Final War: Episode 1
Freeza's ominous moves, the Kais' panic, picnic and dinner dates and Goku's new pupil. All this and more on Final War: Episode 1.
Before a silent asteroid, in a distant corner of the universe, loomed the largest spaceship in existence.
Freeza offered a curt nod to Berryblue.
“Yes, Lord Freeza.” She replied.
“Very good. Now, it's time for us to go after the Super Dragon Balls.”
“Indeed, Lord Freeza's wish will surely be realized when he gets the Super Dragon Balls.”
“Yes, but if they're like the others… can we find them even if they're dormant?” Berryblue asks.
“True. We don't have a radar to track them.”
“All very valid concerns, but thankfully we have solutions.”
Freeza pointed at the kneeling Heeter siblings, the rotund Oil and his sister Macki.
“I shall connect them at once.” Berryblue announces.
“Now, tell me all about your plans to topple my empire.” Freeza smirked at them.
The Freeza force was commandeering the assets of the Heeters. Now that their leader, Elec, and his muscle, Gas, were no more, they were forced to serve the tyrant Freeza. Objection meant death.
Freeza and his 2 subordinates, Berryblue and Kikono, followed the siblings to the container holding the OG android, 73-i, that survived the battle between Moro and Earth's defenders.
Freeza also heard about a fascinating individual that the Heeter siblings used to trick the saiyans into doing their bidding.
“Zuno, was it? This ‘Zuno’ truly claims to possess all information in the universe?”
“Y-yes, Lord Freeza. And we can take you to him! Please, spare our lives.”
They fell flat on their face and begged for forgiveness for being part of Elec's stupid plot to overthrow Freeza.
“Berryblue, let's bring that one under our custody. I have a few questions for him, myself.” Freeza grinned.
“Hmm, I would also like to meet this one's creator, Lord Freeza.” Kikono bowed.
“Hmm?”
“Pardon me, my lord. Perhaps, that genius would be amenable to filling our top ranks with undetectable androids with the strength that far surpasses the Ginyu force?” Kikono expounded.
“Y-yes, m-my Lord! It was the Cerealian brat called Granolah who brought him to Elec.” Oil stammered.
“His name is Goichi, a genius doctor who created the OG soldiers.” Macki revealed, while prostrated.
“Good. Then, Kikono, you will follow these 2 to this one's creator and persuade him to join my side.”
“At once, Lord Freeza.”
Freeza ordered them to load the OG soldier, 73-i, onto his spaceship as well as the information recovered from his memory banks.
As soon as it was done, Freeza extended his left fist, and the massive asteroid, which was several times larger than a dozen mountains stacked on top of each other, began to shake violently.
He smirked and quickly clutched his fist and immediately, the entire asteroid became a dust cloud.
“N-no way…” Oil couldn't believe his eyes.
Normally, Freeza would use a giant ball of energy (though it actually contained a mere drop in the ocean of his total energy reserves) to destroy whatever he pleased. This time, he decided to find the true extent of his psychic abilities. Freeza sought true domination over reality, to pluck the gods from their lofty heights and bring them beneath his feet, to be trampled under foot for their arrogance.
Lord Freeza was incensed at the notion. Gods? Why, that was the height of insult. He would show that none existed, that they were merely children pretending to be outside of his rightful rule. Emperor Freeza feared none. His resurrection was proof that not even the depths of hell could bind him.
Freeza would tear down the order of the gods, and he would do it with his own innate abilities.
➿
The Supreme Kais, Shin and his Great Ancestor, were playing a game of Othello to pass the time. For Shin, though, this game had a calming effect as he thought of how to save his universe.
Thanks to Goku's efforts, they had managed to become aware of the ‘mortal level’ that the Omni kings prioritized when ranking the universe.
Shin wished he could get right to it, however there was a big Empire in the way…
“This bodes ill, Lord Supreme Kai,” Kibito tried to wipe the sweat running down his face, but couldn't hide the dread in his voice, as he ran to his Lord, Shin, and the Great Ancestor.
He told them of his observations of the universe:
How in the time during Freeza's absence, the universe was relatively calm, even though subjugations were steadily rising. After his return, they had reduced however, but they could feel it was about to pick up.
“Indeed, it seems our universe is set to endure a major crisis,” Shin sighed.
“If only we could rid this universe of Freeza…” the Great Ancestor mused.
That was the optimal solution to their worries, but there were no heroes capable of granting such a boon.
They wanted to turn to the heroes who stopped Majin Buu's resurgence of anarchy and destruction, the saiyans who lived on Earth: Goku and Vegeta. However, they watched the duo's struggle against the Heeter Gas, even though they were backed by the incredibly strong Cerealian survivor Granolah.
Then, Freeza descended on Planet Cereal and easily destroyed Gas and his older brother Elec. The evil tyrant managed to eliminate a threat not even Goku, Vegeta and Granolah together had struggled immensely against with his new Black Form.
There was no telling what Freeza wanted now that he had such strength. However, they could at least guess.
“Will our universe ever just be quiet and calm? Geez, we really should've made mortals who were focused on dirty magazines!” The Great Ancestor joked, but the Supreme Kai Shin couldn't find amusement in anything.
“It seems Freeza's made a move!” Shin revealed.
“Seriously!?” They panicked.
“No way…” they dejectedly sighed upon seeing Freeza crush a large asteroid with psychic powers alone.
“We need to brace for a tumultuous Era. Majin Buu had nothing on who Freeza is now.” Shin fell onto the ground in exasperation.
“Great Ancestor, in your time, did chaos rein so eagerly and with such little downtime?” He managed to ask, with a razzle smile on his face.
Their heads could only look to the ground they stood on for ethereal solace.
➿
“So, Mr Satan, in next year's World Martial arts tournament, you'll be participating as well?”
“Rah ha ha ha! Sure, I will. I'm the champion! It would be unfair if I don't pass the belt to a worthy Victor personally, wouldn't it? Rah ha ha ha!”
“My, what a true hero you are, Mr Satan!”
The World Champion, Mr Satan, was Earth's greatest defender, but while he was granting an exclusive interview, 2 other heroes were in the field stealing the adoration of civilians all around the globe:
Saiyaman X-1 and X-2!
They were keeping the streets clean from armed bank robbery, keeping the peace and winning hearts due to their impressive strength and dedication to cleanliness!
They were also the sons of Goku and Vegeta:
“We're the clean-up heroes! Saiyaman X-1,” Trunks said.
“Saiyaman X-2!” Goten followed.
“Here to tidy up!!” They said in unison.
Speaking of the saiyans, they were busy currying the favor of their wives.
They had spent almost a whole year away from home, to train on Lord Beerus’ world.
Had they spent yet another day, they would surely have been banished from home.
“H-honey,” he tried to underplay his crimes. “Why don't we go on a date, Bulma? I-I’ll cover it!”
“Hah! You? You don't even have a job!!”
“N-no, you're wrong. I reserved it, just for the 2 of us. We can order whatever we like. It's already settled, OK?”
“Hmm?”
To calm her down, Vegeta had to promise to accompany her on her shopping, and that he'd cover that as well.
The whole night, he repeated his rehearsed lines to ensure Bulma's maximum satisfaction and to avoid stepping on any mines, ruining her mood.
‘Bulla's plans worked to a tee…’ Vegeta sighed in relief.
Bulma managed to get him to dance as well. She was very happy that night.
. . . . .
. . .
.
Not to mention, Goku fared not much better.
He went on a picnic with Chichi, where he ate everything she cooked for him.
Due to her pride in her cooking, Chichi thoroughly enjoyed receiving Goku's compliments while he stuffed his face.
She managed to get him to promise to get back into farming as well. He had no choice in the matter, truth be told.
Later, Videl, Gohan and Pan came to join their picnic.
That was a save, because thanks to Gohan joining, Goku was able to sneak a nap while Videl and Chichi were making small talk about various topics.
When Gohan began to spar with his eager Pan, Goku woke up and also decided to join in, too.
Right when it was getting good, however, Chichi caught Goku unawares. In her tackle, he promised to only teach Pan the alphabet and help her with academics.
Tears flowed down his eyes. A truly sorrowful state of affairs in the Son family.
➿
A year had passed.
Kakarot's opponent Uub was hanging in there, and even improved at an incredible speed in the heat of battle.
Vegeta was surprised.
At first he doubted that Kakarot would be correct—
As Bulma complained about how the saiyans were weird for never aging like ‘normal people’, Vegeta joined the conversation, informing her that their race stayed young to fight more.
As Bulma grumbled under her breath about getting young, Vegeta asked if Kakarot would participate in the World Martial arts tournament.
“Yeah! I decided today! Vegeta, you should join too.”
“Why? Why must you join this year?”
“An incredible fighter's coming this year! I've been watching over him, and tomorrow he'll be participating.”
“Huh? I don't sense anyone incredible.”
“That's because he's hiding his ki. But I can feel it. It's incredibly strong.”
—There was one with the strength to keep up with them. What Kakarot had said yesterday about an incredible fighter was correct.
Vegeta thought it was absurd. Kakarot had wished for the menace Majin Buu to be resurrected as a good person so he could fight him again. And here Buu was, a young boy named Uub.
As Vegeta thought about all this, Kakarot had stopped fighting Uub and told his family that he would be unavailable for a while to train the boy.
Then, he apologized to Vegeta for dragging him into the tournament for nothing.
‘Heh,’ Vegeta could only respond, “We couldn't have gone all out anyway. Even to get warmed up, only a planet would do.” These words were actually directed at himself.
As always, Vegeta could see through Kakarot. He had spent an agonizing amount of time with him, his rival, on several occasions.
While his family and friends found it shocking, Vegeta didn't. ‘You want to put him on the right path, you say. As if a clown can speak so nobly—your main goal is to fight him at his best.’
Vegeta couldn't hate him, or his unbridled selfishness.
After all, he had his own goals to achieve.
‘Have fun, Kakarot. While you're busy playing teacher, I would have reached the next level, surpassing you.’
Vegeta knew that the bigger the gap between himself and Goku, the faster Goku would improve in the battle. However, he intended to be the stop-gap to the lawfully recurring phenomenon.
He could only clench his fists in anticipation.