~ Few Minutes Before : Guru's Residence ~
In the tranquil yet tense atmosphere of Guru's residence, Ajax leaned casually against the stone walls, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp and attentive. He observed Gohan sparring with Krillin from afar.
Over at the designated training area, Nappa had rekindled his interest in Gohan's growth now that he was fully recovered thanks to Dende. Although the Saiyan General had not completely forgiven Gohan for his past transgressions and still harbored a minor grudge, Piccolo's presence had forced Nappa to push what little of that grudge to the wayside.
Nappa literally couldn't bear to watch Piccolo continue to ruin Gohan, who was his protégé, in such a manner, and so the Saiyan General had risen in fierce protest. Naturally, Piccolo wasn't about to back down either.
And so, an unexpected rivalry erupted between the two mentors. Nappa and Piccolo, each with their own battle philosophies, had found themselves engaged in a small arms race. Each sought to demonstrate the superiority of their combat wisdom by competing to see who could impart the more valuable skill to Gohan.
They've been squabbling ever since.
From his observations over the past day, Ajax noted that Nappa's combat philosophy advocated for the effective use of raw power and aggression, while Piccolo focused on strategy and self-control.
Nappa's brand of training was straightforward and aggressive, aiming to teach Gohan the fundamentals of overwhelming force to cultivate a more aggressive mindset. However, Gohan's natural disposition and his previous training with Piccolo made adapting to this approach somewhat more challenging for the young Saiyan.
Meanwhile, Piccolo had his own lessons to impart, but his approach was distinctly different—emphasizing strategy, energy control, and discipline. He sought to teach that power alone was not the only way to defeat an adversary.
Caught in the middle of this philosophical war, Gohan was swept up in a whirlwind of conflicting teachings. The poor boy found himself struggling to reconcile his two trainers' divergent styles.
But Ajax didn't necessarily see this as a bad thing. In the original timeline, both Piccolo and Nappa were dead, leaving Gohan with no instructors. In Future Trunks' timeline, without any advance warning of the Androids from another Future Trunks, neither Goku nor Piccolo had prioritized training Gohan. Their subsequent untimely deaths forced Gohan to fend for himself, resulting in him being far weaker than he could have been, which ultimately led to his defeat and death at the hands of Androids 17 and 18.
Ajax watched in amusement as Piccolo and Nappa shouted incoherently at each other and at a hapless Gohan in the distance. This Gohan, Ajax reckoned, would develop into a very different kind of warrior. Ajax was actually looking forward to seeing what new tricks Gohan might acquire. Unlike many Isekai protagonists he had known in his past life, Ajax was genuinely invested in enhancing the strength of his allies too, not just himself.
Ajax's gaze shifted to Vegeta. In contrast, the Prince of All Saiyans had been notably inactive. Seated cross-legged, he appeared deeply immersed in some form of meditation—likely an energy control exercise. As Vegeta meditated, his hand rested possessively on the Dragon Ball beside him. The prince's unwillingness to relinquish control over it spoke volumes about the current level of trust between them.
But considering what Ajax had done to Vegeta Jr., he couldn't exactly blame Vegeta for that.
Meanwhile, Dende was engaged in a quieter conversation with Bulma, deeply engrossed in comparing their knowledge about anything and everything.
Beside Ajax, Mushin sat silently.
Ajax's gaze softened as he glanced at the young boy beside him. Mushin, hunched with his knees pulled tightly to his chest, seemed to be wrapped in a shroud of gloom. The boy's eyes, once bright and filled with determination, were now clouded with anxiety and uncertainty. The recent events—the prolonged absence of Nail and the catastrophic battle in the sky the day before—had deeply shaken the young boy.
"So, Mushin," Ajax said, gently nudging the boy with his shoulder. "I'm curious—why do you admire Nail so much?"
Mushin blinked, momentarily breaking from his thoughts. He turned slowly to face Ajax, then looked back down at the patch of grass beneath him. For a moment, the boy remained silent, his chin resting on his knees as he considered the question.
"Because he's the best," Mushin finally replied. "Because he's brave. No matter what happens, as long as Nail is around, you know everything will be alright. He's a hero. He's... my hero."
Ajax considered Mushin's response with a thoughtful hum, his gaze drifting to the distant horizon, where the sky was still tainted by the smoke of Slug's destroyed ship. "And you want to be like him when you grow up?" he asked gently, aiming to steer the conversation toward a more hopeful direction.
"Yeah," Mushin replied, but the boy was downcast, and his voice was heavy with emotion. "I want to be like him someday—to be brave and to be able to save someone, like a hero. It's my dream... I guess."
Ajax could feel the sincerity in Mushin's words, but he detected an underlying hesitation that the boy was struggling to express.
"I'm sensing a pretty big 'but' there."
Mushin flinched at the statement, the image of the cruel demon sitting on a floating mechanical throne searing into his mind. A casually pointed finger. A fleeting flash of purple. A sickening spray of blood. He involuntarily shuddered, wrapping his arms tightly around himself in a futile attempt to ward off his fear. Nail would have undoubtedly confronted Frieza without hesitation, for Nail was brave. Mushin…was not.
Mushin looked up at Ajax with a trace of disappointment. He shook his head, remaining silent. After a period of heavy silence, Mushin changed the topic.
"Why is this happening to us? We didn't do anything to anyone."
The question hung in the air. Ajax sighed deeply, understanding that the harsh truths of the world were often difficult for those who had not yet been exposed to them. His past life had been shaped by similar experiences, and he had come to understand the cruel dynamics that governed such conflicts.
"It's because of power and greed. Law and order are only as strong as those who enforce them, and those with power exceeding the enforcers are above the law. These individuals exploit and oppress simply because they can. There are no consequences for their actions—because no one is capable of making them face those consequences."
"I don't get it," Mushin said petulantly, clearly struggling to grasp the concept.
'Fair enough,' Ajax thought to himself. Mushin was still just a kid, dealing with a world that was harsher than he should have to face at his age. Ajax decided to simplify his explanation, hoping to make it easier for Mushin to digest.
"Think of it this way," Ajax said, choosing his words with care. "When you break the rules, Nail will be there to scold you, right? But what if you were stronger than Nail? Stronger than Elder Guru? Who would be able to scold you then? People who are too strong can hurt others and take what they want because there's no one capable of telling them no. In our case, unfortunately, we have something that Frieza wants."
Mushin's eyes widened slightly, and he shifted uneasily as he mulled over the explanation. He moved his small feet against the ground unhappily, but a glimmer of understanding began to take shape.
Ajax placed a reassuring hand on Mushin's shoulder and attempted to offer some chicken soup for the soul. "It's a cruel world, Mushin. But that doesn't mean we should give up on striving to be heroes. Heroes feel fear too, but they confront injustice in spite of it, even when things seem impossible. And sometimes, simply standing up for what's right, even when things are impossible, could make all the difference."
Ajax thought of Deku during the USJ incident. The young hero was outmatched in every way by the bioengineered beast Noumu and Shigaraki Tomura, but Deku's impulsive decision to shield All Might from Tomura had given the UA staff that crucial extra second they needed to arrive. That single second had saved All Might from decaying.
Mushin, however, appeared visibly shaken. He trembled as he struggled against the crushing weight of the word "impossible," feeling Frieza's shadow seemingly looming over him.
"But… but against Frieza, not even Big Brother Nail is strong enough... is he?"
The thought terrified Mushin, filling him with the dreadful certainty that his hero would die if he confronted the villain who haunted his mind.
"...No," Ajax answered softly, his heart heavy. He saw no point in hiding a truth that could only be postponed, not avoided. "None of us are."
'For now,' Ajax thought to himself, though he kept this part silent.
The two sat in silence, deeply absorbed in thoughts about what lay ahead. Mushin stared at a patch of grass, more distracted than genuinely interested. The blue blades swayed gently in the breeze, but to Mushin, they were a mere blur.
"Are we all going to die?"
Ajax shot a sharp glance at Mushin in response to the morbid question, but the boy, lost in his thoughts, didn't seem to notice Ajax's gaze.
"No. No, we're not. We're going to win." Ajax said it with conviction.
Mushin didn't respond verbally, instead burying his face deep into the crook of his knees. With a voice barely audible and tinged with fragile hope, he asked, "Do you promise?"
Ajax paused. He had always been mindful of the weight of promises and the burden they entailed. He had always been cautious about not making promises lightly, knowing the potential consequences of failing to keep them. After a moment of reflection, Ajax's resolve strengthened. He met Mushin's fearful eyes with a steady, reassuring gaze.
"Yeah, I promise."
With that, Ajax reached up to ruffle Mushin's head.
The two lapsed into silence once more, the air between them filled with unspoken understanding. There was no need for more words; Ajax's promise and Mushin's quiet acceptance were enough. The stillness provided a brief moment of solace for both, if only for a moment.
That calm was abruptly shattered when Guru's ancient voice resonated in their minds.
Vegeta, who had been meditating in apparent detachment, immediately stood up, his posture tense and alert. The squabbling group within the Ki-dispersing dome fell silent, their attention drawn to the source of the disturbance.
"Everyone, five powerful energy signatures have arrived on the planet. Please prepare yourselves; they are very likely not our allies."
Ajax's eyes snapped to Vegeta, who met his gaze with an unreadable expression. Although the Saiyan prince's face was inscrutable, Ajax was certain that Vegeta possessed crucial information about the Ginyu Force.
He would bet Krillin's left testicle on it.
Ajax was aware that his canonical knowledge might be flawed, so he was determined to gather as much information as possible before engaging in battle. He had given Vegeta enough time to adjust, and his patience was wearing thin. He wasn't about to enter a conflict without a clear understanding of his enemies.
Vegeta could bitch all he wanted, but he would talk.
One way or another.
~ At the Same Time: Somewhere On Namek ~
"Do ya think Big Boss meant what I think he meant, Captain?!" Recoome's voice was almost drowned out by the roaring wind, but his excitement remained undiminished.
Ginyu hemmed and hawed at the question as he soared through the air, his hand thoughtfully resting on his chin. The rest of his team flew in their usual formation around him, and their faces showed either annoyance or confusion. The Ginyu Force as a whole was accustomed to clear and precise orders, and this vague mission had left them all feeling uneasy.
Ginyu hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he considered the cryptic orders they had received. The mission was straightforward in its wording but perplexing in its implications. "Retrieve the five balls," Lord Frieza had instructed—nothing more, nothing less.
Jeice drifted closer to Ginyu within their formation.
"Cap'n, I reckon we'd better double-check if there were any extra details. 'Balls' just doesn't cut it as a clear mission directive. We need more info to figure out what we're meant to be doing. Lord Frieza might genuinely off us if we stuff this up, especially with his mood the way it is."
At the mention of Lord Frieza's mood, the members of the Ginyu Force grew somber. They had all come to understand just who had died. To their surprise, Lord Frieza's reaction aligned with what one might expect from someone in mourning. To be honest, they had all expected Lord Frieza to be completely indifferent to the deaths of even his close subordinates.
Apparently not.
Ginyu sighed deeply. He had always taken pride in his ability to decipher even the most ambiguous of commands, but this was a new level of vagueness, even for him.
"Look, guys, I wish I had the answers, but I don't. You all know that mission debriefs for us come from Zarbon because of the high-clearance stuff we deal with, and since he's apparently dead, I'm in the same boat as you," Ginyu said, dragging his hand down his face in frustration. "Right now, we should be focused on finding Vegeta. We can sort out the rest once we've got his ass."
It was Burter who leaned in closer this time. "So, where's Vegeta at? The scouters aren't picking up anything."
"…"
"…"
Ginyu looked around at the expectant faces of his team. The silence stretched, punctuated only by the howling wind and the hum of their energy.
"…I don't know," Ginyu finally admitted in a low voice. "Does anyone have an idea on how to get a solid lead on that asshole's current location?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Another round of uncomfortable silence ensued.
"…Fantastic. Excellent work, team." Ginyu said, covering his frustration at the situation with sarcastic humor.
His remark was met with a chorus of annoyed glares from his squad. The sarcasm wasn't well-received, and for a brief moment, the Ginyu Force was united in their irritation with their captain.
"Cap'n," Jeice finally spoke up. "We get that this situation ain't exactly ideal, but we gotta come up with a plan. Sarcasm ain't gonna help us track down Vegeta."
Without missing a beat, Ginyu shifted the focus from himself to Guldo, who had been quietly observing from the sidelines. "So, Gul, any suggestions?" Ginyu said cheerfully, unrepentantly throwing Guldo under the proverbial bus. "Don't be shy now; speak up! We're all friends here!"
Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Guldo's face went noticeably pale. He blinked rapidly, as though trying to clear onion fumes from his eyes, and fidgeted nervously, his hands rubbing together in an attempt to overcome his social anxiety. The spotlight felt hot, and he was acutely aware of his teammates' expectant stares.
"Uh, umm," Guldo stammered, his voice quivering like a certain nervous gamer maid. "I think—I think maybe we could ping someone on the mothership? T–they might have some updated information or—"
"Oh, I'm getting a ping!" Ginyu interrupted sharply, his loud voice easily drowning out Guldo's suggestion. He held up his scouter and looked at it with a blend of relief and irritation. "Looks like someone finally got their shit together and realized we didn't get squat for this mission!"
Guldo awkwardly choked back his response, though he was secretly relieved to be out of the immediate spotlight. He shrank back slightly but managed a grateful nod as Jeice flew closer, offering a few reassuring pats on his back.
"Good try, mate. That idea was solid," Jeice said warmly, offering genuine encouragement to Guldo.
Guldo managed a grateful smile.
"Th–thanks, Vice-Captain."
The team's collective attention turned to Ginyu as he adjusted the scouter's settings. Ginyu was engrossed in the message he had just received, and the Ginyu Force could sense that more details were coming. They watched with bated breath, each hoping for crucial information that would provide clearer direction for their mission.
Ginyu's eyes examined the transmission carefully. After a brief moment of contemplation, he addressed his team with cautious optimism. "Hmmm, alright team. We've got some news. Good news and bad news."
The squad listened intently.
"The good news is, we've got a lead on what could potentially be Vegeta's location," Ginyu said, letting the information linger for a moment to build some dramatic effect.
The team's spirits lifted at the prospect of a breakthrough, but Ginyu's next words quickly dampened their enthusiasm.
"The bad news is," Ginyu continued, his tone growing more serious, "I don't know who sent these coordinates. Their clearance level must be higher than mine since their credentials are encrypted and inaccessible to me."
Jeice frowned, perturbed by the situation. "That's unusual."
Ginyu nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. It's not just the message that's encrypted, but the entire transmission. I can't access any identifying information about the sender. It's a bit of a black box situation."
The whole team fell into a deep silence as they processed the implications. With so few individuals outranking Captain Ginyu, the only plausible explanation for the encryption was that the order had been given by a grunt using Lord Frieza's credentials.
…which, given the circumstances, was actually somewhat plausible. It was widely believed that Lord Frieza wasn't particularly tech-savvy and had relied on Zarbon to issue orders for decades.
"Well, we might as well go, even if it's a trap—it's not like we can stay here and do nothing!" Burter said, trying to boost morale.
"Yeah…" Ginyu responded. The situation wasn't ideal, but at least the mission's objectives were…actually they were unclear too. He sighed. "Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury to be overly cautious. We need to follow this lead and see where it leads us. The coordinates could bring us closer to Vegeta, and that's all we could hope for."
Without saying anything more, they adjusted their trajectory and set their flight path toward the coordinates given in the encrypted message.