Kira got a smile at Mioi’s training idea, obviously glad at her padawan.
“Great idea. Being isolated in this room will serve as enough of a challenge. Though generally the training is supposed to be done blind, closing your eye will be enough.” She stated in excitement. “I can sense Koth, Seyna, Jaz, and Oriko, and you. Oh, and two signatures in Kire’s lab. See if you can’t do the same.” She instructed. “If you struggle with it then I’ll provide guidance.”
- - -
With Kire busy talking to Jr., Solaris stumbled past the lab, trying to find a room with a window in it. Somewhere to look at something, to get his head cleared.
I can’t remember. I can’t remember at all. When did I meet Brachi? Where was it? Was I friend? Was I foe? I know, I know I did something for her. Something... Involving Jack? Or, Atama? Words bleed together. Memories just dark dreams.
Stumbling into an unused room, Solaris ended up tripping on his cape and falling onto the ground.
Vegetto kept his frown, standing silently throughout Jaz's tirade with his eyes trained on her. He waited a few seconds after she finished, exhaling a deep and heavy sigh before crossing his arms on his chest.
"Look Jaz...I'm not going to pretend there isn't a power difference here or that you can easily overcome this burden all on your own. But this...isn't the right way to do it."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You're spending too much time thinking about others and worrying about things you can't control. It's what you fear most: you see that power, you see it continue to grow and it frightens you because you can't do anything to stop it, knowing it's bigger than your own. A part of me used to live that way; always focusing on others and forgetting what it means to actually improve your own capabilities in that desire to be above something outside of your direct control."
Vegetto raised an eyebrow, nodding down to her.
"Think about it: how are you going to learn to fly, if the only things that pushed you to try it right now were Arcann, Vaylin, and me?"
==============================
Vegetto Jr. turned his head down, falling silent for a moment before suddenly speaking up.
"I love her...more than anything in this universe. Someone like you wouldn't understand...thinking she's your property or that you can decide how she feels. But I know she feels the same about me...and there's nothing you can do to end that, no matter how smart you think you are."
His frown deepened a bit, lifting his head back up and turning his intense, solemn stare out to the stars. His lips lifted slightly in a half effort smile, however, stifling a small chuckle.
"Listening to her again brought me back...I'd seen plenty of it in the resistance. It's what gave me courage all those years while she was gone: hearing all the regular nobodies from around the universe, claiming that Arcann's days as Emperor were numbered. Every time I heard a 'we'll take him down!' or 'the war ends soon!', it always reminded me of her. It didn't matter what it was or how ridiculous the challenge: if there were even a hundred Arcanns standing in her way, she'd take them all on and still think she'd win."
His smile dropped a bit.
"And every time we heard that confidence on the comms, we lost that soldier. Challenging the Eternal Throne was possible only because we spent years and years, making logical, strategic choices. Anyone who fool-heartedly challenged even the smallest obstacle without the real capability to do it always ended up dead."
Vegetto Jr. kept the same expression, pausing for a moment before continuing.
"And here I was...playing the hero myself, trying to encourage the men to be like her...like dad as if it what I really stood for and believed. Watching them follow my advice to victory, only to die for nothing in the end. That's when I realized that I wasn't like them or her: I didn't go out and fight whoever stood in my way. I hid in the base, with all this...power...but knew it wasn't enough to defeat Arcann. All those lives lost, fighting against a force they couldn't possibly beat, while I lived because I knew what it took to beat him: a power none of us could possibly muster up."
His frown deepend again.
"And that's when I thought that maybe...she met the same fate as those men. All those years of trying to find her...perhaps they were in vain. Jaz...Father...all of those heroes of old...dying no better than men trying to emulate their beliefs. I denied it initially...but realizing how this war had been going and how close we were to losing by following their example...it just made more sense for them to be dead than alive."
He exhaled deeply afterwards, sitting upright a bit and narrowing his eyes.
"So when Gogeta Jr. told me of the assassination plan, I realized this was my chance to make a change for that resistance I never believed in. To show everyone that blind arrogance and courage does nothing to win wars. I was going to sneak onto the planet, challenge him using my father's image, and...die at his hands. Maybe then...I figured...I'd fix the foolish beliefs that has led to this massive failure of a fighting force, and give them the means to fight back with the right ideals: my own. I'd give them a new image...one that maybe, wasn't as uplifting and hopeful, but one that taught them how to win nonetheless. They could have a better chance at winning...and in death...I could finally be with the one I love."
Vegetto Jr. paused, his head turning down.
"Then I met Vaylin...and now...I don't know what to do anymore."
Rubbing his head while laying on the ground, Solaris looked up to see Brachi standing and looking at him with concern. Quickly trying to crawl away on his elbows, his cape caught his arms and he fell onto his back. With a sigh he shook his head.
"No, I'm not okay. I'm laying on the ground of an ancient war vessel having tripped on my own cape." He stated.
Jaz remained silent when listening to Vegetto, thinking deeply about what he said. The look on her face showed a struggle behind her tears.
"I don't want to be scared anymore... I wanna be brave like you and stand up to the bad guys! ...Maybe that's just me thinking like a child." Jaz sniffled. "I don't know how I would learn how to fly. You guys make it look so easy, and that leads me to believe that I can do it too... I thought that if I tried hard enough, I would be able to fly."
More tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she was too ashamed to show her crying face to Vegetto. As quickly as she wiped away her tears, more streamed down her face, revealing her insecurity and fear of the whole situation.
"But the more I try, and the more I train myself, the more I realize how impossible it is. I'm just not good enough! I'm not meant to fly! I just... I mean--, I can't-- I... And Junior-- It's all Gogeta's fault-- I..." Jaz was caught mixing her words and her thoughts. In her frustration, she kicked another gizmo; this one hit so hard it smashed on to the wall, denting it before the junk shattered to broken pieces.
"How do you do it Vegetto..? How are you able to protect the people close to you and be so strong at the same time? How I can improve myself to make a difference in what I can do... I just... I don't know what to do anymore."
"Junior, I know the feeling of love and being loved in return," Kire said after Junior finished his speech. "I also know what it's to lose it. But, unlike you, I never got to see Evelyn after 25 years." He shrugged. "Sucks, I know, but it ain't 'bout me."
"I know you probably don't like me after how I treated you, getting too close to Jaz, being her boyfriend, and yadda, yadda... Truth is, I want to make sure Jaz is safe when I'm not around, and I think you're the only one on this ship that gives enough of a damn about Jaz to protect her. I know Jaz is capable of many things, but in case you didn't notice, her mouth thinks before her brain does."
Kire let out a sigh.
"Jaz doesn't take after me, as you can tell... She's got lots of spirit, determination, and best of all, a powerful will. However, she seems to have a problem with her emotions. I think they tend to get the best of her sometimes and, despite all that courage she has, she can make some pretty dumb decisions... You mentioned that you got a lot of courage by remembering her voice and you managed to influence an entire resistance to stand up and fight for what they believe in. That's not something anyone can do, especially by themselves. You got more power than you think, Junior. With all those flaws you two got, no wonder you guys are absolutely perfect for each other."
He sat upright, taking a moment to pause and look at the stars. A smile formed on his face.
"Jaz is a cocky little loudmouth who doesn't think about the consequences of her actions. Her emotions can sometimes speak for her rather than her brain, and that often makes her say things she seriously regrets. She overthinks like a child sometimes... but whenever she's around you, I see her grow. She thinks more carefully and her actions on more responsible. Her emotions are contained as well as her childish tantrums. Around you Junior, Jaz matures and gets even stronger. She seems to learn so much from being around you; I think that's why she tries so hard to impress you sometimes."
"You, on the other hand, are level headed, and you think before you act. You're not a power-hungry bonehead who jumps into battle any second you get, and you don't let the thought of revenge get to you because you have a proper check on your emotions; yet, you give up and fall into a depression so easily that you never get a chance shine. I think Jaz's confidence and strong will gave you the push you need; as you said, you heard her voice, and you got the courage to stand up to Arcann's army and influence people to join you. You may be a shy and awkward kid, but around Jaz, you're the man you dream of being: A man full of potential and a real leader."
Kire chuckled to himself until he held out his hand. The center of his palm began to glow, and a life-sized hologram of Arcann appeared before the two, eyeing them down. Soldiers, guards, droids, and other Elite warriors appear behind him, all ready to strike at Arcann's command.
"And honestly, I think that's why Arcann is terrified of you... Sure, he's an army behind his back, weapons of mass destruction, and fear over the masses, but..."
The Holo-Arcann pointed directly at the two men, sending a wave of soldiers rushing in their direction. Kire snapped his fingers, the images of the army vanishing from sight. Arcann's eye narrowed with anger as he pulled out his saber, igniting it and dash at the two.
"Take away his army..."
Another snap was heard, and the weapon disappeared from sight, Arcann's anger now turning to apparent confusion before the two as he slowly backed away from them.
"Take away his weapons..."
Without warning, the same soldiers that attacked the duo now surrounded Arcann, guns aimed at the Zakuul leader.
"Take away the fear he holds over his people..."
The army fired at their leader, but Kire closed his palm, ending the hologram moments before Arcann's extermination.
"And he's nothing more than just a man. Now, I ain't saying he's an easier target, but when you strip all the power from a war leader, they begin to show fear; I know this because I've done it before, many times, and the result is always the same. As a war veteran, lemmie give you some advice. Instead of going after Arcann and his army, why not go after something he protects, or better yet, fears? I'unno... something, or someone like Vaylin."
He raised an eyebrow, nodding down to him.
"Think about it: How scared would Arcann be if you had more influence over Vaylin than he does?"
Mioi nodded, and fidgeted until she felt she was in a good position to try sensing the energy without feeling any stiffness in her body. "I see you... now, I will try the lab first..." closing her eye, she tried to search for the energy in the void of her sensory deprivation. Two signatures... not unique enough to belong to anybody on the ship. Those must be the suits. She thought, before attempting to move on and find a more defined signature.
"Hmm..." Her brow furrowed. "I think I found one more out by the hall where it got noisy... a few more farther away... but those are harder to pick up because of the distance."
Vegetto's eyes followed the smashing gizmo shattering across the way, lightly lifting his left hand up and catching a couple of pieces flinging towards his chest. Tossing them aside, he stepped forward and knelt down in front of Jaz on one knee. His gloved hands reached out, gripping onto Jaz's shoulders while he stared into her eyes with an intense, stern stare.
"The first thing I do, is make sure I don't let the comparisons to my enemies and allies drive my reasoning. You can't possibly improve your own strength if you keep letting what everyone else is doing weigh you down."
He nodded to her.
"There's no shame in recognizing your flaws and weaknesses, but you can't keep dwelling on them by thinking about everyone else around you. Start with it: you can't fly, and you lack the raw power to face your enemy."
Vegetto raised an eyebrow.
"So, you know the problem: you need to figure out how to fly and how to get stronger. Stop thinking about your enemy and how much stronger they are: there's no point in wasting energy on it. All you can do now is see the limits you have to overcome, and figure out how to move past them. Which you don't know how to fly, but you have friends and family that can do it easily."
He lightly shrugged his shoulders.
"So why not just ask us to teach you?"
================================
Vegetto Jr. lifted his head, staring back at Kire throughout his advice and slowly starting to form a smile at his encouragement of their chemistry. His expression slowly started to lighten up, but at the mention of Kire's final plan to dismantle Arcann's power base, his heart instantly dropped and his heavy frown returned. He turned his head down, inhaling deeply before continuing.
"There was a time...where I did."
He exhaled deeply, shaking his head.
"It was something I didn't see coming: we thought Arcann was only a twin. So when I arrived on world and challenged him to open combat, I had no idea what to do when she showed up."
==========
One year ago, Zakuul.
Having stood alone on the terrace, Vegetto Jr's narrowed and stern eyes glared up at the massive spire hanging over the capital city of the planet. His eyebrows perked a bit, noticing a sudden black streak shooting down onto the ground across the way. He blinked a couple of times, raising an eyebrow in confusion at the hooded woman standing before him.
Vaylin quickly straightened herself up from the landing, her eyes looking over Vegetto Jr. intensely while she smirked back at him.
"Huh...so you're the big bad Outlander that has brother shaking in his throne room."
Vegetto Jr. narrowed his eyes, the comment confusing him.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
Vaylin's smirk lifted into a warm smile suddenly, pointing directly at Vegetto Jr with a determined grin.
"I'm Vaylin! And I'm the one who will defeat you!"
Vegetto Jr. frowned at the sight, the air falling silent for a moment as Vaylin held her posture. He furrowed his eyebrows in his discomfort, glancing to the side in annoyance.
"Alright...Vaylin, is it? I'm not sure what is wrong with your head...or if you're really related to Arcann...but my fight isn't with you, it's with him. We have unfinished business: you don't need to get hurt too."
Vaylin frowned, placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh c'mon, just a little spar? He told me you were a Saiyan too; shouldn't that mean you want to fight the strongest out there?"
Vegetto Jr. perked his head up, his thoughts on the phrase "Saiyan too" while Vaylin grinned, gesturing to herself.
"Like me?"
Vegetto Jr. stared back uneasily, his eyebrow raised.
"Wait...hold on. You're...a Saiyan?"
Vaylin nodded curtly, clenching her fists together.
"Mhm! The strongest to ever exist...according to father."
A sudden surge of purple fire erupted underneath Vegetto Jr.'s boots, engulfing him in its ominous glow and prompting Vaylin to widen her eyes in shock. The newly transformed Dread Saiyan stared her down with intense, stern purple eyes while his spiked, purple hair flowed inside the new aura.
"This isn't a game, little girl. I'll give you one last warning: go home. You don't know who you're dealing with he-"
Vegetto Jr. blinked, stopping mid sentence after noticing Vaylin's excited grin.
"Wow! You can do it too!!"
Vegetto Jr. gasped, watching on as the same purple aura exploded up from underneath her boots and Vaylin's hoodie blasted off her head onto her back. Her purple, confident eyes stared down Vegetto Jr. as she reached up, cracking her knuckles.
"Brother wasn't lying...you really are strong! I've never had the chance to fight someone like you...let's make it a good one!"
===================
Present Day
Vegetto Jr. lifted his lips slightly into a smirk, shaking his head.
"She didn't care about anything really: all she wanted was to have fun in a fight with someone she could really cut loose with. It was close, to say the least...but the first time we ever fought, I took her down. She was only as strong as a Dread Saiyan then; my advanced, pure blood gave me the edge to win out."
His smirk faded.
"Gogeta Jr. told me on the comms shortly after that she was part of the hit: Arcann's most trusted enforcer. Only top intelligence officials on either side knew of her: the only others were the unfortunate souls Arcann released her on. But when I looked down at her, I saw that same fire in her eyes as Jaz."
====================
Vaylin winced, clutching onto her side. The purple energy faded away as she propped herself, grimacing a bit. Vegetto Jr. panted heavily, transformed with the fire burning strongly ontop his head instead of his traditional hair, and lowered his hand down from the earpiece he had been listening to a moment ago. Vaylin chuckled lightly, keeping a small smile.
"Damn...you got me pretty good. I can't feel my arms anymore...but we should do this again tomorrow! I messed up, but I'm sure I can beat you!"
Vegetto Jr. frowned, his right arm extended.
"There won't be a tomorrow for you. You and your brother are done putting this universe to the sword."
Vaylin blinked, the intense energy radiating ominous rays of volatile light off her face as she stared up at Vegetto Jr.
"Huh?"
Vegetto Jr.'s glare intensified.
"Still can't figure it out?! You're dying today: your done terrorizing the people of this universe!"
Vaylin frowned in response, blinking.
"So we're not going to fight again?"
Vegetto Jr.'s stern stare faltered a bit at the sight of her sadness, like a child being denied candy at a grocery store more than a woman about to lose her life.
========================
Vegetto Jr. kept his frown.
"In the end, she didn't really care because the most fun she had, as she put it, was fighting me. Dying would stop that...so she begged for me to let her live so we could."
He glanced down.
"I used to tell everyone that I did it for the reasons you said: to turn Vaylin against Arcann, and take control that way. But really...the real reason I spared her...was because I saw that same, determined strong headedness in her as Jaz. And when I gave her what she wanted...things were...nice."
Vegetto Jr. kept his frown, staring down.
"Out of everyone here, she was the one that would move the heavens themselves for whatever I wanted, no matter how selfish or wrong it may be. Rather than demanding me to work for her, she did everything to make me happy in the short time we spent together. I thought..well...with Jaz being gone...I'd found someone just like her. So it got easier...cause whenever I was with Vaylin...I just convinced myself that it was really Jaz."
Jaz sniffled, trying to keep her face hidden so Vegetto wouldn’t have to see her tears, but she listened very carefully to his words. There was a moment where she remained still until slowly gathering her courage to stare at Vegetto right back, tears still prevalent. Her eyes were wide with the realization of something.
“No shame in realizing my flaws, huh? I never thought of it like that. I always thought I was a burden to you guys because I can’t fly or shoot fireballs.” Jaz wiggled her fingers in a comedic way of firing energy blasts. “I guess I was just too proud of myself to really ask for any help. I really thought the only way I can get stronger is by myself and I was too ashamed to ask… Or maybe I was too shy? Heh, kinda weird for someone like me, huh?”
Jaz giggled slightly before wiping off the remainder of her tears.
“You’re right Veggie, I should ask one of you guys!” The girl tapped her index finger against her chin, pondering. “But who to ask? Can’t ask Gogeta ‘cause he's being a total jerk right now. You need to focus on saving the universe with Brachi and her squad, so I can’t ask you guys. Beery is more focused on food, so he’s out, and I don’t know everyone else enough to train with them. The only one left is Junior…”
Her simple thinking turned to concern.
“I need to apologize to Junior… I said some pretty mean things to him. I hope he forgives me tho’…” Jaz pulled her head back at her last sentence and scoffed. “Wait, what am I sayin’?! Junior is totally gonna forgive me! He spent all his entire friggin' life tryin’ to get me back! No way is he gonna blow this chance! I’m sure he’ll understand if I talk to him. Besides, I already told him I loved him, so I think he’s extra happy about that…” Her cheeks tinged red. “Alright! That settles it then!”
Jaz took hold of Vegetto’s hands and bolted up on her feet, pulling him with her. With her spirits restored and her confidence high, Jaz puffed her ego before jabbing a thumb on the center of her chest. Her green eyes sparkled with joy.
“Starting today, you’re gonna see a brand new Jaz! No more trying to follow your path, no more worrying about how strong the enemy is, no more being scared! This time I’m gonna take things my way and get stronger doing so! When Junior teaches me how to fly, and when he shows me super cool energy techniques, you can finally retire from fighting, Veggie! You’re getting kinda old anyway…”
Jaz chuckled before staring at Vegetto, eyes full of life and vigor, but most of all, gratitude. Without warning, the girl wrapped her arms around Vegetto, burying her face on his Gi. There was a moment of silence between the two until she finally spoke, her tone soft.
“Thank you Veggie, I… I really needed that.”
“I think I’m starting to get the big picture here,” Kire said while removing his bandana and running his fingers through his red hair. “you wanted to fill that hole in your heart, didn’t ya’? You wanted to feel the same passion Jaz gave you, the same confidence, the same love. Jaz was gone, and you couldn’t find her; you lost your way, and eventually, you lost all hope. When Vaylin came in the picture, something sparked inside you, and that hole in your chest was starting to fill up. For once, you felt alive. It was pure ecstasy for you…”
Kire held out his palm, showing a hologram of Vaylin that cheerfully skipped over to Junior and took a seat next to him.
“As you said, you spared the girl because you saw the same ambition Jaz had. She did everything you wanted, listened to your every word, all so you can be happy. You felt great…for a little while. However, deep down inside, I’m willing to bet that you knew it wasn’t the same as having Jaz… You might have liked how Vaylin treated you, but what you really wanted was Jaz. You had a replica, and it only made you crave the real thing even more…”
Holo-Vaylin wrapped her arms around Junior sensually, her cheek resting on his shoulder.
“But you know what I think, Junior?” Kire smirked before rising to his feet. He walked to the window and stood a few feet before it. He chuckled, each time getting progressively louder until he turned on his heel and pointed directly at Junior, his voice sharp and encouraging. “You never really gave up hope! You searched every corner of this universe for 25 years to find your beloved Jaz! All your courage, all your ambition, all your determination never left as you thought it did! Even when you felt your absolute worst, you still had Jaz’s laugh, her face, her strong will running through you! You spent time with Vaylin, but all you saw, all you wanted, was Jaz! You may have given up on yourself, but you never once gave up on Jaz. Fate didn’t bring Jaz back, you did. You didn’t want Vaylin; you wanted Jaz… don’t let her slip through your hands, not after everything you’ve done to get her back.”
Kire’s eyes had the fiery passion similar to Jaz, despite saying they were nothing alike. His smirk rose to a cocky grin as he tied his bandana back on his head.
“If you are willing to risk so much to see my daughter, then I should reward you for your efforts. I want you and Jaz to get stronger with each other, I can never pull you two apart even if I wanted to. You deserve to be happy, regardless of what anyone tells you. However, in the middle of a huge war, that can be a pickle. So how about… a deal?”
The Vaylin Hologram gave an angry stare at Kire, pushing herself closer to Junior, almost as if she wanted to take him away from whatever Kire was going to say next. Kire’s right arm extended to Junior, the same one projecting the hologram. The look in his eyes was intense and honest.
“You spend time with Jaz, teaching her everything you know and protecting her, and I get Arcann off your hair so you won’t have to deal with all this fighting. Don’t worry about me. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself than you think.”
Holo-Vaylin stared directly at Junior, eyes filled with worry, identical to how Jaz would look. Should he accept Kire’s deal, the hologram would disappear, along with all of his fears.
“You can change your future now or dwell in the past you can never reverse. I want to help you, but ultimately, the choice is yours, son.”
"You're doing it. Focusing on the life force flowing through someone, that is the basics of sensing the Force." Kira said, unable to contain her pride in Mioi's success. "The limit of how far you can sense comes down to experience and the strength of who you're trying to find. Solaris used to be someone that anyone could sense a planet away when he really let go. The more battles we get in the better your senses will become. There's not much of a need to strain yourself, so if you want to stop now that's fine."
- - - -
Solaris kept his eyes trained into Brachi's while being helped up.
"I just... Can't remember..."
Static. Fire, brimstone, a figure in a robe, a dark grey skinned demon.
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