DRAGON BALL Z
AT ANY COST
CHAPTER VII: THE NEW BUDÔKAI
BY
Sgamer82
LOCATION
Kami-sama's Lookout
Goku and Goten appeared in Kami's Lookout via Instantaneous Movement. Goku planned to inform Dende and Piccolo of the Namekian Dragon Ball's theft before heading home with Goten. Looking down at his son, he could see the twelve year old boy was in need of some rest.
He looked worn down, mainly because of the stress of losing Trunks, thinking he could get him back, losing him again, hoping he could get him back, and then losing him again. It was clearly taking a toll on Goten. The kid hadn't said a single word since the exchange on Namek. He didn't even speak as Goku searched for someone to talk to.
Eventually, Dende did appear saying he was busy so he couldn't have gone to Goku sooner. Goku informed him of what he had learned on Namek.
"This is horrible." Dende said sadly as he lowered and shook his head. He suddenly snapped to attention.
"Goku, I just remembered, Piccolo just left a few minutes ago. He said that he'd sensed someone coming to Earth. I think he said the person's name was Rutega."
Goten perked up for a second at the mention of Rutega's name. Neither he nor Goku had seen Rutega in four or five years.
"Are you sure he said Rutega?" Goku asked Dende, the last thing Goku wanted was to depress Goten further by letting him get his hopes up.
"Positive." replied the Namek.
"Well, I guess we'll go see her ourselves. C'mon Goten!" he called.
"Okay." called Goten, saying his first word since returning to Earth. He took Goten's hand in his and felt out Rutega's ki. He sensed her at Capsule Corp. He teleported out as soon as he had an exact fix on where she was.
* * * * *
LOCATION
Capsule Corp. Bulma's home
When Goku and Goten arrived at Capsule Corp. they found themselves in Bulma's living room. They saw the Bulma sitting on the couch holding a sleeping Bra. She sat next to Videl, whose stomach was bulging from her own pregnancy. Piccolo, Vegeta, Gohan, Krillin, Marron, and 18 were standing in the living room looking at them.
"Hi, everyone." said Goku. "I heard Rutega was here."
"Behind you, Goku." said someone behind him.
Goku turned around and saw Rutega, his half-sister, staring right at him. He suddenly realized it was her everybody was looking at, not him. Goku and Goten backed up a little to the others so he could give Rutega some space.
"Hello, Rutega." Goku said politely.
"Hello, Goku, it's good to see you again. I wish, however, it was under better circumstances."
"Whaddya mean?" Goten asked.
"The Cauliflo has been destroyed." Rutega replied, bowing her head.
"Woah..." Goten and Goku said simultaneously.
"Rutega was just telling us about it when you two came in." said Bulma.
"Oh. Well, in that case, continue." Goku said.
"As I was telling the others, a few days ago, we had just finished liberating the planet Cait from the Pola. As we were leaving the system, we were attacked by some unknown force. In the attack, the Cauliflo was destroyed and about a quarter of my crew were killed. Only I came here, the rest of the Cauliflo's survivors are on planet Cait.
"We have only a few images what attacked us. We believe it was a living creature. By the what we have our analysts have shown the creature was a Pola. A Pola that whose skin was as black as space itself, and seemed to posses cold..."
"Blood-red eyes!?" Goten interrupted with a shout. Rutega looked at the boy in shock.
"Yes! How could you possibly have known?!" Rutega asked.
"That same person killed Trunks less than a week ago." Goten said through clenched teeth.
"It also matches the description of a person who stole a Dragon Ball from the Nameks." Goku said.
"A Dragon Ball was stolen?" Piccolo asked Goku.
"Yeah, and it's odd. He only took the seven star ball and left the planet. He didn't even bother with the others at all."
"Hmmm..." Piccolo mumbled going into deep thought.
"Sounds like this guy's been busy." 18 commented.
"Do you know anything about who he is, Rutega?" Goten asked.
"Very little, I'm afraid. A race working with us, the Rekishika, has some information on who he might be. If it's true, then we're dealing with someone who's legendary even among the Pola."
"Who?" Goten asked.
Before Rutega could respond, the television suddenly came on.
"What in the world?" Bulma asked no one in particular.
The TV showed a ton of static for a few minutes. Afterwards it cleared into a face. The face was all black and seemed to be wearing a gray helmet with small horns going down the back of the head. He was obviously Pola. To Goku the face resembled Koola's. The face looked right into whatever was filming him. Rutega and Goten immediately saw the cold, blood-red eyes and realized who it was.
"That's the one who destroyed Cauliflo!" Rutega shouted.
"That's the guy who killed Trunks!" Goten yelled so loudly Bra woke up and started to cry. Bulma managed to soothe her and make her stop crying.
"Greetings to the universe." the creature said in a voice that sounded like he was the host of a gala ball.
"I was hoped to be the successor to the throne to the Pola Empire. But the Empire has proven itself to be stale, decrepit, doomed for a slow, agonizing fall. Some among you might be happy to know I've hastened that death.
"There is no longer a Pola Empire."
Rutega felt a mix of happiness at this news and at the same time a rage that the stranger who destroyed her ship destroyed the empire. It seemed to her he was a glory hunter who wanted to have all the credit for defeating the Pola.
"I feel that such news deserves celebration and I have already arranged how it will be done."
Everyone watched without a word, wondering what in the universe this creature was talking about.
"With the Pola gone, there is now an empty place where the most powerful should be. I have no interest in taking that position myself unless I absolutely must.
"So, with this in mind, I have created a tournament for fighters across the universe. The Uchûnakaichi Budôkai Each race that participates will choose the most powerful one among them and send them to a location that will be broadcast in seven rotations of planet Polaris.
"The contestants will be whittled down in preliminary rounds until there are only sixteen fighters left. Among those sixteen, three will battle in a three person free-for-all. The winner of that battle will go on to face an opponent of my choosing. If that opponent is beaten, then the fighter will continue on to face me in a one-on-one battle to the death.
"The winner that battle he will prove himself and his race to be the strongest in the universe. The Champion will have the right to take his place as the ruler of the stars and creator of a new empire.
"So, be prepared in seven Polaris rotations when the instructions on how to register are given.
"By the way, for those who are wondering who I am, my name is Frost DaiKyokuchiô."
The Television blinked off just as suddenly as it had turned on, and everyone was left wondering what had just happened.
Frost, Goten thought, I'll remember that name. And no matter what, I will meet you in the Uchûnakaichi Budôkai.
END OF CHAPTER VII