush on you, same with Kale here, too.” Caulifla pointed at her still unconscious vice-captain.

“That’s nice…”

Caulifla sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Nothing would distract Cabba as he watched Lord Frost in action. Not that she could blame him. The fact that he had a form beyond even his mighty Charge form was something she herself was having trouble fully processing, if she was honest. And this Son Goku, he was still toying with Frost even at his full power. 

For the first time in years, a shiver of excitement ran down the Captain’s spine. Whether they won or lost the damn tournament didn’t matter to Caulifla at this point. What she wanted to do was to try and convince that female angel lady to train her, Kale, and even Cabba if they could manage it. If her universe seven counterpart was to go by, it couldn’t be that hard, after all. 

A few minutes later, Champa was not remotely happy when Frost was beaten by Goku completely and utterly.

“Well, brother.” Beerus smirked like the coy bastard that he was (in Champa’s view). “It would seem our universes are all tied up. We both have one fighter left, it seems.”

“Thank you, brother, for your astounding ability at basic counting.” Chamap scowled heavily. “Vados, that assassin you brought in is powerful enough to win this, isn’t he?” 

Vados merely smiled. “We will have to wait and see, won’t we, Lord Champa?”

“That doesn’t answer anything and you know it!”

Chapter Text

Hit had been monitoring every fight since the tournament began. Now, it was his time to fight. 

The strange blue form that Son Goku had would be tricky to deal with. After a thousand years Hit had thought he had lived up to the cliche of ‘seeing it all’. But this revelation of the ki of the gods and the fact that mortals like this Saiyan Prince of the Seventh Universe or this Son Goku could harness it in battle… That caught Hit’s curiosity for the first time in 500 years. 

Hit thought of trying to fight as he always did; hands in his pocket while his jacket covered his feet to conceal his movements but after seeing what the blue form was capable of against the vice-captain, the assassin opted instead to bring out both of his hands. 

Being an assassin, there were of course countless ways he could end Son Goku’s life before the warrior would even know what hit him. Ways that didn’t even involve his Time Skip ability.

At first, Hit tested the waters. It was a credit to Son Goku’s ability as a fighter that he could keep up with Hit’s thousand years of experience. Then, Goku had finally brought forth his strange blue form and that was when the fight became truly interesting.

After Hit had been sent flying backwards from a snapping front kick he had gotten back up a moment later. Though he appeared unharmed on the inside his body trembled. Being an assassin by trade, Hit was not big on emotions. As such the first shot of excitement his body had experienced for centuries took even himself by surprise. 

So Hit summoned all of his full power for the first time in centuries. It had been so long since he had used his full power that he had only the faintest memories of the foe’s face he had brought it against. A saiyan like Goku or the Captain? A member of Frost’s race? That particular detail had been lost to the reaches of time, sadly.  

With his full power, his Time Skip ability had increased even further as their fight had continued on. And yet as Hit and Goku continued to trade blows, the Siyan kept matching the assassin blow for blow, strike for strike. 

And for the first time in what had been far too long a period, Hit was pushed to his limits. Somehow, in the middle of the battle, he found ways to actively improve the duration of his Time Skip ability. That, combined with his full power, would surely be enough to-

“Kaio…” Goku cringed as he debated finishing that phrase. “KEN!”

Hit had just enough time to think ‘Kaio what?’ before Son Goku completely bypassed his Time Skip completely and sent him flying. In all one thousand years of his existence, Hit couldn’t remember the last time he had been pushed so far beyond his limits. 

Son Goku, it seemed, was the sort of fighter who could always pull out surprises of some kind. 

Hit was therefore disappointed when, shortly after as the two were rapidly reaching their limit in terms of energy and stamina, that Goku’s body gave out from under him. With his added battles against Kale and Frost the Seventh Universe Saiyan's body had been more drained of its stamina than even Goku himself had realized.

As exhausted as Hit was, the purple skinned assassin was still able to get back up and keep going. That Kaio, whatever it was, seemed to have played hell on Goku’s body. Even his blue form had vanished as the Saiyan had fallen to the ground completely  unconscious. 

Universe Seven had lost and Universe Six was officially declared the winner.

Chapter Text

“D-Daddy lost?” Goten looked close to tears.

“So it would seem.” Roshi mused, frowning in thought as he stroked his beard. "Usually you can count on Goku to pull off a miracle but it seems even his luck ran out today."

“Wait, so if our team lost…” Krillin winced as he looked up at Champa and the other divine beings of the sixth universe. “Then that means the Earth is moving universes, right?”

“I mean, on the upside, at least their Freiza’s a good guy, right?” Yamcha said, trying to look for any sort of silver lining to the situation. 

“Does it really matter what universe we’re in?” 18 asked in her usual deadpan tone. “Most of the threats we dealt with were, besides everything involving that Gero... jerk, were alien in nature so if anything moving universes can’t be any worse than what we’ve already had to deal with.”

Chi-Chi merely sighed. “Well whatever universe we’re in now, I just know Goku won’t change much day to day. The Earth could be in a black hole and it wouldn’t matter one lick to that man so long as he could keep training.”

Champa, meanwhile, did as all victorious siblings with a grudge did when victorious. He gloated.

“Suck it, brother!” The Sixth Destroyer’s voice echoed throughout the arena. “My team kicked your team’s ass! We ‘smoked’ you as the mortals say. … Vados do mortals still say that?”

“They do, my Lord.”

"We smoked your ass!"

“Well, well.” Whis tapped his chin in thought. “This is quite the turn of events, isn’t it Lord Beerus?”

Beerus merely scowled, teeth grinding to an extent that would have made the dentist of the gods wince in worry. Much as he hated to admit it, Son Goku combining the Northern Kai’s Kaio Ken technique with the ki of the gods was brilliant and nearly had given him a heart attack when he had first seen it. It was enough to convince the Destroyer to make note to actually start training with Whis again when they returned back home. Now it was all moot, given that the very same technique had cost his team the damn tournament in the first place.

“Lord Beerus?”

“What, Whis? Can’t you see I’m trying to ignore my annoying sibling over there?”

Champa was riding the high of victory too much to care what Beerus said about him just then.  

“I think it might be best if you said goodbye to the others, before we summon the Super dragon-”

Beerus yawned in indifference. “Why should I, Whis? Those weaklings lost our little tournament and after they had trained under your supervision, at that.”

Whis pursued his lips together, frowning just slightly before turning to his sister. “Vados, if it is not too much trouble, might I be allowed to continue to train Son Goku and Vegeta while they are in your universe?”

Vados thought it over. “Perhaps. But in turn I plan to train the Sayians native to the sixth universe, as well. I dare say with as much headway as they made today under my tutelage they’ll far surpass your students.”

A small twitch formed under Whis’ left eye. This was why family reunions when it came to beings like them were a very, very rare occurrence indeed.

Down below, Gohan and Kale respectfully began to regain consciousness. 

“So we lost, huh.” Gohan’s shoulders slumped as he remained seated. “Guess that means we’re moving universes.”

“So it would seem.” Tien said. Given his mostly loner-ish lifestyle it really didn't matter where the Earth was located at the end of the day. B eing who he was, Tien still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around all of this business of Destroyers and multiple universes, not that it mattered in to the three eyed fighter. So long as he could continue training and gathering up the funds he needed to start his school, where in the multiverse the Earth lay didn’t really concern the three eyed fighter.

Still, the sting of losing both individually and as a team did hurt the three eyed fighter’s pride, much as he hated to admit it. 

“Sorry about that, guys.” Goku grinned sheepishly as he made his way towards the defeated Seventh Universe fighters. “I thought I had Hit with the Super Sayian Kaio Ken but I guess that move still needs some work.”

“How long were you holding something like that in your pocket, Kakatort?” 

“How long?” Goku thought about Vegeta's question for a long moment. “I guess shortly after I died against Cell and I fought in that tournament in the Other World, if you want to get technical about it. I used it then but that was mostly cuz I was already dead and my body could take it. If I tried combining just regular Super Saiyan and the Kaio Ken I’d probably blow up in the process. God Ki was about the only thing that could work, given the level of control you need to pull it out.”

Vegeta scowled. “This changes nothing, of course. Such an unreliable stunt is little better than the original Kaio Ken you used against me back when we first fought.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that,” Tien said evenly. “Seeing as how I had a case of death around that time and was making my way to King Kai’s planet with the others after we had perished fighting your lackeys.”

Vegeta glared at the triclops but said nothing but a huff of gruff annoyance. 

Kale’s tanned face brightened at the news of her team’s victory.

“We really won, sis?”

“Yup.” Caulifla grinned at her second in command. “Hit here really came through in the clutch, didn’t ya, Hit?... Hey, where’d that purple walkin’ dildo go?!”

“You were incredible out there, Lord Frost.” Cabba said, staring up at the secret warlord with stars in his eyes. 

Frost smiled a pained, strained smile. “Yes, well, I just wish my power had been enough to help the team more in the end. Against the Son Goku fellow’s power I was little more than just a punching bag.”

Clearly, Frost thought. I’ve underestimated these monkeys. Their ability for transformations both rival and surpass my own if those two Sayians from the Seventh Universe are anything to go by. It may be a good thing their ‘Earth’ is about to become a permanent member of our Sixth Universe, it will give me a better chance to keep an eye on them through my various minions and…

Frost glanced at the Captain and Vice-Captain. Subtly, his smile became a smirk. My new allies. In the meantime, I’ll need to begin training in earnest if I’m to maintain my title of emperor of the universe. I suppose that is for the best, I’ve been slacking far too much these past decades.  

Elsewhere from everyone else, Hit shuffled his way towards where the Dimensional Cube had been left waiting. The battle he had fought against Son Goku had been the first true challenge he had faced in… well, Hit couldn’t remember the last genuine challenge he had come up against until fighting the Universe Seven Sayian. 

“You don’t wish to join your fellow teammates in the celebrations?”

Hit halted mid shuffle. He didn’t need to turn around to know that the Angel Vados had appeared behind him. 

“After a thousand years of living one learns to not get too attached to those around you. At the risk of speaking out of turn, I dare say the same goes for Angels and Destroyers?”

Vados smiled softly. “You are wiser than you look, for an assassin.”

“I would not have the reputation or lived as long as I have without some form of wisdom, with respect, Lady Vados.”

Hit glanced again at the transport cube expectantly.

“Ah, yes. Your reward.” Vados’ staff shimmered for an instant and the cube’s glass-like surface shimmered as well before returning to normal. “It is yours. As a part of our deal for winning the tournament.”

A small smile crept up on the assassin’s otherwise somber face. He gave the female Angel a rare nod of thanks.

“However, if it is not too small a request, could I ask you to help transport Captain Caulifla and the others back to their original locations?”

“Not at all.” In terms of work the assassin had done throughout his millennium of existence being a mere taxi service was nothing, but a small price to pay for ownership of the cube.

“Not at all.”

Vados smiled. “Wonderful!”

Back with the people of the Seventh Universe, Jaco the Space Patrolman was doing his best (and failing) to keep himself from crying. 

“Not that we can’t handle the universe with the Sayians and Freiza dead, of course,” he said when he was sure that Vegeta and the others were out of earshot. “But I would be lying if I didn’t say I would at least miss Earth’s food and Miss Tights. Tell her I said goodbye, Miss Bulma.”

Bulma's face softened as she smiled down at the Elite Patroller. “I will, Jaco.” As much of a pain in the butt as the egotistical little shrimp was, Bulma knew she owed the Patroller that much.

Shin smiled up at the rotund, green skinned Supreme Kai of the Sixth Universe. “Good luck, Fuwa. Goku and friends are your problem, now.”

Fuwa swallowed the lump down his thick throat. He didn’t care for how the relatively inexperienced Kai had said that. 

Shin continued smiling. “I kid, of course. They are good people, at the end of the day, and very good for troubleshooting (for the most part) if you know how to motivate them right.”

Fuwa nodded. The fact that Son Goku and his group of allies had as casual a relationship with their Supreme Kai was very unusual but then again the Seven had always been an unusual universe in general, with it’s five Supreme Kais to the average one or two if one counted apprentices like that Zamasu fellow in the Tenth Universe. 

“I… Will keep that in mind, Shin. Thank you. I think.”

Old Kai merely glared up at Goku with a stern, annoyed expression on his face. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, boy, losing that fight!”

“But Old Kai, I didn’t lose on purpose!” Goku began.

“That’s not the point, Goku! You used a highly dangerous, unfinished technique and it cost your entire planet its original universe. Just be thankful the tournament stakes were as low as they were or all of you would be in serious trouble, you know.” 

Meanwhile Bulma chewed Vegeta out for being stupid enough to just let Kale transform as he did. “Did you learn nothing from Cell, you pigheaded prince? Or Buu? Or Frieza?”

Vegeta cringed as he glanced to the side but offered up no rebuttal to his wife’s words. What she said was completely true, of course.

“Lord Shin.” Piccolo stared down at the relatively short Kai. “Seeing as how the Earth will soon be moved, if it is not asking too much, could you deliver a message to the people of New Namke of what has happened to Dende and the Earth?”

Shin smiled back and nodded. “Of course. I’ll be sure to put them into the loop of what has befallen the Earth.”

Piccolo grunted. “My thanks.” He didn’t look forward to having to tell Dende or Mr. Popo that they were now in a new universe. The amount of paperwork already made the small part of Kami that still existed in Piccolo wince in sympathy for the young Namkeian. 

Introductions would have to be made to the Directional Kai’s of the Sixth Universe and their Other World’s King Emma, among other complications. Annin, the guardian of the sacred Furnace of Eight Divisions, the border between life on Earth and the Other World, would likewise need to be updated on the sudden shift in their cosmic situation. 

“Alright, alright!” Beerus’ voice boomed through the commotion. “Whis, let's just summon the damn dragon, get the Earth to switch universes, and go home already.”

Whis chuckled at the Destroyer’s attitude. Clearly, the most pressing thing on Beerus’ mind was the fact that he would lose ready access to Earth’s delectable cuisine. Truly, Champa and Vados were gaining a great prize on that front, even ignoring the potential that Son Goku and Vegeta had as fighters.

“Actually, my Lord, since Champa’s team won the tournament, I think it is only fair that she summons the Dragon of the Gods.”

Beerus scowled heavily. “And where is that annoying aloof sister of yours?”

“Right here, Lord Beerus.” Vados said, re-materializing behind the thin cat-being God. “I was merely discussing things with the winner of the tournament, Sir Hit.”

“Whatever.” Champa growled. “Just summon the damn dragon so I can get access to all that delicious Earth food already!”

As it turned out, the last of the Super Dragon Balls had been the nameless world that the two teams had been fighting on the entire time, much to everyone’s surprise.

With all planet sized dragon balls now gathered, Vados chanted in the divine language, “Come forth, Dragon of the Gods, and grant my wish pretty peas!" 

The Dragon of the Gods was larger than the small galaxies that surrounded the space between the Sixth and Seventh universes, so enormous was the dragon that everyone from the usually stoic Tien and Hit (who had thought he had ‘seen it all’ until Vados had come knocking on his door earlier that day) to the childish Son Goku and Caulifla could help but stare in complete and utter awe as they took in as much of the cosmic sized wish granting being as their mortal senses would allow.

“Woah.” Goku stared and for once, was in good company as nearly everyone stared in gaping awe (save for the likes of 18 who merely blinked, visibly taken aback by the Dragon’s sheer galactic scale and size). “He’s like some sort of Super Shenron!”

Whis smiled at Goku’s child-like comment. He’d miss that sort of starry eyed wonder, the Angel realized. Still, that was what visits and training were for.

“This is Zalama.” Whis said, raising his voice as Zalama let out a mighty, universe rumbling roar. “The Dragon of the Super Dragon Balls.”

“Incredible...” Tien blinked all three of his eyes as he tried to take in as much of the divine beast as he could. Even his three eyes could only do so much, though. 

“That’s a big lizard.” Caulifla said, trying her best to not look as impressed as she felt. Kale glanced down and saw that her Captain’s knees were trembling, as was the rest of her body, but said nothing.

“I would have never thought such a creature could exist.” Cabba was as slack jawed as everyone else.

“Indeed.” Frost nodded. “Lucky for us, Lady Vados will be able to talk to him.”

Vados explained her wish and the all crimson eyes of Zalama flashed for an instant. The plant sized Dragon Balls rapidly became inert rocks but soon vanished from view.

“It is done.” Vados declared. “The Earth of the Seven Universe is now in the Sixth. The people, for now at least, are none the wiser.”

“Huh?” Goku blinked. “Whatcha mean Miss Vados?”

“I think she means the constellations in the sky, dad.” Gohan said, frowning in thought. “It’s a different universe so it only makes sense that people would notice that the stars are completely different.”

“Oh.” Goku didn’t completely get it, but shrugged it off as he and everyone else glanced towards Bulma.

The blue haired genius glared back in annoyance. “Why’s everyone looking at me for?!”

“Well,” Krillin said, making sure to stay out of the scientist’s reach. “You are usually the one who handles these sort of things. You and your dad, I mean.”

Bulma growled but didn’t have any reply to that. “Great, so PR duty falls to me, huh?”

“Would you rather the clown handle it?” Vegeta asked her. 

“Zip it, pricey, you’re still in the dog house!” Bulma snapped. She rubbed her forehead. “I’ll have to talk with my dad and cook up  a story. Worse case Capsule Corp was experimenting with some new theoretical technology and we accidentally transported the Earth to another universe. Hence the different sky.”

“As the people’s champion,” Hercule declared. “I’ll do what I can to keep the people of Earth under control.”

“So I guess this is goodbye then?” Goku asked Whis. 

“Yes and no, Son Goku. My sister and I have been talking and we have decided that I will still be allowed to train you.”

“Really?” Goku’s black eyes lit up. “Awesome!”

“But it will no longer be in the convenience of Lord Beerus’ castle. I will have to make trips to the Sixth Universe so you two will have to drop what you are doing when I do appear, understood?”

Goku nodded rapidly. “Gotcha!”

“Whatever.” Vegeta grunted, arms crossed in his usual indifference. 

“Also, we won’t be alone.” There was a hint of mischievousness in the Angel’s eyes. “My sister will be training Captain Caulifla and Vice-Captain Kale as well.”

“Wait, what?” Kale blinked. “We never agreed too-Ow!” Kale rubbed her tan arm as Caulifla had punched it.

“We accept your offer for training, your Ladyship.” Caulifla said in her most formal of voices she usually only reserved for King Salada. “You do us the greatest of honors, taking my Vice-Captain and I on as your students. Right, Kale?” 

“O-Of course!” Kale gulped. Every part of her was still sore from her multiple fights back to back combined with the amount of strain her wild form gave her. She’d be feeling it tomorrow, that much was certain.

“Sup ya’ll.”

Goku, Vegeta, and everyone stared as a short oval headed teen in strange purple robes, flanked by two long, serious looking guards in similar clothing had somehow entered the ring without anyone knowing.

“Huh.” Goku blinked. “What’s with the kid?”

“Think he got lost somehow?” Tien asked Piccolo. The Namke merely shrugged. 

“Who knows?”

The Gods and Supreme Kais, however, all looked extremely panic stricken. Even the usually aloof Beerus wore what could only be called an expression of fear on his face.

Shin, the youngest God present, merely blinked as he whispered to the Elder Kai.

“Should I know who this small boy is, Elder?”

“Of course you should!” The Elder Kai snapped, resisting the urge to smack his ignorant successor least he draw his attention to them in particular.

“Do you think it’s best we remain up here, my lord, looking down on Lord Zeno?”

“Of course not Whis!” Beerus snapped quickly floating down towards the small being with his twin brother in tow.

Both brothers bowed in unison. “Welcome Lord Zeno,” They said together. “You grace us with your presence!”  

“Lord Zeno,” Whis gave a stiff, polite nod to the ruler of the multiverse. “We do apologize for the lack of an update on our parts.”

“Indeed.” Vados nodded in agreement with her brother. 

Both angles then proceeded to tear into both Beerus and Champa’s many personality flaws and foibles as destroyers. When Vados had finished her mock tears over how Champa would insult her nutritious cooking Zeno remained as smiling as ever.

“Do you actually force them to train?”

That caught both siblings off guard.

“My Lord?” Whis blinked, taken aback.

“Training. Working out. Pumping iron. When was the last time either of you actually did your part as mentors and made them get off their purple butts and actually work out?”

Vados and Whis shared a glance. 

“Well, My Lord,” Vados began in her even measured tone. “Our Destroyers are such willful Gods that getting them to do anything they don’t want to do is a very hard task even for us.”

“May I inquire as to why my Lord is asking such as question?” Whis asked as the rest of the Supreme Kais appeared to the front of the battered ring and did their share of groveling to Lord Zeno.

“Eh. Just had a revelation in the past few centuries that I kinda messed things up when I had your pops make you both the Destroyer's mentor and their personal assistant. Not either of your faults, obviously. It seemed like a good idea at the time but between dumb and dumber over here-”

Beerus and Chamapa were both sweating bullets as they did their best to keep themselves from the both of them fainting on the spot from sheer fear inflicted anxiety as they did their best to stay as polite as possible to Lord Zeno. 

“And a few of the other Destroyers I’ve been watching lately, the plan has holes. Conflict of interest, if you will, you know?”

“W-Will you e-erase us, Lord Zeno?” Champa asked.

“Herm.” Zeno thought it over. “Naw. Too much busy work trying to replace your asses, honestly. Training new Destroyers would take too long, I think.”

“Very wise Lord Zeno,” Whis praised. 

Zeno rolled his eyes, which should have been an impossibility considering they were perfect circles but being the Omi King, impossibility literally wasn’t in Zeno’s vocabulary. 

“No one likes a kiss ass, Whis.”

Whis blinked again, even more taken aback but said nothing. He gave a single head bow as he took Zeno’s criticism inward.

“Duly noted, Lord Zeno.”

“So.” Zeno smiled as Beerus and Champa were close to sweating their entire bodily fluids out of their pours by this point. “Fighting tournament. Was going to come in here and tell you two to knock it off and get back to your jobs but then I watched it and you know what? I liked what I saw.”

The smile became a grin. “Liked it so much I’m thinking we should do this again, ya know? But bigger, longer, uncut if you will. All the universes.”

Zeno paused. “Most of the universes. Like, I dunno. Eight, Ten of them at least. How many universes do we have again?”

“12, my lord.” Whis said.

“Right. Totally not all 12 then. That’s way too many. But like, more than just the sixth and seventh universe. What do you guys think?”

“That sounds totally awesome, little dude!”

Beerus and Champa both wore expressions of sheer horror on their faces as Goku casually ran up towards Lord Zeno with his usual Goku-indifference to things like status and deity importance. 

“I’m with him,” Caulifla said, nodding in agreement as she followed Goku’s stride with Kale right by her side. “An even bigger tournament with even more universes and even more stronger foes to crush in battle? That’s practically a dream come true for a Salada soldier!”

“It does sound pretty fun.” Kale admitted, blushing to the side. “Your Zenoship.” She added bowing out of habit for good measure.

 The two tall, lanky masked guards of Zeno appeared in front of Goku and the two Universe Six Saiyans and held up their palms flat.

“Aw, I just wanna talk to the little guy-” Goku began.

“Show some respect, will you?” Caulifla said, glaring up at the taller Saiyan. Kale just shook her head. “That’s rich coming from you of all people, sis.”

“Chill, guys.” Zeno causally floated past his guards (who effortlessly slid aside), to Goku and the others. “It’s cool.”

Zeno smiled up at the three fighters. “I saw your matches, all of you. Good stuff, I gotta say.”

Goku grinned with pride as he rubbed the back of his head in sheepish modesty while Caulifla beamed with an air of confident smugness at the multiverse ruler’s praise. 

“Thanks little guy.” Goku held out a hand down towards the ruler which caused everyone to freeze up at the martial artist’s sheer casual disregard for protocol. 

Zeno stared at Goku’s hand. In an instant, his form went from being shorter than Goten to staring at Goku evenly. In a blink he had gone from child to young adult. Zeno smiled as he took Goku's hand in a firm, casual shake.

“L-Lord Zeno?” Beerus blinked, still terrified for his continued existence. “You… You.”

“Grew. Yeah. Been thinking of changing things up.” The voice of a child was gone, in it was the voice of a young man. It still held a calm casualness to it but now had just a hint of audible wisdom to it. “The whole ‘all powerful god child’ bit was gettin’ stale, you know?”

“Could he always do that?” Chamapa whispered to his brother.

“How the hell should I know?” Beerus hissed through clenched teeth.

“Which reminds me, yo, Old Kai guy?”

The Elder Kai stiffened as he sat up from his submissive kneeling bow. “Y-Yes Lord Zeno?”

“Next time you see the Supreme Kai of Time, tell her to knock off the loli shtick and to actually start looking the part of a grown adult. She’s past the point of that being cute and it’s just making people dismiss her out of turn. ”

The Elder Kai blinked. “Lord Zeno, I, er haven’t seen the Supreme Kai of Time for many eons since someone sealed me away in a divine blade.”

The Elder Kai glared at Beerus as he said this. Beerus was too fearful to brother glaring back.

“Eh. You’ll figure it out when you get around to seeing her again. I think. Don’t worry about it, old timer.”

Zeno then turned his attention back to Goku. “You, I like.” Zeno said. He glanced at the Gods, Angels, and Supreme Kais (who were still kneeling on the ground in subservience.)

“You don’t put on airs and you just treat me like any old dude. I can respect that, Son Goku.”

Goku blinked. “Thanks lit- I mean, Mr. Zeno Sir.”

“Eh. Just Zeno is fine.” Zeno then looked at Caulifla who stood at stiff attention and saluted out of habit. “That goes for you two, too, you know. And I like your style in battle, too. Captain Caulifla and Vice Captain Kale, right?”

“Yes.” Caulifla said sharply. “That’s right, Zeno.”

“You girls got spunk. I like spunk. Keep up the good work doing whatever it is mortals like you do. Disco? Do mortals still disco? Or was that the last multiverse... Eh, whatevers.”

Zeno turned his attention back to the Destroyer brothers.

“Beerus?”

“Y-Yes grand and glorious and most generous-”

“Zip it, twiggy.”

Beerus instantly shut his jaw tight as Zeno continued, “Beerus, I get you’re a cat… whatever and all that but you really need to sleep less and actually do your me damn job more, man. Seriously. And no, pawning it off to those Arcosian jerks for centuries doesn’t count.” 

“Y-Yes Lord Zeno.” Beerus whimpered. “Understood, Lord Zeno.”

“And as for you.” Zeno turned his attention to Champa, who merely trembled in spite of his purple bulk. “Your stamina is terrible. You really need to exercise more, the both of you.”

“Yes, Lord Zeno!” Champa and Beerus chorused. “We will!”

Whis chuckled while Vados merely shook her head in disappointment. 

“What are you laughing about, Whis?”

“Sire?”

“You’re way too laxed with your charge, like I said. In fairness, it’s my fault for thinking ‘personal assistant and martial arts mentor’ being combined into one was a good idea but that’s on me.”

Whis blinked again. “Very well, sir. I will do my best to be a bit more… forceful with Lord Beerus from here on out.”

“Within reason.” Zeno added. He then stared at Vados. “You do realize Champa is your Destroyer, right?”

“I… do?” There was a moment of uncertainty in Vados’ voice. 

“Then stop trying to treat him like he’s your pet or your kid. Firstly, he isn’t that fat no matter how much you wail about his weight-”

Vados blushed a bit at that comment as Zeno continued. “And second, I frankly don't care about what Campa eats at the end of the day. It’s all, you know, surface level stuff at the end of the day. You get me, Vados?”

Vados blinked rapidly. “I do, Lord Zeno.” I think. She added mentally.

“So yeah. Multiverse tournament. Gonna be big. Probably. I’ll catch you dudes.” Zeno snapped as a pair of black sunglasses appeared over his eyes, the shades staying on despite the oval headed teenage shaped being’s head lacking any sort of ears at all. “On the flip side. Zeno, out!”

Zeno vanished. Not with the shift of motion that came with Instant Transmission or the teleportation of the Supreme Kais. One instant Zeno and his two guards were there. The next, they weren’t.

“We’re still here.” Champa wheezed as sweat poured down his entire face. “I can’t believe we just survived a conversation with Lord Zeno of all beings. I think I’m going to be sick.”

“You.” Beerus seethed as he stormed towards Goku. “Do you have any idea what you just did?”

Goku blinked. “Well, yeah. I met your boss and made a friend, Lord Beerus.”

“You simple minded mortal! You don’t just ‘befriend’ Lord Zeno.”

“Really? Cuz from where I’m standing Goku here did just that.” Caulifla pointed out with a small smirk. “And the little, well, former little I guess, guy seemed fine with it. Really, the fact that all of you guys were tripping over yourselves over formalities even this Zeno guy didn’t seem that wild about.”

Beerus turned slowly towards the Captain and out of pure reflex, raised his hand as his palm began to radiate with the otherworldly ki of a God of Destruction.

Until Whis’s delicate but powerful fingers caused his wrists to break with an audible snap.

“That is enough , Lord Beerus.”

“Whis?” Beerus stared up at his Angel with a look of confusion, the pain in his wrist having not yet registered. 

“My Lord, with respect, I believe that the OmiKing has given us all a great deal to think about.” Whis said. The usual charming whimsical nature of his tone was gone. In its place was Whis The Mentor. Whisk smiled at Beerus not unkindly. “Even myself.”

Champa blinked. Then, he grinned like a grade school boy who had just realized that girls wore underwear under their skirts. 

“You hear that, Vados? Even the OmiKing doesn’t think that I’m that fat!” 

Inwardly, Vados groaned. The last thing she needed was Lord Champa becoming horribly smug the next few centuries over the matter of his diet. Then, she smiled brightly. “True. But he did point out that your stamina is, to be frank, still terrible my Lord. ~Which means training is in order~.”

Champa flushed and muttered a string of half forgotten curses under his breath.

“Man, a whole tournament like what we got today but even bigger and with even more fighters to face against.” Goku grinned as he pounded one hand into an empty palm. “I’m already getting excited just thinking about it!”

“Funny you should say that, Son Goku,” Caulifla said with a smile. “I was thinkin’ the same thing myself, actually.”

“But we just got done with a tournament.” Kale protested. “... Though it would be fun to go on another rampage as ‘her’.”

“What was that, Kale?”

“N-Nothing Captain!”

After a short while, Goku and friends said their final goodbye to Shin, Elder Kai and all the rest and after fitting everyone inside the Dimensional Cube (it was a very tight squeeze) the former citizens of the Seventh Universe reluctantly took their leave back to Earth’s new home universe.

“I must say,” The squid being who was the King of the Seven Universe said. “What a strange group of people. I only wish I had met them sooner. After dealing with the likes of Freiza and Majin Buu I’d have owed that Goku fellow a great deal of money for saving the universe from threats like that.”

“True.” Jaco nodded, crossing his short arms together in thought. “Goku and his friends were quite the group of fighters. I’ll have to report this to the patrol and we’ll have to step up our game at least ten fold in order to ensure the peace they’ve all fought so hard to preserve.” 

With Freiza and his forces gone, Majin Buu now turned good (and more importantly in another universe entirely and thus ‘over there’s’ issue for the foreseeable future) Jaco felt very good about the Patrol’s ability to preserve the peace going forward. Even if he would miss Tights and all the rest back on Earth.

“And what will you do, Shin?” Whis asked as the group began making their way back towards their respective locations within the Seventh Universe.

“I will let the Kais know what has happened to Goku and the Earth, of course.” Shin said.

A sad smile was on his face as the universe now felt slightly empty now that Goku and his friends would no longer be around to help save it (or fact that matter, made the situation worse, he mused to himself). “Followed by New Namke at Piccolo’s request. And then I think I’ll stop by Otherworld and see what fighters might make for a suitable replacement for Goku and his friends.”

“That may be a good idea.” Whis said. “With the Earth having changed universes and Freiza dead there is quite a dearth of strong fighters.”

Shin couldn’t help but note the Angel said nothing of morality in that sentence. 

“Which means if we have another tournament, we’re screwed.” Beerus scowled. He glanced over at Jaco, causing the patroller to stiffen instantly under the Destroyer’s gaze.

“C-Can I help you, Lord Beerus?”

Beerus grinned which made Jaco sweat greatly in mere seconds. “Tell me, mortal. How would you like to become my personal disciple?”

Jaco blinked. “What.”

Chapter Text

The Other World did not change. Time, naturally, had no meaning which meant for those fighters in the planet of the Grand Kai, it was an endless amount of training and sparring as fighters from across time and from all four corners of the universe battled it out to push past their limits.

“Penny for your thoughts?” 

King Kai jolted up as he saw the elven eared, denim jean wearing, t-shirt parading Grand Kai standing beside him.

“Did I tell you what happened to the Earth, sir?”

Grand Kai frowned in thought. “How it’s been swapped to another universe?”

The Northern King Kai nodded. “Goku and his friends are now technically citizens of the Sixth Universe and, well, as much as his sheer lack of manners, he’s easily the best student I’ve ever had for the short amount of time I had to train him up into a real fighter. The universe just feels a bit more empty without him, I suppose.”

“We are Kais, you know. Nothing stopping us from requesting a visit and all that. I could pull some strings with my Sixth Universe counterpart if you’d like?”

“Maybe another time, Lord Kai.” North Kai said. “I want to give Goku some time to miss me, after all.”

“I’ll be sure to tell Goku that when I next see him.”

North Kai and Grand Kai turned to see the small, purple figure of the Supreme Kai.

“You honor us with your presence, Supreme Kai.” Grand Kai said with a polite nod. “I’d dress up for the occasion but sudden appearances by ones like yourself don’t give these old bones much time to change clothes.”

“Please, think nothing of it.” Shin said, shaking his head. “I’m actually here for something else. I’m here to see what you have in terms of fighters who might help the mortal realm.”

Grand Kai and North Kai glanced at one another.

“Pikkon!”

The green skinned, somber faced fighter paused mid kata as he flew towards the Kais.

“You called, Lord North?”

“This is Pikkon.” North King Kai said. “Besides Goku, he’sone of the strongest fighters here.”

“So I see.” Shin looked Pikkon over. “You are quite strong, Pikkon. I dare say you could easily give me a run for my money if we were to fight.”

Pikkon glanced away, slightly embarrassed by the Supreme Kai’s praise. “You honor me, Lord Shin.”

“Tell me, have you heard of what happened to Earth?”

Pikkon nodded, his prominent lips lowered into a heavy frown. “It is disappointing that a universe now separates Son Goku and myself from another rematch. I had been looking forward to facing him again after he passed away of natural causes.”

“Lord Zeno, the god beyond all gods, has said that he would like to throw a tournament with even more universes involved. Naturally, between their own native fighters and now having the Earth, the Sixth Universe would have quite their pick of potential pullgists.”

Shin paused. “So I have decided to take it upon myself to start looking at a potential set of fighters who could replace Goku and his friends, if such a tournament were ever to arrive.”

“That is a very wise course of action, sir,” Pikkon said.

Shin smiled bitterly. “One of the few good ones I’ve made in a very long while, I suppose. Naturally, you will be on the list.”

Pikkon blinked, then knelt to one knee. “You do me a great honor, Lord Shin. May I ask who else might be on the list?”

“It’s still a work in progress, of course. But…” Shin smiled. “I was thinking that perhaps the Demon King and the likes of Freiza might make possible candidates.”

“When the Demon King turned over a new leaf, he lost all drive to fight.” Pikkon said in his usual blunt manner. “As for Freiza… would that be wise, my lord?”

“Knowing someone like him? No. Which is why I have plans for you and the one known as Olibu to act as insurance if he does try something, should we require his power in the future. As for the Demon King, I have plans to speak to him next.”

Shin turned to King Kai. “Olibu is one of yours, correct?”

King Kai nodded. “Besides Goku, one of my best.”

“Plans?” Pikkon blinked, not understanding the Kai’s meaning.

“Tell me, Pikkon, how much progress have you made, training in Other World?”

Pikkon shrugged. “As much progress as one can make when one is dead, I suppose. The gains start to stagnate past the first few thousand years, which is why Son Goku left me in the dust once he unlocked that third state of Super Saiyan. Why do you ask?”

“Because I wish for you and Olibu to take on some special training.”

“What is all this about special training?” Olibu’s voice boomed into the conversation as the towering blonde haired fighter hovered towards the group.

“Ah, wonderful. Just the Earthling I was looking for.” Shin smiled. He quickly caught Olibu up on the rest of his plan.

“Then you will train us, Lord Shin?” Olibu frowned. Being a fighter and coming from a more primitive time in Earth’s past thinking was not the blonde man’s strong point. 

“Not I.” Shin said. “A friend.”

“I suppose this is my cue.”

A tall, white haired figure in a strange maroon robe wielding an odd staff materialized before the fighters and Kais.

Whis smiled at Pikkon and Olibu. “Greetings, gentlemen. I am the Angel known as Whis, Son Goku’s last master in the Seventh Universe. I look forward to training the both of you for the upcoming battles ahead.”

As Whis chatted with the Grand Kai, Shin took his leave through Instantaneous Movement. 

The purple Supreme Kai had never visited Heaven that often, or Other World, for that matter. Kais like him didn’t die, in a traditional sense so there was little point in trying to find his fellow Supreme Kais who had either parashed or been absorbed by the original form of Majin Buu so many eons ago.

Not that it would have mattered. As strong as Pikkon and Olibu were, they had been unable to pull out the Z-Sword when the Supreme Kai had taken them to his homeworld on a whim. But they would need superior training if the Seven Universe was to have a hope of surviving this new multiverse tournament in the near future. 

“Supreme Kai?” 

A raspy, deep voice echoed throughout the serenity of Heaven.

Shin smiled tightly. “Hello, Dabura. I know you have sworn off a life of violence since coming here, but I was curious if you would be willing to help me with something.”

When Shin had finished explaining the situation to the former king of demons, Dabura frowned hard.

“What you ask is an almost impossible task for someone like myself.” Dabura admitted. “But if dear Chi-Chi and Bulma’s husbands are indeed now the residence of another universe and our universe is forced to fight…”

“You see the issue.” Shin sighed. “In truth had I nugged that pompous puss Beerus just a bit more to deal with Cold’s clan centuries prior we might have more of our pick of fighters in the universe then just the Earth. As things stand I am resorting to the dead as well as the morally bankrupt in the case of Freiza to fill my ranks, a prospect I for the record, am not remotely happy about.”

For a long moment, Debura was silent. “Supreme Kai?”

“Yes?”

“If it is not too much of a boon to ask of you, could you have me restored to life?”

Shin blinked. “Of course. I am the Supreme Kai, putting in an order for you to be brought back with King Yema would be child's play. Why?”

“I would like to return to my home, the Demon World. I know of someone who could help us.”

Shin blinked. “Who?”

Debura scowled. “A wielder of the mystic artist and a supreme scientist. My sister by adoption, Towa.”