Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

One thing was for certain: Whatever would happen to the rapidly crumbling empire, someone had to stand at the top of the rubble.

It had been some years since Lord Frieza had been killed alongside his father and then soon after followed by his brother, Cooler. The once unstoppable Frieza Force had become a shell of itself. The emperor and his strongest soldiers were gone. The army had dwindled to a fraction of its former number. The combined losses ignited the flames of rebellion within nearly every star system in their domain.

Your footsteps echoed across one of the many alabaster passageways in the base. What you were told had once been a booming stronghold now seemed almost hauntingly empty. With so many soldiers spread out, there were only a few dozen left to manage it. The facility itself was also little more than a ghost of a once great power.

It was hard to know how to feel about it, seeing as you only came into existence when the empire was already in decline. It was a history that had both everything and nothing to do with you. Although you never played a part in those events, they were the sole reason you were brought into being. You existed to fill a void they created.

A pair of chattering soldiers turned into the passage from the opposite direction. Spotting you, they instantly quietened down. Recognition and fear shown in their gaze, but not for you specifically. It was for their former dictator. Well, there were so few of your kind in the universe and perhaps, from an outsider’s point of view, you all looked the same. In any case, you were used to this reaction.

They two slowed down to greet you with a small bow, which you answered with a nod and a flick of your tail. They immediately jumped to a brisk walk as soon as they passed you. Soon enough, you were alone with your thoughts once again.

You were one of several candidates pushed to preserve the empire and rise up its broken chain of command. It would be a miracle if anyone could match Frieza’s family in raw power, but if anyone was going to fill in for them, it needed to be someone from your clan. It would be beneath your people to bow to anyone of lesser worth.

Granted, despite the shallow number of clansmen, there was still a long list of strong candidates. There were those who formally served directly under King Cold and then Frieza, controlling different systems within the empire. Even those outside of the clan had risen in power—such as Sorbet, a former support staff member turned commander over the bulk of the army. Some genetic experimentation had also been researched, in an effort to create a fitting emperor if one could not be found.

One member of the clan, Tokaki, was a good candidate from the latter category. Built like a fortress, he barely had to draw out his ki to pummel through all who opposed him. You’d only seen him at a distance, but admittedly, there was a small part of you that wished to never face him in battle.

However, despite this pool of prospects, the throne nevertheless remained vacant. In some cases, while almost all members of your species shared the same pride in their strength and ability, that didn’t necessarily mean they thirsted for conquest. In truth, few possessed Frieza’s level of greed or cruelty. Many might fight amongst each other, but the rest of the galaxy was barely given a passing thought. It was like how a fierce predator might ignore a weak scavenger: Even if both were carnivores, there was no point in giving attention to creatures who could only pick up one’s scraps.

So, to many, the position of emperor would only be for the glory of the title alone. For a species that already believed itself to be the strongest in the universe, it didn’t mean as much as one would think. There was simply nothing to prove.

Again, Tokaki was a fine example of this mindset. He had, at one point, fought intensely to become the emperor. However, his drive evaporated after another member of his group vanished. Rumor was that they weren’t killed, they just… left. Now, their name couldn’t even be murmured around Tokaki without inviting his ire. He still trained with a terrifying ferocity, but he seemed to have another goal in mind. It was to the point that many wondered if he ever really cared about becoming the ruler to begin with.

Finally, although no one would say it, there was also a small fear of Frieza himself coming back for his title someday—what with the whispered talk of Sorbet hunting the universe for the Namekian dragon balls. If, by some chance, Frieza did return, whoever was the current monarch at the time would need to abdicate quick.

You weren’t sure, but you didn’t bet on Frieza’s revival either. The more time passed, the less of a possibility it seemed. The Namekians had disappeared. From what knowledge you had gathered, the only alternative was to go to a planet called Earth for its dragon balls. Unfortunately for Sorbet, the world was guarded by the very beings that killed Frieza, making it more of a gamble than bringing back the dictator already was.

Eventually, you reached the infirmary. Somehow, it was even more quiet than the rest of the base, the droning of machinery was all there was to break the still atmosphere at first. As you went further inside, a single medical officer was there to greet you with a clipboard in hand. As of the past few days, his elongated head; course, yellow skin; and pinkish sclera were familiar to you. Although he stood a little straighter—as straight as he could anyway—at your arrival, he didn’t show the same fear toward you as the soldiers earlier did.

“Apologies. You came earlier than expected,” he said.

“I want to make this quick,” came your short reply.

“Yes, yes. Sit down, please,” he motioned to a nearby exam table.

The feel of the cold metal beneath you leeched through your bio-suit. It was a very basic check-up, briefly looking at vitals and answering a few questions. They almost always ended the same: The officer pulling out a tiny syringe to inject a clear fluid in an artery in your neck. It was unpleasant, but not unbearable.

“How is your training coming along?”

“Have you noticed any physical difficulty?”

“Are your goals still the same?”

You answered each question as you always did. Training was fine. You were healthy, of course. Nothing had changed. The routine was more tiring that the check-up itself and you wanted nothing more than to go on with your day.

It was a wish that would, unfortunately, go unfulfilled. Hymal, another competitor for the throne, entered the infirmary just as you began to wrap things wrap. While standing at an average height, his broad shoulders, heavy armor, and stone-faced stare made him appear like an unmovable mountain. His overall navy coloration was almost as dark as a midnight sky.

The medical officer blinked at the other clansmen’s sudden appearance… “Forgive me for asking, but I don’t believe you’re scheduled for today, right?”

You felt your muscles tense as Hymal shook his head. His gaze fell in your direction. He was there for you.

Go to the next chapter.

Chapter Text

For others, there was a sort of an unspoken rule regarding your kind: When two Frost Demons faced-off, never stand in their way. The officer was quick to follow that particular rule, shuffling back several steps until he almost collided with a nearby medical tray. All the while, Hymal stared you down with an unreadable expression.

You countered his still gaze with a firm look of your own. You hadn’t really interacted with Hymal enough to have much of an opinion of him, even if you were technically from the same batch of candidates. He was a fine warrior and a strong candidate for emperor—that was it. Moreover, if you were completely honest with yourself, he was in an entire league above you as a warrior. You’d never had to confront him.

Until today, anyway. What made him seek you out was a complete mystery. You didn’t think he was the easily-offended type, but had you set him off somehow? You couldn’t think of anything you had that he would want. Surely, he wasn’t here just to ask you for a basic spar. Or maybe… Something clenched at your chest from the inside. You curled your hands into fists on the medical table, ready to move if needed.    

Maybe Hymal was here to thin the herd. Even if you weren’t the biggest threat to him, maybe he simply planned to take out the weaker candidates for the sake of numbers alone.

“If you’re finished here, will you come with me for a moment?” Although it was a question, it was spoken almost like a command. The fact that he asked at all though—as opposed to firing a ki blast right where you sat—was at least somewhat reassuring.

Another second passed in silence before you nodded. Hymal barely waited for you to slide off of the table before turning around and walking out of the infirmary. You followed a few steps behind, maintaining an ever-vigilant guard.

Several minutes would then drag on as the two of you marched through the winding halls of the base. All the while, Hymal kept walking with his back toward you.  It was a small gesture of absolute confidence that make you feel all the more uneasy.

You quickly noticed that there didn’t seem to be any set direction you were headed in. The only thing worth noting on that far side, other than the infirmary, was a secondary landing dock. You certainly weren’t headed there, passing a series of empty, quiet offices.  Was he hoping to isolate you somewhere?    

Eventually, you had little choice but to voice your reservations aloud, “I think this is far enough.”

While this wasn’t the busiest area, there was still some foot-traffic. True, you knew that there was no one who would come to your rescue; however, if things did turn sour, someone could carry your unconscious body back to a recuperation tank. You weren’t going to give him any advantage.   

Hymal stopped and, finally, looked at you again with that stone-faced gaze. For a moment though, you thought you saw a ghost of a smile tug at the line of his mouth. Maybe in amusement? You couldn’t decipher the expression before it faded just as suddenly as it had appeared—so swiftly that you wondered if it had only been your imagination.

He cut right to the chase, "I want your allegiance." 

You blinked at him myopically. Hymal's words didn't fully register at first. When they did—and when you realized just how serious he was from the firm gaze he continued to level at you—bewilderment evaporated the tension that had only grown within you since leaving the medical bay.   

You couldn't give any kind of immediate response.

"You may have noticed already that people are starting to get nervous. There's been too long of a stand-off and, any day now, that powder keg is going to erupt. More of us are taking sides." He folded his arms across his chest. "I'd prefer it if you were on mine." 

Even with that explanation, you didn't know what to make of the matter. It wasn't as if candidates and their underlings didn't form alliances: Most like you were themselves either backed by the Algid or Drice families—two lines of Frost Demons that each possessed their own, long histories. Both you and Hymal were supported by Algid. Up to now, any degree of allegiance beyond that was irrelevant. The in-fighting was just too severe, with even the reason why so many candidates were stuck on the same planet being just to ensure that the empire’s already decreasing number of worlds didn’t get caught in the crosshairs.

Moreover, why you? You gave him a quizzical look. You didn't doubt your own power, but you were also realistic: There were stronger clansmen he could join hands with. "And why would I work with you?" you pressed, "What do you want from me?"

"I don't need some heavy-hitter, just a second pair of eyes. I would like someone capable of thinking three steps ahead of the enemy," Hymal answered. "You’re a strategist, the survivor type, and I know someone like yourself isn't interested enough in power to go picking fights you can't win.  Given that, I think we could work well together." 

That... was almost acceptable. In not so many words, he was saying that, while he didn’t feel threatened by you, he still thought you were useful enough to keep close. If he'd gone out of his way to flatter you or spun some nonsense about kinsmanship, you wouldn't have believed him. No, instead, he was perfectly blunt and matter-of-fact about his offer.    

Still, it was hard to take such a direct hit to your pride. Your tail curled in agitation. "You don't think I'm any competition."

He shrugged, "Truthfully, I don't really care. If you wish to challenge me, then do it."

Footsteps echoed from behind him. You both glanced down the hall to see a face-snouted officer arrive with his face buried in a tablet. It took a moment for the smaller alien to realize there were two Frost Demons silently staring his way. The poor thing nearly squeaked in panic before quickly making himself scarce, realizing fast that whatever conversation was being had, it wasn't meant for his ears. 

Hymal stayed silent for a few more seconds before continuing where he left off. "Though of course, you would also benefit from teaming up. I won't fight your battles, but I can better prepare you for them. If you support me, I can ensure your status."

“For how long?”

He didn’t bat an eye at your open suspicions. “Until the number of candidates has thinned out, in the very least. Beyond that? Well, I suppose whether we maintain our alliance or not would be up to you.”

Although it seemed like he was giving you the reigns of the situation, it didn’t feel like it. You could refuse, but you knew there would be consequences. It was only a matter of how soon Hymal would deal them out.  Nevertheless, taking sides without any forethought wasn’t a smart move either.

You’d done well enough to stay alive in the battle for throne, neither being overly antagonistic or showing any sign of weakness for others to trample over.  You kept to yourself.  Just like Hymal, others viewed you as little competition in the grand scheme of things.  The moment anyone realized that you were working with someone else, you’d certainly wind up with a target on your back.   

Out of respect for his honesty, you dared to ask one more question, "And if I end up betraying you first?"  

Hymal paused before taking a step toward you. As the bright overhead lights were shadowed by his bulky form, you were once again made aware of just how imposing he was. Somehow though, rather than recoil, you found yourself wondering what kind of emperor this silent behemoth would be if he did claim the title. Even he had all the charisma of a concrete block, there was just no denying the one thing he possessed that mattered most in the end: Unlimited power. 

"Then you'd be making a mistake."

You flinched as a large hand clasped your shoulder. However, he merely gave it a firm, dominating squeeze in farewell before casually maneuvering around you to leave the way you both came from.

It took a while longer to get your own feet to move. If events were starting to speed along rapidly enough for someone like Hymal to approach you, then you couldn’t just sit on this. Like he said, there would inevitably be a powder-keg moment and you didn’t want to be caught unprepared when it happened. For now, tying yourself to another strong candidate was likely the safest move.

However, Hymal wasn’t the only powerhouse. He seemed reliable enough and was debatably the strongest among your group, sure, but you immediately thought of one other: Tokaki.

If those two were to directly clash, the latter would most likely wind up the victor. That is, if Tokaki ever regained his sense of ambition.  The way things looked now though, he might also reach the same conclusion so many were drawing to: It was either reach a position no one could shake or risk dying at the hands of the other candidates.

There were other matters to consider as well. Unlike you and Hymal, Tokaki was backed by Commander Drice. That group was fundamentally different in its pursuit of power, often viewed as ruthless by even the most steel-hearted of soldiers. Granted, Algid and Drice themselves never had any sort of rivalry to speak of, but the same did not go for the candidates they supported.  Winning Tokaki’s favor—as well as possibly Commander Drice’s—could prove difficult.

Hymal felt like the safe answer to your immediate worries. Tokaki felt like a gamble, but the best gamble to make in the long game. There wasn’t anything about this that you took lightly, and it was only after much thorough contemplation that you reached a decision.

If you form an alliance with Hymal, go to Chapter 60.
If you try to form an alliance with Tokaki, go to Chapter 61.

Chapter Text

There was no way you were prepared for how the conversation had turned around: Your attempts to win Jierra over and thereby begin forging connections beyond the base becoming some kind of inspection against you. Yet despite this, and despite Jierra’s brief change in character, you didn’t get a hostile air from him. His bitterness didn’t seem to be directed at you, but at something much broader.

The biggest concern you still had was in how vague Jierra being, but when you took a moment to think about it… hadn’t he almost always spoke that way? Much of what you thought you understood about him came from your own assumptions or dissections of his words. And who was this unknown third-party he was talking about that wanted to see you, a middling candidate?

You swallowed your confusion. From the way the other Frost Demon was staring at you, you felt a decision had to be made Whatever you were getting yourself into was impossible for you to trust; however, you felt that if you didn’t take the chance now, then none of your questions would get answered.

For the time being, you asked only one of them, “Meet where? Surely you can’t expect me to suddenly race out of here with your crew.”

Even if the two of you left alone, the only thing you knew was close enough to fly to was an old depot. Even that would take a while to reach, and you weren’t certain that you could make it back in time without drawing attention to yourself.

You startled a bit, raising a brow as Jierra took you by the shoulder with a steady grip. Before you could bark at him to release you, you were suddenly overwhelmed by a bright flash of light. Your body felt weightless and the distant, busy atmosphere of the hanger all at once became quiet.

To call the brief experience disorienting was mild to say the least. One moment, you were surrounded by the smell of metal and the sounds of various moving parts, mechanical whines, and chattering voices: The next, those sensations were replaced by the scent of old parchment and an empty silence. While nothing was wrong with your eyes, it still felt like your vision returned to you last as your mind finished processing that you had been taken somewhere entirely new.

It looked to be a sort of library, but one far older and grander than the utilitarian archives at the base. There were no standing shelves to clutter its two-leveled, circular space, but diamond-shaped alcoves in its walls contained countless, large scrolls. The chamber was far more decorative than anywhere you’d been, with rich, yet tasteful geometric patterns detailing the stonework. A short, empty platform brightened by twin light fixtures stood on either side of the lower level, with an octagonal table and stool serving as the chamber’s only other furnishings.

Had you both teleported? You’d heard of some people using such powers, bur had never witnessed them first-hand. Its implications started to bring a thousand worst-case scenarios to your mind, but before you could react to any of them, someone new addressed you, “Welcome.”

You spun around on your heel to face the source of the voice. Behind you stood a pink humanoid female with pointed ears. Despite her regal outfit and mature, if dainty alto, she had an almost childish appearance—from her smaller frame to her wide, bright eyes. Jierra was still with you, but said nothing, standing back as the petite woman approached.

You didn’t immediately know what to make of her or her bravery…

“I’m Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time, and this is the Time Nest,” she continued, before her brows rose in an almost apologetic smile, “I know there’s a lot to take in at once, so let’s just try to cover it all little by little, ok?”

Instinctively, your eyes drifted toward the stairwell and the large, open exist beyond it. Then you looked to Jierra, who, despite his being sidelined, now took a stance similar to that of a bodyboard as he watched the exchange. You said nothing.

“You see, it’s my job to watch over the flow of history,” said Chronoa, unbothered by your silence. She waved a hand at the other Frost Demon next, “Along with my trusty time patrollers, of course! Your timeline is stable, but when I noticed something off about it, that a part of it seemed to be looping, I sent Jierra to investigate.”

The woman sighed. She took another few steps forward until she was almost within arm’s reach of you. Her hands on her hips, she looked you up and down until her gaze locked onto yours. It was intimidating, but not in a threatening way. Much like with Jierra’s behavior, it was simply off-putting—like the pair of them knew about or were searching for something you didn’t understand.

After what felt like too long, Chroana broke her stare with a sigh and an even brighter smile, “Every now and then, someone like you shows up in the universe… Someone with an ability that can affect time. To me though, you don’t look that dangerous. In the very least, I don’t think you’d trying to do anything on purpose.”

Far from it: You had no idea what this woman was even on about.

“Still, I’d like to make you an offer to join the Time Patrol, if you’re up for it. Tell you what—how about we show you the city first? We can talk more while we show you around.”

Without waiting for your reply, she jogged past you and up the steps, stopping midway to turn around in an expectant pause for you to follow her. She held her arms behind her back in a playful pose, and the light from the outside seemed to beckon you onward as much as the Chroana herself did.

Hesitant, you glanced one more time at Jierra. For the most part, his steady expression offered you no comfort in this completely foreign situation you’d been dragged into. Behind it though, as he looked back at you, he seemed to be mutely encouraging—urging even—for you to do as this strange woman who called herself a ‘kai’ said.

He then walked on to join her on the staircase.

With no idea what you’d gotten yourself into and no clue where you were or how to get back to the base, you had no other option but to follow behind them. Strangely enough, however, as you walked into the light and the scent of fresh grass tickled your nose, you felt safe to relax a little—still uncertain, but gradually shaking the feeling that these people might be out to harm you.

When was the last time you felt you could let your guard down even just a little? You would need to enjoy it for however long it lasted.

THE OFFER FOR A NEW LIFE ENDING          

Chapter Text

Truth be told, there wasn't much prep work you had to do before leaving. All your needs would be tended to, so there was nothing you had to bring along. You didn't have a devoted squad yet, as some other candidates did, that served under you directly. All you had to do was make sure your partner was informed of your absence and show up at the right time and place. 

The ship was parked where you were told it'd be. Aside from receiving a quiet salute from a few soldiers you crossed paths with, no one bothered you or wasted their breath on empty platitudes as you boarded. A part of you preferred it that way, compared to making a scene over what should be a simple job. 

You looked out through one of the ship's viewports as it took off, watching the base blink out of existence in exchange for a dark, endless sky. You'd heard before that some of the other candidates would grow restless, that they felt much more comfortable traversing the stars. Some insisted that it was in your nature as Frost Demons, a species that had no trouble crossing the vacuum of space. Perhaps it was because you hadn't left the base often enough, but you couldn't feel any particular way: The darkness of the void sprinkled with the light of distant worlds was relaxing, but you felt not much other than that.  

You were prepared to wait out the journey to Planet-206 in privacy; however, along the way to your personal quarters, you halted as you overheard a pompous dialogue:

"...could at least afford to look more of the part," said one bald, humanoid soldier, "It's like Algid makes a point to send his worst."

"Who knows, maybe he actually wants to thin the herd," piped up another, "It's not like he or Commander Drice really care about what happens to the Empire anyway—not as it is. Do you see either of them catering to Sorbet, or trying to reach out to Kikono or Berryblue?"

"Sure, out with the old and in with the new."

"And each to their own ambitions. You're right though: For all Algid's work making strong fighters, not many of them match Drice's bunch. Let's just hope this one doesn't freeze up and croak like the last."   

"I'm not placing any bets!"

You barely held back your anger. Normally, you considered yourself to be fairly level-headed, even when insulted, but there was only so much you could tolerate. However, more than just a wound to your own pride, if you let this behavior go unchecked, the disrespect would only grow and possibly interfere with your current mission—those under you unwilling to follow orders because of your inability to put your foot down. This had to be nipped in the bud.   

If you punish the soldiers, go to Chapter 65.
If you give the soldiers a warning, go to Chapter 10.

Chapter Text

So, Tokaki might've been too much of a challenge for you... If he wanted someone at his side that could match his own abilities, then you were probably better off giving up right now. Still, this was a matter of survival and you had hope that you could get stronger. Even though it would likely mean getting into direct conflict with the other candidates sooner than you would've liked, it seemed like the easier option compared to repeatedly throwing yourself at the unscalable wall of a warrior. 

You considered training with some basic soldiers like Tokaki did, just to start with, but quickly thought against it. You needed to improve fast, and also just didn't feel that same rush he got picking on the weak. You did think of one officer, however, that might be useful--a name that had popped up during your initial research.

You waited until you were back in your room to pull up his information: Monbalon—or simply Balon, as other referred to him—was an experienced former captain who'd been stripped of his rank after the candidate he served under, Tokaki's previous partner, vanished. While he was the last person to see the deserter, there was no record of him helping in the escape, so the punishment did seem a little unfair. Not that it was any concern of yours: All that mattered was how he could help you now. Through association, Balon should've been close enough to Tokaki to know how he worked--how he fought and what his expectations would be--while distant enough to not put yourself in anyone's crosshairs if you talked to him.

A person like that might also be easy to bribe. Any bitter feelings he had over his lost station could be used to your advantage.

Luckily enough, he hadn't been moved off-base or assigned to any other candidate. It was child's play to find out his post. Still feeling sore, you got a late start the next morning, but were able to time a meeting with him just right without trouble.

Balon was a brawny, somewhat short humanoid with Uranian blue skin and dark, azure hair. The layer of wrinkles carved into his face revealed his age, despite his fit appearance, and one of the two, blunt horns that jutted from his temples was chipped off at the end. He'd been stuck at a console, monitoring the planet's energy readings. You managed to catch him just after he'd cycled out with another soldier on duty, before he could go on break.    

He wasn't pleased that you stopped him, a frown twisting across his mouth a split second before he could rein it back. Nevertheless, he greeted you with a small bow.  "To what do I owe the honor?" he asked.

You allowed the initial disrespect to pass. If it became an issue later, you would handle it then. "I find myself in need of a training partner," you began.

While you were direct with your explanation overall, you kept your reasoning behind needing to match Tokaki's strength—as well as how wide the gap between you and the other candidate was—vague. He didn't seem like the type to sell information, but you couldn't be too careful and made a point to alert him that the conversation was confidential. In exchange for his cooperation, you offered to help him regain his status within the Force. 

Balon listened well, giving only a nod or a brief word here or there. However, when you were through with your pitch, he soundly rejected it. "I'm... humbled, that you would even ask," he said, "but you're better off asking someone with a higher power level to assist.

You weren't buying it. He didn't have a high power level? Maybe not compared to you or other Frost Demons, but it was impressive enough. In the very least, he wasn't so fragile that you might accidentally kill him with sparring. 

You wouldn't let him excuse himself, "You're throwing away one of the few chances you might have to restore your career."

He didn't immediately back down, "I simply understand my limits. I'm getting older, after all. If you'd like, there are a few men I could recommended for you instead."

"I'm not asking anyone else," you flicked your tail behind you in a subtle warning, "So, you better give me a real reason for turning me down. It wouldn't have anything to do with the last candidate you worked under, would it?"   

For a moment, it seemed that he would try to deny it, but another brief falter of his own expression betrayed him. Balon paused, as if considering his next words carefully, then released a gruff sigh, "I don't mean to offend... But I really don't want to work closely with another candidate—especially anyone close with that one, Tokaki. He wasn't too thrilled with me or my team after his partner's little escape act. I've made a point to stay out of his sight ever since. If I put myself back under his radar, he might actually kill me!"

If you threaten Balon, go to Chapter 78.
If you still try to persuade Balon, go to Chapter 55. 

Chapter Text

The easiest soldiers for you to reach out to from Jewel’s former unit were Zerra and Pavlov. From what you picked up, the two were the only ones that really stuck together after all this time, and they had no particular duties to keep you from speaking to them in private. While you weren’t sure if they were the best people to draw information out of, it was definitely a start.

As luck would have it, you were able to catch them both in their downtime.  You found them playing a boardgame in one of the more remote commons areas near the hangers. There wasn't much traffic that day, so while you did get a few curious glances, there weren't many eyes to focus your way in the first place.

Confused by your impromptu arrival, the duo nevertheless rose to their feet as you approached them. Based on your research, you assumed the hulking amphibian with the armored cranium was Pavlov while the smaller, humanoid female with light purple skin was Zerra. Not knowing who you were, the two remained mostly silent, giving you the chance to speak first. You confirmed their identities and then cut to the chase.

"I need to gather information on your former commander," you explained, "Tell me everything you know: When you last saw Jewel, what your last conversation was—anything you can remember."

As expected, the soldiers were taken aback by the order and the long-buried name mentioned in it. You may as well have uttered a curse. You noticed the female double-check your surroundings, making certain that no one was eavesdropping. She sighed, being careful with how she spoke, "With all due respect...we thought the investigation ended a long time ago. We hadn't heard of it opening back up."

You raised a hand in dismissal. "I'm aware of the investigation and its stigma." Just as much as you were aware that she was trying to skirt around the subject. "This is all off-record."

Your words didn't seem to reassure them. You leashed your impatience, taking account for how poorly things had ended for them because of the deserter. Their team was dissolved and their captain demoted as an admittedly unfair punishment for losing track of the other candidate. Therefore, to call it a sore subject would be putting it lightly. Still, you had no plans on being delicate with them. Your own security was riding on this, after all.  

"Talk. I won't ask you again. Why would one of Drice's strongest candidates suddenly run off?" you kept your tone calm, yet unrelenting, 

Again, there was a delay before their response. Sensing your growing irritation, Pavlov spoke up with a nervous edge to his deep, gravelly voice, "You have to understand... it wasn't our place to be more than a few extra bodies in a fight. Our commander wasn’t one for chitchat, giving out orders and not much else."   

"Our old captain, Monbalon, was the last person to see the commander, but I'd say that Gigori was the closest to Candidate Jewel out of any of us," Zerra offered, looking up at Pavlov, who nodded in agreement. "I'd even go so far as to say he acted like a loyal dog, always eager to please... So, if any one of us had an idea of what the commander might've been thinking, it'd be him."

You noted a bit of disgust in the way the female spoke of her former squad mate, Gigori. It wasn't really out of hatred, more-so annoyance, like how one might feel toward a teacher's pet. Gigori, a Kabochan, had come up in your research; however, you didn't think there was anything particularly noteworthy about him. Maybe your initial judgement was wrong...

In contrast, Zerra's statement on Monbalon—or just Balon, as you remembered he was sometimes called—matched the reports: He was the very last person to see Jewel. More than that, he'd seen Jewel leave, and was punished the worst out of anyone for failing to keep the deserter from taking off. There were two reasons you hadn't gone to talk to him first: Balon would be harder to talk to unnoticed and, whether out of bitterness or fear, you felt he'd strongly refuse to talk about his former superior in the first place.   

In any case, if Zerra and Pavlov were to be believed, you had a better chance of learning more from the other two soldiers. 

If you talk to Balon, go to Chapter 9.
If you talk to Gigori, go to Chapter 47.

Chapter Text

One year later...

Sorbet had done the impossible, and now everyone else had to pay for it. Frieza was back.  

Around a month had passed since then. The effects of the news rippled throughout the remnants of the Frieza Force like a wildfire--even to as far as the base in which all of the candidates trained at. Well... former candidates now. There was no point in lying about it: None of you could rival the resurrected emperor.  

Some tried—and died—in a poor attempt to do so. They didn't return. Thankfully, Frieza was too distracted by his need for revenge against the Saiyans or there was a good chance all of you would've been purged. To him, it was as if you were all beneath his notice, no different to how a fierce wolf might regard a small housedog. 

Enough trouble had spawned since his revival as it was: Soldiers leaving the base in droves to return to the emperor's side, former supporters in the Force going silent, candidates going missing and then later found dead for one reason or another... Most of them were from your group. If you and Hymal hadn't made a point to keep track of one another, a part of you wondered if you would've ended up among them. Then again, given your current situation, perhaps you both had just been delaying the inevitable.     

You stared listlessly out of a viewport, as you had for most of your time on a mid-class ship soaring through the depths of space. It was hard not to worry about whatever fate was in store for you. In the midst of all of the chaos back at the base, you and Hymal were called to come aboard a supply vessel to meet Frieza himself. Since the emperor was currently parked on some untamed, backwater world, it was a long journey. It gave you almost too much time to reflect of matters, such as whether or not you made the right choice teaming up with Hymal so long ago.

True, it was mostly Drice's candidates that attempted to challenge Frieza and were then killed for the effort. However, the handful that survived, including Tokaki, were simply exiled to the aged commander's far off sector. Maybe Frieza just planned to wipe them out later, but at least it bought them more time than what you probably had. Given that you still didn't match Hymal in power, it was likely because of your close connection that you were dragged along.

Not that you ever believed that something like this wouldn't happen; you just never imagined the kind of foe you'd be facing when it did. Hymal might've been one of the strongest among you, but Frieza was in an entirely different league. If he decided to kill you both, that was that. 

You braced yourself for that strong possibility as the supply ship drifted down to a barren-looking world and landed not far from the emperor's own. It was a miserable dust-ball blanketed by shadows, without a speck of life to be seen beyond those present on the two vessels. Whether it was always like this or its bleak atmosphere was the result of a recent razing was unknown to you. 

You both stepped out onto the planet's surface at the same time that a pair of soldiers dragged something up the ramp of Frieza's ship. No, someone: A broken, twisted mess of a person barely clinging onto life, wearing the same armor as the others. It didn't exactly faze you, but it didn't make you feel any better about being here either.     

As though sensing your reluctance, Hymal took the lead and directing you to follow with a passionless, "Let's go." If he was worried, he didn't show it.

With the exception of its much larger scale, the ship's interior was much the same as it was for other Frieza Force crafts. You were welcomed aboard by Sorbet, and admittedly felt a moment's pleasure at how exasperated the half-witted commander looked. He appeared to be second-guessing his decision to revive the tyrant, unsatisfied with Frieza's focus on vengeance and how he himself had been ungratefully brushed aside.

You felt Sorbet's eyes stay on you for a long time, assessing you and Hymal. You had a vague idea of his train of thought. Now that it could truly be tested, where did the two of you, or any of the former candidates, stand compared to Frieza? Would that be tested here and now? Should he have picked one of you to stand with instead from the beginning?

Well, what happened happened. There was no point in wondering what might have been... The door to the main deck slid open and the three of you stepped inside.

You'd already seen from video feeds what Frieza looked like—from his straight, diagonal horns to his shorter stature. Nevertheless, that did nothing to hide the imposing aura that surrounded him. From what you knew, this was only his first form as well. Trying to imagine his final form filled you with both intrigue and dread.

The revived emperor was wiping his hands off with a white rag, stained by what you assumed was the blood of some unfortunate soldier. You'd heard he'd turned to them to assist with his training--although what good that did when the gap in power was so large was beyond you. His eyes were sharp as they aimed at you and Hymal upon entering, although after that he greeted you with an amiable grin. It was a look you were used to: One that was surface level at best. Behind it, you recognized a mix of curiosity and warry annoyance, along with the absolute readiness to kill.

Barely giving the commander a glance, Frieza held out the rag toward Sorbet. It was almost pathetic, watching the latter scurry to do as he was silently told and take the cloth in both hands. The emperor took a few steps forward. "I'm guessing you were two of my potential replacements?" he questioned, as if trying to hold back a laugh. Looking you both over a second time, he sighed, "Well, I suppose few can match the almighty... What are your names?"

 Hymal saluted and introduced himself first, with you copying his actions right after. Neither of you directly asked why you were called here, wary of whatever slight thing might set off the tyrant.

It was something that Frieza quickly picked up on. He motioned for you both to stand at ease. "Unlike your colleagues, at least you have the sense to know your place," he explained, crossing his arms behind his back, "Believe it or not, I'm quite satisfied with the progress that was made through your... upbringings. There are so few of our kind in the universe after all."

You and Hymal made a point to keep silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with him. The notion that Frieza would care at all for the restoration of your endangered species was laughable at best. If he or his family did care, they would've focused more efforts toward building your society up rather than on assimilating or destroying countless others. Moreover, he had that same survival-of-the-fittest mindset that most of your kind shared. If he cared at all, it was likely out of his personal sense of pride. Even if you were one of the strongest races in the universe, being one of the last of them wasn't much to brag about.

Although his calm face didn't change, his tail curled irritably, "I may not be thrilled with the means of how you all tried to claim my title, but I can't deny the results. No matter how poor of a state the rest of my army has fallen into, Algid has given me a number of fine warriors to make up where they lack."

You tried not to grimace. Until seconds ago, you worried that Frieza would kill you and Hymal for being candidates to replace him. Now, you worried that the emperor might drag you both along on his revenge quest to Earth, just as he ordered so many others to prepare for the journey.

To your surprise, that concern was dashed no sooner than it had appeared in your mind. "I can't be bothered with cleaning up the empire myself right now," he explained in an almost lackadaisical tone, "That’s why You and the others shall take care of with such petty for me whilst I deal with the Saiyans."

Again, Frieza gave a silent command to Sorbet, who walked over to a nearby console and picked up a tablet. After swiping through it for a moment, he passed it off to Hymal.

"I have a special job for you in-particular. Seeing as how you're two of Algid's favorites, I want you to carry out his execution personally."

It was even harder to hide your expression this time. You may not have liked Algid and you may have already gotten blood on your hands often enough before now, but you were thrown by the order nonetheless. Was Frieza only planning to punish the backers and not the candidate themselves? Why? If not, then was this some sick ploy to have you all turn on each other? Or a test of loyalty? You couldn't understand the reason...

You looked at Hymal, half-expecting him to say something, only to find an emotion on his face you weren't too familiar with: Anger. A cold, relentless anger that made anything caught in its wake go still. 

With no further explanation, Frieza kept talking. He hummed, as if not really giving the matter much thought, "As for who should succeed him... Well, I'm sure you can sort that out amongst yourselves."

The potential, lingering threat in front of you both no longer mattered. Just like how the lifelong battle for the throne had been rendered irrelevant. The emperor might've still been planning to get rid of you at some point, but for the time being, you'd been pointed toward another target.  You would live, and thankfully, you had someone to stand by you in the tumultuous days ahead.

THE NEW LOYALTIES ENDING 

Chapter Text

Train with this musclehead? After the beating you'd already taken? At this rate, Hymal was just as likely to kill you as the other candidates... You had to refuse.

"You didn't seek me out as a warrior, remember? I don't know what the point really was of dragging me into that fight anyway. Besides announcing the obvious." You gave him a somewhat sour look. You still weren't happy with how fast word had travelled of your alliance. Again, now that you two had fought together, it was practically open secret. "You could afford to use a bit more discretion." 

He returned your scowl with one of his own. Honestly though, he seemed a bit confused by your insult. Well, he wasn't the most aware person. He didn't think of how the public news might endanger you because he wasn't used to feeling any sense of danger himself.

"In any case, I'm not going," you continued, "We saw who some of the others teamed up with, now we need to see if there’s a bit more weight to those match-ups. If things do escalate, we'll need a strategy prepared. I'll see what I can put together on my end."

It was harder for Hymal to argue against that than you simply not wanting to train with him. He didn't look pleased, but he relented, "Fine then. Just don't get too relaxed. You're no use to me dead."

Getting truly relaxed was the furthest thing from your mind... You waited until he left before double-checking your surroundings and sealing the door shut more. After that, you contacted one of the staff to bring your breakfast to your quarters. As much as you wanted to crawl back into bed, you decided to gather what information you could from your computer terminal—just in case your impatient partner decided to bother you about your progress a little too soon. You rubbed your aching shoulder as you sat down and got to work.

Truth be told, there wasn't much you could dig up through files alone. Not all candidates were open or honorable, especially among your group. You had to credit Commander Drice's candidates for that much: As brutish as they could be, and while they did have their secrets just like anyone else, they rarely hid their connections. Similar to Hymal, they were either too apathetic or too confident in their own abilities to worry over how those might be threatened. The strong stuck with the strong and that was that.  

You decided to start there. Drice's pool of candidates was also smaller than Algid's, so the list was a lot easier to go through. Sure enough, their patterns were fairly predictable. From looking over training records, those who had seemingly teamed up were always similar in power and regularly paired in group spars. However, there were only four candidates that did so out of around a dozen. Three of them were practically new bloods, so their positions in the hierarchy would still be in-question. 

Finding such patterns in your own group would require a different approach. You would need to check where candidates met outside of training, the investigation would have to be mostly through word-of-mouth—maybe threaten or buy off underlings who might've been privy to those interactions. The names of a few soldiers and candidates closer to your level came to mind, but you would have to personally confirm those hunches.

The time for doing just that came and went. Over the next few days, you conducted your research at an easy pace. You were careful not to do anything too drastic or different from your typical routine, hoping to salvage what you could from Hymal's not-so-subtle show-and-tell by keeping away from the other candidates that you had sparred against. Thankfully, he took the hint to step back and let you be the one to contact him about your next move.

One day, when you were finally satisfied enough with the list you compiled to discuss it with him in detail, you couldn't find him. You had definitely seen him around the base as recently as that morning; his presence wasn't one to shake-off even if you hadn't openly acknowledged him earlier. You waited for a quieter part of the day to look for him again, going directly to his own quarters next. 

Late as it was, there was no answer at the door. However, upon closer inspection, you noticed a deep purple residue smeared along its edge. The stain was low and long, having ran through the crack where the metal sealed. It seemed to go under the door as well, but any larger path along the floor from the outside had already been cleaned up.

You knew right away that it was blood. It wasn't the first time a candidate had dragged themselves back to their own rooms with heavy injuries, so of course no one would think twice about it. The thing was that Hymal didn't bleed easily.    

With a small ki blast, you damaged the nearby control panel and forced your way inside. The fact that you weren't attacked on the spot was enough of a bad sign. You found Hymal lying on the floor, as if he'd attempted to climb into bed, but hadn't quite made it. Part of his tail and one of his hands was missing, cut a little below the wrist. The wound in his side was massive, taking out a chunk of his thigh and a large part of his waist as if some large predator had gotten ahold of him. You couldn't see half of his face, but the splatter that ran across the exposed side and the sweat on his brow were enough clues to let you know that it was likely marred as well. 

Kneeling down, you checked his breathing. Hymal was alive, but there was no promise for how long. Your kind was extremely resilient, able to endure wounds that resulted in immediate death for other species. You'd even heard that, when Frieza was beaten by the Super Saiyan, he survived with less than half of his body intact before needing to undergo cybernetic surgery. However, the extent of the damage one could take greatly depended on individual strength. Where one Frost Demon could survive a battle with lost limbs or key organs, another could die due to organ failure from blunt trauma.     

Hymal was certainly the resilient type, but not even he could last against such extreme injuries forever.  Still, you noticed sections of his wounds stretch and writhe, as if they were trying to hunt for the lost chunks of flesh that once closed the gaps between them. 

If you take Hymal to the infirmary, go to Chapter 71.
If you leave Hymal to take care of himself, go to Chapter 39.  

Chapter Text

No matter how much he might've tried to refuse your questions, Balon was still likely the surest bet. You were confident you could get the former captain to speak by whatever means necessary. You just hoped you could get something more useful out of him than what had already been reported. 

Balon was posted as a guard at one of the farthest corners of the base on the graveyard watch. It wasn't an enviable position, nor did it fit a soldier of his skill, though you supposed that he found the demotion better than dying. While you weren't the kind to readily hand out pity, Balon's punishment was admittedly unfair. To put it bluntly, there was nothing someone of his level could've done to have stopped the deserter—not without getting vaporized on the spot. However, his misfortune was to your benefit, as you would be able to speak with him with less risk of being disturbed. 

The former captain was the same species as Zerra; a horned, Uranian blue humanoid and azure hair. You found him reclined at his console, an absolutely bored expression on his creased face as he sat alone in a silent room, observing an almost equally vacant landscape. When he heard you walk in, he nearly fell out of his chair, perhaps out of surprise, a fear of being caught slacking, or both. Whatever ran through his mind, you noticed the mix of bitterness and apprehension that crossed his face before he recomposed himself.

"Forgive my lack of conduct," he grunted, rising to his feet to offer a small bow, "Is there something I can do for you?"

"You could tell me everything you know about Jewel's desertion." Like with his former subordinates you wasted no time in getting to the point.

His initial reaction wasn't much different from theirs. Balon's eyes widened, his gaze flickering to the exit behind you. It was hard to tell whether he meant to check if you were alone or was debating on attempting an escape. Whatever his thoughts, you remained firmly planted between him and the doors, determined to pull some sort of information out of him. 

"Just indulge me," you said, not giving him room to question why you wanted to know about the runaway in the first place, "Why would one of Drice's most promising candidates suddenly up and leave? Entertain my questions and I'll be out of your hair."

Despite his best attempts to keep a straight face, for just a second, a scowl lined the veteran's lips. Good. Let him think you were just some pushy, overly curious new-blood. On the way over, you had debated what approach you should take and ultimately decided it was better to simply use your authority as his superior. Outside of your own needs, his information wasn't so valuable that it had to be bargained for. If anything, offering a reward might just cause trouble if word of your investigation to spread—and you weren't even sure if it would work on Balon anyway.

Balon dipped his head, "That... was above my station. I don't think I could hazard a guess."

So you'd already been told once before that day. You tried to contain your frustration. You were beginning to feel as though you were running in circles. Maybe instead of asking around, you should've seen how much you could've uncovered on your own after all. You took a few, intimidating steps forward, "Do you at least have some clue where Jewel might've gone?"

Again, Balon hesitated. Teetering between annoyance and nerves, he swallowed, "I know I'm speaking out of turn by saying this, but the commander, that deserter, is a sore topic to many. I promise, you don't want to open up that scab."

"I'll decide that. Now, talk."  

The soldier visibly bristled. You already knew this wasn't a case where a candidate was threatened or blackmailed into running. Whatever danger he thought he was taking on by speaking with you, you had to be firm and let him know he'd be in just as much trouble by ignoring your orders.

At first, he just mumbled a recap of what little you already grasped. He seemed to be scrambling his brain to come up with an answer; any kind of remote tidbit satisfying enough to get you to leave. Only after several seconds dragged by did he finally say something worthwhile, "If you want me to guess... I'd say the commander would still be off fighting somewhere."

You raised a brow, unsure of what exactly he meant. "Fighting?" you echoed skeptically. If that was all the other candidate had been after, a good fight, there was more than enough fighting between everyone here.

"It's what you lot have done your whole lives," he clarified, his words backing your train of thought before he winced to himself, as if worried to have caused some offense. He only continued after gauging to see how you would react first, "You should know that better than I would. And I don't think there was a single day the commander's mind wasn't on some battlefield. It's how Drice bred his batch. Close your eyes for even a second and you're a goner. Don't rest until the enemy has been destroyed. I mean... What else would someone do if that's all they know?"

It wasn't really insulting so much as surprising to hear the outside observation. In your species, the strongest ruled, so fighting came as a natural way of life. The same went for many others as well. Of course you wouldn't think twice about it. However, that wasn't to say that was all there was to your kind: No society, no matter how powerful, could truly thrive with a warrior class alone. Your backer's, Algid's, strong stance in the medical field was a prime example of this. 

For Drice and his offspring, however... Yes, you could see how that way of thinking could go to an extreme. The aged Frost Demon's lineage was at risk. Their pursuit of strength wasn't simply born out of pride or some thrill of combat, but desperation.  

It was a feeling you were all too familiar with. 

Still, if Jewel was looking for new, perceived challengers across the universe, the news would've made its way back to the base a long time ago. It was easy for the rest of the universe to spot a Frost Demon thanks to Frieza's infamy, nevermind if one of you made that much of a scene.

When you made that point aloud, Balon shrugged, "It's not that I think the commander is paranoid or reckless, just that those instincts would be hard to let go of." 

You gave the situation some more thought. Away from the battle for the title of Emperor and with no immediate threats, abandoning everything and left without any known goal, what would the other candidate do with themselves? You supposed it was like asking what to do with a cannon, a tool known only for war, in peacetime. 

Soon enough, it clicked with you. Jewel was likely hunting for conflict, wherever it was, just on a low-scale—invigorating enough to satisfy a warrior's instinct, quiet enough to stay under the radar. That narrowed down things considerably toward the universe's underworld; to planets out of both the Force's and the Galactic Patrol's influence, often controlled by droves of gangs always fighting for dominance. 

Come to think of it, that seedy description matched some of the worlds under Drice's own control. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to think that Jewel would be familiar with, or at least know more about, such environments. Besides, much of Force's upper command saw themselves so highly that, despite their way of gaining power, they refused to be associated with any kind of criminal order. They wouldn't have expected a candidate to go against that mindset. There were other possibilities, true, but none that fit quite so well.

You could start by looking for any reports of your kind on criminal planets. Even if you didn't find Jewel for Tokaki, it was possible to get something fruitful from the search. Certain organizations had been trying to take advantage of the Force's unstable state by either siding with the rebels or attacking directly. Finding dirt on them was an easy way to make yourself useful.

You felt Balon's gaze at your back as you left. Despite the minor success, you couldn't easily bask in it. If anything, something about the conversation left you feeling uneasy. Not that you thought that the veteran had dared to lie to you, he seemed true to his own musings, but his words hit you in a way you hadn't been braced for. For a fleeting second, it made you ask yourself.

Why am I doing this? 

Here you were, chasing the tail of a former competitor that had nothing to do with you and wasn't even around. For the sake of someone you couldn't have cared any less for on the small chance that they might help cover your hide as the tensions between candidates ramped up. Maybe it was because you were gathering intel on someone who had broken away from it all, or maybe it was because of how... empty, the Balon had made the conditions therefore sound... If you did gain an alliance with Tokaki, if you actually survived by the time the dust cleared, what then?

Maybe...

If you continue to investigate, go to Chapter 49.
If you follow the deserter's footsteps, go to Chapter 74.

Chapter Text

One year later…

It was hard to fully understand how things came to this: You battled the resistance fighters, you won… and you were never called back. It was an annoying, frustrating cycle that began after the incident with the dead candidate.

At first, it deeply concerned you. You should’ve returned to the base once the rebellion was handled. Instead, you were left on standby for the longest time. Had someone figured out that you had suspicions about the other candidate’s death and wanted you out of the way? Or had someone somehow managed to pull some strings in order to give themselves an opening to take out one more rival?

Whatever the case, nothing ever happened. Time passed and you were just sent to the deal with next rebellion on another world. At that point, the whole situation merely offended you—as if you were no longer even considered worthy of the fight to become emperor. Yet in hindsight, it had likely been for the best.

Lord Frieza was back. Sorbet had actually succeeded in his goal of reviving him—and ever since then, from what you heard, the remaining candidates had been in chaos. Whether they arrogantly went after Frieza or tore each other apart, many had died. Their backers had either abandoned them or were executed themselves, including Algid. Again, you got nervous, wondering when it would be your turn. And again, nothing happened.

It turned out that the resurrected emperor didn’t even care to look your or another other candidate’s way. If anything, he seemed content to leave the survivors to do his work of repairing the Empire for him, because it meant he had every opportunity to focus on getting revenge against the Saiyans who killed him instead. So, your orders remained the same.

Each battle you fought seemed to support what you already knew about the rough state of the Empire. Even if every candidate had been sent out to deal with the rebellions at once, you were too few in number. Yes, any one of you was powerful enough to easily retake a planet; however, you weren't strong enough to leave the lasting fear that Frieza and Cold inspired. That said nothing about the struggle of actually securing those worlds after it was time to draw out. Often, they just fell back into instability.

Frieza's return helped mitigate that somewhat, but word of his resurrection only went so far. It didn’t help that he was summoning more and more soldiers to prepare for his battle on Earth, when the Force was already so small to begin with. Still, a part of you was relieved that your name hadn’t been drawn for that particular mission. There were too many big players involved for your liking.

As unflattering as it was, if you had to play the role of a rank-in-file soldier in order to survive, then you’d do it for the time being. In a way, it was still a relief to be out of the battle for the throne. Besides, you could work your way back up to a better position if you really wanted to. You just hoped any attention you caught from your restored leader didn’t put your in his crosshairs.

THE FOREVER ON THE FRONT ENDING

Chapter Text

Although there would have to be a line drawn somewhere as to how far you would go along, for the time being, you followed Hymal’s lead. It was his idea to team up, so he’d better have a plan in mind.

You marched with him across the bulk of the base, eventually finding yourself in one of the busier outdoor areas close to the training grounds. There, a handful of other Frost Demons—many of them you knew as strong warriors—were already gathered. They were taking turns sparring with one another as small clusters of soldiers and scientists looked on.

Attention gradually fell on you and Hymal after you two arrived. You noticed a couple other candidates bump one another in the arm and glance your way. Seeing as how you arrived as a pair, any lingering doubts about your alliance would be put to rest. You hoped Hymal didn’t drag you here just to make a show of it…

Hymal briefly stepped aside to talk with one of the scientists. While there was hardly anyone that guided the training of candidates—simply because next to no one could keep up much less take charge of you all as a whole—there was still some semblance of order to things. Data collection was imperative. It was the main means for how any of your backers came to understood you all and the ever-shifting hierarchy without personally checking in. It was especially important for anyone whose creation was on the more experimental side.

You didn’t see anyone from Commander Drice’s group, which, like at this moment, meant that the atmosphere was typically a lot calmer. Heads were cooler and so they went rolling less often. Still, the tension you were warned about was there. You noticed that the combatants were taking more time to observe each other than normal, almost overly cautious. It was as if they were waiting for that shift from rhythmic, exploratory strikes to frenzied blows that held every intention to kill.

You also noticed that you and Hymal weren’t the only team there. Some candidates were spread out from the majority more than others, separated in groups of no more than two or three. It was a recent development, but you hadn’t seen the divide so clearly during your regular practice sessions. You made a point to remember who was grouped together for future use. How soon would it be before the whole of you picked sides…?

Hymal returned. “There will be an all-fight-all battle after the others have sparred one-on-one. We can join that.”

“You want to spar?” you asked, more for confirmation’s sake. It didn’t surprise you, but you could’ve done with a little more of a head’s up than what he’d given you.

“I find it the best way to get a read for people,” he shrugged, as if it were obvious, “and it can give us a good idea of how well we work together. So don’t worry, I won’t be aiming for you unless you can make it to the very end.”

It was hard to tell if he said it intentionally, but you scowled at the half-concealed insult. Looking around for a second time though, it was hard not to wonder if his expectations weren’t too off the mark. While you didn’t think anyone here was strong enough to beat your new partner, you weren’t completely certain how you matched against this bunch.

“Keep an eye on the others,” Hymal added under his breath.

“Already on it,” you murmured back, slightly annoyed by the reminder.

Right then, there wasn’t much more you could gather than you already had anyway. Once the rest of the candidates diverted their focus away from you and Hymal, you tried keeping up with who they paid attention to next—who did they consider the best, and biggest obstacles, among themselves. When you weren’t keeping up with their reactions to one another, you watched the one-on-one fights as well to better prepare for what was ahead.

Nearly an hour passed before those finished up. No one was killed, but a few candidates were unable to continue and were dragged off by medics. Anyone left standing though held their ground. Moreover, no one openly complained about the two of you stepping in.

You felt various eyes drill into your back. However they regarded Hymal, someone would be aiming for you in-particular if only to satisfy their curiosity. You could not let your guard down.

Sure enough, no sooner had the match started were you attacked by three other candidates at once. You lunged out of the way as two charged forward while the third fired off a ki blast at you. One of them was then soon busy fending off their own assailant, making things a little easier to manage.

You launched a small barrage of energy bullets to counter, keeping the pair from closing you in. You dove for the smallest of the two with a fierce punch only for it to be blocked. The second tried attacking you from behind, but you then raised your tail in your own defense.

You encircled it around a thick arm, twisting your body to toss your captured target into the other. They barely caught themselves, retaliating with a combined strike aimed for your waist and collar. The jab in the side landed, making you grit your teeth, and you tried pushing the both of them away at once.

In the second-long standoff, you risked looking over your shoulder. Hymal was invested in his own fight only a few meters away, but gradually distancing himself without bothering to give you a glance in return.    

You scoffed quietly in your mind. Let’s see how well we work together… It was more like you were reviewing the gap between your two strengths. Hymal had said it himself before: He didn’t need a heavy-hitter and he wouldn’t fight your battles for you. That meant if you couldn’t watch your own back, he’d likely just leave you to your fate.

Growing more irritated by the second, you eventually knocked the pair away with a burst of energy. One skid back and then leapt into the air to fire his own series of consecutive blasts your way. You ran from the hail of attacks—tricking him into attacking a different candidate in the close proximately so many of you were still in. The new combatant ended up also taking to the air to pummel the first in-return.

Somehow, you eventually managed to knock away one of the fighters, but you were losing stamina. As you guessed, most all of them were warriors well above your level. Again, you looked at Hymal, who had gotten even further away from you and didn’t seem to be breaking a sweat. You did, however, notice more candidates focus their attention on him the way they had done you at the start. As he battled four-against-one, a fifth candidate snuck behind him to charge a strong attack.

If you help Hymal, go to Chapter 13.
If you ignore Hymal, go to Chapter 16.

Chapter Text

Unfortunately, pushing the foreign energy out was an impossibility. You winced as you fought with it, but it was too overwhelming. Your heart-raced and you could feel yourself fading in and out of consciousness.

Tokaki stared at you, bewildered at the sudden change in the aura that surrounded you, but ultimately shock his head and prepared to strike with a blade ki of emanating from his fingertips. Concerned that you might only make your condition worse, you could only brace yourself for the attack.

“Hang in there!” a voice shouted, but from who or where, you couldn’t tell. You weren’t even sure that the words were directed at you. A blurry figure darted in front of you as your vision began to cloud and you felt someone yank your body backwards. You couldn’t react, someone else landing a single blow at your neck that made you black out before the dark energy could consume you first. 

…

The soft cushion of a bed and a pale beam of light were the first things that greeted you as you regained consciousness. Even without looking around, you immediately knew this wasn't any kind of ship, let alone one of the Frieza Force's. The coldness of space; deep drone of machinery; and gradual, stifling feeling of breathing in recycled air were all absent. It was a warm, peaceful atmosphere, and yet somehow that put you all the more on-guard. 

You were alone in what you thought might be some kind of small infirmary. Though it looked primitive compared to what you were familiar with, everything was clean and organized. A wide window invited natural light into the room. You stood up to look out at a small city surrounded by lush, green flora and inhabited by a variety of species. Most of them were humanoid, but...

Astonishment interrupted your careful observations. Leaning forward, you placed a hand on the glass. There were earthlings as well as Saiyans, Namekians, other Frost Demons, and even some kind of demon-like species you couldn't recognize... Nevermind the improbability of their co-existence, many of them were races on the brink of extinction! Here they were though, seemingly thriving—even your own kind, in numbers that overshadowed all past attempts to rebuild a long-devastated population.

You didn't know for how long you watched them until the growing murmur of voices outside of the room eventually snapped you out of your daze. 

"And since when was I added to Conton's welcoming committee?" someone protested in an annoyed tone.

"You're both from the same time and experienced the same things," a lighter, chirpier voice countered, not backing down, "You're a familiar face."

"How is that my fault?"

"Just try being friendly for once! Don't you ever get homesick?"

"I doubt either of them even know how to feel homesick; just sick of home," a third person spoke up, "The Surpreme Kai of Time is right though. You're already here, so stop complaining."

Given that you didn't know their strength, preparing an attack felt like the wrong option. You mentally braced yourself to meet whoever your unidentified hosts were. The first to appear behind the door was a Frost Demon with Uranian blue skin under a black and white biosuit. The gem plating his head and the details of his face were more of a purple, and he oddly wore a set of pants and boots. He had a strong resemblance to the images you'd seen of Cooler; however, he also seemed a bit shorter than both of Cold's sons.

An arm slightly outstretched, he was guarding the much more petite individual behind him: What looked to be a young woman with dark eyes, pointed ears, and pink skin and hair. At first glance, she seemed childish and unimpressive; however, based on her robes, confident stance, and the protection she received, you had a feeling that this was the so-called Supreme Kai. 

The individual standing at the back of the group was actually a Frost Demon you recognized, but never thought you would meet again. A former candidate with soft features that hid a fierce disposition. The one whose disappearance surprised everyone and rattled the unmovable Tokaki: Jewel.

In appearance, Jewel was everything Tokaki was not: A toned, but slender frame; flexible rather than overly strong; a snowy azure palette complimented by bold, navy facial markings, aquamarine gem-plates, and bright green eyes. In terms of their ruthless natures, the two were known to be evenly matched—only where Tokaki fought and killed with a beast's ferocity, Jewel's methods had almost always been terrifyingly sterile.   

This was yet another candidate that you had never faced directly, or else the reaction likely would've been much more severe. For whatever bleak visions played in your mind, your presence seemed to drag up plenty of bad memories in Jewel's. Still, there were a couple of differences from what you remembered: Jewel had a more armored bio-suit now and the piercing the gaze that had struck down so many without blinking currently looked more like a cat's when an unwanted guest entered its territory: Irritated, untrusting, but not entirely murderous. 

"Glad you're awake!" the kai was the first to speak, beating a fist against her chest, "I'm Chronoa and the two next to me are members of the Time Patrol. Welcome to Conton City!"

Tightening your fists at your sides, you only gave her a small nod. It was hard not to be thrown by her cheerful demeanor—thankfully, it was as obnoxious as Fu’s—and the influx of information. The simple greeting already brought forward too many questions to count.

"It may not seem like it, but you've only been out for a few hours." The darker-toned Frost Demon introduced himself next, "I'm Jierra. We'll get you caught up on everything little by little."

Between his explanations and the kai's bubbly chatter, you were able to piece together some general knowledge. Conton City was a floating island outside of time-space as you knew it, connecting the past and future via the Time Nest. Here, Chronoa and her officers guarded the flow of history. You'd been snatched away from the demon Fu and brought several years ahead of the age you originated from.   

It took a bit of prodding to get you to talk, but given how easy it would be to look up your own past, you told them what little you could: Your name, how you met Fu, how he'd presented himself as a strange ally only for you to learn what kind of mad scientist he was, using that stone on you. You had no way of knowing what he wanted or where he went. 

Then came the part of the conversation where they tried to figure out what to do with you. They gladly offered to return you to your own time as soon as possible, but there were a couple things that made you hesitate. For starters, there was the dissatisfaction of being used topped with Fu's getaway. The memory of his galling attitude, like a child trying to burn ants with a magnifying glass, was particularly infuriating. You didn't like leaving things like this.

Moreover, there were the awaiting, knowing stares of your fellow Frost Demons. Jewel looked as annoyed as when the trio had first arrived, but that gaze was now mixed with another kind of intensity. Jierra's expression gave even more away, laced with something members of your kind never easily gave nor received: Pity. It was a look that both irritated and frightened you. 

For now, you opted to stay and deal with Fu. The Surpreme Kai of Time didn't mind so long as you "behaved yourself" and, when you did decide to return, you'd be dropped off right where you'd been ripped from the past. No one would even know you were missing. In the meantime, maybe you could gather more information regarding what your own future had in-store and what exactly about it was so haunting to the others.  

THE TIME PATROL ENDING

Chapter Text

While you knew that Hymal was a capable fighter, the numbers were against him. Moreover, if the other candidates succeeded in taking him out of the match, that would leave them free to put their focus on you next. Overall, it was wiser to show that you were truly for this partnership.

You were too far away and too busy dealing with your own opponent to reach Hymal easily. The best you could manage in that instant was to extend your tail and throw off his attacker’s aim. You struck the other candidate in the arm, the ball of ki veering off-course in a wild arc. The close call served as enough of a warning. Now alert to the added assailant’s presence, Hymal grabbed him by the shoulders and hurled him at another foe.

The last of the trio that had attacked you initially took full advantage of your split attention. He tackled you in a tuck-and-roll that send you both crashing to the ground.  Keeping you pinned to the earth, he attempted to launch a ki blast of his own at your face at point-blank range.

You grit your teeth against the harsh light.  Acting before thinking, you rammed your skull into his nose. The energy in his hand was already so close to your face that you could feel the heat from it seer your cheek. Still, the quick counter managed to stun the other candidate enough for you to draw your feet under him and kick him off of you. You scrambled to stand, pausing to catch your breath before returning to the fray.

From a glance, it looked like Hymal now had the situation under control. The number of fighters and increasing distance between you were both still issues though. You attempted to close the gap and get back to his side only for someone’s tail to cut you off. It pierced through the patch of earth where you’d been standing, nearly hitting you. However, when you dodged it, you backed straight into a trap: A pair of arms caught your own from behind.

“You’re a slippery one, aren’t you?” came a voice in your ear. Before you could guess which of the other candidates it belonged to, your initial attacked dropped down in front of you with a cruel smirk. This one said nothing, but looked you up and down in a mocking observation—as if to tell you just how far out of the group’s league you were. Then a fist drilled into your stomach without warning. The blow was fierce enough to make your body lurch as much as it could in its captive state, a small trickle of bile erupting up your throat before you coughed it out.

“Oh, sorry, we're not used to holding back so much. Let's try again."           

The next punch hammered you in the waist. The one that followed after it struck you square in the chest. The one-sided beating continued with you unable to pull yourself away from the other candidate's grip. It should only have lasted a minute or two, but the repeated, heavy strikes seemed to only drag on.

The duo didn't stop until a blast of energy fired upon them from the left. It was large enough to send all three of you sprawling, but not powerful enough to do any serious damage. More than the anything, the force of the blast was what separated you from your opponent's grip. You rolled onto your eyes and then kicked yourself up into the air for further distance. Looking around to see where the shot had come from, you noticed that Hymal had at last managed to break free from his own assailants—a hand still outstretched toward you from the quick assist. 

He didn't do much more than that, nor did you last much longer after the fact. By some miracle, you were able to keep yourself away from the other candidates' and stay within the arena just long enough to save face. You were exhausted. While you were able to get your wounds healed without trouble, the thrashing you took stayed fresh on your mind. 

On the other hand, Hymal appeared relatively untouched. He showed up in front of your personal quarters first thing the next day—looking perfectly rested and with the same, stoic expression he always wore.  

"We're going to train a bit in the outlands," was all he said, "Let's go."

If you agree to train with Hymal, go to Chapter 22.
If you want to rest, go to Chapter 8.

Chapter Text

Tokaki had already turned his back on you, but you forced yourself to stand. Quitting was just not an option. If you did quit, you’d just be proving his every insult true right in front of an audience. Even if you had no allies, you had to preserve something from this! If you couldn’t, then nevermind the fight for throne; not a single candidate would ever show you the slightest regard. You might even be attacked by those seeking favor from Hymal or Tokaki themselves, or just as an easy, isolated target.

There was only one thing left that might save you: Your own sense of honor and resolve. Using your last bit of energy, you shouted at Tokaki before hurling yourself toward him with a fierce roar.

Only to feel a sharp pain pierce through your abdomen a moment later. Tokaki’s tail—brimming with energy—had torn straight through your chest, even shattering the protective plating that was meant to guard your heart.    

Member of your species prided themselves on their durability. You were capable of enduring most wounds that would be considered fatal to other creatures, up to lost body parts or destroyed organs. Medical officers rushed over to your side as you fell to ground, but as durable as your kind were, a part of you somehow knew it was too late. Tokaki didn’t spare you so much as a glance as he withdrew. Neither did much of anyone else, already focusing on who would fight next. You noticed only Hymal giving you a stiff, but still somewhat pitying frown before he too ignored turned his attention elsewhere. Like so many others before you, you were carried off unceremoniously and without a single soul to even consider another look back.

THE FAILED ALLIANCE ENDING

Chapter Text

Reluctantly, you took the hand offered to you. Inside though, you were seething. You were grateful to be alive, but that was it. Not only were you angry about being dragged into the fight in the first place, Hymal’s so-called kindness of watching over you while you were unconscious only would’ve made your team-up all the more obvious to your enemies. He should’ve just left you to the medics! That, and the very idea of someone looking after you to such a degree, after such a total loss, was embarrassing to say the least.

As soon as you were on your feet, you yanked your hand away. Hymal said nothing: He seemed to either be looking you over or waiting for you to speak first. When you didn’t, he turned to go, “Remember the faces of those you fought today. See what information you can dig up from there. We’ll meet back up later.”

And with that simple direction, he was gone. You were left almost sputtering at the whiplash change in behavior. He waited for you to wake up… for that? What was he playing at? Had he even been sincere when he’d said he wanted an alliance or was he just toying with you?!   

You swallowed your frustration, reminding yourself who you were dealing with. No, Hymal wasn’t that type of person. He wouldn’t find any entertainment in twisted tricks or in stringing others along.

You winced as a bolt of pain coursed through your body. First things first, you needed to see to your injuries. You spent the remainder of the day tending to your wounds and resting up in preparation for whatever trial awaited you next.

Hymal, however, didn’t ask for you again. Not the next day or the day after that. You didn’t think anything of it at first— it actually came as something of a relief—and you focused your energy on researching some of the other candidates, as the two of you had agreed. Still, the more time passed, the more restless you became. How could someone that caused you so much trouble right out the gate suddenly back off like this?

In the meantime, you still were trying to keep away from hostile eyes. As was to be expected, getting caught up in a spar with so many high-level candidates drew a lot of unwanted attention in your direction—more than your partner had already brought you. You kept your head held high, but you couldn’t afford to be caught with your back turned to the wrong person.

One day, you took a step away from your research to stretch your legs and found yourself at the hangars. Candidates rarely had a reason to frequent it if they weren’t headed off on missions, so it was one of the few places you felt you could breathe easy. You could just relax for a moment, casually watching mechanics at work or the unloading and docking of that day’s supply ships.

A passenger on one of these vessels caught you off-guard. It was another Frost Demon, but not a candidate—nor anyone you recognized. Your people were so few and far between, even across the entirety of the universe, that you felt confident you’d know who this one was if he were of any importance. Maybe he was just some low-ranked soldier, tasked with guarding the shipment and nothing more. It wasn’t as if you or anyone else at the base had anything to do with other members of your species outside of each other, so you couldn’t really do more than guess.

He certainly had a different air to him though, you had to give him that. Curious, you watched him from afar for a bit to see him chat with other soldiers almost amiably, as though he and those he’d travelled with had little regard for their rank. Another thing of note was his… unique, fashion statement…  Since actual clothing wasn't necessary for your species, it was rare for any of you to wear them. Some Frost Demons either wore or based their bio suits on elements of the Force's standard uniform, but the pants and shoes this one was wearing was closer to Metamoran garb. 

A pair of red eyes shifted to meet yours, catching you off-guard. His arms kept folded across his chest, the other Frost Demon lifted a hand to offer you a small wave. You didn’t return the greeting: You held his gaze for just a moment, to appear unbothered, and then looked away.

You watched as a trio of space pods were carried off to their launch pads, readying for some departure. You’d never used one yourself, as whenever candidates were sent off on assignments, it was usually with a much larger unit to act as further reinforcements or to serve directly under their command. As such, while you imagined it’d be uncomfortable to travel in such a small craft, they also fascinated you a bit.   

If you were ever to sate that particular curiosity, you wouldn’t want to do so for any long journey across the stars. On the other hand, your kind’s ability to breathe in space and natural speed meant that you could make smaller jumps across planets without the need for a ship in the first place. That was probably for the best, given the thought that briefly crossed your mind as you continued your observations:

For a moment, you thought about leaving.

With the position you were in now, who could really blame you if you took off and never looked back? Would they mock you? Certainly, but blame you? Anyone could see you didn’t have the luxury of hanging around out of a misplaced sense of pride. If Hymal decided to leave you in the lurch, there was nothing you could do. Many of your rivals wouldn’t know about that, or that it was never your idea to team up, or even care about the facts anyway: They’d more likely just see you as an upstart that didn’t know their place.  You did have your pride, but your pride didn’t outweigh your desire to live.      

If you leave the base, go to Chapter 74.
If you stay, go to Chapter 26.

Chapter Text

Hymal was the one that wanted this fight and left you in the lurch first. If he insisted that you needed to handle yourself, then he could do the same. 

Outside or no, since you all were still within the base's perimeters, there was a limit to the range of attacks you could use against one another. If you weren't careful, one simple misfire could do heavy damage. Nevertheless, the candidates pushed themselves as far as they could within those limits, keeping fairly spread out both on the ground and in the air. You flew skyward, getting away from the worst of the crowd. To others, it may have seemed like a retreat, and they soon became so caught up in the closer, immediate threats that made up everyone else that you were able to catch your breath for a brief moment. 

It was also a good vantage point to check if the same candidates that were together before the match were still together. Based on your quick observations, it was about half-and-half: Some stayed close-by their allies; many fought alone; and then there were a rare few who appeared to be caught up in some personal, almost... friendly rivalry against one another. You made a point to remember the faces of those in that last group as much as you did the ones who did join forces.

Suddenly, a third of the arena was caught is a rippling shockwave. It was Hymal, finally breaking the circle of candidates that surrounded him. The strong pulse of energy sent them and others nearby hurdling back. At the edge of the blast radius, you braced yourself.

It only distracted you for a second, but it was enough. Someone snuck up on you from behind, ramming their elbow between your shoulder blades. The force behind the hit knocked you down a few meters. You spun around just in time to block as your attacker followed through with a tackle.

You couldn't stop your descent, instead bracing yourself for the impact. As you slammed into the ground, gritting your teeth, you were able to free one of your hands to strike the side of your opponent's head with a small ki attack. This briefly stunned them: You planted your foot against their chest and kicked them away before quickly rolling back into a proper fighting stance.   

After that, the rest of the match felt like one of sheer desperation. While you weren't one of the first to fall, it was more out of luck than ability. As the number of combatants gradually thinned, the fighting only grew more severe. Even more attention was drawn your way from stronger, less presumptuous opponents. 

You tried regaining the distance you’d made earlier without success. The best you could manage was to try to keep your attackers back by sticking to mid or long-range strikes. Eventually, someone was able to break through your defenses. A harsh, well-aimed blow to your neck tapped you out like a busted light. 

When you regained your senses, you were lying on the ground with a sharp pain in both your head and your side. You assumed that, when you were knocked out, someone must’ve kicked you away… You pushed yourself up on your elbows to find yourself several paces away from where you had fought. Usually, if you were knocked out for any great length of time, one of the medics would’ve dragged you off to the infirmary. Instead of any of the staff lingering around, only Hymal hovered over you from where he sat on a nearby bench.

A mix of anger and embarrassment flared within you. You hated his complete lack of awareness by dragging you in a battle right off the bat, and you were even more ruffled by him watching over you while you were out—especially with the unimpressed gaze he leveled your way.

Wordlessly, Hymal stood and offered a hand to help you up.

If you reject his help and complain, go to Chapter 32.
If you take his hand, go to Chapter 15.

Chapter Text

One year later…

You and Hymal never were able to see things completely eye-to-eye.

You hovered over the derelict landscape of a former Frieza Force outpost in a more central region of space. It was one of the locations that had been abandoned after the emperor’s defeat on Namek—partly due to how the army was so thinly spread as well as its close proximity to Galactic Patrol territory. Right now, it was your job to oversee its reestablishment. As you monitored the work from above, you couldn’t help reflecting on how you’d come to be here in the first place.

You had to give Sorbet some credit: He had managed to do the impossible by traveling to Earth and wishing Lord Frieza back to life. Whether or not that was good for you remained to be seen. On one hand, the tyrant was so consumed by his desire for revenge against the Saiyans that you and the other former candidates were barely an afterthought. On the other, many of you had already died—directly or indirectly—because of his resurrection.

Granted, some candidates had died by sheer stupidity. There were those who had targeted the emperor despite the stories and the massive gap in power. The others had mostly fought amongst themselves. As you and Hymal had expected, a bomb had inevitably gone off between all of you: It was just that none of you could’ve guessed the kind of bomb that would drop.

Even Algid, your backer, had been executed. Why that was was unknown, as Commander Drice never faced the same punishment. Instead, most of his candidates were merely exiled to his isolated section of the universe. Maybe it was because Algid had played a far more active role in bringing about someone new to be emperor. You had heard through the grapevine that Hymal had since replaced Algid; however, given how he’d always shown more talent as a fighter than in medical expertise, you had your doubts about the matter.

Like others that had managed to survive the fallout, you were given orders to begin restoring the empire while Frieza’s attention was focused on the Saiyans. You hadn’t been in contact with your former partner in a long time. That wasn’t to say that the alliance between you both had ended on a sour note—it simply hadn’t worked out. Hymal was too straightforward and you were too cautious. You both kept each other alive and then parted ways once the worst of the infighting was over.  

You had little to complain about with where you were, although you continued to worry over how long this sense of peace would last. If Frieza won and succeeded in getting his revenge, the threat that the Saiyans and their allies posed against the empire would be gone, but… would he really keep ignoring those who had tried to replace him? What if, for all of the effort you put in now, you were still the next to die?

If you weren’t so used to these sorts of questions, they would’ve eaten away at you. You were just grateful for the extra days you had bought yourself, and hoped that your prudence might save you still in the uncertain days to come.

THE PASSIVE SURVIVOR ENDING

Chapter Text

You stayed seated a little bit longer to see if you could glean anything else from the conversations around you as well as get your own thoughts in order. As much as you could understand where Hymal was coming from, you thought attacking anyone from Drice's side outright was still too impulsive a decision right now. However, if you weren’t careful with how you dissuaded Hymal, especially with this being the second time, he might go back to his original plan of aiming for Tokaki.

You waited a full day before meeting with him in private. Unfortunately, there was so much talk surrounding the dead candidate that you weren’t able to pick up on much else. When Hymal asked you what you’d managed to gather, you felt overwhelmingly underprepared. You recalled other candidates that you’d seen behave amiably toward each other, patterns of overlapping schedules you’d hastily researched in the middle of the night, anything that might shift his attention away from the anger he was feeling over the recent events.

Despite your best efforts, none of this news attracted him. “You’ve worked hard,” he said, “but it already looks like the time for tip-toeing around the others is already over. We need to take action. How could anyone in the Force take us seriously if we can’t make a stand for our own honor?”

“Who cares about them? Who cares about Drice’s bunch either? They’re all either eccentric or just plain idiotic!”

You were beginning to lose patience with your partner’s overly proud demeanor. He was typically so stoic that you didn’t think him capable of losing his cool over a few verbal jabs that weren’t even directed at him personally. Was he always like this? You tried to reign back your own temper.

“Look, that runaway from a while back left a big enough mark on their and Drice’s own reputations,” you continued, “Tokaki falling into his malaise over it didn’t help either. They’re all probably still sore over that and need a reason to humiliate someone else. If there’s no reaction, they’ll grow bored soon enough.”

“Or perhaps they’ll only grow bolder and begin targeting any of us backed by Algid specifically,” Hymal countered, his tail lashing the air in irritation.

“Then they’ll have sourly underestimated us.”

 That one line seemed to hold him back more than any logic you’d tried to use so far. He couldn’t refute it, because it meant declaring that he was worried about losing those fights. All he could do was give you a fake smirk, clicking his tongue to show you he wasn’t entirely convinced just yet.

You pressed on, “There’s another thing that concerns me. They insulted us as a group under Algid. If we took a strong stance, now we may as well be making ourselves representatives of all of the candidates under him.”

It would be one matter if either of you were insulted directly—any retaliation would be understandable. However, it was easy for a conflict like this to grow to a much larger scale.  At that point, it wouldn’t be a fight between individual candidates going against each other in the hierarchy, but one between two distinct groups trying to either suppress or destroy each other. Was pride really worth setting off that kind of bomb right now, when you had enough worries to deal with?

Again, to Hymal, maybe. Still, this last bit of reasoning to top off everything else you’d said seemed to finally get him to relent. He wasn’t happy about it, but your points far outweighed his own. For now, you both would quietly bid your time.

Go to Chapter 17.

Chapter Text

Tempting as it was to simply duck out, especially for all of the trouble had Hymal dragged you into already, it wasn't a solution to your problems. Moreover, your pride wouldn't let you go. No, you didn't plan to run away. "I'll have to decline," you answered.

Algid shrugged, seeming to truly not care how you handled the matter. "Alright then, but a word of advice: Have some patience with him. He may be the strongest of you, but even I'll admit he's a bit slower to think than he is to act." 

Even already knowing that, it felt odd to hear it from your backer. You only replied with, "I'll keep that in mind." 

"Best of luck." 

You could feel Algid's eyes linger on you for a moment as you walked off. Even after hearing him continue on his own way, you didn't feel you were able to fully shake his gaze until you dipped around the next corner. What you needed more than anything for the time being was a chance to step back and consider your newfound circumstances.

You didn’t see Hymal for a while, nor did he seek you out. Instead, you stayed mostly holed up in your room over the course of several days, reviewing file after file of information about the other candidates. Matching faces to the ones you’d encountered during the group sparring match was easy: Analyzing who might be working with who was another matter. You combed through schedules and lists of shared connections, searching for any clue that might detail who your greatest opponents would be as the in-fighting increased.

Meanwhile, you just hoped that the others would gradually come to forget about you. It was annoying, feeling so nervous about walking around the base because you didn’t know who you might run into. You were already the wary type, but the recent fight had pushed your sense of caution to almost an extreme. You couldn’t afford to let yourself get cornered, because if you did, there was no guarantee of escape.

Eventually though, something had to break that cycle. In this case, it was your usual check-up. You marched to the infirmary, satisfied that no candidate you crossed paths with tried to stop or talk to you along the way. The regular visit was over and done with soon enough, and you felt a lot calmer afterward—as though going through the standard procedure gave you some much needed stability.

You even felt at ease enough to stretch your legs and delay returning to your dull tasks. There was a lake a short flight from the base, one of the few bodies of water located on that part of the planet. Landing by its shoreline, you stared out at the still pool reflectively.

Just how, exactly, were you supposed to make this alliance work…? You thought back on the advice Algid had given you, but all his words really did was highlight your concerns. Because of the difference in strength, you and Hymal had two very different approaches to facing your enemies. Moreover, at the end of the day, he was still leagues above you. In a way, things were bound to end less as a partnership and more with you as a pawn. 

Well, maybe being a pawn didn’t matter in the end, so long as you lived to see the end anyway.

You’d brought your scouter along with you, which now suddenly beeped to life. Following the markings it projected with your eyes, you looked up just in time to see a ki blast hurl toward you from above. You threw your body out of the way barely in the nick of time. Water erupted at the blast hit the shore—filling the crater left by the impact seconds after.

Two candidates hovered in the air above you, both of which you recognized as elite fighters you had faced before. You grit your teeth at your bad luck.

If you return fire, go to Chapter 76.
If you flee, go to Chapter 52.

Chapter Text

When it was time for you to meet with Sorbet again, you were pleased that you were greeted with far more hospitality than when you first arrived. The two of you were to continue conducting business over a meal, and while it was no large feast, you were pleased with the attempt to win you over with a bit of splendor.

There were rich dishes you weren’t used to seeing, even with your high status within the Force, as Algid’s medical team painstakingly monitored the candidates’ diets along with their general health. It wasn’t like any of you were forced to eat standard rations and the meals were still quite good, so you’d never given it much thought before. You were glad to have been given this chance to try something new and enjoy your fruits of your rank. It also made you feel less inclined to hurry your way back to the base.

You could try to drag out negotiations by acting a little more unreasonable, but you felt that it would only hurt you in the long run. Algid wouldn’t be happy if you couldn’t deal with things cleanly and you’d only be making a bad name for yourself. No, in this case, the irksome commander sitting across from you was the one you needed to win over. You swished the glass in your hand thoughtfully as Sorbet rambled on, bragging over his own men’s efforts and inflating their success in keeping the empire intact.

“No one likes comparing things to the old days, I know,” said Sorbet, “but with the officers we’re churning out, I’m confident we can get the Force back on the right track. You should see the likes of Tagoma and Shisami in battle—not to mention the efforts of you and the other candidates, of course.”

You faked a grin, offering him a half-hearted comment, “We all do what we can, for the greater good of the empire.”     

Setting down his tableware, he clasped his hands eagerly. It reminded you of the way a raccoon might rub theirs together before scouring through a mess of garbage. “Yes, and that is why, getting back to what we were talking about before… I was wondering exactly when can we expect to receive the next major shipment of supplies? With so many of our soldiers in-need, it would be better to divvy out all we can as soon as possible. Those resources you want, well, it won’t be easy to get them if we can’t get our army up to fighting shape first.”

You eyed Sorbet in a moment’s silence. Was this his attempt to backtrack on what you’d already agreed on before? You could see why Algid hadn’t wanted to deal with the commander himself. However, at the same time, it did give you a window to solve your own problem.

“I really wish I could make you some kind of promise,” you replied, giving him a shrug before you turned your gaze back onto your plate, “but, as I’ve already explained, we’re in a pinch too. Do you honestly think we have the means to produce supplies on such a mass scale, when your men use them up faster than they can be made? And all of us candidates can only help so much, when we’re sent off into battle all across the known universe.”

If he was trying to get you to agree to an advanced delivery, you weren’t going to. You waited to see how he would react to your firm refusal, the commander practically squirming in his seat as he fought to think of a way to convince you that he hadn’t already tried arguing. When the silence drew on for long enough, you decided to help him.

“Although, I shouldn’t have another mission lined up after I leave here,” you offered, “and I don’t think Algid would have a problem if I volunteered to do a little grunt work if it moves things along. I guess it would just depend on how well you think we could work together.”

It took a bit for Sorbet to process your words, his expression alternating between confused and hopeful. You didn’t fully expect him to understand your aim, when any other candidate would scowl at the idea of doing anything that didn’t boost their own status as a warrior or in the fight to become emperor. Stopping a rebellion? It was dirty job, but an absolute necessity that also gave one a chance to prove their worth on an actual battlefield. It was more about a show of force, against both internal and external enemies. Fighting over resources om someone’s command, just to give Algid or Sorbet most of the benefits? Even the sound of it was less appealing.

You, however, didn’t care about any of that. You cared about staying out of the other candidates’ line of fire and saving your own skin.

Eventually, Sorbet tossed aside whatever questions floated through his mind and smiled. “Yes… Yes, I think we could work well together,” he raised his glass at you, “Algid is lucky to have someone with a good head on his shoulders assisting him. If you’ll allow me to say it, you’re far more agreeable than other candidates I’ve met.”

You held back your irritation at that last comment, mimicking the gesture.

Algid would have no reason to order you back to the base. No matter what, someone would have to be sent out to reconquer the planets that had the materials he wanted: The most-assured chance of victory was to get a candidate to lead that fight, and why struggle to get anyone else for the job when you were offering to do it?  After a point, Hymal would likely pick up on the fact that you were intentionally staying away from the base, but it would still be a matter out of his hands.

Maybe this path would offer you no glory, but you felt it would give you much more peace of mind.

THE WEASLED-OUT ENDING       

Chapter Text

You narrowed your eyes. He had nothing more than a hunch to offer you, so why would you give him the benefit of a doubt? If anything, letting him go could cost you: Even if he truly meant what he said, if he were caught again later and if anyone found out you turned a blind eye, you’d also fall under equal suspicion. Moreover, he was just as likely to be lying: He could've been breaking into the morgue in attempt to hide or fabricate evidence rather than find any. Just because you worked together didn't necessarily mean that the candidates and regular soldiers liked each other. He was too suspicious to let go.

It was child's play to subdue Ebbi, and you quicky knocked him unconscious. He might not have been clever enough to keep himself from getting caught, but he'd at least known better than to bring a scouter. You had to locate someone to drag him off. 

It didn't surprise you at all that that wasn't the end of the matter: Of course you had to make a report the next morning. However, you were surprised when you found out that the person you were reporting to was Algid.

It made sense only in that this was a case that involved his candidates—granted, his influence at the base did extend slightly beyond the medical staff and your group. You thought you'd only have to talk to another soldier, someone who wouldn't be as likely to pressure you for answers. There was nothing to incriminate you, you'd really done nothing wrong to begin with, but you still couldn't help feeling a little concerned. Maybe you were just being overly paranoid from the recent death and previous night's encounter...

In a rare change, Algid requested that you meet with him in-person in one of the medical labs. Even when you had clearance, you hardly ever entered them. The long, dimly lit chambers were far too sterile for your liking. The labs always seemed to dredge up haunting memories that could never fully manifest: Muddled visions of tubes and water and wires, of indifferent voices breaking through your lack of consciousness at random.

For the time being, this lab was practically empty, which somehow made it feel even more discomforting. Raising a Frost Demon from the labs, specifically one of any great power, was a careful and expensive process. Since Lord Frieza's downfall, only a couple of candidates were successfully created each year—not counting the ones who had died or fallen from the heated competition with one another early on. Nearly a full year had passed since anyone new had been added to the candidates' numbers. You wondered if that was subject to change soon enough.

Algid didn't comment on much as you made your report. You kept it brief, recounting Ebbi's suspicions while staying quiet on any of your own. When asked for your personal thoughts on the recent death, you simply expressed your concerns against Ebbi himself, but admitted that there wasn't enough information to go on to point to foul play in any direction.    

Your backer just nodded, "In any case, it is a relief that you caught this before there was any more damage. It's not the only reason I called you here though. Since this incident, the resistance on Planet-206 has escalated and we're overdue sending a replacement. I'd hate to divide you and Hymal when you have only just formed an alliance, but we need to make quick work of the rebels. Someone will contact you when the ship is ready to leave this evening."

 The order caught you off-guard. It was sudden and it had been a while since you were last sent out on a mission away from the base. There was still too much you were uncertain of to want to go, but you had no means, or even a real reason, to refuse. In the very least, you wouldn't have to hear Hymal chide you for your lack of focus for a while.  "I'll be ready."

Go to Chapter 4.

Chapter Text

You hated being dragged along like this, but if Hymal was going to keep dragging you into fights anyway, then you figured it was better to try to even the odds for yourself a bit more. Besides that, you were almost too stunned by this sudden attentiveness to really argue with him so early in the morning. He might’ve been the one to ask for an alliance first, but wasn’t he also the one that told you that you had to keep up with your own strength?

When you pointed out as much, he answered with a snark you didn’t think he was capable of—albeit, still with his usual blunt, deadpan demeanor, “That was before I saw firsthand just how far behind you actually are. You’re not a lost cause, but it wouldn’t serve me well either if you ended up dying before we got anything done.”

You chose to ignore the insult, “Alright… Then why leave the base?”

“Too cramped here. There’s a limit to how far we can go.”

He actually had a point there. The trouble with training only at the base was that it was as much of a test of restraint as it was a test of strength. Most of the training arenas were reinforced with the strongest of materials, but could still often feel small and confining. None of the candidates could easily explore the limits of their power there without causing massive amounts of collateral damage. It could make working on ki projection a challenge and shortened the range of techniques one could use to more concentrated attacks. You'd trained before in the wastelands beyond the base for that very reason yourself, just never with a partner.   

“The staff already knows we’re heading out,” Hymal further affirmed—as if that would be a serious concern of yours. “Someone will come find us if we’re needed.”

Once you were both outside, finding a secure location to practice wasn’t an issue. The planet the base had been built on was practically barren, with only a small range of wildlife and a few remnants of civilization scattered across it. From what you knew, it was a former mining colony that was long past its heyday. Before it became a training ground for the candidates, the Empire had mostly used the world to test new or experimental equipment. There were several sites where the two of you could practice without risking unintended casualties.

You settled on an overall flat, rocky landscape that had the added advantage of letting you spot any potential unwanted onlookers well in-advance. Without touching down on the earth, you and Hymal faced-off. He looked you firmly in the eye, “Shoot me.”

Off-putting as the instruction was, you complied. Granted, you already a feeling about what the end result would be. You didn’t hold back by much as you moved a little further back and propelled a massive beam of energy his way.  Hymal barely even moved, only subtly bracing himself to take the direct blast. The light swallowed him and you waited for whatever move came next.

When Hymal reappeared a second later, his bioarmor was roughed up; however, he seemed mostly fine. Guess that figures… you thought, feeling a bit dejected nevertheless. It wasn’t as though you had aimed to kill him, but you would’ve hoped to have done some more serious damage or at least rattle him enough for the other to have tried to avoid the hit. This was the difference between the average candidate and one of the top contenders for the throne.

He didn’t really react one way or another to the attack, merely giving you a simple nod that was hard to translate. It also served as your only warning when he suddenly returned fire, hurling a beam just as large in your direction. Your reaction was not so passive. You veered out of the way barely in the nick of time. The streak of energy flew past you in a curved arc that struck the ground with a massive explosion—leaving a defined crater behind.

You had no idea whether or not Hymal held back.

The pair of you continued to trade blows. There was no real direction to the sparring match. Aside from the order to take the first shot, Hymal didn’t tell you anything—if he had meant to teach you something, he had little talent as an instructor. So, instead, you continued to attack one another with a wide variety of techniques. While you both gave each other a fraction of a second longer to calculate your improvisations, it was more like a true battle.   

The fact that it was still a pretty one-sided battle didn’t change… By the end of it, you were drained of energy, knocked out of the sky, and body slammed into the ground. The fight might’ve kept going nonetheless if you hadn’t been bordering unconsciousness. With Hymal leaving first, you needed to drag yourself back to the base.

He didn’t give you any kind of feedback, which left you concerned the entire time you rested and recovered. Did he come to regret asking for an alliance after seeing your difference in strength? Was this his way of silently backing out? If so, you wouldn’t have minded if he practically put you on display already! You didn’t want to think yet about how you would deal with anyone that might come after you, whether to take you out in a gross attempt to gain Hymal’s favor or to ridicule you for “not knowing your place.”  

Despite your worst imaginings though, the next morning, Hymal showed up at your quarters again. And again. And again.

He seemed fully intent on bringing you up to some suitable level. Each day, you ventured back out into the wastelands for yet another grueling sparring session. Each day, you were pummeled to a pulp and had to carry yourself back. It was an exhausting pattern that continued for the longest while until, little by little each day, you did notice yourself getting stronger. Strong enough to face him evenly? No, but stronger nonetheless.

It was just as you were getting comfortable with your newfound growth that your partner ended one of your sparring matches early to discuss a course of action. "Now that we’ve made some gains, it might be time to put them to use. Tensions are only getting higher, so if we make a strong stance now, we’ll be better off.”

You knew what he meant by that: He planned on targeting another candidate. You raised a brow. Frankly, while Hymal was known for always taking a more direct approach, it a bit felt strange for him to pull you in for something like this. He wasn’t typically the kind of fighter to go against someone two-to-one. Moreover, he’d said no himself that he hadn’t wanted you as a partner for your muscle in the first place. Had he heard of another alliance?  After you’d caught your breath, you asked him, “Who do you have in mind?”

“Tokaki.”

If you agree to fight Tokaki, go to Chapter 34.
If you try to talk Hymal out of it, go to Chapter 37.   

Chapter Text

You set your investigation into motion that night. Trying to analyze the medicine itself was too time-consuming, not to mention that the storeroom would now have a higher amount of security—making getting a sample a much bigger challenge. You prioritized accessing the base’s medical records instead. Only a handful of medical officers were entrusted to look after the candidates personally and, from your earlier research, you found that you and the deceased candidate had actually been tended to by the same one. That bit of luck alone—as unsettling as it was to discover—saved you some work.

Despite cooperating with infamous information networks like the ones the Heeters ran, the Frieza Force had its own string of useful channels and experienced spies. At some point in the past when you had travelled off-world, you’d gotten a very useful tool from one of them. It was something of a skeleton key disguised as an external drive stick—your personal, handheld hacker with a superb ability to bypass almost any system.

Breaking into one of the offices, you accessed the console inside and hunted through its files. The first batch you came across were nothing noteworthy—general physicals, medical history, and the like. It took a good two hours before you stumbled across a much more discreet software linked between the top officers. After few minutes passed before you could access it, but this was what you were looking for.

Like the other files, these were organized by your names. Since the deceased candidate was removed from the main list, their file was harder to find. What was inside confirmed your previous observations.

STATUS: DECEASED
CAUSE OF DEATH: Died in combat; multiple energy blasts caused severe organ damage, particularly to the heart and lungs.
NOTES: Regular TC-S V19 dose was delayed and candidate showed heavy symptoms of withdrawal. Candidate typically received a higher dose that average of TC-S, but showed no issues prior. A full report has been shared with pharmaceuticals. Awaiting analysis.

Comparing the file to yours and the others available, an intake of TC-S was something you all shared in varying amounts. It took an eternity for you to find out what that was though, each minute of your search grating on your nerves as they passed.

Once you found it, you immediately wondered if you were better off not knowing.

TC-S stood for ‘Temperament Control Serum.’ It was the most basic and common of treatments to what the files only listed as “aggressive behavior,” and was given to all of Algid’s candidates for their involvement in a much bigger experiment than just rearing strong Frost Demons or creating a replacement emperor. Algid’s team was attempting to re-create the mutant gene that the Cold family possessed.

Not entirely though. It was a widely-believed theory that the mutant traits responsible for giving the likes of Cold and Frieza their insane power also may have affected their mentality. In short, they were wicked right down to their genetic makeup. However much truth there was to that, Algid didn’t want to create a being that he couldn’t control. Be it through hormonal suppression, mental inhibitors, or something else, he was working to create a powerful, yet docile pawn.

The experiment separated various candidates into different treatments, none of them showing any possession of a similar gene so far—although a few notes did indicate the possibility of it being dormant in some. You tried seeing if any of Commander Drice’s candidates were also grouped into the experiments, but couldn’t find their files. That didn’t mean anything though. You felt that, if Drice ever learned that one of his potential progenies was being used in such a way, he’d kill Algid for certain. It was just that, if Algid had the gall to insult Cold’s lineage like this, he wouldn’t have a reason not to include Drice’s in the experiment. If their records existed also, they would be even more well-hidden.

You could inform Tokaki of this, but unless he was personally affected, why would he care? Especially without solid proof, which you doubted you could find in any short amount of time. Now that you knew what was happening, you weren’t so generous as to risk getting caught or keep taking doses for who knew how long in order to gather that evidence. And if it was all for nothing, maybe he’d just end up laughing at the whole situation—that of course your group was so wearily weak that Aglid had to rely on those experiments for any one of you to amount to anything.   

For one of the few times in your life, you were scared. How many of you had died because of this? How many people in the Force were in on it? How many of your choices were completely your own to make? 

And what were you supposed to do now? From your own file, you were in something closer to a late-stage control group. The serum was pretty much the only thing used on you in-particular. You could stop taking it, but what if you eventually showed withdrawal symptoms yourself? Moreover, you couldn’t stop taking them without notice. There was no one to cover for you, no one you could trust to be on your side. It even made trying to bide your time difficult, as it was almost impossible to slip away from the set routine of check-ups.

Then you thought of Hymal… What would he do if he found out, or what if he already knew? He already seemed closer to Algid than others. What if Algid was using him to keep an eye on the candidates from the inside in more ways than one? Then again, if you were going to go to anyone…

There was at least one other option: You could run.

If you tell Hymal, go to Chapter 45.
If you run away, go to Chapter 74.

Chapter Text

In the end, there was no way you could deny the power that was surging through you. To do so meant death at Tokaki’s hands. You needed strength in order to survive, even if it was borrowed. You watched as your body distorted further, the dark vapor that surrounded you seemingly bleaching your flesh to an ethereal hue. Your gritted teeth turned into a manic grin as the pain of the invading ki changed to a strange euphoria. Meanwhile, all of your thoughts seemed to narrow to one, sole directive: Destroy anything or anyone that stood against you.

You stood up and instantly closed the gap between you and Tokaki. The other candidate blinked in surprise at your miraculous recovery and sudden change in aura, but had no time to react as you returned one of his earlier attacks by embedding your fit into his stomach. He doubled over, coughing out a wad of phlegm, and let out a weak laugh as he grabbed your arm. “Lucky bre—!”

Giving him no time to finish that sentence much less retaliate, you punched Tokaki straight in the jaw. The hit knocked him several meters across the arena. He recovered, but you noticed the thin trail of blood that now trickled down his mouth and felt your smile widen. Closing the gab between you yet again, you volleyed another string of punches—each one successfully blocked, but barely as they each grew stronger than the last.

Whatever attacks of his that landed on you didn’t seem to matter. It was as if you couldn’t even feel them, trapped in a kind of berserker state. You couldn’t question it or lament over the fact that it wasn’t truly your strength. You couldn’t care. Slowly, you started to lose sight of why you were fighting in the first place, your sense of reason overcome by a newfound bloodlust. Your mind began to cloud over.

With a roar, the energy encompassing you suddenly erupted in violent hues of purple and black, completely throwing Tokaki and the small audience waiting on the sidelines off of their feet. Pained cries arose as bodies slammed into walls, followed by panic as a second, though weaker, burst followed after that. Tokaki fired a ki blast at you, but to his shock, it ricocheted off your body. You returned fire and he lunged out of the way to avoid it.

Rounding the arena to block his path from behind, you kicked him back down to the floor where he landed with a loud thud. You landed beside him, picking him up by his neck with your tail and giving it a tight squeeze.

Someone kicked you in the side, forcing you to release your prey as you skid across the chamber. You looked up, finding that a trio of newcomers had suddenly arrived out of nowhere. One of them—a pink, bubblegum-like creature—dragged an unconscious Tokaki away from your reach. Another that you believed to be a male Earthling wielding a sword stood between you and the others.

“You guys deal with this one. I’ll handle Fu!” he commanded, bounding across the chamber before you could react. While Fu just dodged the swordplay, smiling mischievously like a little boy, you noticed some of the soldiers react with a surprising degree of fear toward the Earthling; however, caught in a new battle with the other interlopers, there was no time to wonder why.

In any case, at that point, you could barely think at all. Your senses only continued to slip away from you until your mind was completely consumed by the fog.

…

Your head reeled. When you came to, you were no longer in the training arena or any other part of the base. Your new environment was something of a mesh of computers and caverns: An underground facility outfitted with pipes, wires, and tech that were all unrecognizable to you.

You were suspended along one of its walls, locked within almost comically large cuffs that bound the entirety of your hands and feet and held you sprawled out like an animal ready for dissection. Trying to shatter them did nothing. They must’ve been designed to suppress ki.

What… happened? You tried to piece together the events that followed your loss of control without success. You couldn’t remember how the fight ended, much less how you got here.

Luckily, whoever restrained you neglected to consider your tail. You could still move it freely and began searching the chamber with your eyes for anything useful—maybe a switch or a control panel. Sadly, anything like that was locked down.

You debated whether or not to simply try destroying the devices around you when a door on the other end of the room swished open. You attacked immediately, launching your tail across the space only for it to wind up caught in a tight trip. A familiar, infuriatingly chipper voice greeted you, “Whoa, almost forgot your species could do that trick! Sneaky…”    

“Fu!” you practically growled his name, “What is the meaning of this?!”

“Sorry, you put on such an impressive show back there, I couldn’t help myself.” You tried to wrestle your tail away from him to lash out again, but Fu maintained his grip. He never even faltered. “You’re too interesting to just let slip through the cracks of history. The way you decide and adept, the way your every, little action changes the course of events… The main beats are still there, but I just look at you and see infinite possibilities. I want to pick your brain a bit, but there’ll be plenty of opportunities for that later.”

Something told you he wasn’t only being metaphorical. He walked further inside, casually looking around the chamber while you fought against your restraints. He hummed to himself, eying your tail.

“You’ll probably keep trying to hit me, right? I can’t decide if I need to pin this up or cut it off…”

You cursed at him, feeling your anger only rise. He ignored your outburst, getting swept up in his own, insane musings.

“This whole timeline is already strange, with so many of Frieza’s kind here and when. You’re not the only one like you either.  I had to study you. Besides you’re probably a lot better off with me than you are with the Frieza Force.”

With his free hand, Fu began punching a few commands into a nearby console. You flinched as part of the mechanisms hovering above you lowered.

“So, let’s try to work together peacefully. Ok, partner?”

THE DEVIL’S DETAILS ENDING

Chapter Text

What exactly were you dealing with here...? You couldn't even pinpoint this man's species, given his more generic, humanoid appearance. He was much too strong for the average humanoid as well. A mutant? Possibly. But none of that answered much regarding his background or why he would come to you, out of any of the other candidates.

"Going once~! Going twice~!"

Nevertheless, his stealth and strength spoke for itself. That, and you weren't in any kind of situation to reject help easily, not with so many powerful players around you. You were certain that he had his own ends—which you planned to uncover one way or another—but you could entertain the troublesome trespasser for a short while. 

"Alright," you replied, keeping your voice cold and steady, "If you can prove yourself useful, I'll overlook your transgressions just this once. How do you plan to help get Tokaki on my side?"

Rather than give a straight answer, Fu just raised a hand to his lips, "I think you already know that problem will sort itself out after you've proven just how strong you are. When the right time comes, I'll help you then."

You raised a brow at his vague explanation, "I hope you don't plan to step in on any of my fights." Relying on another to handle your battles for you was the last thing you needed.

"No, not at all!" he replied, "I'll just be... giving you a bit of an edge."

It didn't seem like he intended to help you train, so you had no idea what kind of scheme he had in mind. You didn't get a chance to prod him about it either before he vanished just as suddenly as he'd arrived. Some form of teleportation? Maybe; you'd heard of some species capable of such strange abilities.

After that, however, you didn't see Fu for a long while—so long that you thought someone stronger might've actually caught him, except there was never any news of anyone else spotting the intruder. The way he acted, he could've been some kind of trickster, so maybe it was for the best. In any case, you eventually gave up on him reappearing and focused on your own efforts. 

You were careful not to rush into another run-in with Tokaki too soon. If you pushed the matter, there was a good chance he'd kill you out of annoyance before you ever had the chance to show your worth to him. You trained alone for long hours every day, pushing yourself to your limits without rest. You only scheduled your training sessions to match Tokaki's when you were comfortable enough with your improvements. 

Admittedly, facing him one-on-one again, after the obvious loss the first time, was a bit rattling. At least there were medical staff nearby in case things took a turn for the worst. Standing several meters opposite of you within a training arena, the ruthless candidate gave you a wicked smirk, "I was starting to think you'd gotten cold feet. Good to know you're a little braver than the rest of Algid's weaklings."

You didn't respond to his goading, merely shifting into a fighting stance. Your lack of a reaction only seemed to amuse him even more. The line of his mouth curved further upward as he also moved into position. 

 "Just pray you're a bit tougher than the rest too. I'd hate for you to die from the first blow.

Even if you did try to retort that second comment, you didn't get the chance. In the blink of an eye, Tokaki sped across the arena and ploughed his fist into your gut. You barely had enough time to brace yourself for the attack; you tightened the muscles in your stomach, still almost getting the wind knocked out of you, but remaining on your feet. Gritting your teeth and digging your feet into the floor, you grabbed Tokaki's arm in attempt to fling him away from you.

Sadly, you couldn't toss him far. Remaining on his feet, he recovered fast. He volleyed a ki sphere your way in a curved throw. You were able to dodge it, but not without getting cut off on the opposite side and struck the the ground with Tokaki's tail. For a moment, you rolled before regaining your footing, landing in a crouch and then launching yourself straight at him wielding a ki blast of your own.

You held off throwing it until the last second, which the other candidate blocked. You quickly followed it with a round kick at his head only for him to raise his arm to guard himself against that attack also. A heavily callused hand snapped around your ankle in a vice-like grip, "My turn!"

Your surroundings blurred as Tokaki flung you around like a lifeless doll. The rapid motion broke only when he hurled you into the floor--each impact becoming more severe than the next. You had to break away, but yanking yourself out of his grip was impossible. You concentrated your energy down to your captured foot, firing off another ki blast. The warrior grunted at the surprised shot, but only let you go a moment later, sending you flying across the arena and into the far wall.

You pushed yourself up in a crouch, struggling to catch your breath. You couldn't keep this up: At the rate things were going, Tokaki would annihilate you. 

On the sidelines, a purple figure caught your attention. As if having appeared out of thin air, just as he had in your quarters, Fu lurked behind the unaware medical staff. Before you could question if you really saw him or if the beating had scrambled something in your head, he raised a finger to his lips, then revealed a mysterious crystal clutched within the same hand.

 He shattered it. Suddenly, you were all too aware of your own pulse, your chest feeling heavy and the beating echoing through your skull. You could feel a foreign energy invade your body, which manifested itself as a dark vapor. It electrified every part of your being, your own ki rejecting it to the point where you almost doubled over in pain. Despite that though, you also felt a sudden surge in power unlike anything you'd experienced. It was as alluring as it was tormenting.   

If you use this power, go to Chapter 24.
If you resist it, go to Chapter 12.  

Chapter Text

You reigned your wild thoughts in. Technically, nothing had happened yet to warrant such an extreme reaction. If you gave into fear, you’d just end up getting yourself into more trouble.

Maybe you just had to rethink how you were handling things… No one said you had to wait for Hymal’s invitation: You could go find him yourself. When you were about to do just that, a voice chased after you, “Hey!”

You looked back. It was the other Frost Demon you’d been watching earlier. You were surprised that he approached you. You were even more surprised that he did it without the least bit of decorum. Did he really neglect the chain of command that much or did you appear so soft even to outsiders? Neither answer sat well with you. You blocked his path with your tail as a sign for him to keep his distance, “State your name and business.” 

He listened, keeping a few steps away from you. Now that you had a closer look at him, while you still had no recollection of who he might be, there was something in his features that did seem a little familiar. “I am Jierra,” he introduced himself, “My team’s ship was damaged getting here due to raiders. We’re waiting on spare parts before we set out again.”

“And what is your business with me?” you pressed.  If he was going to bother anyone over something like that, he would’ve gone to the hangar supervisor.

Here, he paused before answering, “I haven’t seen any of my kind in a long time. My curiosity got the better of me.” 

So, he was just as curious of you as you were of him... Well, you didn’t get the same, aggressive vibe from him as you did your fellow candidates. The revelation made you feel a bit silly for acting so defensive. At the same time, you weren’t obligated to entertain him. “There are definitely more than a few of us around here,” you said, “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of chances to socialize, for better or worse.” 

Before you could continue on your way, Jierra's voice stopped you once more, "Would you mind if I followed you for a bit? I hardly know my way around."

It was hard not to balk at the brazen request. Before you could refuse him outright or demand where he found such insolence, you paused. If you happened to run into one of the stronger candidates on your way to see Hymal, having the other Frost Demon at your side might make them hesitate to pick a fight with you, seeing him as an unknown variable.

"Fine then," you sighed, "just don't think I'll help you find your way back."

With that, the two of you set off. Jierra didn't seem to have a particular destination in-mind, merely taking in the base's various routes and chambers with a mild interest. For the most part, he said nothing, keeping a few steps behind you.

You'd already gotten a good sense of Hymal's schedule. Barring missions, he stayed fairly routine, so tracking him across the base wasn't hard. He was outside in a hovering, meditating pose, waiting to oversee some of the soldiers' exercises. You and Jierra split off as soon as you entered the area, but not before your partner spotted you. The latter's eyes widened with mild surprise as you approached.

"We need to talk," you said firmly, "It's been too long since we're gone over any kind of strategy together."

For once, you didn't mind speaking out in the open. There weren't many people in the area and those who were around were too far away or too invested in their own conversations to hear you. At that moment, your biggest concern was if you would get Hymal to even listen. You half-expected to be snubbed at—that Hymal wouldn't want to pay attention or even may have already decided to break off your alliance on his own. You weren't prepared for him to actually sit still, looking you directly in the eyes as you spoke.

"I've put together a list of all known and likely alliances," you continued, "but I don't think we should go after anyone specific just yet. There's still enough of a divide between those of us backed by Algid and those of us backed by Drice that we can start weeding out the competition through that rivalry alone." 

Hymal's gaze drifted past you. There was an unconvinced tone to his voice as he asked, "Are you thinking we need to add to our numbers?"

You followed his eyes to find them focused on an unaware Jierra, who was talking with some other members of the Force. He must've thought that you intentionally brought the other Frost Demon along. You didn't think Hymal paid as much attention toward other candidates as you did, so you couldn't easily blame him for mistaking Jierra for one. You were quick to clear up the misunderstanding.  

"He's not one of us," you explained. Then a sudden idea occurred to you. You proposed in a softer voice, “Actually though, it couldn’t hurt to have our own connections—outside of what Algid can offer. Increasing our access to potential resources and allies could give us an advantage.”

Hymal thought about it for a minute, then shrugged, “I’m not one for that sort of work. I’ll leave it up to you.” 

If you talk to Jierra, go to Chapter 42.
If you decide against it, go to Chapter 33.

Chapter Text

Even when you tried to dismiss it, one thing kept bothering you about what you overheard. Beings across the universe had many choice words regarding your kind. ‘Compliant’ wasn’t one of them. You certainly couldn’t think of anyone who fit that description anyway.

Nevertheless, when Tagoma left the base days later, two candidates left with him. You didn’t immediately recall their names, as they weren’t anyone who particularly stood out among you: A quiet pair that stood average among the rest of you—one from Drice’s group and one from Algid’s, plus a number of soldiers to serve each. You attempted to speak with them before they left to get a better read on the situation, but it was really nothing out of the ordinary. The Frieza Force needed to secure a few of their more pivotal worlds and called them to suppress the growing rebellions there.   

They didn’t grumble about their orders or complain that the regular army should’ve been able to manage things themselves. They didn’t even seem to mind Tagoma’s disrespect, if they believed you at all when you told them. To them, this was another opportunity to put their skills to real use. If your warning showed some weight in the meantime, they would put anyone who snubbed them in their place.  Maybe you were being overly sensitive…

Hymal also told you to drop it, when you grew a bit too distracted by Tagoma’s visit and had to admit your thoughts to him. “Whatever problems there are with Sorbet and his men, they’re hard workers and have done more for the Force than most since Frieza died,” he said, “There’s a reason no one’s bothered to tighten their leash. Until things grow more stable, we can afford to give them a bit of slack.”

So, for a time, you forgot about it. However, a few weeks later, you were reminded of it all over again as the group would return only without the candidate Algid sent with them—having fallen in battle. Word of their demise spread as it usually did; with the mention that any Frost Demon that weak was a shame to their species and had no business standing among you all to begin with.

Unable to reign back your misgivings a second time, you paid even more attention to those who had made the journey. The group that had gone with Drice’s candidate had suffered next to no losses in comparison and were rather boastful of that fact. The group that had gone with Algid’s candidate, as expected, had more mixed reactions. Some of them were jaded, feeling like they’d been made serve under one of the worst candidates they could’ve been assigned to. As an open secret, many voiced their displeasure with the candidates as a whole, saying that if they didn’t produce tougher fighters soon and take an even more active role in the Force, then what was the point of them?

A small unit, however, was almost silent, nervous even, upon their return. Since you had seen them at their departure, you knew their faces. One late evening, you had just wrapped up your normal schedule for the day when you noticed one of these soldiers—a Zaltian that was a little short for his species—off to himself. He moved through the halls with a resolute, yet somewhat frightened expression, and a scanner held a little too closely to his chest as if it were something meant to be hidden.

You followed him at a distance, walking for several minutes until you ended up near the morgue. Although he didn’t have a scouter with him presently, he looked around to double-check that the cost was clear before trying to enter. When it did, you slipped out of the shadows, pulling at his shoulder to a startled yelp.

“And what’s your business here?” you asked him darkly, all of the apprehension you’d felt finding itself directed at him.

Caught red-handed, there was nothing he could say to defend himself. He was still was a moment, then lurched onto his feet with a stiff bow. “You’re—! Forgive me, please!” he fumbled, “I’m Ebbi, of Squad G! I-It’s just…”

You repeated your question a bit more harshly than before, annoyed by all his stuttering. “And don’t think whoever gave you access to this place will get away either,” you glared at him, knowing someone had to be working with him for the feeble foot-soldier even delude himself into getting this far. “Do not try to lie to me or test my patience.”

He swallowed hard, still having trouble with his words, “It’s just… my sergeant’s in there…”

“I think you mean one of my kind’s in there,” you interrupted, causing his eyes to go wide.

You didn’t actually know it for a fact, as enough time had passed that the body could’ve already been disposed of. His reaction, however, told you everything you needed. This had to do with the dead candidate.

“Before I assume you were planning some foul play, start talking.”  

His nerves now causing him to momentarily lose his voice altogether, Ebbi instead held up the scanner. It was a device specifically meant for medical use, designed to quickly check over soldiers for any internal wounds or abnormalities on the battlefield. You raised a brow.

“I wondered if there might’ve already been some foul play…” he mumbled. Your piercing stare pressuring him further, he continued, “Everything was fine, w-when we left… But over time, the sergeant began to get more and more agitated. W-we didn’t think anything of it at first, but then when we went to fight off the rebels, they just… froze. That’s what got them killed. It didn’t seem right to us…”

It wasn’t a story you had any reason to believe. No matter how strong the opponent was that managed to kill a Frost Demon, none of your kind died that easily. Besides, Ebbi was suspicious. If any of the candidates were targeted by anyone outside of themselves, there would be hell to pay.

If you listen to Ebbi, go to Chapter 63.
If you turn Ebbi in, go the Chapter 21.

Chapter Text

You couldn't share his opinion. Directly confronting anyone this early was too reckless. It was like showing your hand before the game even began. More than that, whatever decisions were made here would set a precedent going forward. If you gave into Hymal too much, he’d naturally start to expect you to stick to a more subservient role. You had to make it clear that, even if you were allies, that didn’t mean you’d bow to his every order. 

You gave him a stern look, "I'd like to handle things quietly for now."

Hymal didn’t react as you might’ve expected. Rather than argue with or try to intimidate you into submission, he simply nodded as though it didn’t bother him either way. “Then we’ll re-group later.”

With that, he just... left. No discussion or instruction, no further plans on what to do or when to meet next. Frowning as you watched him go, you again found his complete lack of charisma and eloquence to be one of his biggest weak points. If someone like him did become emperor, their underlings would definitely have their work cut out for them.

You were about to leave Communications yourself when a familiar presence caught your eye. You took a few steps back to peer into one of the adjacent chambers and spotted one of Sorbet's men poking around. If you remembered correctly, his name was Tagoma. Rather than access any of the consoles, he spoke directly into his scouter, making it impossible for you to pick up more than half of the conversation:

"Yes, I've gathered the recent data personally. I'm sending it to you now."

"No, they're as stubborn as ever. I don't see them bending any more than they already have. I hate to say this, Commander, maybe we should consider giving to their side a bit. Our soldiers could use the reinforcements."

"...I understand. Forgive my concern, but I just don't know if we can take many more losses."

You scowled, keeping out of view. It was rare for anyone in Sorbet's forces to personally show themselves here; middlemen, sure, but not the higher-ups. You had a rough guess on what the discussion was about. With the interplanetary rebellions and vast number of troops that had perished after Frieza did, the Force didn't just need strong leadership, they needed more bodies as a whole. Receiving such aid meant giving support in-return to whatever faction you requested it from. That and, while many candidates were hungry to prove themselves, not many of you were interested in being treated as rank-and-file soldiers.  

Or in working with Sorbet in-particular—not any more than you had to. You never really liked the koala-faced commander. Either he was a small-fry who didn’t know his place or a symbol of a crumbling era. In no way did someone like him deserve to sit at the helm of the Force. He was just one of the few surviving leaders from Frieza's reign who hadn’t jumped ship.

Although he acted cordial toward the candidates, it was clear that the disdain was mutual. Maybe Sorbet took the role of leader of out necessity more than anything—or so he told probably himself—but he’d be damned if Nitro, Drice, or anyone else strip him of the power he’d obtained over the years. To him, the candidates were likely all wild cards, a new generation ready to push out the old. He wouldn’t close the door on anyone completely for fear of whatever consequences may come of it, but he also wouldn’t support any candidate if he saw no personal benefit.

Even with the rumors of Frieza’s potential resurrection... Sorbet was probably thinking it was better to rely on the Evil Emperor’s old successes than to gamble on something new. That, and maybe he’d be rewarded for “proving his loyalty” for all those years, no matter how much trying to bring back Frieza reeked of desperation.

You cursed him quietly, Fool. In your eyes, Sorbet was so busy looking back at the “glory days” that he barely bothered to look ahead of himself. That was where he failed, why he couldn’t keep anything under control. Still, you could give him a little bit of credit for at least attempting to take the reins all those years ago when not many others were willing to. It showed that, for what little else there was to him, he at least had some nerve.

Well, it was clear that things still weren't going as planned for him. Whoever Sorbet and his men tried to convince this time, they hadn't quite gotten the results they wanted. At this rate, maybe there wouldn't even be a Frieza Force left for anyone to take over.

Tagoma began to wrap up his report, “They’re sending us two of their more compliant warriors, but even with their natural strength, it’s hard to say how much help they’ll be. They’ll ship out of here with Shisami and me. We should be back soon enough.”

As he ended the transmission and started to turn his way toward you, you pretended that you had only just arrived. He gave you a brief glance, then left the area. Though he didn’t serve anyone at the base, a part of you still felt a bit slighted that he hadn’t bothered with some kind of greeting or recognition. While he appeared to be a bit more strategic than Sorbet, he also seemed to be far too casual to his superiors. That audacity would get him killed one of these days…

If you keep an eye on Tagoma, go to Chapter 27.
If you go on about your day, go to Chapter 48.

Chapter Text

There was no guarantee Hymal would share your train of thought—or even appreciate what you were trying to do. Rather than tiptoe around him, you’d rather see this task through yourself and show him the results when the time was right. And, if any problem did arise from working with Berryblue, you could deal with them in secret.

According to the information you had available, the Zaltian was placed in a holding cell with no hard decisions having been made yet as to what was to be done with him. Well, with one of his candidates having died and tensions between the rest potentially reaching a head, Algid was likely too busy to concern himself with a thief for the time being. Depending on how things escalated, your backer might even forget about him entirely, simply leaving him to rot.

However, the more you looked into the possibility of altering records, the more impossible the task seemed to be without ultimately getting caught. The trouble was that prisoners hardly ever moved in or out of the base. The ones locked up on-site weren’t rebels or trespassers: They were soldiers who had committed crimes or had gone against their superiors, mostly ones that already worked here and had stepped out of line. There were also only a handful of them at any given time. Not only would a transfer look strange, the change couldn’t be covered up easily.

Still, using a supposed clerical error to your advantage wasn’t out of the question, even if it only acted as a kind of red herring. Rather than a transfer, you could fix the records to make it seem as though Ebbi was meant to be released. Someone would eventually catch wind of the change, but if he just-so-happened to escape the base before he could be caught again… Well, you could have Berryblue’s people ready to arrest him before he got very far.

You contacted Berryblue after sorting out the details, as relieved by her approval as you were concerned by her offer to help see the plan through. You would handle getting Ebbi out of base while she would have someone else ready to intercept him. Preparing yourself as best as possible, you waited until late one evening to act.

At that hour, most of the regular work conducted around the base was finished and the candidates were left to their own devices. Still, you only had a small window during the changing of the guards to move with the least chance of being noticed. The facility’s vents were low and winding, and you grimaced with each creek of metal as you crawled through. Even though it was your idea, you hated having to sneak around this much.  

Eventually, you made your way right over Ebbi’s cell. The Zaltian was short for his species was rather unimpressive for a someone bold enough to steal anything with so many strong enemies nearby. He sat on the floor with his knees drawn to his chest and his back to the wall furthest from the door. While the hatch to the vent was centered above the cell, he didn’t notice you remove it. If anything, he seemed lost within his own despair.

You extended your tail until it loomed over him, and then captured him by the neck in one sweeping motion. You had to cover his mouth before he could scream, yanking him after you into the vent and raising a finger to your lips in a demand that he remain silent, “Just shut up and follow me.”

Shivering, he nodded. Fortunately, you didn’t have to crawl far before you could step out into the quiet halls again. You knew where the cameras were: You could make your way to the hangers just fine. There was already a space pod available, locked into pre-set coordinates that would take Ebbi where you needed him to be.

The Zaltian gave you one last look over his shoulder before approaching it. His eyes seemed to ask you why you were helping him; however, you didn’t answer, only giving him an irritated wave of your tail to go on. You watched him climb into the small vessel, not walking away until its hatch had sealed shut. From there, you could only hide in the shadows, watching it soar into space as soldiers rushed in from the unexpected take off.

Go to Chapter 31.

Chapter Text

One year later…

On a world far from the base you once might’ve called home not that long ago, you stepped out of a temporary shelter and into the crisp morning air. Outside, you were surrounded by little more than a cold, empty tundra—a flat plain that wasn’t even filled by the mounds of snow piled high in other regions on the planet. Only a thin coat of white sprinkled the ground here or there, the rest of the hard earth dotted with rocks or browning plants. This wasteland was where you’d been assigned, at least up until some form of civilization could be made from it.

You didn’t particularly mind. It wasn’t as if the last world you’d inhabited had much in the way of scenery either.  Besides, here, you were far from the chaos that had shaken the entire universe. Lord Frieza had been brought back to life.

With his return, suddenly, everything that you and every other candidate had been groomed for, had fought for, had died for, was pointless. Not one of you could best the evil emperor. Some tried, but when they did, there was never anything left of them to make it back to base.

Despite Frieza largely leaving the rest of you alone—primarily due to his focus being solely trained on the Saiyans who had killed him—the base itself may as well have been left to ruin. Most of you remained turned on each other either out of frustration or in the scramble to gain a position in the shake up. Algid had been executed, likely due to his heavy hand in rearing the candidates. Meanwhile, those left under Drice were exiled to the aged commander’s sector of space.

Not even you and Hymal were left unscathed. Together, you had survived well enough against your rivals, and you were able to pull some strings that allowed the both of you to escape the onslaught, but that was where you had parted ways. Without a word between you, your fragile alliance had finally been brought to its end. You hadn’t thought much about him since, only occasionally wondering what might’ve become of him.

The clatter of equipment snapped you out of your reflective daze. Another Frost Demon had just set aside some tools by the shelter next to yours. They weren’t a former candidate, but someone you had made connections with through your months of networking efforts in what you supposed you could now call ‘the old days.’  He looked up, gave you a brief nod as if to say ‘good morning,’ then ducked inside.

You remembered Jierra. You had no idea what happened to him either, and you were never able to find any data on him no matter how much you searched—a fact that still bothered you.

Still, the impact of your short encounter with him was paramount to where you found yourself now. Maybe you would’ve always tried to network to build up yours and Hymal’s influence, but you wouldn’t have tried to seek out more of your species. You wouldn’t have cared enough to.

Here, there were only four of you. It was a small group compared to the number of Frost Demons who made up the former candidates, but given how few of you there were even back then, it still felt like a miracle that you were able to join with this many of your own kind elsewhere in the universe.

The others were weaker than yourself, though possibly even more headstrong. They’d known each other longer, and two of them were directly related. Your sudden addition didn’t come without its problems. You fought with each other, naturally. You didn’t quite understand when one of them was trying to challenge you or just being snarky; what issues turned into real fights or what was just competitive banter. Still, by the end of day, you felt you could breathe easier around them than any members of your kind that you’d known previously.  You felt it was safe to call them… companions.

You felt your stomach growl at the smell of cooking rations. This wasn’t the most ideal way to live, you’d admit, but you were comfortable. And you started hoping that nothing would happen to shake up your life a second time. You hoped that, if you stayed quiet, Frieza would keep his eyes off of you and you could enjoy this strange sense of peace for as long as you were able.

THE FORGOTTEN ROOTS ENDING

Chapter Text

One year later…

Berryblue kept her word to help you; however, it wasn’t quite in the way you had expected.

There was a lot more traffic at the base now than even before—not because there was anything on the planet that required a heavier military presence or that facility itself had grown in importance, but because the number of jobs people were sent out to do had dramatically increased. No longer could you spend your days fighting amongst each other. The empire was in dire straits and the emperor demanded that you do everything in your power to clean up the mess of rebellions that had been allowed to spread for nearly two decades.

That emperor was none other than Frieza. Sorbet had managed to do the impossible by sneaking to Earth, stealing its Dragon Balls, and resurrecting the tyrant.

To call what happened after that chaos was mild to say the least. Former candidates for the throne foolish enough to challenge him were eradicated. Those that scrambled some other position of influence tore each other apart. The support any of you once had was sharply withdrawn, and you may have been left stranded without any kind of backing at all were it not for what little help you were able to negotiate with Berryblue on the outside.

For better or worse, Frieza actually didn’t seem to care about any potential rivals for his throne at all. Why would he? None of him could get close enough to him in power. Moreover, his attention was currently focused on the Saiyans and their allies on Earth. You could rest easy knowing that, at least for the time being, he had no interest in dealing with any of you. In return, however, all of the former candidates were expected to work like mad to reestablish some semblance of the vast territory he once ruled. 

Your only guess was that Berryblue had helped convince him that all of you were far more useful alive. You couldn’t think of another reason why you’d all suddenly receive such a decree, especially when so many others had left you to your fate. In the very least, this little bit of interest put a halt to what could’ve been a terrifying amount of bloodshed.  

A tablet in-hand, you looked over a fresh shipment of supplies that just came in. Checking inventory wasn’t the more glamourous job, but it did give you something to do. While others were sent off-world, you were often left to look after the base’s general affairs.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted Hymal exiting a ship parked across the hanger. He noticed you too, but only glared before continuing on his way.

He never liked that you’d gone behind his back to get into touch with Berryblue, and while it hadn’t affected the alliance you two shared too greatly back then, things were much different now. Another major event that followed Lord Frieza’s resurrection was Algid’s execution. Why he was executed was never stated, though it was believed to be because of his heavy hand in rearing all of the candidates. Even though Hymal benefited it in the long run, claiming Algid’s position, you got the feeling your former partner blamed you somehow for the elder Frost Demon’s death. Now, Hymal rarely spoke to you except out of necessity.

Well, so long as his hostility ended there, you didn’t mind. Even if he wanted to throttle you over it, he couldn’t easily do so. The base couldn’t function without outside support, and you were the one who had managed to salvage any of it upon Frieza’s return. You had made yourself too useful to throw away.

Whatever came after Frieza acquired his revenge worried you. Maybe you were all only delaying the inevitable and the tyrant would get rid of you all at some later point. Right now, Commander Sorbet was still glued to Frieza’s side and Berryblue hadn’t been able to reestablish the same influence she once had. While you had a feeling that this was only a temporary thing, there was no guarantee she’d help you and the other candidates anymore than she already had.

If Frieza did decided to kill you, along with the other former candidates, you couldn’t stop him. Maybe, however, you’d be able to negotiate for your survival a second time.    

THE SCHEMER ENDING

Chapter Text

You smacked his hand away from you, pushing yourself up onto your own feet. “When you said you wouldn’t fight my battles for me, I didn’t expect you to still pull me into yours,” you fumed. Your legs seemed to creak underneath you from stiffness and aches.   

“I wanted to see how you measured up,” Hymal replied after a moment. He stood up next to you, keeping his tone matter-of-fact, “I didn’t realize you were this lacking.”

You couldn’t decide what was more annoying: The tone, the insult itself, or that it was difficult to argue against it. A part of you wanted to yell, ‘of course,’ and call him out on the obvious—that there was no way someone at your level could keep up with his—but your pride wouldn’t let you. He’d already thought little enough of you going into your alliance.

Could that be why he did this in the first place? As some off-handed powerplay to keep you in-check, just in case you ever got the idea that you could surpass him? You quickly shook off the thought no sooner had it popped into your head. No, Hymal wasn’t that subtle. You were starting to believe he wasn’t even that smart.

“So what? Are you kicking yourself for asking me to team up with you?” you shot back, “Do you have regrets already?”     

 His eyes narrowed slightly, “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“You should feel some regret,” you continued, “or at least show a little self-reflection.” It was almost as if you were daring him to go ahead and break things off, but you felt he wouldn’t nor could you really afford him to. Not now. “You paraded our alliance in front of everyone! Do you think the others will sit still after that? We could become their first targets.”

You waited for Hymal to boldly claim that, even if they did, it wouldn’t be a problem; that he could easily deal with any immediate challengers that came your way while you handled the tasks he asked of you. You waited to drill into him that it wasn’t so simple and that he shouldn’t take such a threat lightly just because of his own abilities. However, no argument ever came. Hymal didn’t say anything. It was a if you could see the gears slowly fitting into place in his mind, that he was finally realizing what you already understood.

This move would hardly threaten him at all, but it absolutely threatened you. You would be the weak link others would be aiming at, if not to try to knock Hymal down a peg, then to punish you for partnering with someone well above you—and them—in the hierarchy. 

Rather than getting angrier, you felt ashamed by his unbroken silence. There was no reassurance or further offense, just a mute, steady acknowledgement of facts. If things were going to continue like this, then from this point forward, you would have to be sure to watch your own back at all times.

You shook your head, leaving things at that. You didn’t feel bad enough to go to the infirmary nor did you want to risk facing anyone you might bump into along the way there, so you headed for your own quarters to rest instead. In the very least, you could go over what you’d observed from the match and try to sort out the worst of yours and Hymal’s rivals in-advance.

A few days passed without seeing your partner. Hymal never contacted you and you had no reason to reach out to him. You tried to keep to your usual schedule without risking yourself being cornered or isolated at any point. Thankfully, many of the candidates you regularly interacted with didn’t mingle much the those you had sparred with. Even if they’d caught wind that you and Hymal were a team and tried to pick a fight with you over it, those fights were much easier to face. Nevertheless, you were kept on-edge almost wherever you went throughout the base.  

“You look like you’re in a bit of trouble,” a voce suddenly spoke to you, halting you mid-stride.

You were surprised by the sudden interruption. You looked over your shoulder to see your backer appearing from the corner of an adjacent passage. It was as rare to spot Algid outside of the medical labs as it was to see or hear from him more than once in such a short span of time. Was your irritation that plain on your face or had Hymal said something to him? You gave him a brief, if still polite, greeting, but decided against going into details.

"Everything is fine," you said with a poker expression, "I'm in perfect health, as you can see."

"Right," Algid nevertheless gave you a knowing smirk, his voice trickling with obvious doubt, "And yet you look perfectly miserable."

You felt a brow twitch. If he was going to call you out, then you would've preferred it if he didn't toy with you first. Why make a point to see how you were doing anyway? It was probably the trait that most annoyed you about him and those under him on the medical staff, this faux concern. Or maybe there was something genuine about it, but only in that keeping you and the other candidates content and alive was more beneficial for themselves in-turn.

"I know Hymal has a bit of an odd personality," he said, "I've never really known him to get along with anyone particularly well." 

That's certainly one way of putting it. In hindsight though, you didn't actually consider Hymal to be a difficult person so much as... different. Very few candidates 'got along' with one another, and at least he didn't pressure you to go along with his every action despite the clear gap in strength between you both. He was, arguably, rather reasonable. 

If only he could be a bit more reasonable at times when it mattered.

Your benefactor’s gaze then turned thoughtful. After a moment, he gave you a surprising offer.

“I imagine you’re feeling somewhat suffocated right now. If you need the space, I might have a job for you. Commander Sorbet has insisted on renegotiating some terms over supply distribution. It can be handled remotely, but things might go smoother in-person. What would you say to being my proxy?”    

If you accept Algid's offer, go to Chapter 73.
If you reject Algid's offer, go to Chapter 19.

Chapter Text

Hymal's lax reaction to your suggestion made you hesitate. Just like you were initially, he seemed slightly wary of the other Frost Demon. You also didn't want to risk breaking your already shaky alliance by making any rash decisions. If you both needed outside support, you could always find it later—perhaps when your positions were a little more established.

“If you already think you’ve done all the research you can for now,” he continued, looking disinterested, “then I suggest training. You’ll wind up dead if you performed like you did before.”

You weren’t even given the chance to get offended by his remark. Hymal left without another word, leaving you to glare at him from behind. Your blood nearly started to boil. If he was going to be this unreasonably distant, then why did he bother asking you to team up with him to begin with?!

Still, you didn’t chase after him—you had no desire to lower yourself to that. Fine then. You tried. If Hymal needed you, he could come find you instead. You weren’t going to be at his beck and call. 

You needed to get some air…

Several minutes later, you found yourself exploring the outside of the base. There wasn’t much to the planet you were on. At one point, the world had been heavily mined, but now it was hardly a shell of itself. What few dots of civilization existed across its surface were overwhelmed by the empty landscapes that surrounded them.

You ended up at a lake that served as one of the few water sources in the area. The somewhat cool water felt nice, and you couldn’t resist wading in to help get your mind off of your burning frustrations.

Why did it have to be you? Why couldn’t Hymal have asked somehow else for an alliance if he wasn’t going to listen to you anyway? Surely you didn’t look that mild to others, as if you would just roll over whenever anyone said.

Looking at the sky, you raised a hand upward. You thought it was strange, how many beings thought of flight as a symbol of freedom. You had been able to fly for as long as you could remember, but you hardly thought of yourself as free. After all, you were reared for a specific purpose: To dominate or to get trampled over and die like so many others before you. There was, quite literally, no other way to live.

As if the universe itself saw fit to confirm your worst train of thought, out of the corner of your eye, a ki blast came raging toward you. You quickly vaulted yourself into the air, spinning around the attack: It landed in the lake below with a massive eruption that sent water flying in all directions.

No sooner had you caught your breath did you feel someone strike you from behind. You tumbled through the air, stopping yourself short of getting caught in the remnants of the first attack. You spun around.

A pair of Frost Demons you recognized from the spar Hymal had dragged you into hovered before you now. You cursed yourself under your breath for being too careless, letting someone get the drop on you after all this time!

If you fight back, go to Chapter 76.
If you run, go to Chapter 52.

Chapter Text

The fact that he wanted you both to fight Tokaki, of all people, was only somewhat surprising. After all, Hymal was already so high up the food chain that few others gave him a challenge. The same, however, could not be said for you. Even with how far you’d come in that short amount of time, even if the two of you went against Tokaki at once, would it matter? Would you honestly be able to keep up with the top contenders in the battle to become emperor?

Seeing how adamant Hymal was about this, you couldn’t dismiss his suggestion so easily. He already knew what level you were, and he was so brutally honest that you didn’t think he would bring this up if he thought you didn’t stand a chance fighting by his side. Slowly, you nodded. It wouldn’t exactly be an honorable fight—in fact, you a little surprised that your more honest partner had even suggested it—but maybe you could win with your combined efforts.

You both agreed on challenging the other candidate as early as the next day and parted ways to get some rest. By the time you regrouped late the next morning, the worst of your nerves still hadn’t ebbed. You refused to let it show though: The last thing you needed was to display any kind of weakness.

Tokaki was easy to spot: A Frost Demon with a powerful build, greyish-green coloration, and heavier armor than most. He was just outside of the base, caught in what seemed to be an irritating conversation with a few soldiers. You vaguely remembered seeing them hover around him before—maybe they worked directly under him—but couldn’t think of any of their names. Well, it didn't matter: They were just the peanut gallery. Whatever happened between you three, they had no business interfering in a conflict between candidates.

When the group took notice of you and Hymal lingering nearby, there were different reactions. The soldier's initial surprise soon altered into a smug aura. Only one of them kept their expression in-check, the others allowing their true feelings to show in varying degrees. It was more than just the proud smirk of someone following a powerful individual. Somehow, it felt more direct, as if they were silently mocking you two, a fact that quickly got under your skin. Meanwhile, Tokaki gave you both a quizzical, bored look over his shoulder that silently demanded you either say whatever you had on your mind or leave.

It was a much more gracious response than what he was known to giving those who bothered him. Hymal was quick to shut that only window out of this. He folded his arm across his chest, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice, “Fight us, Tokaki. Here and now.”

There was a pause. The other candidate’s expression momentarily became one of bewilderment before gradually mimicking that of his men. He turned completely around to face you two, looking you both over—you felt the skin on the back of your neck prickle as his gaze briefly hung on you—as though he didn’t believe you were serious.

When neither you nor Hymal flinched back, he chuckled, “Alright…  I could go for a quick exercise. Let’s just get the bystanders out of the way first.”

There was no time to respond to his words. In the blink of an eye, Tokaki seemingly vanished and you suddenly became very aware of a ferocious pain in your chest. You looked down, horrified to see the large hole that was now carved through it. A serrated, armored tail sloped around your collar, aimed for your neck.

In your shock, you couldn’t fully register what had happened: Only that Tokaki had injured you. A few steps away, Hymal could only look on, wide-eyed. It was clear he not only hadn’t anticipated that Tokaki might aim for you first, but also the speed at which he could deal such a fierce blow. All Hymal could do to counter what otherwise might’ve been a fatal cut across your throat was lash out with his own tail before throwing himself at the other warrior.

After that, neither of them even glanced back. Their fight had sharply turned to a one-on-one match. Meanwhile, you were fighting just to stay conscious. You collapsed on the ground, hearing one of the soldiers emit a harsh bark of a laugh.        

THE FIRST TO FALL ENDING

Chapter Text

You’d already done the most dangerous thing of bringing up the deserter to Tokaki in the first place: You felt you might as well run with it. Maybe you were lucky that he hadn’t killed you for that, but if you came this far and nothing else motivated him quite the same, then it was still a risk worth taking.

You tried to recall everything you could from those earlier days. While you never interacted with each other directly, even back then, you had known the former candidate’s reputation: The cruel, yet pragmatic killer, Jewel.

There was no such thing as a crime of passion for that one. Whereas Tokaki relished in overwhelming his enemies with superior, sadistic force, Jewel had never regarded them as anything more than obstacles. They were a job to be done or a threat to be quickly dealt with—albeit if still in a ruthless fashion to ensure that they never again become an issue.

Those weren’t the only differences either. At a glance, anyone would know that Tokaki was a brute: Jewel had a much smaller frame, relying more on speed and cunning. Tokaki was merciless, possessing one of the highest body counts among any of the candidates: Jewel typically killed only when an opponent refused to back down. Tokaki was boastful and would challenge anyone who looked at him for too long: Jewel had been far more reserved, rarely interacting with anyone besides Tokaki. The two truly had complimented each other both in personality and as warriors. In hindsight, however, you could see where that partnership was more one-sided…       

In the best-case scenario, if you found Jewel, not only might that motivate Tokaki to aim for the throne once again, he might even be reigned back into some form of control—whether by positive influence or a vengeance finally satisfied. As for whatever that meant for the deserter, you didn’t really care. If anything, maybe all of this was just karma coming to collect her dues.

The real issue was how to go about the search. If there was even a trail to follow, it would be an old and overgrown one, hidden by foliage and eroded by time. A lot of the information that may have been easy to gather in the past had likely been lost. The biggest hope you had was that there were so few of your kind in—and Frieza’s family had left such a huge impression on—the universe that anyone who had spotted Jewel should be able to remember the encounter easily enough.

 You decided it was best to start your search right there at the base. That gave you a couple different options: You could talk to the soldiers that served under Jewel or do some data-mining through reports. Gathering witness accounts was certainly a simple, but effective was to collect information; however, for a number of reasons, there was no telling if the soldiers would be honest with you or what the cost of their intel would be. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be difficult for you to search through old files—you knew for a fact that Drice kept tabs on all of his candidates, just like Algid—but you weren’t entirely sure what you’d get out of it other than seeing if there were any irregularities in Jewel’s behavior that could offer further clues.

If you talk to Jewel’s soldiers, go to Chapter 6.
If you access Jewel’s files, go to Chapter 72.

Chapter Text

Even if you weren’t the strongest fighter among the candidates, you had the experience to know that trying to force him away from you could only end badly. All it would do is give Tokaki the perfect excuse for taking out more rival.  After all, he hadn’t even touched you. If you reacted, if you landed the first blow, it wasn’t because of his barbarism—no, he would only have been fighting back against a challenger already caught sneaking around.

Then there was simply the satisfaction of jarring you enough to trigger that instant fight-or-flight response—which you had no plans to give him. You kept your expression stern, your fists clenched at your sides; ready to act at a moment’s notice only if needed. You stared him down in silence, hoping that your eyes didn’t give away even a flicker of surprise at his attack.

This was the opportunity you were looking for anyway, you told yourself. It had just come a bit earlier than you had prepared for.

“Can you blame me for wanting to watch a good show?” you asked, buying yourself a few more seconds to piece your scattered thoughts together. “Not everyone here fights with the same ferocity you do.”

Unfortunately, he wasn’t the type to be pacified by a few words. He continued to glare at you, remaining where he was. “It’s a lot more fun when you actually join the fight, but it figures all you can do is watch. Cowards, the lot of you.”

“A coward wouldn’t have the nerve to approach you in the first place.”

That rebuttal surprised him. He raised a brow, some of his anger subsiding in his intrigue.

You decided to try to persuade with him with much of the same logic that Hymal had presented to you: Tensions were high and everyone was in need of allies. You also gave him that added incentive that, while he might be the stronger of you both, you knew how to gather information that would be hard for him to obtain himself. To your surprise, Tokaki listened well, giving you all the time to explain without interruption.

However, once you were done talking, his lips curled in a sneer and he barked out a dismissive laugh, “You really came to waste my time with that? Do you think you’re the first to come up with that pitch?” His tail slipped away from you to flick the air with humor. “I don’t need to ally myself with anyone, nevermind anyone in Nitro’s batch. Run back to your brood, welp, and find someone a little less out of your league.”

Tokaki turned to go. Perhaps you should’ve let him, but somehow his arrogance toward you was more bothersome than if he had just attacked you outright. You glowered at his back, “And to think so many people bet on you becoming the next emperor... You don’t even have the will to put out any effort, do you?”

He halted mid-stride. If there was another way to get him to keep listening to you, you couldn’t think of it. You didn’t have the strength to impress the warrior and he didn’t have the desire to see reason. Poking his pride would have to do.

Just as long as it didn’t get you killed anyway.

He fired a glance over his shoulder, his voice dripping with warning, “You’ve given me a good laugh. That’s enough for me to let you go. I suggest you quit while you’re ahead.”

You didn’t. “Your last partner tagged out and left, and because you can’t let it go, you’ve been stuck in a rut ever since.”

A small ki blast too quick to keep up with nicked the side of your face as it whizzed by. You flinched at the burning graze, but managed to keep your expression firm.

In contrast, Tokaki’s usually haughty gaze had turned wild with rage—a finger still aimed your way to ready another attack. Touching his biggest sore spot was a perilous play to make. You hadn’t originally intended it; the words just came out before you could stop them. They weren’t anything you could’ve just taken back either—and, as if it was an admission of guilt, he might’ve just killed you for trying. Seeing firsthand how much it moved him though, like nothing else could…

“Don’t you want that runaway to regret it?” Adrenaline running, your mouth began to move before your mind had even fully formulated what to say next. “Staying as you are will change nothing. Don’t let a traitor rob you of your potential.”

He calmed down a little. Half a minute passed before he lowered his hand, folding his arms over his chest. “That still doesn’t give me a reason to team up with you,” he prepared to leave once more, but left you with some parting words that gave you a bit of hope, “but if you actually think you can make it worth my while… I’ll consider it. Bring me some proof first.”

You nodded, “Of course.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I find this ploy of yours entertaining is all,” he said, recomposing himself to flash you a final, devilish grin, “Fail to meet those high expectations you’ve set up or try to back out, and I will erase you.”

You had no doubt he meant it. After that speech, there was no way of staying out of Tokaki’s radar now. This also cut off any opportunity you had of changing over to Hymal’s side. The former would never take kindly to betrayal and the latter would never give you a second chance.

Well… Hymal would have to accept it. You had to make the best decision for yourself. Now, you just had to figure out a way to back up all of your talking.

What information would Tokaki find useful? You were confident in your abilities, but you needed to learn something worthwhile that could be gathered in a relatively short amount of time.  The strengths and weaknesses of his enemies? No, he might not even care about a thing like that—to him, it would take away from the fun of the fight.

Then again, there were plenty of enemies the candidates had even beyond themselves. Sorbet’s faction and others like it within the Force stood high on that list. They wouldn’t dare attack a Frost Demon by any honorable means, but they did sometimes make a bad habit of trying to put the candidates down when they could. When you weren’t fighting against your own kind, be it directly or by public persuasion, you were fighting them.

Another option was one you were more hesitant to try. You could collect information on Tokaki’s former partner, the deserter. On one hand, there was likely no bigger prize for him than to find out what happened and where the other candidate had gone. On the other, it meant tearing the scab off of an old wound. If Tokaki found out that you were poking around on such a sore subject, he might just come after you in retaliation, especially if you failed in the end. There was also a chance that, even if you did succeed, Tokaki would just go after his old partner and ignore you completely. The work would all be for nothing.  

If you collect information on the Frieza Force, go to Chapter 59.
If you collect information on the deserter, go to Chapter 35.

Chapter Text

It was difficult not to let your reluctance immediately show on your face. Where was this suddenly coming from? Going after Tokaki? Yes, you had gotten stronger and Hymal was capable enough on his own, but could the two of you combined even face that battle addict?

You had other concerns as well. “I know what you’re thinking: If we take down one of the other top contenders, we’ll certainly be making a claim for ourselves,” you began, “but that’s not always a good thing. If we win, we’ll just be inviting people to aim for us in-turn—they’d hope to shake us down before we even secured our position. It’s too early to make that kind of gamble.”

Hymal didn’t seem pleased with your observation. He folded his arms across his chest, “Don’t tell me you’re trying to duck out of this because you think we’d lose.”

Your eyes narrowed, "This isn't cowardice talking, but common sense. Right now, we’re all still considered rivals. No one serves as a direct threat to anyone else. Even you wouldn’t be able to hold out forever if the other candidates united to aim for us, because we were the first to stir the pot.”

You didn’t bother admitting that there was a sprinkle of truth to his accusation—for the sake of your argument as well as your pride. If you fought Tokaki and lost, Hymal might stand a chance of surviving to the end, but there was no guarantee that you would. If anything, you felt you would ultimately end up trapped between two giants who thought nothing of crushing you for being in the way.

Your partner maintained his sour, unimpressed expression, “Then what would you suggest for our next step?”

“All I’m saying is that it would be better to wait,” you replied, “You asked me to team up with you because you needed someone who could act as another set of eyes, so let me see what I can find out. If you truly think we should make a move first, we have our pick of targets to choose from.”

He wasn’t entirely convinced, but thankfully left it at that. The two of you returned to the base and parted ways soon after.  You had a feeling you wouldn’t get a moment’s rest until you gave Hymal a satisfying answer. Rather than enjoy the early start to a free evening, you tried to see what news there was to scrounge up from the other candidates.

While there were a handful of candidates that preferred the company of the squads that served under them to each other, not many entertained themselves by socializing with the various soldiers stationed on-world in general. Furthermore, only about half of them socialized among each other. You yourself indulged more in privacy, habitually taking meals in the comforts of your own quarters. As such, you weren’t surprised when you entered the common area that the candidates had claimed for themselves only to find around a dozen of you lingering about.

The chamber doubled as a kind of communal dining hall and was the only—to call it loosely—“neutral” ground that anyone agreed upon. Even if fights broke out, they never turned bloody or were otherwise postponed until the combatants could find a more suitable place to confront one another. No, here, candidates instead fought with wit or exchanged gossip. Aside from the arena, it was the next best place to pick up on the feelings they had toward one another or changes in the hierarchy.

You found the information you needed sooner than expected. In fact, it practically fell into your lap. Many of the candidates were talking about the most recent death among you, one from your and Hymal’s group. It wasn’t anyone you particularly knew or cared for, but the way they had died was abysmal enough that you couldn’t help overhearing about it even if you tried.

“Killed by those weaklings on Planet-206! Can you believe it?” someone complained behind you, “I’m not one to call death itself failure, but now we’ve become the joke of half the Force!”

Another candidate agreed in a calmer tone, “It doesn’t help that they’re sending Madog, of all people, to deal with the rebellion there in his place… We’ll never hear the end of it when that louse gets back.”

You were beginning to see why Hymal was so impatient to act: He must’ve heard the news before you did. While most of the candidates thought nothing of slaughtering each other, due to the pride you shared as a species, to be killed by anyone else was generally seen as an embarrassment. What should’ve been an impossible embarrassment at that. Aside from the Earth Saiyans, who else was alive to threaten any of you but each other?  And, of course, Drice’s candidates were having a field day of it.

“What more could you expect?” a third person mumbled into their glass, overhearing the same complaints you were listening to, “It makes sense that a delicate backer like Algid can only rear equally delicate fighters. That lot is better off sticking to labwork, just like him.”

It was nothing more than a petty provocation, but an effective one nonetheless. Hymal probably wanted to silence such chatter as much as he wanted you both to hurry and make your claim as contenders for the title of emperor. He probably thought that going after Tokaki would be hitting two birds with one stone.

You, however, weren’t so easily goaded.

If you try to talk Hymal down, go to Chapter 18.
If you try to redirecting his ire elsewhere, go to Chapter 58.  

Chapter Text

One year later...

The metal city was flooded with such a dense fog that its bright neon-red lights were practically blacked out. You stood on one of the lower levels, hidden at the corner of an alley as you waited for a signal from your scouter. All that disturbed the uneasy calm was the roar of hovercrafts above, their shadows somehow casting greater darkness over the already overwhelming gloom.

Most of the planets under Commander Drice’s authority were like this: Dark and unforgiving, just stable enough to support a modest population capable of enduring the harsh conditions. Sitting at the edge of the universe, they were a highly remote part of the empire. Even if the Galactic Patrol dared to venture into the empire’s territory, these worlds were too far out of reach for them to bother trying. Still, that lack of presence between those two dominating powers invited another alternative: Criminal rule.

It was allowed, if only so much in that scum wanted across multiple galaxies could hide and conduct their business on these worlds in secret. It helped bring in resources and was what led to the developments of cities such as this one. Every now and then though, someone grew a little too bold. The punishment for spitting on Drice’s hospitality was always paid in blood.

These were the worlds you were exiled to following Lord Frieza’s miraculous resurrection. Commander Sorbet had actually managed to do it, sneaking to Earth and taking the Dragon Balls under the Earthling’s noses.  There was no way to describe just how horrible things could have gone for you and the rest of the candidates. Nearly all of those in the Force that once gave support for a new ruler among you vanished. Algid was executed and many of the others under him turned up dead. Some candidates even left to challenge the emperor directly and were slaughtered without struggle.

Fireza, however, wasn’t as concerned over the candidates’ existences as any of you had first thought. His thirst for revenge had given him near-total tunnel-vision. After getting an idea of the situation, putting down any strong opposition to his return, and issuing some commands, he’d dedicated himself wholly to his goal of beating the Saiyans.

Just like that, two months passed and nothing changed. Once he focused his attention back on the empire, maybe you would need to worry, but he didn’t seem all that interested—like a wolf ignoring smaller predators so long as they didn’t interfere with its hunt. In complete contrast to Algid, even Commander Drice was left alone.

Still, after the initial chaos, only a handful of—now former—candidates remained. Many were sent to deal with the rebellions across the empire themselves. Tokaki was ordered to return to Drice and, due to your close ties to him, you were sent along.

It seemed obvious now that Tokaki would succeed the old commander, although nothing was ever said aloud. From your observations, he was treated more like a subordinate than a son—not that either of you or your peers could’ve said much on the topic of family. You both worked as the elder Frost Demon’s enforcers.

In a way, you had gotten much closer to Tokaki than he was with his progenitor.

Your scouter chirped to life, locking on to a significantly higher power level than the others in the building across from you. Another even higher than that appeared shortly after, flying down to an entryway on the third level.  It was time to move in.

Darting through the fog, you charged in from the first level and made your way up on-foot to close off your targets’ escape. Screams and blaster fire erupted before you reached the group of insurgents and their leader. You arrived in the abandoned living quarters they were using as a meeting space to find Tokaki already making quick work of them.

He couldn’t have waited a minute longer… you clicked your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Stepping inside, you cut off the path of a lean, orange-skinned humanoid with a beak-like face. His eyes widened, but before he could raise his weapon at you, a ki blast fired through his chest. You had to twist your body out of its way to narrowly avoid missing it yourself as the beam continued its trajectory into the wall behind you.

Pinning down one of the only survivors with his foot on their back and a finger still aimed your way, your partner grinned, “You can still dodge my attacks, but can’t keep up with my kill count? I can’t tell if you’re losing your edge or just getting soft.”

Your eyes scanned over the bodies. A bulkier alien wearing heavier armor than the others and suffering a large gash in his leg crawled over his fallen comrades to try to reach for one of the discarded blasters. You fired your tail his way, coiling it around his neck and slamming him against the wall.

“We need to bring in their leader for interrogation,” you reminded, dragging the man toward you to deliver a precise, knock-out hit.

There was a loud crunch of bone followed by a sharp, dying cry from pierced organs. “I was going to leave that one alive,” Tokaki shrugged as he walked toward you, “You can’t blame me for wanting some sport. Nothing’s as thrilling here as things were before Frieza showed back up.”

Gone were the days of constant threats and disgusted glances. He’d gotten used to having you around: Working with you, training with you, matching each other’s rhythm in combat… Still, a part of you knew how flimsy this partnership truly was. Old, strong feelings did not die easily: At any time, he might return to his obsession and instantly give chase.

Not that you minded it too much if that happened. Although Commander Drice would never consider you as a true successor because of your origins—you were only grafted into the clan—the ways you proved yourself each day meant that your future was secure. Survival mattered far more than some paper-thin bond. Moreover…

“Let’s head back.” Tokaki patted your shoulder, gripping it a bit too tightly before letting go. The more you battled at his side, the more you felt a hypothetical leash and collar tug at your neck. While you two teamed-up well together, you were almost always pushed to take a more subservient role.

You didn’t like how you rarely found time to be alone, either because you were with him or any one of his underlings that insisted on hovering around.  You didn’t like how much time Tokaki took out of your day or the obsessive way he looked at you. Slowly though, you were beginning to understand the cost of tying yourself to him, because you remembered that they were all looks he’d made before—just with another Frost Demon as his focus.

THE RELUCTANT REPLACEMENT ENDING   

Chapter Text

You stood back up with a tired sigh and double-checked your surroundings. How did this end up happening...? 

If you had really wanted this alliance in the first place, you might've felt been more eager to help him, but this was just how things typically worked around here: You had to be strong enough to carry your own weight. If you picked a fight beyond your capabilities, that was your own fault. That's why, if Hymal was conscious, he wouldn't blame you for walking off. If anything, he'd likely try to chase you off himself.

You called some soldiers to his room via intercom and manually shut the door. You could afford to do that much, at least. If you did absolutely nothing, there was a chance another candidate would see him lying there and finish the job of who or whatever got ahold of him. At least the staff was obligated to try to keep each of you alive. 

If Hymal managed to die before they got to him, then it was safe to say this alliance had never truly been in your favor to begin with. It had just been a lot of wasted time and effort. You went back to your own quarters, feeling sourer than you did when you left it.

 It wasn’t until the next day when you heard the news and got a clearer picture of what had happened: Tokaki and Hymal, the two titans among the candidates, had gotten into a fight. No one was exactly sure how it had started, but they all knew how it had ended—and if they didn’t, Drices’ candidates were sure to let them know that the best of their bunch had overwhelmed the strongest of Algid’s warriors.

Apparently, it was the latest of losses for your group. Another candidate had died shortly before that—and off-world, faced against a species with far lower power levels no less. Hymal’s defeat only added more fuel to the fire, with Drice’s candidates ridiculing Algid’s endlessly for their weakness. Then the ridicule turned into bravado; which then turned into more heated, aggressive fights; which turned into more bodies piling up in both the infirmary and the morgue.

Hymal had been right. Everyone had been waiting for a powder-keg to go off, but you hadn’t expected it to go off quite like this. Instead of pairs or small teams of candidates making secret alliances, a deeper line had been carved between the two pre-existing halves. Everyone had a side by default, based on their backer. No one had the choice of staying out of it.

In the end, you also heard that the staff did manage to find Hymal in time, but his injuries and the amount of blood he had lost were severe. It would be a while before he could jump into battle again. In the meantime, you were dragged away by the other candidates into one fight after another. Not a single day passed where you didn’t need to watch your back.

THE POWDER KEG ENDING

Chapter Text

Now that you were already in Tokaki's radar, taking any steps away from him seemed counterproductive. At worst, he might interpret your attempt to improve in solitude as a sign of fear; that he'd rattled you and it was your way of back-peddling. You didn't need him doubting your resolve.

There was a simple way to prove yourself without distancing from Tokaki too much or pushing another risky encounter. Most candidates had a routine to their training, but it was flexible and set to their individual needs. You could just time some of your hours to his. If you were sparring, there would be other candidates around to keep both your attentions on--not to mention medics at the ready if things did go wrong.           

You sorted through the finer details of your plan after you left the infirmary. In hindsight, there was another critical thing you hadn't thought as deeply about: What exactly would Tokaki look for in an ally? The ability to keep up and to stomach a great degree of brutality seemed clear, but surface level.       

You reviewed the information you'd gathered thus far. For a moment, you considered not just Tokaki's way of thinking, but Drice's candidates as a whole. With the exception of his connection with the deserter, none of them acted particularly close. More than likely, the only thing holding them back from tearing into each other the way they did other candidates was Drice’s orders. It reminded you of the stories you’d heard of the relationship between Frieza and his brother, Cooler. There was no true sense of family, only dominance and similar loyalties.

This would extend to their other relationships as well. To Tokaki, yours wouldn't be a partnership so much as two people whose interests happened to align. Full independence was a must. For however little you could expect him to truly watch your back in a fight, he wouldn't demand that you readily extend a hand to him either. If you fell in battle, it was unlikely he'd try to avenge you.

Moreover, his main interest seemed to lay in whatever amusement he was getting out of the exchange. You plopped down on your bed, exhaling through your nose. Your entire body still ached. If you wanted to be taken seriously, you had your work cut out for you... 

You nearly drifted off when a sudden voice chuckled, "Wow, you look rough... Don't you Frost Demons ever get tired of the day-to-day warfare?"

You reacted to the intruder on instinct, jumping up and aiming for the sound with a lash of your tail. A toned, humanoid shape surprisingly managed to evade your quick strike. Before you could launch a second attack, the being manifested behind you with a short sword drawn past your shoulder. You grabbed the wrist wielding it about the same time that you noticed its relaxed grip and the voice continued, "Nice reaction time! I'm not the enemy though."

You pushed yourself free and spun around. A strange man with white hair and violet skin stood before you. His ears were pointed and his red eyes were shielded behind a pair of yellow-tinted glasses. He wasn't anyone you knew, or even anyone in the Frieza Force, if his attire was anything to go by. Grinning, he twirled his blade once before placing it back in its sheath, giving you a carefree wave.  

"Really, I'm not much of a fighter, and I don't think you want to trash your room either, so let's try to be civil here, ok?" He held out a hand next, "The name's Fu! I guess you could say I'm something of a scientist. Glad to meet ya!"

You scowled. From his silent break-in to his much-too-friendly demeanor, his entire presence set off alarm bells. You raised a finger, charging a small, yet precise ki blast.

He just chuckled as if the threat was nothing to him. He continued, "I wouldn't do that until you've heard me out. You're trying to get stronger to team up with Tokaki, aren't you?"

 You fired. There was nothing about this uppity idiot that made you want to listen. You didn't know how he entered the base, nevermind your personal quarters, but you intended to send him out packed off in a box.

However, the peculiar man batted away the blast as if it he was merely swatting a fly. It ricocheted from his hand, its passing heat radiating against your cheek as it grazed by only to burn into the wall behind you. You were stunned, a little unnerved even, but didn't let it show. 

"I could help you with that," said Fu, as if the attack had never happened, "if you want."

You clicked your tongue, the mixed feelings of disdain and unease growing by the second. "And do tell: What, exactly, are you after in return?"

His eyes glistened a bit behind the rims of his glasses. He hummed to himself, "I get some valuable research. There's not many of your type in the multiverse, after all."

You paused to hear him out for a moment longer, but he didn't elaborate much more than that. Fu only assured you that you would get stronger quickly by working with him. Needless to say, he didn't give you the most compelling pitch.

"You clearly still have reservations... How about a trial run then? Limited time offer!"

If you reject Fu's offer outright, go to Chapter 79.
If you go along with Fu for the time being, go to Chapter 25.

Chapter Text

You gave Jierra a sour look. How had the conversation spun around like this? It was one thing for the other Frost Demon to throw out all sense of subtly or even to reject you. It was another for him to provoke you, he and whoever he was listening to acting as though they had some kind of prestige over you, a candidate, to warrant judging whether you were ‘worthy’ of meeting them or not. You didn’t like the audacity, and you didn’t trust how vague Jierra was being.

Moreover, he’d let you know point-blank that continuing to speak with him was a dead end. If you wanted to form ties outside of the base, you would need to go through someone else.

You rose onto your own feet, unwilling to remain seated when he stood over you. “If that’s the case, then maybe you’re right and we’re both better off just going our separate ways from here.” Your words were polite enough, but the glare you fired back at him wasn’t. “Safe travels.”

You practically shoved your way past him as you moved to leave the hanger. However, as you did so, you couldn’t help feeling… off. Who was it anyway that wanted to reach out to a random candidate? Was it anything you needed to alert Hymal or Algid over?

And what was with the look of pitying contempt Jierra gave you as you walked by?

You glanced over your shoulder, trying to catch it again, but somehow, he was already gone.

Go to Chapter 30.       

Chapter Text

You frowned at your so-called partner's inability to cooperate. He could at least afford to give an opinion either way. If he was going to leave it all to you though, then you would strike while the iron was hot. Jierra was amiable enough. Whether he held any influence—although many of your kind did by default—was another matter. However, even if he didn't, having another ear to the ground, one beyond the small world of the base, was beneficial in itself.    

You called out to the other Frost Demon. He gave a surprised look at the sudden shout of his name, glancing between the two of you carefully for a second before coming over to your side. Introductions were kept short, "Hymal, this is Jierra. Jierra, meet Hymal. He's another candidate under Algid's support." 

"Greetings..." Jierra said with a bit more formality than how he'd first spoke to you. You tried not to let the difference in behavior get under your skin... He continued to make an uncertain expression, not immediately understanding the conversation he'd been brought into. 

While he didn't act hostile, Hymal didn't give him the same regards. Instead, he asked, "Who's your commanding officer?"

"I have none," Jierra replied, "I'm... more of a floater."

That explains the weird clothes. Neither you nor Hymal necessarily liked the vague answer. Still, it was easy enough to fill out the details. 'Floater' was likely just a more polite way for him to say 'mercenary.' The empire employed a large number of them, especially in recent years, when its army had become so small and scattered across the universe. For example, Planet Temp was regularly asked to send its warriors. It still seemed a bit strange to you that a member of your species would take on such a less than tasteful role, but you supposed he wasn't the first to do so.  

"I'm guessing the group you came with isn't your usual team either," you said, thinking back on the individuals who'd surrounded the supply vessel. None of the others had exactly looked like the seasoned fighters.

"No, I was tasked with defending them and the ship."

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

He had to have a fairly impressive battle power then, as well as a position to match it. You felt more and more like you’d finally been graced with a bit of luck, meeting this one. His being a mercenary would also make him easier to deal with. Again, Jierra was friendly enough, but it would likely take more than a few good words to get him on your side. Where power, station, and loyalty failed, money could succeed.

Facing two other Frost Demons, ones who were already wound up from constant in-fighting, would make anyone act more cautiously as it was, but the tension Hymal lorded over this stranger was almost palpable. You figured that Hymal's more direct approach to matters wouldn't do you any favors now. You would likely need to do most of the talking.

Before you could continue any with any kind of pitch, however, Jierra suddenly titled his head as if listening to someone through his scouter. His gaze flicked away, distracted for a moment, then fell back onto you. You were briefly concerned that the parts Jierra was waiting for had already arrived, but quickly dismissed the idea when you realized he wouldn’t have wandered off if the work needed to be done on his ship was so easily fixed.

“It seems something else needs your attention,” you fought a sigh, trying not to sound too resigned, "You mentioned you would only be here for a short time, but if you find yourself with moments to spare, there are matters we'd like to discuss with you. It's rare for us to hear news from the outside if it's not in any reports."

That last comment wasn't necessarily true: It just served as enough of a hint to alert Jierra of your real request. Fortunately, he was smart enough to get it. A visible clarity washed over his face; although, when he relaxed, his expression became harder to read, "If there's time, of course." 

If there was no time, then time would simply need to be made.

Over the course of the next few days, you made a point to seek Jierra out. Initially, this proved to be harder than you thought. His name wasn’t on any records that you could find and even the crew he arrived with hadn’t known him for very long themselves—explaining that he’d joined them almost right before they set off. On the other hand, it wasn’t as if Jierra was actively trying to hide from you. Much of the staff and the other candidates were able to point him out as a new face.  

It was the first time you made a strong effort to seek out… anyone, really.  If you had to admit it, it wasn’t a terrible experience either. In the beginning, you kept to only light topics—mainly about where you both had travelled or other meetings you’d had with your kind. Some of your shared experiences were expected, namely the proud, competitive streak that seemed to exist in the majority of your species. Others seemed almost otherworldly…

He hardly mentioned anything regarding strength or combat ability. He talked about a Frost Demon with a strange fear of heights; another with a bad habit of showing overt displays of affection; and a third who enjoyed choreography. Instead of clashes of titans, he talked about much simpler rivalries that ended in mischievous tricks or food tastings… It all sounded so outlandish that, for a while, you thought those stories were his bad attempt at a joke; however, the more he told you, the more you realized that he was being genuine.

“You know that not all of us are like Frieza and his family,” Jierra pointed out when you questioned him. The two of you were sitting on a bench in a more secluded part of the hanger. “We’re not all conquerors.”

“Yes, but we’re not a softhearted species either,” you countered, “We can’t afford to be.”

Who knows what had caused it—a strong sense of ego that came with your kind’s innate power, the concerns of preserving a struggling population, or the unquestioned and unparalleled dominance of ruthless kinsmen like Frieza—but Frost Demons like the ones he described either didn’t exist or didn’t last long. ‘Open’ and ‘vulnerable’ were foreign words.   

“You can’t expect me to believe that any Frost Demon worth their place in this universe would reveal their weaknesses,” you continued, “or willingly make a fool of themselves.”

To that, Jierra only shrugged, “It’s a big universe…  Bigger than this place, at least. You’d be surprised by the kind of people you meet.”

Seeing an opportunity to segway into business, you took it, “Then why don’t you introduce me to some of your… unique, connections?”

“Because I don’t know yet if you want to meet them for the right reasons.”

Jierra’s instant rejection caught you off-guard. Up to that point, he had been nothing but agreeable. He lacked tact, but he never denied your call to meet with him and or failed to recognize your position. More than that, there was his tone, which had suddenly become sharper. His red eyes glimmered with a flicker of intensity. For a moment, the friendly, casual air that you both had built up was gone. Looking at him, you felt your stomach churn with trepidation as, briefly, it felt like you were staring down another candidate.

Then, as though catching himself, he glanced away. The fierceness in his gaze faded, but the memory of it lingered in your mind.

Jierra took a long breath. His arms folded across his chest, he tapped his forefinger against his arm, “You said we can’t afford to be soft, but we all have our choices.” He mumbled the next sentence, “You more than anyone here, if you can believe it…”

You were in the middle of processing his abrupt change in demeanor and vague words when the other Frost Demon put a hand to his scouter. Though faint, this time, you could just barely pick up the muffled sound of another person speaking. Jierra opened his mouth to offer some kind of retort to whatever was said before just as quickly silencing himself as the other voice rambled on.

Jierra’s expression shifted between different emotions as he listened to the unknown monologue: Confliction, concern, bitterness, and a dull acceptance. Before you could press him on anything, he suddenly stood up and turned to face you directly.

“If it were up to me, I don’t know if I’d allow it…” he said, ignoring your continued bewilderment, “but there’s someone on my end who wants to meet you as well—away from here. I’ll give you fair warning though: If you’re just trying to get an edge on the other candidates, they’re not anyone you can use.”    

If you go with Jierra, go to Chapter 3.
If you refuse, go to Chapter 41.  

Chapter Text

You couldn’t afford to give into doubt when you’d come so far. Even if you wanted to, you didn’t expect Tokaki to let you get away with it so easily. You’d already gotten his attention, so there was little chance of shaking it off now.

A regular sparring match between candidates had been arranged, with you and Tokaki just so happening to be a part of the same line-up. Usually, these group training sessions were to see where all the candidates ranked between each other in an ever-adjusting hierarchy. Normally, you wouldn’t have been placed in a group with such high battle prowess, so you didn’t entirely believe that it was just a coincidence.

Especially when you found out that Hymal was a part of that same group. His eyes burned into you from across the training arena, but you tried to ignore him. One way or another, he must’ve figured out that you had rejected his offer. It wasn’t that you were ungrateful for it, but you had to make the best choice for yourself. If that meant supporting Tokaki, no matter how much of a brute he was, then it couldn’t be helped.

You felt someone approach you from behind. They whistled, amused, “It looks like there’s someone who wants a piece of you before I get my chance.”

You cast a glance over your shoulder to see none other than Tokaki himself standing close to you. He was a lot calmer than when you first met, or perhaps self-assured was a better way of putting it. In any case, he appeared to get some satisfaction of catching the tension between you and Hymal. You neither explained nor dismissed it, thinking that whatever he imagined was more to your benefit than anything you could say in its place. At least it gave some credit to your request to become allies; that you weren’t just asking him for the sake of some convoluted trap.

He leaned over you, still trying to prod for information, “Making enemies on your own side, huh? Not that I believe you and the rest of Algid’s candidates are really any closer to each other than any of ours are, but I’m still surprised. And that’s a powerful enemy you’ve got there. Is that what you needed me for? Protection?”

You didn’t take the bait. You simply narrowed your eyes at him and said, “I just figured I could choose my friends a little more wisely.”

Tokaki chuckled a bit at that, though his gaze contained only a dark mirth.

The staff overseeing the matches announced that they were ready to begin when all of the candidates were. You felt your muscles go tense as Tokaki moved forward, thinking he would volunteer the both of you to go at each other for the first round. Instead, while he did point you out, he did something unexpected:

“I think we should let the ones with any grudges to deal with have their moment first; keep them from spoiling the fun for the rest of us.”

With that, he then shot a look over at Hymal. You grimaced. Surely this wasn’t his plan all along—you honestly didn’t believe Tokaki was clever enough for that—but it nevertheless did put you at a disadvantage. Even for all your work trying measure up to the latter’s strength, Hymal had also long been leagues above your own skill and you hadn’t prepared to go against him directly. Against Tokaki, all you thought you had to do was last through the match for long enough to satisfy him: Against Hymal, you really just might have to fight for your life. 

Unfortunately, Hymal took the invitation. You had no choice but to march into position across from him. You both moved into a fighting stance, the arena going silent for a long moment.

You attacked one another almost simultaneously, clashing in the center of the arena. For a moment, it seemed that you might actually be even in physical strength, but the feeling was short-lived. You could quickly tell that Hymal was starting to push you away. You backed off first, giving yourself room to fire off a large ki blast and create even more distance between you.

While Hymal was a much more rounded fighter than Tokaki, he still typically favored physical attacks. In that respect, not all of your training had gone to waste. When he retaliated with a few shots of his own, you were able to dodge them—granted, only barely.

Then, just when you thought you had gotten a second to rest, Hymal came charging at you from one of your blind spots, his elbow jabbing you in the jaw and throwing your head back. Before you could recover from the attack, a downward swing of his fists sent you crashing to the floor.

You could feel him looming over you, rushing to follow-up with a third strike, and quickly raised your hand to volt another mass of ki his way. It struck him much the same if you were to have grabbed a large rock and slammed it into his skull.  It stunned him, allowing you to regain that much needed-distance from before.

From then on, you were even more careful to stay out of his reach, even sometimes utilizing the slippery gymnastics you had snubbed at Zerra for using in order to do so. You continued to try to wear Hymal down from afar with various ki attacks. However, there was one more difference between Tokaki and Hymal: Where the former was all about brute force, the latter was a much more calculated warrior.

Hymal waited until he could once again get close enough to direct a small ki blast at the bend of your dominant arm. You gritted your teeth as the searing energy tore through your bio-suit and into soft tissue, rendering the limb practically useless as the ligaments were severed. Because of your species’ natural durability, you could feel them trying to pull themselves back together, but there just wasn’t time. With one limb out of commission, your opponent began to dominate.

It was a thorough and ruthless beating. While you could tell that his attacks weren’t meant to kill, they were meant to drag out the most amount of pain. If he had simply wanted to beat you, he could’ve knocked you out at any time. No, Hymal wanted to teach you a lesson for the supposed double-cross and to make a show of it before the other candidates. You had chosen not only to reject his offer, but attempted to ally with possibly his biggest rival instead, so now you were going to pay for it.

However, before the fight could draw to an official end, something happened that surprised you both: A hulking figure came barreling at Hymal from the sidelines, throwing him halfway across the chamber before he righted himself. You both stared hard at the sudden, new combatant: It was Tokaki.

In a rare moment’s outrage, the overall stoic expression Hymal usually kept on his face shattered a bit as he barked, “Why are you interfering?”

Tokaki gave you a sidelong glance. The amusement with which he’d been treating the whole situation was still there, but now there was almost an excitement to it—along with a slight nostalgia in his eyes like what you had caught in Balon and Zerra. It was with that look that you realized you had managed to win him over, yet for some reason, it also gave you a cold chill.

“I was bored,” Tokaki answered simply, “That, and I can’t have you breaking a toy that I have an interest in playing with next.”

It was only after you were dragged back to the sidelines by the medical staff, watching him take your place in the fight with Hymal, that you slowly began to piece together what exactly you had gotten yourself into by trying to match yourself to Tokaki. You were reminded of the unhealthy way he’d given up on the title of emperor. You remembered how afraid Balon of him and why. You’d underestimated Tokaki’s level of obsession.

An obsession that you had unwittingly invited by copying his previous partner.

Go to Chapter 38.

Chapter Text

You decided to go ahead and report this to Tokaki. Whatever connection he believed that he had with Jewel, Jewel clearly didn’t feel the same. What point was there in bringing someone back who was that flippant and disloyal in the first place? Any attempt to try would likely only be met with further betrayal down the road, if not outright retaliation. It was best to just let the deserter go.

You copied the video footage and navigated through the base, asking around for Tokaki until you were directed toward his private quarters. Admittedly, your stomach knotted at the idea of being trapped alone with him again; however, maybe this was a discussion better to have in private as it was. In the very least, neither of you would have to go hunt for another terminal.

Your discomfort only grew with how easily he allowed you to enter, as if the intrusion was meaningless to him. Nevertheless, you steeled your nerves and stepped inside. Although few candidates had very many personal effects, you found the room to be jarringly spartan with only the barest of essentials to be seen.

“I have something you might want to see.”

You pulled up the file and stood back, giving him a chance to take in the deserter’s parting words for himself. For you, it was even more disbelieving to hear them a second time. Tokaki was a lot more stoic than you expected him to be, his eyes glued to the video without much of a reaction. You couldn’t tell if he was that shocked or having just as much difficulty to process the ridiculousness of Jewel’s reason for leaving as you did.

If he finally forgot all about his old partner, maybe he’d return to the complete force of nature he used to be. This was the only thing holding him back, a bigger farce than everyone already knew it was. Tokaki didn’t react immediately after the video played, still staring at the screen, so you eventually had no choice but to speak up.

“If it’s revenge that you’re after, I understand, but it should wait,” you said, “If you became the next emperor, you’d have the authority to send out scouts across the universe. Still, in my opinion, it’s probably better to let a failure like that go. Focus on your own potential and use it to gather more forces to your side.”

He shot you a stern look.

“Maybe I can’t match you as a warrior, but I can easily gather information on our enemies. I could be your eyes and ears—”

“You presume too much.”

A large hand suddenly grabbed you by the skull and jerked you forward. All you could register was a loud crash followed by immense pain as your head was slammed into nearby desk and then the ground as the piece of furniture shattered from the blow. Tokaki’s grip then shifted from the back of your head to your neck. He lifted you off the ground and you read the fury etched into his brow.

“Did you really think I didn’t know about this already? That I didn’t scour for every clue I could find?” he asked in a cold voice, his hold on you only tightening with each second, “And did you really assume you could fit in as a replacement that easily? No. I haven’t given up just yet. Jewel will return to the clan, one way or another.”

What was he saying… How could he be that obsessed?! You struggled for air, wrestling with the force against your throat to no avail. You raised a hand to try to throw Tokaki away from you with a ki blast only for him to snag your wrist with his tail and aim it harmlessly at the floor.

“You were only right about one thing: I do desire revenge. Except I don’t need help from trash like you to get it. When the time comes, I will go after Jewel myself. You, on the other hand… You were better off keeping your big mouth shut.”

The world went dark with a sickening snap.

THE FATAL OVERSIGHT ENDING  

Chapter Text

No… staying silent just wasn’t an option. There was no way you could keep your head down and ignore this for who knows how long—forced to keep taking the serum or risk getting caught day after day.  If Hymal couldn’t be trusted, it wouldn’t be all that hard for him to get rid of you. If you could trust him though, maybe together you would stand a chance.

You copied over some of the data files and left the office, barely containing your urgency. The entire way to Hymal’s personal quarters, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you might be caught at any time. Stronger than your fear of being discovered though was your fury at being used. It could’ve been you that unwittingly succumbed to withdraw symptoms mid-battle and perished. Moreover, you despised the thought of Algid’s subtle control.

How many of your thoughts were truly your own? How many of your decisions were hampered by the effects of the serum? What would happen to you if you stopped taking it? What if your condition was too strong to reverse in the first place? These questions and more flooded your mind.  

The only thing that kept you grounded was the fact that you were capable of resisting here and now. The experiment wasn’t a stereotypical brainwashing, but more of a subtle persuasion—making it so that the subject would be more susceptible to commands. To put it as Tagoma had, it was an attempt to make the candidates docile. Knowing how this could affect your ability to make decisions was already a large step in the right direction.

Did being in more of a control group help or hurt you? The experiments could’ve been going on for somewhere around a standard decade and you weren’t certain what stage it was at now. If you found more time, you wanted to go over the collected data more carefully.

All that mattered for now though was making sure you didn’t get caught with what you knew. Which, you were reminded, was what made this very first step so risky… Whether you caught Hymal while he was still awake or if he was just a light sleeper, the door to his quarters opened soon after you arrived. You ignored his hard, confused look, pushing your way past him.

“What is the meaning the this?” he demanded. Hymal at least seemed to pick up that some discretion was needed, as he kept his barking fairly low. Even still, he attempted to grab your shoulder to force you back out. Under normal circumstances, he would have easily, but desperation heightened your senses and you only had a short distance to go: You crossed the threshold of the room to reach his computer terminal.

“You need to see this.” You figured it was best to just let the files themselves do the talking. If you tried explaining it first, he may not have even given you the chance to show any evidence at all before throwing you out. That, and if anything felt off, there was a chance for you to act while Hymal was still looking over the data.

Once you had it up on the screen, he continued to give you a cold, quizzical stare before taking your place at the terminal. You moved back, feeling more uncertain by the second—that either you may have been tracked down no matter how careful you were or that Hymal himself would turn on you. Your gaze flickered between his back and the doorway on your opposite side.

A few minutes passed in tense silence. Then, you began to feel a subtle change to the air around you: An undeniable bristle of energy emitting from the other Frost Demon. A warning of the uncontrollable anger slowly beginning to build.

You had to stop him. If his power level shot up high enough, any nearby scouters would go haywire. “Hymal!”

Fortunately, the call of his name did snap his back to the present. He was able to subdue the discharge of ki relatively quickly, although the anger now instead rose to his face. It was a fury you’d never known him to express, all directed at your so-called backer, the medical staff, and the devious experiments they were conducting right under your nose.

You were angry too, but in that moment, relief flooded out your other emotions. His expression told you that you weren’t alone in this… whatever this grim situation you found yourself in was. If Algid’s ultimate goal was to create a puppet leader, then he now had two less pawns to move across the gameboard. Together, perhaps you could both break free from his influence and survive. Even better, perhaps you could take Algid down.

THE CO-CONSPIRATOR ENDING      

Chapter Text

Ultimately, this was too big of a matter to tackle alone. No matter how much you both could benefit, Hymal might not appreciate finding himself with ties he had no say in making. You'd also feel more at ease if someone was watching your back. 

Later that evening, you found Hymal doing some basic exercises alone in one of the training areas. He exuded a sour aura that made you hesitate to approach him. Before you could wonder what might've made the ever-stone-faced warrior so upset, he noticed you and stopped what he was doing. "What is it?" he asked, skipping any kind of greeting, though his ferocity had subsided a little.

“I may have found a way to increase our influence,” you explained.

You briefly summarized your talk with Berryblue and the deal she had offered, as well as your plan for how to handle your end of it. All the while, your partner listened carefully. However, as you finished your story, you noticed a faint crack in his expression: A sign of displeasure that was hard to ignore no matter how good he was at keeping his emotions at bay.

You felt you had to call him out on it, “It’s not that bad a course of action, is it? This way, we can build our strength without even having to confront any of the other candidates directly just yet.”  

“Forging connections is something we will have to manage at some point,” he said, “It’s not the idea itself I take issue with…”

“Then what?” you pressed, your annoyance made clear in your voice.

His brow twitched a bit as he grimaced, “I see no reason to stress over it now, and I don’t like using such a roundabout strategy in the first place. Proving that we’re the strongest and the most fit to lead should take priority.”

You held back a half-disbelieving scoff. This honor-bound idiot! Was he really going to be so stubborn?

“Hymal, not everyone is going to face you fairly in an arena.” It was rare—there were certain underhanded tactics many of you wouldn’t condone, if only because weaker candidates resorted to them—but cases like poisonings or sabotage did happen. It was naïve to believe in fighting prowess alone, when even the lowest of rank-and-file soldiers could cause trouble with a well-thought trick. “And we don’t have the time to debate this. Once they’re done interrogating the Zaltian and a punishment has been decided, we may not get a second chance.”

“I also think it’s rash to put our trust in someone like Berryblue,” he continued, as though ignoring you, “especially when we’d have to go behind Algid’s back.”

You frustration grew, “Algid hasn’t done anything to help us make allies. In any case, isn’t one thief a small price to pay to get someone like that old woman on our side? We don’t need to trust her to use her.”

He didn’t have a readied answer for that. Well… if the two of you weren’t going to find a way to agree on this easily, then you would at least figure out how to delay any kind of sentencing. You wouldn’t put the Zaltian in Berryblue’s hands just yet, as she wanted, but you would at least do a little more digging to see if the soldier really did have any dangerous intel on him.

You would’ve left it at that, but no sooner had you turned to leave, a well-aimed strike at your neck threw you to the ground. Normally, a simple, singular move like that was nothing—at worst, it might cause you to feel a harsh sting. Your attacker, however, was far from nothing. You looked up, disoriented and confused, just in time for Hymal to drive his foot at your head.

Everything felt wrong when you came to.  The dull whir of machinery, the pressure of tubes and wires against your body, and the weightless sensation of being inside a healing tank weren’t new to you; however, you awoke feeling a strong mix sedation and lingering danger. You opened your eyes, somehow already knowing you weren’t in the infirmary. You were in one of the medical labs, with your backer standing not too far away, looking at a tablet.

A moment later, realizing you were conscious, he turned to face you with that smile you hated so much.

THE MISPLACED FIATH ENDING      

Chapter Text

The mention of this other soldier, Gigori, caught your interest. You couldn't fathom why any candidate would get close to a low-ranking soldier. Moreover, the warriors of Kabochan were known to be exceptionally proud and disagreeable to say the least—a fact that occasionally brought up comparisons to Saiyans. You supposed they were considered more tolerable because they were much quicker to accept when they were bested, willing to let go of that otherwise bottomless pride. Maybe it was that very nature that had drawn out a stronger respect for his commander than what the rest of Gigori's squadmates seemed to possess. 

How would any of that be of use to you now though? Did Gigori care enough to have felt betrayed by the deserter, or would he possibly want Jewel to come back? It was difficult to say. Even after doing more research, the only thing that hinted at some stronger connection was that they did occasionally train together... which could've just as easily meant that Jewel had used him for a punching bag.     

Well, you would just have to see where the conversation went before deciding how to steer it around to get the answers you wanted.  

It took a bit longer to isolate Gigori compared to the other members of his former unit. He was a valued fighter despite no longer being tied to a specific candidate, so he seemed always caught up in some task or another. Days passed before you found an opportunity.

By then, it seemed as if someone had already talked to him first. You had summoned Gigori directly under the pretense of wanting someone to train with. When he arrived at the meeting place—an older, quieter arena on the grounds than the one you'd watched Tokaki spar in—there was an all-too knowing look in his eyes. Knowing and hostile. In fact, it was so plain on his face that it concerned you more than insulted you. Few soldiers had the nerve to be so open with their disrespect.

At least he knew better than to run his mouth. He said nothing as he greeted you. You looked him over, wondering if this was his usual attitude or, if not, why he chose to be so blatantly rude with you in-particular.

"I take it you already know I didn't actually call you here for a match," you clicked your tongue, your arms crossed over your chest, "and that you're not much of a fan of me, but I don't really care. Tell me what I want to know and we can both be on our ways."

Gigori didn't even blink at your bluntness. His tone remained as steady as his gaze, "You want to find Candidate Jewel."

"That's right." 

"Why?"

Your eyes narrowed. Any other candidate would have cut him down at the knees by now... In the very least, his more defensive posturing told you that much of it likely came from a desire to protect? Protect who though? His old squad? Given how the others had acted, you supposed that, as much trouble as the deserter had caused them, they didn't want to unearth the past.

Again, not that you cared, but you had the feeling you would need to pick your words a bit more carefully with this one. 

"You don't need the details," you warned him, "In fact, you might be better off without them."

It wasn't like you explained to Zerra or Pavlov why you were digging up information about the deserter either: The chances of the solider connecting your investigation with your attempted alliance with Tokaki were extremely slim. For a few seconds that seemed to drag on longer than they should've, Gigori just stared at you, with that ever-sour look. Before you could bark at him to answer you, he finally took a breath and spoke: 

"The commander wasn't one to talk much, certainly not to us," he began, at first echoing his old squadmates, "I remember that day though. We'd just gotten through with an assignment off-world. We'd won, as always, and left the clean-up to the grunts. On the way back, Candidate Jewel was even quieter than usual—just kept staring out into empty space."  

It was surprising how easily he began his tale after putting up such a fuss at the start... The long story didn't interest you, but it was certainly better than nothing. You stayed silent and let him talk.   

"I've thought about that for a long time. Back then, it didn't make sense to me either how someone that tough could call it quits. Now, looking back, I don't think the commander was ever all that happy to compete for control of the empire. It was as if nothing about the Force even mattered."

That was a bit hard to hear. If it was simply an issue of not wanting to fight for throne, so long as one were still strong enough to defend whatever position they aimed for—or, more accurately, their life—a candidate could technically refuse it. Drice was an example of that, never tossing his own name into the fight despite his already high position among your kind and wide range of experience. It wasn't always an easy stance to maintain, for a number of reasons, but it did happen.

You didn't think that was something you could report to Tokaki either. If you told him that the runaway left because of not wanting anything to do with the Force, which included himself, you could only imagine his fury.      

In contrast... "That doesn't seem to bother you at all." 

Gigori shrugged, "Not anymore. Sometimes, I wonder if it's why the squad was dissolved, because we failed to understand our superior's true thoughts."

You doubted the others felt the same...

"You see, I don't resent Candidate Jewel for leaving. If might makes right, then why shouldn't the strong do as they please?" he continued, stepping back toward the doors, "I don't know where the commander went. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

Before you could call the soldier out for his insolence, you heard a soft snort from above. You looked up toward the observation platform and stilled. You didn't know them by name, but two of Drice's candidates had been listening in on the entire conversation. Much to your anger, Gigori wasn't the least bit shocked. 

"You're like a sad, little dog with all that barking, Gigori," said one of the pair as they both jumped down to the arena floor, "Still serving a master that won't come back. Though I guess it's to our favor this time, so you're forgiven."

"You," his companion turned to face you next, "Figures that one of Algid's weasels would poke its nose where it shouldn't. You have no idea what kind of trouble you'd start, trying to locate that disgrace."

With a grimace, you shifted into a fighting stance. As much of a force of nature as Tokaki and Jewel were in the past, you had a vague picture of what would happen if the latter ever returned. Even if Tokaki didn't want Jewel to come back as anything other than a corpse, it would mean he'd finally be free to let go of that weight and refocus his efforts on becoming emperor.  As for the rest of Drice's candidates, of course they wouldn't want that. It wasn't so much because the deserter had embarrassed the clan, but because they didn't want that level of competition.

And here you were, trying to start that fire. Gigori probably told the two about you so they could deal with you without any questions asked. As the other candidates moved to either side of you like a pair of prowling lions, you knew this wouldn't end in simple threats: You were going to have to fight your way out of this.

For all of your careful calculations up to that point, the odds were not in your favor. 

THE MISCALCULATED ENDING 

Chapter Text

As tempted as you were to teach him a lesson, you weren't really in the mood to deal with some arrogant outsider. You had enough on your plate to worry about. Given that there was no backing out of your alliance now, it was better to just get started by gathering whatever information you could on your rivals. With that plan in-mind, you returned to your quarters to begin researching the other candidates.

Digging up general information and comparing schedules to see who might be meeting with who was easy enough. Soldiers could be threatened or persuaded into revealing what they knew about the candidates they worked under. Over the course of the next few weeks, you poured your focus into learning as much as was possible. In all of that time, Hymal didn't bother you once.

While you actually appreciated him keeping some level of distance, there was only so much you could do on your own. At some point, the two of you would need to regroup. Even if this alliance wasn't your idea, you didn't plan to just sit on your hands. You wanted to ensure you had some kind of advantage in case the battle to become emperor did get worse. 

What could give you that extra edge? Something that wasn't just raw power... After the number of candidates were whittled down and the strength between those left standing leveled out, whatever supporters one had would be a deciding factor into how things ended. The trouble was that your backers didn't seem all that concerned with directing any of you toward outside support. Algid was too focused on increasing his own influence.  You heard it was worse for Drice's candidates, the commander keeping himself a distant figure from much of what occurred beyond his own sector. 

There were others who threw in their lot with the candidates, sure, but aside from with a very small few of you, they rarely made direct contact without passing through Algid's people first. That left the majority of you in your own, little world here at the base except for when duty called you elsewhere. Maybe it wasn't an intentional roadblock, but it existed nonetheless. 

Hymal would probably think that you were putting the cart before the horse, given how much in-fighting was still going on; however, you didn't think it would hurt to make some of those connections early. Besides, maybe one of them could give you an out if your alliance failed for any reason.

Who could you reach out to though? Commander Sorbet? Sitting at a desk, your tail tapped the floor irritably. No, even if there wasn't the rumor that he was trying to revive Frieza, Sorbet was still something of a nuisance. He and his followers lacked an appropriate amount of respect, especially if your interaction with Tagoma was anything to go by. 

 A couple other names came to mind, although you were almost just as quick to dismiss them: Kikono and Berryblue. Kikono was a chief scientist within the Force while Berryblue had served Frieza as a high-ranking attendant. The two were part of the few remaining figures from the deceased tyrant's inner circle, and both had maintained a firm, neutral stance since Sorbet took leadership. 

No one could convince them to change that position. If they had, the empire wouldn't be experiencing so many problems navigating its forces. Kikono's influence wasn't so concerning, given his specific role. On the other hand, Berryblue had an impressive amount of sway. From what you heard, she'd been a close confidant to Frieza—to the extreme that she could mouth to him a bit without getting her head blown off in the process. She must've earned herself a lot of respect for that alone. Could Sorbet have pushed her out when the tyrant died? If so, it hadn't been a wise move.      

Fear the old in a profession in which people die young... The familiar idiom played in your head.  Could you even get into contact with her? Thinking it over, you decided that it was at least worth a try. 

You put in extra effort to reach out through a private network, not sure if you'd get any kind of response. It stunned you when, a few days later, you actually heard from her personally. Facing her via video feed, it was hard not to feel somewhat rattled by her stoic grin. It was a look that expressed full confidence, as if she knew something you didn't or that her lost position, and everything occurring within the empire right now, was only a mild inconvenience. You could see why she could hold her ground against Frieza so well.

"Berryblue," you addressed her while trying to maintain your own air of dignity, "Thank you for agreeing to speak with me."

She gave you a small, recognizing nod, "On what business should I credit the pleasure of your call?"

You relaxed a little in your seat. You kind of liked her way of getting to straight to the heart of things. There was no time wasted on pleasantries. You promptly explained your purpose for reaching out, not failing to commend the elder for her work during the previous reign. You weren't bold enough to ask her to help directly, since your bargaining power was currently limited, but did request her advice with the promise of compensation.  

Berryblue wordlessly took in everything you had to say, her expression unchanging. After you'd finished your piece, she took a moment to consider it before answering, "It's not that I'm wholly opposed, however... We might could strike a better deal for the both of us, if you'll consider it."

She was willing to propose a way to work together? It wasn't an unwanted outcome, but it was unexpected and you couldn't deny feeling a bit concerned. "What do you have in mind?"

For the first time since the call started, her grin slightly widened, "I'm afraid word's spread of some trouble where you are lately." 

Trouble? You thought it over for a moment... Ah, that. A candidate had died recently; another one of Algid's, but not anyone you knew personally. It happened so often and you were so busy that the event had slipped your mind, although rumor was going around that it had been a particularly embarrassing death. The mockery that followed it was causing even more friction between the rest of you. Still, it wasn't anything worthwhile enough to spread around.       

"A pair of soldiers were recently caught stealing important pharmaceuticals from the infirmary's supply." 

Your eyes widened. When had that happened? Maybe you stayed too busy these days...  

"I guess you hadn't heard the news yourself yet," Berryblue continued, reading into the subtle change on your face, "The one still alive is named Ebbi, I believe. A Zaltian. I'd be grateful if you could have him transferred, and I'm sure I'd be able to assist you in finding the right people to join your side."

The implications of her words were outrageous. To begin with, for her to have gathered that much intel in such a short span of time meant that either there was a spy planted among the staff or she was listening in on whatever chatter went on through the soldiers' scouters—more possibly the latter, if Kikono was helping her. Secondly, she was asking you to give her authority over a soldier that had committed a direct crime against Algid's team. You would risk your backer's ire by trying to do as much. His fate simply wasn't up to you.

Not to mention the other, obvious risks. Why would she want anything to do with some random soldier unless this Zaltian was useful in some way? Putting him in her hands might just do you more harm than good.

 Rather than refuse Berryblue outright, however, you only told her you would think it over. After the call ended, you leaned back in your seat with a sigh.

 You supposed you shouldn't be surprised that a spy was planted among the staff... If anything, there were likely others sent from different factions. What did surprise you was how Berryblue admitted to spying so willingly. You didn't take her for a fool: No one who had served the Cold family directly for so long would make such an obvious blunder. The old woman had probably already calculated everything, meaning that not only was whatever she wanted from the Zaltian important, but so much so that she was willing to potentially lose her inside source to it.

Berryblue could also simply be lying to you... 

To ease your mind a bit, you looked into this 'Ebbi.' Sad to say, not much of worth came out of your brief investigation. The only thing of any interest was that he'd served under the candidate that had recently died.  

You steeled your nerves.  If Berryblue was smart enough to plot any kind of grand scheme, then she was smart enough to know better than to try anything funny in her current position. Not only would she make an enemy of every Frost Demon if she were found sabotaging any of you, she'd lose a great amount of trust with the rest of the Force as well.

As for Algid, you couldn't really imagine the consequences of this incident to be significant enough to do lasting damage, or least damaging enough to ripple down to yourself. It should be less damaging than admitting you'd contacted someone behind his back, at least. You could throw Berryblue this bone for now and gather your own intel to drag her down if problems did arise later.

How were you going to manage to transfer the Zaltian though? Technically, you could demand for it, just not without getting caught. You'd have to make it look like a slip-up: Some error with his documentation or maybe even orchestrate a break-out. You felt confident that you could hide your involvement, but was it a job you could really manage alone?

Hymal would need to know what was happening at some point: It was only a matter of whether to inform him now or introduce him to Berryblue after all was said and done.    

If you act alone, go to Chapter 29.
If you get Hymal's help, go to Chapter 46.

Chapter Text

One year later...

Even if the fight for the throne had been brought to a swift end and even though you had somehow managed to survive it, it didn't give you any certainty. Lord Frieza was back, successfully revived by Sorbet and his men, and those who thought to replace him had hell to pay. 

The situation wasn't as bad as it could've been. The resurrected emperor was so focused on preparing for his revenge against the Saiyans that whatever wrath he felt against the candidates and the ones who back them, he largely withheld it. Any overly brave idiot that tried to topple him was snuffed out, Algid was executed, and those that remained of Drice's group were exiled to the elder Frost Demon's distant territory. The worst damages actually came from all of the in-fighting that continued between the candidates themselves. By some miracle, you had managed to avoid the worst of it, kept by Tokaki's side for your usefulness at gathering information.  

You'd spent many long, agonizing months working with him. By the time Tokaki grew impatient enough to track you down himself, you still hadn't found a single clue where Jewel was. Still keeping that investigation to yourself until you could find something useful, the only way you were able to stave off his deadly vexation was by providing whatever knowledge you picked up in the meantime. It never seemed to impress him and he didn't always use it, but at least your constant efforts seemed to entertain him enough that he kept you around. It wasn't an ideal alliance, but just knowing that you stuck close to his side dissuaded many of those who otherwise might've targeted you. By now, you'd truly perfected your skills in intelligence.

Tokaki had also been exiled, but, looking over the files that had been sent to you on a large console, you had a feeling that was bound to change. Lord Frieza was planning on going to Earth with a large bulk of the Force's soldiers. From what you heard, there were no plans to include any former candidates in the attack thus far; however, that left many of you to maintain the empire in the meantime—still cleaning up the never-ending rebellions and any other problems that went on neglected. If you could get him to work, there was no better reward than this one:

The data contained recent logs of former candidate Jewel's whereabouts. If your efforts had been persistent, then those of Frieza's own league of intelligence agents were terrifying, maybe enough so to even match the renowned Heeters. Cross-referencing it with what you'd gathered in the past, everything seemed to line-up flawlessly.

Even the fact that they were contacting you over this was proof that they'd uncovered your quiet investigation. You were tasked with double-checking their work, and ultimately being the messenger when the time came to meet Tokaki face-to-face. Sighing in your chair, you weren't sure if it was a way to get on your good side as well or a way for them to avoid the warrior just in case he still lashed out. 

If there was one grain of satisfaction to be had, at least the data told you that you'd definitely been on the right track: You were just a few steps behind. Aside from the occasional break from routine, just like Balon had guessed, Jewel did largely stick to planets within the universe's underworld. The deserter was perfectly healthy and hadn't been causing much trouble, but had taken odd jobs to get by ranging from cage fights to mercenary work—a bit demeaning, depending on your point-of-view, but in-character nevertheless.

You doubted the search was done just to pull Tokaki back into the empire's main forces. If it was at Frieza's order, it was likely for the sake of taking care of a loose end. You didn't think Jewel would be able to stand against the tyrant any better than anyone else; however, simply because of having been a candidate, because of being an outlier, because of that free-thinking nature... You could see why Frieza would use Tokaki to handle the situation. Two birds, one stone. 

Honestly, a part of you was relieved to mostly be on the outside of this. Tokaki had treated you more like a lackey than an ally, but you were close enough to see just how unhinged he could act. While your new position in the Force wasn't the most thrilling, you were glad to have been able to duck away from the warrior. Now, if you could just keep your head down and continued to work hard, maybe you'd get to live out your days whereas so many of your old rivals hadn't. 

THE IN-THE-KNOW ENDING

Chapter Text

You didn't really have to do much: You simply made your presence known, stepping out into the open with a clear scowl that announced that you had heard everything. It took a second for the two soldiers to notice you, the first releasing a sibilant squeak before the other turned to face you with a slack jaw. 

Seeing them cower back so readily hardly dowsed your ire. "If you're too weak to stand by your words, then you shouldn't speak in the first place," you told them in a dangerously low voice, "Do be careful. Unlike us, it wouldn't be odd for a couple of typical grunts to fall in battle."

Someone snickered behind you. You glanced over your shoulder to spot the other Frost Demon you were travelling with. He was an average height, but had a stocky build, and the gems of his bio-suit had a dull crimson luster. 

"Couldn't have said it better myself. However..." He gave you a small grin that confused you until he raised a hand to fire an attack. You braced yourself; however, you only felt a sharp wind tear past you. A shocked cry of pain followed and you looked back at the soldiers to find one of them crumpled against the opposing wall. He was alive, but fighting to keep awake. A long crack practically split his armor in two.  

"You could show a little more spine than that. We may be rivals, but we're the same kind, aren't we? An insult to one of us may as well be an insult to all of us."

You only replied to his words with a hard stare. You felt you'd heard of this one... It took a moment for his name to come to you: Madog. He was nowhere near the level of threat where Hymal or Tokaki stood, however, he was definitely one of the more vicious of the candidates—so much so that he was often given the nickname of Drice's "Mad Dog." 

The fact that he'd also been hiding on the sidelines as the soldiers mouthed off bothered you. A part of you felt that, if you had disciplined them much more than you did, Madog would've taken it as an excuse to retaliate. While you didn't exactly know how you measured against the sadist, you didn't want to give him a reason to come after you either. 

You didn't think you'd have to stay on your toes this far from the base...

Go to Chapter 10.

Chapter Text

One year later…

The base’s medical labs had always had a discomforting feeling about them that you couldn’t quite explain. That feeling was only amplified by the overwhelming quiet that now filled nearly every corner of the facility. Only the dull hum of machinery was there to keep you company as you looked through various files on a small tablet, double-checking stock. You knew some things were missing, but the records mostly checked out, which only deepened your concerns…

Normally, this never would’ve been your job, but the staff had grown limited and Algid wasn’t around to handle administrative tasks anymore. Sorbet had done the impossible by resurrecting Lord Frieza and your backer had been executed—just one of many deaths in the chaos that had followed the tyrant’s return.

For a while, it seemed that you were left waiting to die yourself, but that never happened. In truth, Frieza didn’t seem to care much about any of the former candidates at all. You were all merely a distraction; a side show playing while he focused toward Earth, the planet that would be stage for his revenge. Whether or not he would come after the rest of you once he’d faced off against the Saiyans remained to be seen.

You flinched at the sound of a door sliding open behind you, casting a glance over your shoulder. It was only Hymal. Despite everything that had happened, he appeared as stoic and steadfast as ever. Nothing had affected his cool head: Not Frieza’s resurrection, not the loss of so many in your ranks or the betrayal of those within the Force that had once supported the candidates, not even his fight with Tokaki so long ago.

“How are we looking?” he asked, as you returned your gaze back to the tablet in your hands. 

“I’ll let you know when I’m done.”   

You'd adopted a brusquer way of speaking lately, specifically around Hymal. Something had gradually changed between you both ever since the day you dragged him to the infirmary. You remembered catching him up on all that had happened after he was released from the healing tank: How you tricked Madog into badmouthing Tokaki; how Tokaki had inevitably targeted him, leaving the other in no state to sling mud at anyone for a while; how the severity of that conflict—like waking a sleeping giant—diverted attention away from the matter of the dead candidate and yourselves.     

Back then, Hymal had sneered at the manipulative play by calling it a coward's tactic, but he couldn't deny the results. He was able to fully recover in peace and the atmosphere at the base became too heavy for a word of mockery to pass through its halls. The tensions between Algid's and Drice's candidates lost momentum, dousing what could've otherwise been a massive fire. 

You just hadn't expected what would follow after that. Hymal regularly pulled you aside, hardly giving you the chance to refuse training with him. If you were sent out on a mission, you left together. Even now, when he alone could've been given Algid's position thanks to his strength, Hymal insisted on you both splitting duties and authority. Once upon a time, it might’ve annoyed you: Now, you couldn’t help finding some reassurance in that odd behavior. Sticking together as you did was likely one of the biggest reasons you were still alive.

Your partner didn’t offer to assist. He just leaned back against a nearby counter, half watching you and half resting. You let him be.  

Double-checking supplies was a standard task on the surface. With how much the base had lost in terms of manpower and resources—from former supporters who quickly abandoned the candidates once Frieza returned to simple redistribution—it was integral to make sure that nothing had been stolen in the shuffle. Some of those resources could’ve been important medications or vaccines Algid’s team was developing.  

More than that… You couldn’t shake the feeling that this was some kind of test of the newly resurrected emperor’s, that he wanted you to find something. It rattled you to think of what might happen should you fail that test. You and Hymal may have been spared, but there was no telling how long that grace would last if neither of you could prove your worth. The arena ha changed a bit, but your goal was still the same: Survival. At least now though, this wasn’t a challenge you were forced to face alone.

THE TRUE ALLY ENDING

Chapter Text

A two-against-one fight wasn't one you could easily win. You could hold out alright in a standard spar, sure, but that was with medics on standby and while most of the combatants held back to a degree—to avoid causing heavy damage to the base itself.  This pair would not be holding back here, certainly not after making a point to follow you and launch a surprise attack. 

At the moment, you couldn't really care whether or not you were shamed for running away. Pride and honor meant nothing to the dead. You could deal with the fallout later. Staying low to keep out of range, you sped off. A few obstacles dotted the landscape, and you weaved around them to make yourself a more difficult target. 

There was nowhere to hide yourself. Your only hope was that if your attackers were cowardly enough to wait until you were this isolated to come for you, then they might fall back when you reached the base.

Unfortunately, you would not make it that far. These candidates were faster than you. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, one stopped your path. You made the mistake of jumping back to avoid a collision and found yourself blocked from behind by the second assailant. A tail captured you by the throat and a hand sliced through your chest.

It would not end there. The other two Frost Demons made sure that your injuries weren’t any that you could hold out against, yet despite this, the pain seemed to drag on.

THE AMBUSHED ENDING

Chapter Text

One year later…

Despite the passing of years, despite the odds, and despite the relics necessary to do it—some of the most powerful objects in the universe—being under the watch of two Super Saiyans and the rest of Earth’s strongest warriors, Sorbet had succeeded.  He had brought Lord Frieza back to life.

It was a long while before the news truly spread, but all members of the Frieza Force were the first to hear it. There were no words to describe the heavy atmosphere that consumed the base at that time. What was once a horror of a legend had manifested into a grim reality. What was once a natural course of action could’ve easily been taken as treason.

Those early days had been chaos through and through. The factions of the empire that had once shown their support to the candidates broke contact. The main purpose for their creation was snatched by a monster none of them could beat. Gradually, they began to thin out, vanishing one day only to turn up dead the next: Some killed for their cowardice, others after leaving the planet to foolishly challenge the revived emperor, and even more falling as they continued to fight amongst themselves. If it weren’t for Tokaki maintaining his alliance with you, you might’ve ended up as any one of the bodies that lined the halls.

There had never been a lot of candidates to start with, but now, after just two months, that number was reduced to only a small handful.

Your backer, Algid, was executed. Why? You didn’t really care, although you did notice that, while the chaos had devoured more of the candidates he’d supported, there were considerably less deaths among you after his passing. Meanwhile, whether it was because of his many years of loyalty or because he was so far off in the outer reaches of space that the emperor didn’t want to bother, Drice was spared, along with many of the Frost Demons under him. Frieza simply ordered for most of them to return to Drices’ side. Even you, with no personal connection, were left alone. Unlike his father, Frieza didn’t seem to care to halt the commander’s bloodline.

However, from observing the heavy traffic of soldiers called from across the empire you had a feeling it was a decision made less out of mercy or reason as it was that emperor was too obsessed with the Saiyans to focus on anything else. He wasn’t the only one with a misplaced sense of focus either. With the hierarchy reestablished, the remaining candidates were left to figure out what they needed to do with themselves going forward. Over half of them, including yourself, were tasked with quelling the rebellions Frieza was too preoccupied to give attention to. 

You didn’t particularly care about the empire’s overall stability either, but you did care that it gave you a chance to be useful. It meant you were less likely to end up with a death beam fired between your eyes. Sticking to what you were used to, you spent your days collecting intel on possible usurpers.

Tokaki chose to stay directly under Frieza’s orders as well—against Drice’s warnings, from what you heard. If anything, not having to fight for the position of emperor seemed to lift a burden off of his shoulders. He didn’t have to watch his back as often as before. Nevertheless, it only gave him the time to turn to his own obsession—one that, despite your better judgement, you continued to feed.

The training arena Tokaki regularly used was a lot quieter than it once was. Not as many soldiers came by and gone were the spectating scientists that had observed each candidate’s progress from the moment they were made. You found him punching air, caught in a mock battle with some imaginary person you somehow knew was already beaten beyond help. Now used to your presence, he stopped after you’d gotten close enough and said nothing, expecting you to state your business first.

It was easier just to show him. Transferring the information via scouter was too risky, so you’d brought along a handheld image caster instead. You tapped a button along its curved rim and a hologram appeared of a single Frost Demon on an unknown world.

For one of the first times since you’d teamed up with him, Tokaki’s lips curved upward in a faint smile, “Jewel.”

The only person Tokaki was ever close to. The candidate that threw everything away. A tenacious, adept fighter with a willingness to achieve victory by any gruesome means necessary. The one who made the worst possible decision and somehow avoided the giant mess that all of the other candidates found themselves in.  

It’d taken a long time and a few brushes with death courtesy of your impatient partner, but you did eventually manage to track the deserter down. Jewel had spent a long time in underground networks, fighting in cage matches or doing odd jobs that ranged from deliveries to securing payments for crime lords. Strangely enough, through all of these years, Jewel also hadn’t tried claiming power among those networks, despite how easy it would’ve been to do so.

Despite the peculiar lifestyle… For someone who was bound to be hated as a member of Frieza’s race, with a fight almost inevitable on every world outside of the empire, the runaway looked healthy—no, more than that, content as a wander. For all the of the empire’s resources, these still images from trips to random planets were all you could find. Nevertheless, Tokaki was pleased to see his former comrade alive and well.  

“A real diamond in the rough,” Tokaki murmured to himself, as if reflecting on the past, “my Jewel.”

If anyone was listening in, they might’ve confused his words for a genuine fondness. One look at his face though revealed the poison in them.  Soon enough, his smile turned manic.  Tokaki clenched his fists at his sides, which began to spark from the manifestation of his ki.  A dangerous, electric charge trickled in the air.

“You’ll pay for abandoning the clan…” Swept up by his own, vengeful fantasies it was as if he no longer registered your presence. ““I’m bringing you back, even if I have to tear you into a thousand pieces first!”

You didn’t even question Tokaki whether or not he believed Lord Frieza would allow him to collect Jewel in the first place. You just quietly passed over the image caster and left him to his scheming. You might’ve chosen to ally with him from the start, but his obsessiveness—this need to possess someone he may never once have considered would leave his side—was nothing you wanted to be a part of.  You might’ve felt a little sorry for the other, former candidate, but… Better you than me, you thought.

From your research, there was also a relatively well-known Earthling named Jewel. A part of you was tempted to have sent Tokaki their way instead. You’d have the Saiyans living on Earth remove the troublesome warrior for both you and the deserter. However, if you did that, and even if Lord Frieza was already planning to go to Earth, you worried what the consequences would be no matter who won that particular battle.

No, whether it was Tokaki or the bloodthirsty tyrant ruling over you, it was better to just keep your head down and focus on your job.  You’d done well. You couldn’t be thrown away easily.  However, you had no plans on climbing up the proverbial food chain any further.  You would stay in the shadows, out of sight, out of mind, catching all of the secrets that others thought were safely theirs to keep.

THE INFORMANT ENDING

Chapter Text

There was another issue with fighting him so openly that concerned you: There would be too many eyes. Anyone who spotted you—not just one of Algid's candidates, but one from a typically weaker bracket—would know you didn't belong. There'd be questions, and word would possibly get back to Hymal. It was still hard to say how he'd react to you rejecting his offer to team up, especially if he learned who you were aiming to form an alliance with instead.

Weighing all of the risks, you were more willing to bet on just the one threat to your life. You'd keep an eye on Tokaki's movements as you'd been doing and approach him again when the time was right.  

Which came up in just a couple, short days. The other candidate did nothing to either avoid or approach you himself, him keeping to his usual routine. You approached him after his daily training, a time that Tokaki generally used to wind down by self with a series of light exercises—or whatever could be considered light for your species.

For him, it was another hour of punching the air and obliterating any targets that remained standing with his ki. You nearly lost your head to a wild shot as you entered the training area, catching him off-guard by your sudden appearance. Granted, if he was surprised by your arrival, he didn’t show it. Tokaki merely looked at you with a trademark smirk.

“You actually bothered to show your face again,” he murmured, placing a hand on his hip. “Although… I wonder if it’s really a coincidence you waited until now. What? Were you hoping I’d exhaust myself after swatting away a bunch of flies all morning?”

“I’m not that gutless,” you replied in a flat tone. In all fairness, however, while you weren’t keen to admit it, you had begun second-guessing your decision to approach him privately. It was as if you could still feel the heat from the earlier ki blast that almost nicked you… 

He chuffed at that, “Ok, maybe not… You don’t look that stupid either.” 

You tried not to let his words get to you, keeping your mind on the goal. You stepped even closer, adjusting your stance, “I meant it before, Tokaki. I want to form an alliance with you. and I can’t think of any better way to prove that then showing you my strength directly—so here I am!”

He laughed, “You’re that eager, huh? You know, it’s not actually flattering to try to ride someone’s coattails, but at least you’re direct about it!”

Despite the insults he continued to hurl at you, there was something off about the way he spoke. Maybe your persistence threw him off-balance, or he wasn’t quite prepared to meet someone who wouldn’t so easily return the verbal fire. Whatever he thought of you, it wasn’t anything that would cause him to hold back. Before you knew it, Tokaki was right in front of you, swinging his leg around with enough force to propel you several meters away from where you once stood.

You barely recovered, twisting your body around to land on your feet and digging your heels into the floor. Your upper arm screamed from taking the brunt of the hit. Tokaki gave you no opening to retaliate, charging at you once more. You were stuck on the defensive, crossing your arms in front of you to block the next strike. As he continued to volley hit after hit, you gathered enough energy within yourself to release a single, might burst in order to push him back.

Sadly, you couldn’t send him flying in the same way he’d done to you. You grimaced at the difference in strength, then vaulted a ki strike in a diagonal cut. The other candidate leapt sideways, manifesting to your right. You spun around and prepared to fire a second time without success. Again, another kick: He aimed at your head, your teeth clattering painfully from the direct blow to your jaw.

You allowed yourself to fall back, rolling along the ground to land in a crouch and then lashing out with your tail. He flew even higher to evade it. You sent a series of ki blasts chasing after him. When he was caught up with blocking you, you pushed yourself into the air—using the blind spot they created to follow through with an attack from the front. You rammed yourself straight for Tokaki, kneeing him in the stomach.

While it did catch him by surprise enough to send the both of you crashing into the nearby wall it really didn’t do much damage. He caught you by the leg to wrestle you off of him. Knowing you only had the quick second to act, you drilled your elbow at the base of his jawline, satisfied by the harsh grunt he barked through his teeth.

The moment didn’t last. The room whirled around you as you were swung into wall, your spine colliding with its hard surface. You gasped for breath, briefly panicking over the dull, sickening crack that rang through your ears. Thankfully, it was only the sound of the rock splitting behind you and not bone.  

Tokaki sent you hurtling back down to the floor, his own charge of ki following after you. You twisted yourself through the air before it could pierce through your back, partially blocking it; however, it resulted in a harsh landing. You tried to get back up as Tokaki dropped down beside you, clicking his tongue.

“I know it’s only been a few days, but I’d have thought you’d be better prepared,” he said, almost sounding disappointed. “What a waste of my time…”

You rotated onto your knees and grabbed his ankle, still trying to catch your breath. You didn’t know what you planned on doing—it was just reflex. Tokaki’s eyes lit back up for a moment, but then dimmed when he released that you didn’t have any juice left to readily jump back into the fight. He rolled his eyes.

In one swift motion, he withdrew his foot away from you and kicked you hard in the face. The world went dark.

You woke up the same as before: Back in the infirmary, but in a lot more pain. You wondered if anyone had even bothered tending to your wounds…

In any case, by some miracle, you were still alive. It was rare for Tokaki to let go of anyone who annoyed him, nevermind twice. It was hard to tell if that was a good or a bad thing though. You hadn’t heard of any kind of precedent. Why bother letting you live? You’d failed to win him to your side yet again and you harbored no delusions that he felt anything resembling mercy.

Maybe that was it: This wasn’t a mercy. The candidate that typically skirted around conflict when possible was suddenly getting into fights beyond their capabilities? If no one had questioned your odd change in behavior thus far, they would now.  They would guess you were aiming for something above your station, plotting something like a scavenger following a predator for scraps. Hymal would know this was your way of refusing his offer. You placed a hand on your head, sighing through your nose.

You couldn’t tell how much time had passed since you were brought in. The chamber and the halls beyond it were eerily silent. Based on that and the gnawing, hungry feeling in your stomach, you assumed it was well beyond nightfall. How long did you have before you became someone’s next target?

I am not going to die… You told yourself that, but it was hard to know what to do from here? Should you just give up and keep your head down for a while, or did you really want to push your luck a third time? What did that battle-hungry lunatic want you to do enough to keep you breathing?  The more you questioned the position you’d landed yourself in, the more you began to panic. Were you really going to go through this again, and again, and again, just for the small hope of surviving? What was any of this even worth?!

If you try to face Tokaki one more time, go to Chapter 66.
If you find your own way to survive, go to Chapter 74.

Chapter Text

"Don't worry. You won't need to show your face around him anyway." 

By all means, you had every right to shut him up and demand he comply. You would do so, if it came to it, but you didn't see yourself getting the best results that way either. There was a time and place for both the carrot and the stick.

Still, you subtly added a bit more authority to your next words, "I'm not insisting that you answer to him. I'm telling you to answer to me. Help me gain the advantage and I'll see to it you're stationed out of his sight, if that's truly what you want."

This time, Balon actually did seem to consider you offer. Just how badly had Tokaki scared him? Not that there were many positions in the Frieza Force that guaranteed safety to begin with, but at least the candidates' base was set apart from any of the worlds in revolt. True, teams were sent out to deal with rebels across the vast stellar regions and the in-fighting itself was dangerous, but here, the run-of-the-mill grunt could largely keep their head down. Would he really want to risk getting stuck on the frontlines?

Apparently so. His shoulders gave in a silent, resigned, sigh. "Tokaki's always been a bruiser, but he's never given as much focus to energy-based attacks," he explained, "That's where our commander always balanced him out. If you're hoping to team up with him, you could try doing the same."

That much was easy to pick up on on your own... You stayed patient, "I want you to show me. Meet me after you've finished your duties for today."  

After that, the hours ticked by slower than you'd have liked. You spent the time waiting reviewing old footage of past training sessions, trying to glean what you could from the team's and Tokaki's fighting styles. You also reviewed your own movements, getting an observer's perspective of your personal strengths and weaknesses. By the time you left to see Balon again—leaving your quarters early in order to warm-up—you were likely overprepared.

He met you in one of the smaller training arenas, at an hour when most of the base was taking their evening meal. He'd brought a tagalong: A younger, female member of his race with light purple skin. Although her gaze betrayed her wariness, she was still polite enough to give you a proper greeting. Balon placed a hand on her shoulder, "This is Zerra, a member of my old squad. If any one of us mimicked the commander's techniques best, it's her."

You could only hum to yourself, looking her over, We'll see... This might've been the best course of action, but the much weaker soldiers weren't going to be able to give you much of a challenge on their own.  If anything, you would need to hold back to keep yourself from accidentally killing them.

Come to think of it, you believed the name 'Zerra' did come up in your research. Though there was no prior connection, she was known for shadowing Balon ever since she joined the Frieza Force. In which case, maybe this was a better arrangement than what your first expected.

The two of you faced off from opposite ends of the chamber with Balon watching from the sidelines, ready to jump in if directed. 

The spar began without so much as a word. Your opponent made the first move, launching herself toward the high ceiling and firing off a large ki blast from above. You dodged it with ease, practically sidestepping it. She followed up with a second attack, repelling off of the nearest wall with a small flip in order to strike from the other side.

In your eyes, Zerra was almost pathetically slow and her movements too wasteful. Nevertheless, you did recognize a similar pattern to what'd you'd seen in the video feeds. It was for a mostly ranged combatant capable of both singular and support roles: It required a strong offense, but also a heightened awareness of one's surroundings and a certain finesse to avoid catching any particularly damaging blows in return.

When you fired a wave of careful ki blasts back, Zerra swept across the arena in a wide curve to escape them. You then abruptly sped up, cutting her off and lashing out at her with your tail. She grimaced, trying to somersault over it, but you caught her by the leg and flung her into the wall. She then attempted to recreate the distance from earlier by holding you off with a semi-explosive beam. While you could've maneuvered around it, you instead chose to play along, practicing evading hits at close proximities. The soldier used the opportunity to escape her cornered position; however, you would close that gap with a quick burst attack. Several minutes passed in this fashion, the two of you ricocheting off of one another, before you recreated any larger a distance.

You sensed a change in the underlings as you fought. Reservation became nostalgia, which turned to you snapping them back to attention when their minds drifted too far from the present. You felt you were catching a glimpse of what Balon's team was like prior to its disbandment--and moreover, what their true feelings were toward their deserted commander. Maybe there hadn't been loyalty exactly, not in the truest sense, but there was still a fair amount of genuine respect. 

Respect that had been cast aside the moment the other candidate left. It almost made you feel sorry for them, to see two members of what was once such a competent group now wasting their own potentials. It made you reconsider your offer to Balon, to see if you could fully bring them over to your side, but you soon dismissed the idea. Once bitten, twice shy, so the saying went, and the man was determined to make his own way in the Force elsewhere.      

You only had so many chances to train before you would inevitably face Tokaki again. Thankfully, you adjusted to the new fighting style as a fast pace. The day before you would meet your potential partner, however, Balon left you with an interesting choice of words: 

"Forgive me if I offend you by saying this," he began, having polished his manners a lot since you had first spoke with him, "but you actually do remind me of the former commander a lot." 

You didn't immediately react one way or another to the comment. "Meaning?"

"That I believe you really can go far in the fight for succession," he explained, "but with that said, I hope you will allow me to warn you. The relationship with Tokaki aside, our commander always seemed... displeased, or maybe bored, with their role. It would be a shame to see you go so far and then feel the need to make same choices, so, if you have any doubts..." 

Your eyes narrowed. He was asking if you had any desire to run like that deserter. That did offend you, but you felt it was coming from a sincere place. After all, if you abandoned the empire, the consequences wouldn't only be yours to bear.

"You're dismissed," you told him, neither punishing him nor pacifying his concerns. 

The idea was unthinkable to you, especially after coming this far. After Balon left though—when you had more time to stew over what he'd said and the hour when you would face Tokaki drew ever closer—the doubts did start to creep in.

Why did he say that? Did he know something you didn't? Were you still not ready, or was he just trying to dissuade you from teaming up with Tokaki? Why suggest that you might leave the Force altogether? 

...would you ever do that? Did you even want to continue fighting for the position of emperor, and then have to defend that position on the off-chance you obtained it? In the end, what was all of this truly worth to you? Because the more involved you became with someone like Tokaki or even grunts like Balon and Zerra, the harder it would be to simply walk away. 

If you decide to leave, go the Chapter 74.
If you decide to continue with your plans, go to Chapter 43. 

Chapter Text

You hated having to resort to asking Algid, but there really wasn’t much of a better option, especially given that you were pressed for time. Having no idea where in the base he might’ve been at that moment, you decided to return to your quarters to contact him via your personal terminal. It took several attempts to make the call and there was no video feed—meaning your backer likely needed to use a scouter in order to answer—but you were ultimately able to get through. You kept your explanation detailed, but brief.

“It sounds like a lot of effort for there to be no guarantee of the pay-off…” you heard him mutter to himself before he then asked you, “Weren’t you and Hymal teaming up? Not that it’s really any of my concern; it’s just what was reported to me.”

Of course he already knew about that… “Hymal did ask. I felt that Tokaki was the more logical choice, but you disagree?”

“I’m merely unsure if the reward outweighs the risk. In any case, I’ve never interfered with any of my candidates’ choices before and I don’t plan to now,” he cleared his throat, “If you want to help him hunt down his former partner, that’s simple enough, though I can’t say if you’ll really find anything after all this time. Very well though! I’ll see to it that a small vessel is prepared at your earliest convenience.”

“You’re serious…?” You meant no disrespect: You just found it hard to believe that he would’ve agreed this easily.

“I’m curious to know whether or not you can find anything myself. Just try not to die if things don’t go quite as planned.”

You hated the humor with which he said that, not bothering to dignify that finishing statement with a response.

Algid briefly cut the line to make the necessary arrangements, then called you back to let you know when and where your ship would be waiting for you. It was a light transport with only one pilot to fly it, perfect for an inconspicuous voyage.  It was almost concerning how quickly he was able to pull those strings, but you let that worry pass in favor of departing as soon as possible.

…

Even with the advanced craft, it took about two days to get to the fuel port. While regulated by the Frieza Force, it served as a large, public junction: A mechanical island floating hovering above the ruins of a rocky planet. While there was nothing on the world below except for craters, oil rigs, and the sparse settlements between them, the port was of no small significance as it acted as a waypoint for a great number of travelers on that side of the galaxy.  That meant that there were also countless places that Jewel could’ve gone to after coming here.

The investigation wouldn’t be easy. You started with checking over more security footage, which had been prepared for you in-advance. While there was a decent amount of material to look through, as you might’ve expected, equally as much footage from so long ago had also already been wiped from the system. It was just enough to prove that, yes, Jewel indeed had been there and not much else.

You carefully combed through it anyway, unwilling to accept the search as a completely lost cause. Again, the small number of Frost Demons in the universe topped with the Cold family’s infamous reputation made anyone among your kind stand out. If the deserter was among other beings, someone somewhere would spot her in a crowd instantly.

You spent so long looking through the security feeds that you completely lost track of time. You lost sleep. What meals you ate were brought to you. You grew more and more agitated as the hours ticked by, frustrated with Tokaki for being such an impossible person to please and yourself for taking on this task in the first place. You knew the two had been practically been raised side-by-side, but what made this one so different when he took no issue slaughtering any other candidate? Not even others among his own kin were spared!

Maybe he’d end up killing Jewel. It was no skin off your nose if he did; however, all of your work would be for nothing if the deserter actually managed to take out Tokaki instead. The thought of it peeved you even more. Nevertheless, there was no going back now…

The fact that Jewel had seemingly wandered around the fuel port for a while didn’t help your search. You had to loop through the footage several times before finally tracking the end of the other Frost Demon’s exploration to a single docking bay. From records, you were able to learn that two vessels had been parked there around that same, general period.

One of them was a particularly seedy-looking vessel outfitted with various parts you believed had to be illegal. It was armed, partially rusted, and had some type of monstrous graffiti painted on one side. There was a high possibility it belonged to some gang. The second wasn’t so distinct: It was one of the Force’s supply ships.  

From there, hopefully both would be fairly easy to identify. The illegal craft certainly stood out while you’d merely have to track the ID number on the Frieza Force ship. Which one would the deserter have escaped on though?

You doubted there had been a way to sneak onboard the first vessel unnoticed: Rather, you felt that Jewel would’ve taken it over—maybe not killing the entirety of the crew, but definitely forcing them into submission. Excluding the idea of any candidate lowering themselves by actually joining such rabble, those actions would’ve attracted some wicked, low-class people with an axe to grind. In the latter case, so long as no one had on their scouters, Jewel could’ve hidden amongst the cargo at least up until the ship landed. After that point, however, anyone who spotted the deserter would’ve likely made a report already. In short, both situations would’ve caught unwanted attention.

If you track down the illegal ship, go to Chapter 53.
If you track down the supply ship, got to Chapter 77.     

Chapter Text

Since it had come to this, you weren’t going to let him corner you. You retaliated by sending out a wave of energy around you to push him back. Tokaki was prepared for it, skidding only a few steps away, but it was enough to put a little distance between you both.

He lashed out with his tail a second time and you raised an arm to block it. The sheer force behind the attack was almost enough to throw you, but you dug your heels into the ground. “I didn’t come here looking for a fight.”

“Then this was the last place you should’ve shown up.” He dashed forward before you could blink, ramming a fist into your stomach. You curled around his arm with a wheeze, a string of spittle flying from your mouth. You quickly choked down the rest and clenched your teeth harshly, unwilling to give any further sign of weakness.

“Not bad,” he hummed with a borderline maniacal grin, “You might even make this fun for a while.”

His fist still embedded into your gut, you captured his arm so that he couldn’t pull it back for a follow-up strike. Pulling him down to your level, you met Tokaki’s eyes with a stern gaze. You fought to hide just how much wind he’d knocked out of you, keeping your explanation brief. “I want… to team up.”

“With you? Don’t make me laugh.” If the offer surprised him, he didn’t show it. There was a chance he’d already heard the same from others. He shifted his weight under you, lifting you off of your feet to slam you into the nearby wall.

It was a good thing you were as naturally resilient as the rest of your species. You already knew you wouldn’t be able to beat him in terms of raw strength, but you still underestimated just how wide of a gap there was. Releasing one hand, you fired a ki blast at his chest. At that point-blank range, there was no avoiding it. He took it right to the chest and pulled away from you only to counter with a punch aimed at your head. You barely stepped out of the way in time, knuckles colliding with stone in your place.

“I face my battles alone,” he continued, “and I don’t need some lofty title like emperor as proof of my power. Why would I need to team up with someone who can barely match a few attacks like this?”

He pursued you with a double jab next and you moved back, focusing your efforts on dodging.

“All of you under Algid are all the same: Slippery, but feeble. You’d have been better off asking someone among your own. At least that’d be believable.”

Tokaki wasn’t letting up anytime soon. As he charged forward with another strike, this time, you held your ground until the last moment. Where he might’ve recovered from the forward momentum alone, you tripped him up with your tail as you stepped aside—elbowing him in the back of the head as he moved past you.

You’d gotten in your first decent hit. For better or worse, he’d have to take you seriously. Though his eyes burned fiercely, he still seemed to be enjoying this. He regained his stance quickly. “Well… so you’re weakling with a few good tricks.”

“I’m sick of Algid!”

The words flew past your lips caught even yourself off-guard. On one hand, you were grasping at straws for anything that might convince Tokaki to listen: On the other, a part of you did hold some level of disgust toward your backer. It wasn’t for the reasons you were going to say, but Algid wasn’t someone that you really felt you could rely on. He almost always wore a synthetic grin that gradually ate away at your nerves—no matter how much you were forced to tolerate it.

If others felt the same, it wasn’t something they admitted out loud, not when Algid was responsible for rearing so many of you. As such, the unexpected declaration gave Tokaki pause. You pounced on that.

“I don’t want someone like him running the empire,” you said, “That goes for the others too. I want to team up because you’re right about them and someone stronger has to take control.”

Tokaki was silent for a moment, giving you a curious look. He relaxed a bit, scoffing, “And you came to me because of that?”

“You’re the strongest here.”

He didn’t deny it. He paced a few steps, considering your words, then shook his head to himself. “I’ve heard plenty of flattery before, but that’s a new story to me. It still doesn’t change my mind.”

“Then help me get stronger,” you countered. You could preach about his battle power to the high heavens, but if Tokaki didn’t want to use it to rule, it was pointless. You couldn’t cure his lack of ambition when you didn’t fully understand why he lost it in the first place. It was better to be blunt and tell him just what you wanted out of a partnership.

Again, you seemed to surprise him. You braced yourself as he circled around you, but no attack came. Instead, he said, “You’ve got a lot of nerve. I like that.”

Tokaki pointedly wiggled his tail in front of you.     

“You want to keep chasing my tail? Fine. I’ll allow it for now. Just see if you can keep up.”

He didn’t elaborate further. It sounded like he agreed to your alliance, but not without you having to proof yourself to him first.

Before you could entirely confirm it, he charged at you one last time—grabbing you by the back and plunging his knee into your chest. This strike was far worse than the ones before it, rattling you from your core as you collapsed to the ground and the world went dark.

When you woke up, you found yourself alone in the infirmary. A couple hours had passed and your chest was sore, but you hadn’t needed a healing tank. You just felt like you needed a great deal of rest.

Tokaki hadn’t killed you. Surely that was a good sign. Now though, you had no idea what to do next. If it wasn’t abundantly clear before, you couldn’t stand against him. He told you that you had to keep up. What else could you do to get him to regard you as an equal—or at least see you as useful enough to keep by his side?

You had a feeling you were in for a great number of fights ahead. As though groaning at the thought of it, your chest screamed at you as you raised up into a sitting position on the medical table you’d been lying on. You shielded your eyes with your forearm against the harsh gleam of the lights above. The drone of machinery was getting on your nerves. You had to think things over and you wanted to do it in the comforts of your own quarters. You just needed a few more minutes to pick yourself up first…

If you try to train with Tokaki to get stronger, go to Chapter 40.
If you train with others, go to Chapter 5.

Chapter Text

You thought the same as before: Targeting Tokaki came with too many risks. The other candidate that was mentioned in the conversation, Madog, however... That was another story.

Madog was another one of Drice's offspring. He was a brash and contemptuous Frost Demon; strong enough for most to keep wary of him, but not strong enough for the top contenders among you to pay him much attention. His viciousness both on and off the battlefield could put a bad taste in even his sibling's mouths, to the point where others gave him the nickname of Drice's "Mad Dog."

He was also known to be a bit of a blowhard. You never had a reason to enter his radar, so you always tended to find him more obnoxious than dangerous. You wouldn't doubt it if half the chatter spreading around was thanks to him. 

More than that, from what you recalled, he had an open grudge against Tokaki. Not only would no one question it if his loud mouth got him into trouble, from all of those flawed traits combined, it was unlikely that anyone would step up to fight after him. If you and Hymal targeted Madog instead, you could silence some of the mockers, knock one more rival out of the fight for the throne, and potentially get rid of an annoying pest of a candidate altogether. Three birds, one stone. 

The only thing Hymal could complain about when you later regrouped and told him your plan was the wait. While Madog was able to deal with the rebellion on Planet-206 quickly, it was still a few weeks before he returned to the base. During that period, much of the ridicule you, Hymal, and the rest of Algid’s candidates were made to endure faded—only, as anticipated to be rekindled no sooner had Madog touched down. You and your partner hardly had to wait more than a day longer to find him.

“Of course I didn’t have trouble!” you could hear the other candidate’s voice well before you and Hymal ever set foot on the quad you’d been directed to. There were quite a few rebels, I’ll give them that, but none that we clocked with a power level of much more than eight-thousand. I’d almost believe our poor, fallen brother died of boredom over blaster fire. Almost.”

Hymal tried to move past you, as if to jump Madog there and then; however, you motioned for him to stop and let the braggart talk a moment longer.

“As if Algid’s candidates weren’t enough of a joke! It’s no wonder so many in the universe have lost their sense of fear. For all we do to maintain our kind’s legacy, they keep dragging it back through the mud.”

From the looks of it, two other Forst Demons were with Madog, who both appeared to be of equal or lesser strength. While they shared some amusement in his words, they only seemed to half pay attention to them—likely having already heard much of the same back when the news of the dead candidate was still fresh.

“Even our own soldiers think the same. If Algid really cared about restoring the empire, he would let go of this sham and make his candidates withdraw. Anyone can tell that, next to Cold’s line, we’re the only ones fit to rule.”

“Care to put that to the test?”

Hymal couldn’t bare the badmouthing any longer. He stepped out into the open with you following a step behind. Thankfully, his timing couldn’t have been more perfect. With the handful of witnesses around, no one could say that the two of you came after Madog for any other reason than a matter of honor.

“I don’t think a minor rebellion would’ve worn you out,” Hymal continued with a fierce gaze, “not if you’re as powerful as you claim. If you want a challenge that much, how about a match with me?”

At first, Madog didn’t seem to know what to think about your and Hymal’s sudden appearance. He had a blindsided kind of expression, as if he'd never thought of how he should react if anyone ever called him out for all his blustering. His gaze flickered between you two for a moment longer before he got his bravado back. He folded his arms across his chest, "Alright then... But we shouldn't leave your friend out on the fun, should we? Let's make this a double-match, though who knows: Maybe I should just take you both on, myself—"

Hymal didn’t waste another second. He charged straight at Madog like a battering ram. The latter attempted to hold him off only to drag his feet, then his legs and torso, through the dirt as he was pushed back several meters. The only way for Madog to escape being buried entirely was to rocket himself up into the air. He gritted his teeth, firing two large balls of ki that coiled around each other before aiming for Hymal from either side.

You partner was able to repel them, knocking them away with a wide swipe of each hand that sent the orbs flying away from both himself and the base. Not giving Madog the chance to aim for his then exposed chest, he too kicked off the earth and propelled himself at the other once more. He volleyed an energy beam ahead of himself—

You couldn’t pay attention to your partner’s moves for long.  Your own opponent came at you with a quick series of punches. You dodged the first few before grabbing him by the arm, using his own momentum to sling him across your shoulder and into the ground. Given how much of a mess had already been made, you too took to the sky in order to continue the fight while limiting the collateral damage. You fired a trio of ki blasts from your palm.

The first struck true, but your opponent dodged the others. Zig-zagging through the air in a swift maneuver, he at last appeared right above you in attempt to return fire at point-blank range. You were only barely able to raise your arms to block the attack, but it didn’t do as much damage as you were prepared to take—a clear sign of your efforts from the previous weeks paying off. Slashing at him with your tail, you were able to regain some space.

The back-and-forth continued for some time. Compared to the first sparring match you were dragged into as Hymal’s partner, you found it much easier to keep a steady pace and mind your blind spots. Before you knew it, you unshakably had the upper-hand, making multiple, successful hits in a row.

That’s when you felt something off from behind you. You glanced over your shoulder: Looking worse for wear, Madog had nevertheless managed to pull himself away from Hymal long enough to sneak up on you. One of his hands radiated with energy in an attack similar to a ki blade, aimed for your back.

Spinning around in a furious twist of motion, you circled him to avoid the dangerous strike. You countered, driving your elbow in his spine to send him careening downward. A second later, Hymal appeared beside you, and you both launched a large ki blast at the same time. The combined firepower blossomed into a wide beam that seemed to devour the loudmouthed candidate. He hit the ground hard, stuck in a crater similar to the ones Hymal had planted you in multiple times before.

From what you could tell, he was still alive; however, he wouldn’t be causing you anymore trouble anytime soon.

Go to Chapter 58.   

Chapter Text

Bearing the largest influence within what remained of the Empire since Frieza’s death, Sorbet and his men were the easiest to investigate. Nevertheless, while he had the good sense not to completely sever ties with any of the candidates or their backers, his plans to potentially resurrect the former emperor rather than carry the Force forward were of some concern. Even it was nearly impossible to do, the fact that he considered it at all—and so openly—made him an unreliable ally. In any case, you felt certain that something was bound to turn up if you dug around enough.

You didn’t even need to hunt for anything. Not long after your run-in with Tokaki, you heard news of one of the candidates’ deaths after a mission gone wrong. It wasn’t uncommon for any of you to be called away at any point to help subdue the countless the rebellions taking place across the various worlds under the Empire’s control. It was a way of keeping good relationships with the rest of the Force, maintaining interstellar borders, and testing the candidates’ abilities in the field. However, it was very rare for anyone of your species to be killed by someone outside of it. Maybe it was just a hunch, but you felt like there was more to the story.

You couldn’t have been handed a better trail to follow if it was given to you wrapped up in a bow. You focused your attention on that, gathering what other news came about over the course of the next few days. The coroners couldn’t make much of the death other than that the candidate must’ve let their guard down and perished after taking numerous ki blasts. Following that, however, was the news of an attempted break-in—one of the medical staff’s pharmaceutical storage rooms. Only one of the two culprits still lived, locked away in the base’s holding facility. That culprit also just happened to be one of the soldiers that had been sent off-world with the fallen candidate.

That didn’t necessarily mean the two events were connected, but you didn’t want to dismiss the possibility too soon. It would only be a matter of time before the soldier’s fate was decided. You couldn’t wait around.

While your influence may have been limited compared to others, you could still enter the prison area without anyone thinking about stopping you. If you said you were there to interrogate a criminal, who in their right mind would dare ask about your clearance?

The suspect’s name was Ebbi, a rather short Zaltian that sat on the floor of his cell in a bundle of nerves. Upon the first impression, you could hardly think of him as a killer, thief, or even a soldier. If anything, he reminded you more of a scared puppy backed into a corner. Ebbi’s eyes widened as you entered the small space. Although he rose to his feet to greet you, he kept his back pinned to the wall as if he wanted nothing more than to fade through it.

“At ease,” you told him in an exasperated tone. You looked back over your shoulder to give the guard a firm nod of dismissal. A simpering coward wasn’t anything you couldn’t handle, and you felt he’d be more likely to speak if there wasn’t an audience. The guard obeyed. Once you were both alone, you told the Zaltian, “Calm down, I’m only here for information. So long as you answer my questions without fail, I have no reason to harm you.”

Ebbi remained standing in a tense position nevertheless, unable to face you. He said nothing for the longest time, to the point that you began to grow irritated. When he did finally respond, it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. “P-please, Your Grace… I-I already told the last interrogator everything I could. I don’t know anything. I was dragged into helping—!”

You released a long, exaggerated sigh that shut him up quick. You already knew what he told the others: That he was supposed to help move inventory only to be tricked in aiding in a theft by the other soldier that was caught with him. Nothing even mentioning the dead candidate. You also knew such an incident wouldn’t make him this nervous, like his very life was on the line. In the very least, the crime wasn’t so egregious that, while his innocence couldn’t easily be proven, there at least wouldn’t been someone willing to vouch for him. No, instead there was complete silence—as if he were caught in something he never should’ve been involved in in the first place.  

You moved closer, forcing him to look you directly in the eye. “What do you think the punishment is for stealing potent and potentially dangerous medications?” you asked, “Because with the Force being strapped for resources lately, I guarantee you’ll probably get worse.”

Caught off-guard by your almost bored explanation, Ebbi blinked at you myopically.

“But I think you and I know this isn’t about a couple of pill bottles, is it?” you continued, “And if that’s the case, then my guess is you won’t live long enough to walk out of this cell. So, if you have any hope of getting out of here and sweeping this entire mess under the rug, you better tell me what you’re really in here for.”

In your experience, pretending to know more than you did tended to yield better results when digging for information. The belief in a shared secret made others comfortable, for if all of the cards were out on the table, then where was the fear of showing your hand? In a case like this, it was certainly better than telling him a blatant lie like it was perfectly safe to trust you. You had no idea what the full situation was, much less how to pull one, wimpy grunt out of it.

Again, Ebbi took his sweet time to answer you. He flinched as you dangerous swatted the floor with your tail, warning him that you wouldn’t wait forever for him to talk. He looked away once more, but finally spoke.

“We were checking the medications… to see if they’d been tampered with,” he began slowly, “If the dosages were being altered. Or if someone had mixed in something they shouldn’t have.”

You raised a brow. That… was highly unlikely. Almost every medic at the base either directly or indirectly was under Algid’s employ. If there was any issues with the medication, it would’ve been caught immediately. Heads would roll. You stared dubiously at the soldier. Then again, this one and his partner slipped through the security measures easily enough…

“The reports said that your sergeant fell in-battle. The coroner’s testimony matched.”

To this, however, Ebbi shook his head. “N-no one who was there believes that. The sergeant was acting strangely before the rebels ever started attacking.”

“You think it was poisoning?” you offered.

“Maybe, but… We didn’t know why anyone would try to cover that. T-then, we remembered the routine shots. W-we’d been out in the field for so long… We didn’t know if it was some sort of medication the candidates had to take or if it was the medicine itself that was the problem—”

He went sharply silent yet again.  You must’ve had a dangerous look on your face.

The shots that all of Algid’s candidates took? Was that a joke?  Again, anything that directly affected any of the candidates’ health would’ve been caught in no-time. Now that someone had actually brought it up though… For some reason, you never thought to question what exactly it was you were being given.

You also realized that the report against Ebbi never mentioned the exact kind of medication they’d tried to steal.

Half-consciously, you found yourself asking, “…What were the symptoms?”

He swallowed hard, then replied, “M-mood swings, I guess…? He seemed to forget where he was at times and when we were that last battle, the sergeant just… froze up.”

Like most of the candidates under Algid, you had a certain level of medical knowledge. That knowledge allowed you to hazard a few guesses, but none that you were willing to place bets on just yet. There was too much left unaccounted for—too many variables and too many enemies to name, both inside and outside of the Force. 

You got the lead you came for. Trying to reorganize your thoughts, you got up and left—ignoring Ebbi’s pleas for some kind of assurance to his safety.

Right now, you had a couple possible means of continuing your investigation, though you would likely need to act fast.  On one hand, you could take up the fallen candidate’s assignment. This would give you the chance of seeing where they were killed. Going off-world could also potentially buy for some more time if Tokaki felt like rushing you. You would need to volunteer quick before someone else was sent off instead, so there was only the one chance. On the other hand, if there was some fruit to be found from Ebbi’s own attempts to look into the candidate’s death, then you would have to stay at the base.

If you volunteer for the dead candidate’s mission, go to Chapter 4.
If you continue to investigate at the base, go to Chapter 23.

Chapter Text

Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t, so the saying went. While neither of you trusted each other, Hymal was a familiar rival in the very least.  He was also direct enough that you doubted he’d use any underhanded means to take you out.

Unfortunately, he was so direct that, over the course of the next few days, you started feeling more eyes aimed at your back than usual.  You wondered if either the medic or snout-faced officer had spread the word of your having already spoken with Hymal, or—whether due to simply his personality or as a ploy to make sure that you didn’t back out of your alliance—he’d done it himself.  Whatever the case, you felt an even greater tension form between you and the other candidates.

For the two of you, who rarely entered each other's orbit, to personally meet could be seen as a bright, red flag.  Normally, you’d be more cautious about approaching Hymal, especially in front of others, in order to let any suspicions die down. You would’ve waited until your schedules finally allowed you to cross paths in a natural way.

However, you didn’t have to wait long.      

Algid ended up bringing you together through one of his impromptu calls. Usually, it was his habit to check on the candidates he supported via some sort of middle-man or simple message. However, whenever there were any big developments, he would sometimes talk with you all personally over hologram.  In your lifetime, you had only spoken briefly with him a handful of times and seen him even less in-person.  All of those times, there was a part of you that thought you’d be better off seeing him even less often. He wasn’t the easiest person to like.

When you arrived at Communications, Hymal was already waiting with your shared backer on the line. The former acknowledged your arrival with a nod, while the latter called you by name to come closer. “There you are, finally. Don’t linger at the edge of the holo-feed. Let me get a good look at you!”

You stepped closer, observing Algid in silence just as much as he observed you.  It had been a while since you’d seen his face.  He was a middle-aged Frost Demon with a pronounced ridge to his brow and a rather lanky frame for one of your species.  All the same, he carried himself with a herculean confidence. His strong sense of presence might’ve been commendable, if there wasn’t something snake-like behind his smile that rubbed you and so many others the wrong way. 

Until recent years, Algid couldn’t boast about wielding any sort of great power.  There weren’t many in his line that were known for their fighting prowess. They may have been altogether snubbed by society for that lack of strength were it not for their nevertheless playing a significant role in the history of your people.

There had been a point where the number of Frost Demons in the universe was even smaller than in the present day—nearly extinct, to be exact. Things weren’t much better now, but the medical achievements Algid’s ancestors made all those years ago helped to preserve your species.  Even with the advancements made since, it was a role that had never been forgotten.

The trouble was that it was declining into an obsolete legacy.  The wider the scope of the empire and the more outside talent brought in, the less the ruling family relied on them over time. For example, the reproduction of the positive mutant traits Cold possessed had never been entrusted to anyone outside of a few, private doctors and geneticists. An understandable choice, given how it could’ve potentially then been replicated among those outside of Cold’s descendants, yet a damaging one to Algid’s own kin nonetheless.

The deaths of King Cold and his sons had given way to plenty of opportunity outside of just the title of emperor.  The influence that Algid’s lineage had lost was steadily returning. He’d regained a strong foothold as one of the Force’s main suppliers, to a point where no one in the army could ignore utilizing his resources if they wanted to brace themselves against the endless rebellions taking place across the universe.

“You also seem to be doing well,” he finally said in an approving tone.

You dipped your head back at him, “Sir.”

“Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, I want you to explain the current situation.  From the sound of it, things could turn volatile.  I want to ensure that our side isn’t on a path of self-destruction.”

Hymal stepped forward, “There are signs of escalation, but any direct conflicts haven’t been serious as of yet.”

As he continued to go over recent events, you tried to gauge your benefactor’s reaction.  If he was really all that concerned, he didn’t show it. Plenty of candidates died by each other’s hands without anyone so much as batting an eye—not even him or Commander Drice.  Maybe it was because they both had plenty of pawns to work with or because, if a candidate was killed, it was the fault of their own weakness.  In fact, for them to be so relaxed, you weren’t too sure that the pair didn’t have some agreement between each other behind the scenes. 

Hymal finished his explanation by informing Algid of the current alliances that he had learned of, which surprised you. You didn’t think he was the sort to collect intel like that.  Then again, the way he spoke to Algid seemed… practiced.  Familiar.  As if he was used to making these kinds of reports.

It reminded you of how strange it was that Algid had called you both to begin with.  It couldn’t have been a coincidence that he did so not long after Hymal had pitched forming an alliance with you.  You weren’t aware of your backer having favorites before, and it made you uncertain whether or not you made the right choice to join hands with Hymal. Still, you tried to remain optimistic. 

“Very good,” Algid grinned after the report was done. He folded his hands together. “I’m glad to see at least two of you getting along well.”

Sure you are… Somehow, you were able to keep yourself expressionless.

“Do continue to keep track of the others,” he instructed, momentarily turning his gaze to somewhere outside of the hologram’s range before shooing some unseen person away.  “It’s inevitable that you all divide amongst yourselves.  However, should anyone go completely rogue, they should be dealt with quickly and decisively. 

“I look forward to seeing how well you both work together.”

With that, the transmission ended. For a while after, you stood with Hymal in an awkward silence. You didn’t expect Algid’s summons and certainly didn’t know how to talk to your new partner about it given your recent observations.  You didn’t even know how to speak casually with him yet. 

“Any more tip-toeing around than we’ve been doing seems pointless,” Hymal took charge in the silence, beginning to exit the chamber, “I’d rather get a read on the other candidates firsthand and as soon as possible.  Let’s see if anyone’s up for a challenge.”

If you follow Hymal, go to Chapter 11.
If you disagree with Hymal, go to Chapter 28.

Chapter Text

Finding a way to meet Tokaki on neutral ground was a trial in itself. Outside of spars, he rarely engaged with anyone, nevermind other candidates outside of his own circle. It was almost certain he'd agree to meet with you if you challenged him to a fight. However, it was just as certain that, if you did challenge him, you'd end up carried off in a stretcher before you could ever explain your real intentions. 

As such, the goal wasn't just to speak to Tokaki inconspicuously, but to do so without winding up a broken and bloody mess. You did your research thoroughly in-advance: Checking what his schedule was, who served under him, what role he played under Commander Drice—anything that might help.  

Sadly, much of what you learned wasn't very encouraging. He was still every bit the viscous and relentless fighter you'd always known to avoid in the past. You watched him from an observation deck overlooking one of the base's indoor training arenas.  Even if he had been facing other Frost Demons as opposed to regular Frieza Force soldiers, Tokaki was easy to recognize. He stood only a little shorter than the tank-like Hymal, built with a more triangular body-type. He had a greyish-green tone to his overall body while his eyes reminded you of murky waters that threatened to drown anyone in their depths. 

More than anything, his hostile aura was jarring enough to sense even at your distance. Even three-on-one, the victor was clear. Limiting himself to only physical attacks, he grabbed one of the soldiers by the neck and slammed him into the other two, treating the man like a blunt weapon. He then let him go only to immediately deliver a fierce punch to the gut that sent him flying into the opposing wall.

Eventually, the soldiers attempted work together to pin the Frost Demon in one corner of the arena. They failed spectacularly, Tokaki letting them surrounded him before sweeping them away with a lash of his tail. He then switched back to offense. He grabbed the closest soldier by the helmet and rammed his head into the floor.

If he wanted to end the fight, he could’ve in an instant. If he wanted a real challenge, he would’ve gone after another candidate. This was just who Tokaki was: An ever battle-hungry predator that couldn’t be talked down with things like necessity or honor, someone who always existed for conflict. He was like a well-fed cat that nevertheless found reason to hunt after—and toy with—his prey.    

Also like a cat, once he grew bored with something, it was quickly disregarded. He knew better than to kill the soldiers, but they’d see more than their share of time in a healing tank. Thankfully for them, he was likely to forget their faces and pick another target to entertain him soon enough. 

As the trio were dragged out of the arena by support staff members, you noticed that one of them had seemed to have feigned going limp. Likely, Tokaki noticed it too, but if he did, he only sneered at the coward with disgust.

He left the arena so quickly after that that you didn’t get the chance to piece your words together and approach him. By the time you reached the lower level, he was already gone. You had a bad feeling of what might happen if you chased him openly. Maybe you’d find a way to talk to him privately as Hymal had done with you…

You decided to take a small break from following Tokaki and began to retreat back to your quarters, existing the building altogether. There was more research still to be done before you felt confident enough about what you were walking into. For example, while Algid and Commander Drice weren’t exactly at odds like their candidates were, you didn’t want to seem as if you were trying to betray your own backer for another.  You also didn’t want to enter a lion’s den by mistake.  

On the surface, Commander Drice held his position in name only.  There were hardly any records to his personal feats within the Frieza Force. Not many soldiers could remember fighting alongside him or that he even existed in the first place.  The handful that had heard of him mostly just knew that he controlled an, albeit significantly large, sector of outlying worlds—the planets themselves not all that noteworthy, but the sheer number of them under his thumb nothing to sneeze at.

However, the true key to the commander’s renown came from his line’s long service to the Cold family, which practically went back to Chilled’s era. It was a dedication forged through years of well-earned compensation given in return. Although they didn’t actively try to stand out, they were all known to be extremely skilled warriors in their own right.

Unfortunately, it was possibly that level of ability that had pushed King Cold to isolate Drice as he did. First, by keeping him at the outskirts of the universe; second, by limiting his chances of any further legacy.  It was said that the commander had tried acquiring an heir for some years. What few offspring he’d had perished young.  Most were called and then “fell in battle,” while one or two had supposedly insulted Cold and his family and paid the price.  Now up in years, it was even more pressing that he gain a worthy successor to his name.

Wham! 

The serrated tip of an armored tail shot past your skull by the width of a breath, colliding into the nearby wall. You froze as you watched it slowly and purposely began to coil itself back, leaving behind a small crater where it struck. You shifted your gaze to where the attack came from. 

You didn’t need to follow around Tokaki anymore: He had come after you. 

“So, you’re the little mouse that’s been chasing me around lately…” he mused aloud in a steady, dangerously low voice. “Though, looking at you now, I think you’re more of a rat.”

He hadn't fully retracted his tail yet; you sensed it circle around you from behind. In that same instant, Tokaki closed the gap between the two of you, blocking any potential for escape. 

“You haven’t had the nerve to face me upfront, so you’ve been scurrying behind officers, haven’t you? Well then…” he leaned in closer, “What does one of Algid’s weaklings want from me so badly?”

The electric charge to his aura was rattling. So much for a good first impression… Clearly, he misunderstood your intentions, but would be even care?  It was like facing off against a dangerously impulsive animal. You steadied yourself under his heavy gaze.

If you try to force Tokaki back, go to Chapter 57.
If you hold your ground, go to Chapter 36.

Chapter Text

You forced yourself to take a deep breath. Panicking over something that hadn’t even happened yet wasn’t going to help you and there was nothing you could do for your partner to speed along his recovery. You had to think carefully about your next action, and you needed to act before the sharks around you could catch the smell of blood in the water.

Facing Tokaki yourself was completely out of the question. If you were right and he did do this to Hymal, he’d turn you into a smear on the pavement if you tried to fight him next. Still, there were other ways to mitigate the damage done.

There was something akin to a silently agreed upon rule that, however intense the fighting got between candidates, the infirmary and medical labs were off-limits. Accidents still happened no matter how much you or anyone else tried to avoid destroying the base's facilities, but those were two areas where battles were practically forbidden from brewing. Whether that was because of Algid's influence, some sense of honor, or a mix of both, you weren't entirely sure. In any case, you knew it was fine to leave Hymal in the staff's hands.

Investigating the incident that started all of this wasn't hard: The news of Tokaki and Hymal's fight had already spread like wildfire. Apparently, it all begin when one of Algid's candidates had died on a recent mission off-world. Dying itself wasn't exactly shameful, but the way they'd reportedly gone—ambushed by a group of significantly weaker fighters—made them the latest laughingstock at the base. Given that the dead weren't around to mock and all of the candidates in your group already averaged with a lower power level than those in Drice's, subsequently, you'd all become treated as a joke.

You didn't have to be told how everything went from there. Hymal tried to quiet things down by taking on Tokaki only to end up making the situation worse when he was struck down himself. You could've cursed him for being that rash... A part of you felt like marching back to the infirmary and dragging him out of the healing tank to demand that he tell you just what he'd been thinking, if at all, when he'd done that. However, you had your own suspicions. Hymal wasn't the type to let simple words get to him easily, nor had Tokaki instigated many conflicts since his old partner deserted. 

It would be difficult to pin down just one loudmouth. Even if you could track whoever had spurred Hymal on, even just unintentionally, it would do no good when the entire base was talking about what had happened. No, in a case like this, the only really thing that could dispel a story was yet another story; something even more outrageous or entertaining to catch people's attention.     

After two long weeks, you had your story—or rather, you were going to make one. You waited in one of the communal areas for the star of your show, a candidate named Madog, to make an appearance. He was one of the louder candidates and a part of Drice's group. He had a respectable amount of power and was as ruthless as the rest of them, so much so that others referred to him as Drice's "Mad Dog." He also had an obnoxious way of throwing his weight around, a trait that caused even his siblings to turn him away. Furthermore, he seemed to have a one-sided rivalry with Tokaki already. That was plenty of fuel to set off a large fire.

Madog was one of a couple of candidates sent out to deal with the resistance forces. You’d had to wait for his return, but it ended up working to your benefit. The recent success made him more boastful than usual.

“I don’t understand why Sorbet’s faction struggles so much,” you could hear him sneer from halfway across the space, “What happened to the army who could easily conquer a planet in only a few days? All they can do now is whine about keeping a grip on the planets we already have.”

He was with a trio of Drice’s younger candidates. There were a few snickers of agreement from them and the surrounding crowd, but not much more than that in response.

He continued, as if to trying stir up a stronger reaction, “Then again, at least it makes sense for them to be lacking. Of course they need our help, but if one of us couldn’t handle such an easy job, what excuse would we have?”

You could feel various sets of eyes roam over you and others in Algid's group. Some of them were cautious and many almost eager, waiting for the next round of conflict. Even as your heart leapt into your throat, as if your own body was trying to silence you, you couldn't think of a better time to act. You stood up, approaching Madog from behind. Even more gazes turned your way, the soldiers standing directly along your path quickly stepping back as if afraid to get caught in the crosshairs of whatever was about to happen.

You didn't plan to resort to violence. Not directly. Still, you braced yourself for the worst 

"If your mission was that easy, then I don't see why it's worth bragging about," you cut in, "You shouldn't act this desperate for attention."

No one could've smacked the surprise off Madog's face when you told him that. It was a look that quickly morphed to one of ire as he turned around to see who you were. He probably hadn’t expected anyone to actually call him out. Although he didn't tower over you, as Hymal did, Madog still had a stocky, impressive build. Like the soldiers before, the other candidates near him subtly shuffled out of the way just in case he threw himself at you. You held your ground.

“More likely, they sent you because it was beneath anyone else’s time,” you continued, “Are you still chasing Tokaki’s tail too? Even when he thinks you’re hardly more than a speck of dust in his eye?”

A fist came flying directly at your face. You managed to block it with a raised arm, trying to seem unmovable, but the force behind the punch seemed to shake your entire body from the inside. You didn’t know if you would be able to brace yourself against a second strike like that.

Leaning forward, you spoke in a softer voice so that only Madog could hear you, “How sad is it that you can’t even compare to someone who isn’t even here—”      

“You listen close, scum,” his harsh voice interrupted you as he shoved you in the chest, “any Frost Demon worth their name wouldn’t have fled to who knows where with the honor of their clan at stake. Jewel was nothing, and that fool Tokaki isn’t much better if he can’t get that traitor out of his head! Do not compare me to them!”

Complete silence had fallen over the area. Just the mention of that forbidden name was enough to make everyone go still. It was a change that Magod sensed soon after you did, clicking his tongue in disgust before shutting up. The spark, however, had already been made. Now, you could only hope that whatever fire spread from it wouldn’t fly back in your direction.

Go to Chapter 51.

Chapter Text

You had your reservations, but ultimately, you gave what he had to say a small chance. While he could’ve been lying, it wouldn’t hurt to let him prove otherwise. You could easily turn him over to his higher-ups later and it would put that tickle in your brain to bed. 

“Go on in then,” you ordered him, nodding to the door to the morgue. He blinked at you in a long silence before you beat your tail on the ground as a way of letting him know you weren’t going to say it again.

The harsh thud, jarred him into action. Ebbi spun back around and stepped inside with you following one step behind. He looked at you, seemingly worried by your continued presence, but said nothing and quickly shut the door closed one more.

You had to pass through a few different rooms before locating where the put the bodies. The long space was dark and there was a burning smell of chemicals. Several cryopreservation units stood around you, but none of them contained any Frost Demons—your kind were placed a bit further in inside a smaller, secondary chamber. And there was only one of you in there currently. You felt you were used to seeing death, but somehow, with the idea of it being so far away and possibly for reasons beyond the battlefield, seeing this body was a little unnerving.

Ebbi gave you another long look before continuing his gruesome task. The unit was pulled open with a hiss of vapor. You checked over the remains yourself, noting the external damage from several ki blasts, then watched the scanner’s screen light up as he held it in front of you both. He ran the body through multiple checks, but all of them came up negative. Aside from a chemical imbalance indicating heightened distress and signs of a possible seizure, which could’ve occurred when they were shot, there wasn’t much else to go on.

“Nothing stands out…” Ebbi confirmed to himself, sounding almost disappointed. You sneered, but you hadn’t expected him to be doing this for any moral reason in the first place. It made more sense that he would fish around for clues hoping that something was wrong so he could take credit for finding it.

The body was put back as it was found. The soldier was still nervous—both to how you would react for his wasting your time and over if you would choose to report him anyway.  You told him that you hadn’t decided yet and kept it at that, leaving him to scurry along.

As for you, there was no sense in dwelling over the matter anymore than you already had thus far. You made the long walk toward your personal quarters and turned in for the night.

…

Two days later, you were in the infirmary with Hymal, who was getting the same kind of check-up you regularly had. You’d been training with each other for the day, and your body hated you for it. You stood on the sidelines as he received a larger dose of the standard injection and the medical officer asked him almost the same questions you were so familiar with.

You didn’t bother paying Hymal’s answers any mind. He was as fit as a person could be. Instead, you allowed your eyes to wonder as the appointment finished up, with them eventually landing on the nearby table. A number of syringes and a bottle of clear fluid had been prepared in-advance, so this wasn’t likely the only check-up set for the day.

As this wasn’t the regular officer you were used to seeing, he looked at you and said, “We do have a bit of time left. We could get you sorted out now and save you a trip back.”

However, you told him that you’d already had your most recent check-up. You frowned when, as though he were reminding a child, he asked if you were absolutely sure and told you to keep track of them. You warned him to keep in mind how he spoke to you before exiting the area.

Aside from others trying to pick a few fights and that you fought together during training, there weren’t many changes in your routine from before you and Hymal had formed an alliance. Honestly, the whole thing was starting to look like more trouble than it was worth. At least alone you didn’t have so many enemies aiming at your back—a point you made clear to your thus far unreliable partner.

“You haven’t exactly volunteered to do anything useful yourself,” he countered, “We’ve been making our stance known as a team. That’s something. If anything comes up that better suits your skills, I’ll leave you to it.”

The muffled sound of blaster fire cut through your argument. You and Hymal paused at the sound before racing down the hall in its direction, soon reaching the shooter, his victim, and a small crowd of soldiers witnessing the scene.

A quick glance allowed you to put together what happened. There was a vaulted storeroom right nearby, its almost impenetrable door left wide open. This was where the doctors kept any of the medications that required a strict level of security. The downed soldier clenched clear bottle obviously from that room in their hand. It was a theft swiftly discovered and dealt with.

Hymal crossed his arms and scoffed, “Are there any standards left for the Force these days…?”

You would’ve agreed with him if the sight of the thief’s face hadn’t stopped you. It was yet another one of the soldiers that had been sent out with the fallen candidate.

You took a second look around to see if there were any other familiar faces in the crowd. Sure enough, Ebbi was among them. He was cowering behind the corner of an adjacent passage. He stared at his dead comrade, terrified, before catching your gaze and darting away like the slippery amphibian that he was.

If you reveal Ebbi, go to Chapter 68.
If you stay quiet, go to Chapter 67.

Chapter Text

There was no helping it: You had to return to the base and to Hymal. If it was that easy to slink away, you would’ve done it already, and the thought of hiding behind Algid or Sorbet didn’t appeal to you either…

All you could do was enjoy the peace while it lasted. A few weeks later, you were on a ship headed back. You landed at the base in the dead of night, with only a few staff members to help you dock. No sooner had you arrived though, you could tell something was… off.

You couldn’t quite place it. Everything was in order. Everything at the base seemed to move in the same way it always had since you first found yourself there. There was no sign of any attack having been made on the facility, so you ruled out the possibly of rebels targeting it. When you asked how things were, you got the answers you expected. At that hour, there weren’t even any other candidates awake to put you on-edge.

Yet despite all of this, the staff members weren’t acting right. They were too alert for a small team on a midnight shift, too quick to jump into action at what was just standard procedure. They had a nervousness that was all too familiar to you; the feeling of being unable to put your guard down, even in when you should’ve been safe.

“Are you sure nothing’s happened?” you pressed again, a bit more firmly.

However, the marshaller you asked only gave you a bewildered expression, insisting, “Nothing but the usual, Your Grace.”

He didn’t seem to be lying. Somehow, that made you feel even worse.

The usual… You held back a scoff. In-fighting was the usual. Death was the usual. Having to look over your shoulder was the usual, so much so that you supposed even the standard soldier working at the base had become numb to it. Maybe you were feeling more sensitive because so much had happened recently, or because you were reentering the jaws of the beast after a short reprieve.

You marched toward your quarters, hoping to turn in for the night and thereby also put the ill feeling to rest. The more of the limited night-time staff you passed, the more your sense of foreboding grew. You had to know what had happened while you were away. You found yourself sprinting down the halls. You passed your own room, froze at the muffled sound of laughter somewhere further ahead, and then kept going.

There was only one person you felt you could talk to at that hour; one person who might also pick up on the air of dread and be completely honest with you.

You reached Hymal’s quarters. You tapped on the nearby console to announce your arrival, but when there wasn’t an answer, you quietly rapped your knuckles on the door. When that didn’t work, you let yourself in, surprised that the door wasn’t locked.

The strong scent of disinfectant hit you like a wave. You walked inside the dark space to find the room perfectly spotless. The computer was off. The desk was clear. The bed looked untouched. Everything was in order and Hymal was nowhere to be found.

THE LOST ALLIANCE ENDING

Chapter Text

With a single, precious shot, you fired a tiny ki blast that took off one of the soldier’s pointed ears. He shouted in pain, doubling over as he gripped the bloodied injury while you made yourself known. You glared at them.

You wished you it would leave a scar to serve as a permanent warning to anyone else that felt like letting their mouth run wild; however, that was unlikely. In recent years, the Force’s regeneration technology had advanced so much that it was capable of restoring entire body parts. A small wound like that would be nothing for the medics to deal with. At least it would serve its purpose for however long it took to heal.

Still, they really were lucky. Most candidates would’ve killed them for such insolence. As for you, no matter how much you felt like riddling them with ki bolts, you weren’t interested in stacking up bodies before the real fighting even began. “That’s a lot of bold talk for cannon fodder. Keep it up and next time I’ll aim for the head.”

Fearful now, the pair fell onto their knees to beg for pardon. “W-we deeply apologize! It won’t happen again!”

It was almost sad how quickly they did an about-face. You weren’t willing to let the matter go so easily though. Stepping directly in front of the uninjured soldier, you readied another ki blast. “Don’t think you get to run just yet. It wouldn’t be fair of me if I didn’t give you one to match.”

The piercing sound of ki tearing at flesh vibrated through the room once more. It wasn’t yours. The ki at your fingertips dissipated as you lost focus, shaky eyes falling to the blade of energy now protruding from your torso. You were so stunned by the sudden attack by you barely noticed the vicious, violet liquid that began to spill form your mouth. You felt suspended, and then the blade finished its course through your body in a diagonal arch toward your shoulder. You fell to the ground.

“If you won’t take my subordinates’ apology, then I hope you’ll take mine,” a cruel voice said behind you. “Even still, their punishment shouldn’t be up to you, but to me.”

Barely moving, you looked up. It was another candidate—one of Drice’s. The name didn’t immediately come to you, but the sadistic gleam in his eyes was jarring. Anger rising, you tried to spit out a curse only for more blood to pour from your lips instead.

“Can’t really blame them for telling the truth though. I mean… look at you!” he snorted, then waved the soldiers over without a glance in their direction. “So, let’s have them get you to the medical bay and we’ll all call it even, ok? If you can hang on for that long, that is.”    

THE CASUAL CASUALTY ENDING

Chapter Text

One year later…

It was hard to say that you were any better off, now that the worst of the infighting had passed, but you were alive. Given how few former candidates there were to say that same thing, that was enough.

Thanks to the likes of Sorbet and his ilk, Lord Frieza had returned—and with his return came a wave of internal chaos. Candidates either tried and failed to the tyrant or turned to slaughtering each other. Aside from Algid and Drice, most of the backers that had long fought to secure another Frost Demon as the next emperor quickly withdrew their support. For no specific reason that you were aware of, Algid was executed while Drice and many of his candidates were exiled to his own territory. Just Frieza’s mere presence had set off a bomb that disrupted years of slow and steady development. What a joke to think that any of you could’ve replaced him!  

You were largely removed from the worst of the conflict, a fact that gave you a kind of sick satisfaction. Many of the ones who targeted or derided you for chasing after someone stronger were just as quick to scramble for any position under the resurrected emperor. What was even more pathetic was that he barely glanced at any of the candidates’ ways to begin with! Apparently, Lord Frieza was so swept up in his desire for revenge against the Saiyans that taking the time to suppress any of you wasn’t worth it. You may as well have been specks of dust to him: Useful dust, since he still had most of you dealing with the continued rebellions in his absence, but dust nonetheless.

You were glad to have that worry off your shoulders for the time being. You had your own problems to deal with.

A part of you knew that the only reason you were able to last this long was because of your ties to Tokaki. You hadn’t given up. You challenged him over and over until he acknowledged you as an ally.

Well, maybe ‘acknowledged’ and ‘ally’ were subjective words to use in your case. You were acknowledged more as a punching bag if anything, the first plaything to keep him entertained in a long while. Each time you fought him, you landed in the infirmary in even worse shape than before. Once, you didn’t wake up for days. Another time, you lost an arm and part of your collarbone. After every brutal encounter, you gave yourself just long enough to heal before chasing after him again. There was no other option. You were just that desperate.

You remembered the agony, the insults, the scorn in the other candidates’ eyes that gradually turned to something resembling pity—like when watching a dying animal try to pick itself back up no matter how futile the effort was. Yet here you were and here they weren’t. Behind the scenes, Tokaki hadn’t let anyone touch you, because you were too entertaining a toy to lose. More than that, all those thrashings you took actually did amount in you getting stronger yourself.

You stared out the viewport of the ship you were on, asking yourself a familiar question since Frieza’s return. What happens now…?

Tokaki had been exiled as well; he returned to his father’s side likely to replace him when the ancient Frost Demon finally croaked. As for you, you were ordered to handle some of Algid’s general affairs since he’d passed. What happened after that, if Frieza actually succeeded in taking out the Saiyans? Maybe he’d finally set his sights on getting rid of any and all of the former candidates. You would have to be prepared, and hoped you might find someway to prove your usefulness before that happened. It was, after all, all you could do to survive.

THE UNSTEADY SURVIVOR ENDING

Chapter Text

Once more, you decided against revealing Ebbi’s actions. While suspicious and definitely criminal, you didn’t feel anything particularly sinister about him and he was too much of a coward for you to be too concerned with. Besides, revealing him might also risk revealing your own trip into the morgue. While you wouldn’t be punished the same, you didn’t want to give others cause to question you either. You could afford to let him run free a little longer.

On to the main point… You returned your gaze to the dead soldier now being dragged away. Someone picked up the bottle as it rolled out of his hands, but not before you got another good look at it. It looked the same as what went in the syringes you, Hymal, and the other candidates were given.

Various pieces of information from the past few days began to trinkle into your thoughts. Mood changes, loss of awareness, seizures...

All of those are withdrawal symptoms, you realized as those pieces started to fit. As one of Algid’s candidates—especially one more suited for digging up information than fighting—you had some bit of knowledge regarding clinical practices and pharmacology. It meant that, even if things didn’t work out for you as a traditional warrior and you did manage to survive nevertheless, you could still work under your backer.

Yet despite that, you never once questioned what was being injected into you. You never had a reason to: You’d undergone those check-ups for as long as you could remember and didn’t know of anyone who’d suffered from the injections. Now though… it was like an internal switch had been flipped, or that you were just waking up from a very long dream.

A part of you cursed your paranoid thinking. You’d been on a snipe hunt long enough because of it. There were plenty of clear drugs that existed, Algid was in full control of the medics at the base, and there was no reason to harm each and every one of the candidates when so much investment meant into them. Still, another part of you knew that if you didn’t clear this up once and for all, it would keep driving you crazy.

With the current matter mostly resolved, Hymal turned to you and asked, “So what now? Do you want to go a few more rounds or are you going to waste your time twiddling your thumbs and overthinking someone else’s mess?”

He clearly didn’t like catching you distracted again. This time, however, you didn’t plan to listen to him and dismiss your gut feelings. “I’ve got my own schedule to keep,” you snapped in answer before parting ways.

Go to Chapter 23.

Chapter Text

You’d already given him the benefit of a doubt once before. As much trouble as he surrounded himself with, you couldn’t afford to do it a second time. You pointed out Ebbi’s retreating form to Hymal, “I know that one. They were together and he’s been plenty suspicious on his own.”

The other Frost Demon gave you a look that asked if you were certain, then commanded a couple of the soldiers close by, “After him.”

However, even after they gave chase, your partner’s gaze never left you. He seemed to guess that you were more aware of what happened than you were letting on—and that you’d arrived to some unspoken conclusion on your own.  Still, he didn’t pry, merely returning to his constant state of annoyance toward your ever-drifting train of thought.

“I hope this means there are no more distractions.  I didn’t ask for this alliance just so you could slack off.”

You glared at him, then proceeded to list what teams you’d seen the other candidates forming. Granted it was a short list—you really hadn’t given the matter the proper attention you often did to these things—but it was enough to get him off your back for the moment. He went quiet, his lips distorting into an unamused line. 

You brushed your way past him, too rattled by the second encounter with Ebbi and too annoyed by Hymal to want to do anything more for the day. You retired to your personal quarters, reflecting on what had just happened. It was like someone had thrown together mismatched pieces to an already difficult puzzle…

You had a feeling this latest event was the result of his own investigations; however, at face value, it just looked like soldiers trying to steal potent medications. Whether your instincts were correct or not, whether Ebbi was innocent or not, it wasn’t as if you could prove anything. The failed stunt would leave whoever the true culprit was on-edge. They’d clean their tracks before you could find them. It was better to just keep an eye on how things progressed from here.

One other thing did concern you though: Based on your own interaction with him, Ebbi was too weak-willed to keep his mouth shut without force. When he was finally caught, there was a chance that—in attempt to prove his own innocence—he might mention you. From being falsely accused of orchestrating the events, to making you a target of suspicion, to getting a simple infraction… It wouldn’t be to your benefit.

If he saw you and knew that you were the one to point him out, Ebbi might even reveal you out of spite. Still, if you acted too hastily by trying to shut him up, you might only make things worse… You stretched back in your bed, trying to steady your almost erratic train of thought. Just slow down and take stock.

Exhausted from your training and unable to draw any immediate conclusions, you ended up falling asleep. You woke up practically in the middle of the night to the door’s console chiming at you. You pushed yourself out of bed with a grunt and switched on its comm, unable to hide your irritation, “Yes, what is it?”

A familiar voice buzzed through, “It’s your doctor, my liege. Might I have a moment?”

Knowing he wouldn’t come to your room without a reason, you became more curious than annoyed. You opened the door to see him with a small medical bag.  While he wasn’t normally the sort to fear you or the other candidates, he could barely hide his nerves now.

Noting your confused look, he explained, “We were reviewing the data regarding your last check-up and… it seems there was a mistake with the dosage we gave you.”

Your eyes narrowed, “Mistake?”

“It’s no cause for alarm,” he said quickly, shuffling from foot to foot, “but you’ll need another injection to avoid any potential side effects.”

Despite his reassurances, you felt your disgust only grow. The Frieza Force really has gone lax… You doubted there were many such problems under Frieza because the slightest mistake typically meant death. At least at the base, many soldiers and staff members knew how to behave, as none of the candidates would allow them to show any disrespect. Still, the doctors had a bit more protection than others because they were primarily under Algid’s authority.

You really didn’t need this added to your growing list of concerns. “And if I refuse?”

“Then Lieutenant Algid has told me to instruct you to refrain from overexerting yourself for the time being.”

You cursed under your breath. If you fell back in your training for such a reason, especially when you already weren’t giving it your full attention, Hymal would have a fit for sure. You took a breath to calm yourself and waved the doctor inside. It was easier to just get this over with.

Getting the needle ready only took a minute. You sat down on the side of the bed as you impatiently waited, with him asking the usual questions as he gave you the shot.

“How is your training coming along?”

“Have you noticed any physical difficulty?”

“Are your goals still the same?”

Aside from noting that your training regimen had increased, your answers hadn’t changed. You found the short-timed repetition unnecessary, but played along for the sake of ease. You didn’t expect him to give you a rare, follow-up question:

“Are you certain about that?”

You raised a stern brow at the doctor, not entirely sure what he meant, but before you could, you felt your head sharply reel and a sudden heaviness take over you. Your heart rate accelerated and a paralyzing pain began to trickle throughout your body.

Through the pain, a viscous anger swelled within you just as ferociously as you realized what was happening. The doctor leapt back toward the door, but not before you fired a ki blast through his shoulder. The fact that you hadn’t killed him with that single shot at such a close range was enough of a sign of the fast poison taking effect. He scrambled with the door’s controls to escape. You rose to give chase, or otherwise shout down the hall for anyone who might hear you, but collapsed before you could even leave the room.   

It was hard to decide what was more infuriating: The fact that you fell for such a trick, the fact that you were dying, or the fact that you wouldn’t get to kill your murderer before you died. You didn’t even know why you were dying. However, as each of your muscles gave up on you and you began to feel your organs shut down, you came up with one guess: You poked around too much where someone didn’t want you to look. 

THE TELL NO TALES ENDING

Chapter Text

One year later... 

You and Hymal had your share of challenges after your fight with Madog, both with your rivals and each other, but none of them could've prepared you for the how the battle for the throne ultimately ended. Lord Frieza had been brought back to life. 

You could understand how Sorbet would grow desperate enough to wish for the tyrant's resurrection. What you couldn't understand is how he'd actually managed to do it. From what you'd heard, no one could figure out where the Namekians had disappeared to and, not even counting the Saiyans, many strong fighters were still living on Earth. You might not have believed it if the emperor hadn't shown himself on video monitors, summoning a large chunk of his army to join him on his quest for vengeance. 

About a month had passed since then and the base had been thrown into nothing short of turmoil. The in-fighting between the candidates intensified in the scramble to establish yourselves in this sudden, new—or rather, the return to an old—order. Many of you were killed, some without even a clear cause. As for the soldiers, many of those who weren't called away still abandoned the facility, they and their leaders eager to distance themselves from all of you for the sake of cozying up to their newly revived lord. Only a handful of the staff remained. Even Algid was executed. 

The once busy, and later chaotic, halls had become almost disturbingly quiet. The worse of things had passed, but you swore the heavy smell of disinfectant lingered in the air from where blood had to be scrubbed from the floors. The only thing you could do to keep yourself grounded, to keep from counting down the days until death ultimately came for you next, was to try and stay busy. You reviewed inventory or old records, or trained with Hymal more often. 

If it wasn't for Frieza's unshakable desire for revenge, it was unlikely that either of you would have this much of a grace period. Reasonable as it was in anyone else's eyes to find a suitable replacement, the mere idea of it likely offended him. A few former candidates had actually tried to go against him. They'd failed spectacularly. Others, specifically from Commander Drice's group, were exiled to the ancient Frost Demon's sector of space. You couldn't imagine the tyrant letting you be either. Out of anything, this state of waiting was what bothered you most 

So, when you and your partner were suddenly asked to come to Communications, nervous as you were, it was a welcomed change. Much like the rest of the base, the chamber was far quieter than it had been only a short time ago. Only a couple soldiers were on standby, monitoring the feeds. They glanced at you both when you entered, their expressions unreadable at best and slightly pitying at worst. Someone directed you to a nearby hologram projector.  

Much to your relief, the digital, translucent figure that appeared wasn't Frieza. It wasn't Sorbet either, or any of the elite soldiers that served under him. To your confusion, it was a short, elderly woman you knew as Berryblue. 

Not many of Lord Frieza's favored advisors had gotten involved in the power struggles that followed his and his father's deaths. They'd stayed firmly neutral, never siding with any one group, practically going off-radar, yet always keeping up with their work somewhere behind-the-scenes. Impossible as it was, it was as if they'd expected Frieza to come back all along and were merely waiting for his return.

You'd heard that Berryblue had been a key figure of the neutral faction. All things considered, it had certainly paid off for her. She didn't look any worse for wear, maintaining the collected, borderline cocky grin she always seemed to have plastered onto her face. You and Hymal exchanged simple greetings with her. 

"This is a definite surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure?" 

Her grin subtly widened, "I'm only calling in to pass along some marching orders."  

You tried to keep your own expression passive. Marching orders...? It was hard to immediately know what to make of that, especially as she waited a second for you to process this before continuing.

"Although you weren't yet alive to see it, you're both aware that the state of our forces isn't quite what it was before the... incident, on Namek, correct?"

That was putting it extremely mildly. By the time you and Hymal came around, the empire was already in shambles. Almost all of the elite members of the army—Zarbon, Didoria, the Ginyu Force, and even King Cold's select unit—had fallen when the two rulers did. This situation had only gotten worse over time. Now, practically all that remained of that generation of warriors was a handful of the Honor Guard. There were Sorbet's newbloods like Tagoma and Shisami, but comparing them to those fallen elites was a joke. It didn't help that the enemies hiding on Earth had become so strong over the years that the old guard looked irrelevant.  

"What of it?" Hymal asked, treading carefully.

You would never voice it, but you hoped you weren't being called to go to Earth. None of the other former candidates had been—if they were given any orders, it was to hurriedly crack down on the rebellions and get an early start on restoration efforts while Frieza's attention was elsewhere—but that didn't mean anything. You didn't want to be caught between a clash of titans.   

"Few executives are left to whip our soldiers into shape," Berryblue explained, "Even averaged out, your power levels are exceptional. More importantly, your reports note that you both showcased a higher degree of cooperation than most of your peers. Lord Frieza insists that you two head to the designated coordinates that I am sending over to you now and that you prepare the men for battle." 

You were... getting a promotion? Unsure what to think, you felt the tension in your muscles deflate like a balloon. You snuck a glance over at Hymal, who remained as stone-faced as ever. He only nodded at Berryblue's instructions, asking for more details on the assignment.  

After all of the death and destruction you'd seen, you were inclined to doubt such good fortune. Maybe the position was only temporary. Maybe Frieza would change his mind and decide on getting rid of all of you if he came back from his fight with the Saiyans. Even if it was an honest deal, maybe it still wouldn't be a good one.         

However, you'd already survived one battlefield. In light of that, and in the face of your partner's steady resolve, maybe you could afford a little bit of hope in surviving another.    

THE EXECUTIVE CLASS ENDING

Chapter Text

While Tokaki had spared you the first round, it was only because you'd caught his interest. There was no guarantee he'd let you off so easily a second time. Now that there was no going back, you needed some kind of safety net. 

Still, you knew having an audience wouldn't keep Tokaki from ending your life if he had the mind to. You would need to stay on your toes. Before attempting to rest once more, you moved back to your computer terminal and carefully selected a training period based on the other candidates in that timeslot. There was at least one that you remembered had a pretty bad relationship with the warrior—Madog, another one of the more bloodthirsty of Drice's candidates—so he'd probably take up the most of Tokaki's attention.  

The day came faster than you would have liked. You entered the training area with five other candidates in total. Although it was a mixed group, you still received some odd looks. It was difficult to say if you were on even-footing with any of them. You tried not to let it rattle you, and refused to let it show on your face if it did. 

Since it wasn't a particularly large group, no one bothered to form teams or create a bracket to fight by. Instead, you all stepped on the floor together for a kind of mock royale. You were ill-prepared for how suddenly the fighting began, however. There was no real warning, only bodies leaping into action as soon as they saw an opening to strike. You barely evaded someone lunging at you from behind, releasing a telekinetic push to get them further away from you as you collected your bearings.   

As expected, Tokaki didn’t come after you when they were fiercer opponents to deal with—though he did notice you, having given you a sneer of contempt on the way in. He was on the other side of the arena, giving some other poor sod the beating of his life.

You focused your attention on the candidate in front of you. The two of you traded blows back and forth for a long while before he sharply launched himself upward in attempt to blast you from above. Summoning a protective barrier of ki around your arm, you deflected the several of the shots, but not bothering to give chase or return fire. For the others, this might’ve been a fight of strength tested against strength; however, yours was one of endurance. You needed to draw this out to show you could handle their level, which meant conserving energy.

Your opponent wasn’t injured by the shots ricocheting back his way so much as annoyed. He twisted around the attacks, growling at you as one caught him by the leg. You fought off a grin, unwilling to give up your firm position on the ground. You waved your tail at him, gesturing him to come to you. He gave into the taunt and you veered out of his reach at the last moment to send him careening toward another candidate.

For a moment, you felt a little more confident in your chances. Minutes passed, but you were able to keep up without pushing your body to its limit. Even if you couldn’t match Hymal or Tokaki’s abilities, maybe you’d still been underestimating your own.    

But the feeling didn’t last. In one, sudden swoop, it was replaced by the hideous pain of a hand drilled into your side—past flesh and bone to nestle among your organs. Too shocked from the blow to do much, you glanced behind you. Madog—the candidate you had expected to chase after Tokaki the most—stared you down coldly.

“You’re in the way.”

The next thing you knew, it was as if your entire insides were being electrified. Madog’s ki coursed through you like a terrifying flame and you couldn’t keep back the shrill of agony that tore from your throat.

It seemed to last an eternity and yet an instant at the same time. As he slid his hand out from your waste, you collapsed on the floor of the arena, unable to move. He stepped over your body without looking back. There was a whistle and you saw others move to make way for one of the medics without pausing the battle.

And then there was darkness.

THE UNACCOUNTED ENEMY ENDING

Chapter Text

You aligned yourself with Hymal's largely intact left side, pulling his arm across your shoulders and lifting him up. The fact that he didn't flinch or groan, much less stir awake, wasn't exactly reassuring... You only delayed for a moment longer to manually force the door shut before marching down the then quiet halls of the base.

You thanked your own, convenient timing—not because you were able to get to Hymal before it was too late, but because of the limited risk of running into another candidate at that particular hour. If someone took the opportunity to pick a fight right at that instant, there was no way you could defend yourself before they made the first move. The entire event had you on-edge to begin with.

Carrying Hymal was awkward, but no real trouble. You made it to the infirmary quickly enough, barking orders at what few medical staff were on-shift and then shoving your partner into the nearest available healing tank. Even as you stepped back to watch him get strapped in and a familiar liquid solution flood the chamber, you still felt ill at ease. 

How did he end up like this? Contrary to your earlier comparison, there were no large predators on the planet, nevermind one that could actually hard a member of your species. It had to have been another candidate, and there were only a few you could think of that were at Hymal's level. To overwhelm him in such a way was another matter entirely. Still, it didn't take you long to come up with the only logical answer: Tokaki. You swallowed. The degree of your partner's injuries perfectly matched the other's ruthless fighting style.

Why though, and why now? Surely, they had fought against one another in sparring matches, but if Hymal had even been brought to this state before, you would've known about it. Moreover, there was no reason for Tokaki to have taken his battle-lust to this extreme. Hymal wasn't the type to goad his opponents and Tokaki had become too apathetic to go after any specific person in such a way. They should've been rivals with little history, no hard feelings, and certainly nothing to prove.

The only thing that had changed recently was your and Hymal's alliance, and surely that wasn't—you hoped it wasn't—the reason. Why would Tokaki care about something like that when he’d lost all interest in becoming the next emperor in the first place? Had he changed his mind or would it be out of some deranged, misplaced jealousy?

You had no idea. Only one, ultimate truth resurfaced, one that you had known from the moment Hymal had proposed teaming up together: You were in way over your head.

What if you were next? Tokaki didn’t have to come after you, just anyone with a grudge against Hymal or yourself for “aiming for a station above your abilities.” As many new enemies as you had made through this alliance, there would’ve been some to hold back simply to avoid Hymal’s possible wrath. With him down though?

You stared at his unconscious body floating in the tank. It would take longer than a day or two to fully recuperate. That was more than enough time for someone to realize the situation and target you next.  

You had to survive. You have to think about this clearly, but the situation seemed so desperate…

If you leave the base, go to Chapter 74.
If you get revenge, go to Chapter 62.

Chapter Text

You decided to check the old records. Normally, candidates didn’t have access to each other’s files, but there were always means around that rule. Besides, who would care enough to stop you from invading the privacy of someone who was as good as dead in the eyes of most? If all else failed, you had a few tools that could allow you to hack the systems.

Not many people regularly used the Archives. It was empty when you arrived, though you still planted yourself at a terminal that was relatively hidden in one corner with a good view of your surroundings. You didn’t like the idea of anyone showing up around a corner to read over your shoulder.

The records were encrypted and Jewel’s files had been moved to a separate storage from the rest of Drice’s candidates, so it took a lot more time to go through them than you would’ve liked. Eventually though, you were able to access them clearly. It was just as you suspected: Their protection was minimal at best. 

At first, nothing really stood out to you. The reports matched your memories of a warrior that killed with a sterile savagery. There was no mention of a physical or mental decline, nor signs of possible, heightened tensions with any other particular candidate that could’ve reached a boiling point. It was all very normal, which just made the desertion all the more bizarre.

Among some of the older files you’d found, there was a deeply buried one that stood out: A message from none other than Jewel’s and Tokaki’s backer, Drice. It seemed to be the only one of its kind, or at least the only one that was this dated. More out of curiosity than a genuine feeling that it might be useful, you began to read it:

“…the reports sent to me say that you are doing well, despite initial testing. I think now is the right time to truly accept you as one of my offspring. Your name has been decided: Jewel.

“At first, you seemed fragile. I again admit, I did not anticipate that you would make it this far. However, true to our blood, you proved to be a talented fighter. Like a diamond in a dark cave, or the jewelry ice that forms along the beaches of our homeworld, I expect you to shine. May your progress continue so that I might one day welcome you to the clan in-person.

“Your father, Drice.”

You’d heard rumors of how distant Drice was with his so-called offspring, but had never seen any evidence of that beforehand. Mostly because he never really showed himself at the base to begin with. Whereas Algid regularly paid attention to each of the candidates under him, Drice had a clear, hands-off approach despite the familial connections. Reports were sent out and that was that. With the exception of hologram transmissions, none of his candidates had ever truly met him. This practice of naming them only when they proved themselves though, even for all you saw on a weekly basis, seemed remarkably cold. Then again, perhaps it was his way of keeping emotional burdens to a minimum. To them, the true concept of a clan seemed almost nonexistent. 

Not that you had much to say on the matter yourself. Those in your group were either picked up young or made from an assortment of genes pulled from medical databases. As such, few of Algid's candidates knew what blood ties they had—if any. You were all just a little more cordial with each other and took threats to the collective whole of you a bit more seriously.

You continued your search. The newest of the files did contain more information regarding the desertion, but much of it was information you already knew: Jewel took off shortly after completing an assignment off-world, disappearing into deep space. There were multiple testimonies from soldiers and staff members alike, just nothing really useful to pull from them. Each witness had been just as shocked about what happened as the next.

The only thing you hadn’t known about was a video file. Someone had kept part of the ship’s security footage from that day. You began to play it, not sure of what to expect in the first place, yet still a little confused when an overhead shot of an airlock’s interior hatch popped into view.  As a familiar figure began to approach it, it only made sense that this had been Jewel’s means of escape.

Even in appearance, Jewel was everything Tokaki was not: A toned, but slender frame; flexible rather than overly strong; a snowy azure palette complimented by bold facial markings, aquamarine gem-plates, and bright green eyes. There wasn’t much armor to the other Frost Demon’s bio-suit aside from its vambraces, knee-high plating, and ‘boots.’ It looked more like the dark, long-sleeved unitards some of the Force’s regular soldiers wore beneath their own armor—just with the addition of an oblong, diamond-shaped gem-plate shielding the heart.

Jewel casually approached the hatch and began to type in some command on the nearby keypad before a voice came from offscreen, “C-Commander! Where are you going? If I may ask?”

You paused the video briefly to pull up some quick information on the soldier that stepped within the camera’s range. Captain Monbalon, or Balon as he was called, was a horned, middle-aged humanoid with Uranian blue skin and dark, azure hair.  Apparently, he had served directly under Jewel. You couldn’t see the officer’s face well, but you could hear a kind of fearful respect in his voice.

There was a small delay before his superior answered, maintaining a stoic expression all the while, “I’m leaving.”

“To… where?”

“Wherever I want.”

“I don’t understand—”

“Is it your place to?” Balon froze at that, but surprisingly, Jewel did give an explanation shortly after, “I’m bored, simple as that. I fight and maim and wait for some change to happen, and for what? A position I have no real interest in? A weak, lackluster army that can barely keep itself from falling apart? Don’t make me laugh…”  

The officer seemed to process this, shocked into silence. Whether or not he took offence at the indirect insult to his own team, he asked in a much more panicked tone, “What about your father…? What would he think if you ran off like this?!”

“What about him?” came the dispassionate reply. The door to the airlock opened with a quiet hiss.

Emboldened by Jewel’s actions, he stepped closed with his arms extended in desperation. He paused before speaking only to consider his next words carefully, “Forgive me for overstepping, but your father has lost enough children. I understand… that number has only grown since you were born, but your leaving might devastate him worse than if any one of you fell in battle. You may even be seen as a traitor to your clan, and i-if you go, I’m afraid I will have to make a report.” 

“Fair enough…” Stopping in the entryway, Jewel’s head tilted in a thoughtful manner. Turned away from the camera, you couldn’t tell what face the other Frost Demon was making. Soon enough, however, that changed with a glance over the shoulder and a mischievous smirk you didn’t think could exist, “Counterpoint: Do you think you can stop me?”

Balon visibly bristled. Even if he had the authority to, not him or another other soldier had the power to stand in the way of one of your kind. Not many other candidates could have faced someone at Jewel’s level either. Even if he alerted the entire ship, it would more than likely end in the deaths of the entire crew.

“…please don’t.”

“I thought not.”

The hatch shut and a small alarm blared soon after as the other side of the airlock opened out to the vastness of space. The footage ended right after that, with you feeling just as baffled—and even annoyed—as the officer must’ve felt back then. Boredom… You could hardly believe that any candidate would abandon everything for such a selfish, asinine reason! Desertion was shameful enough, but this…

You leaned against the desk with your head in your hands. Was Tokaki even aware that the footage existed? If not, then maybe showing it to the warrior would shock some sense into him enough for him to give up on the runaway once and for all. After all, there was no point in clinging to someone like that, a fact that Drice must’ve considered as well, since—as far as you were aware—no one was ever sent out in pursuit.

On the other hand, maybe it was better if you put the last bit of the mystery to bed and actually find Jewel yourself. According to the data, the ship hadn’t been all that far from a fuel port when the runaway jumped. Just because your kind could survive in space didn’t mean that navigating through its empty void was easy: You’d bet anything that the port was used as an initial checkpoint. 

If you wanted to investigate the port, it would be better for you to just go there yourself. The trouble was that, if you wanted to get off the base, you needed to get help from Algid. You didn’t like relying on him for much and you didn’t know how he would react to you trying to ally with one of Drice’s candidates: however, your backer was one of the few people with the influence to get you a private ship without attracting attention.  

If you report your findings to Tokaki, go to Chapter 42.
If you ask Algid for help, go to Chapter 54.

Chapter Text

The offer was unexpected, but not undesired. The time away from the base would also create a chance for the talk surrounding your and Hymal’s alliance to die down—maybe it would even fade altogether, since the two of you wouldn’t be seen anywhere near each other for such a long period. If it was at Algid’s request, Hymal wouldn’t easily be able to argue against your leaving either. You readily agreed to go.

Everything after that seemed to move at a brisk pace. Before you knew you it, you were on a supply vessel headed for Planet-17, where much of the empire’s main operations had been moved ever since Commander Sorbet had taken over. It’s snowy, coniferous forests were a striking difference from the overall barren landscape that surrounded the base where you lived—and even much of the war-torn worlds that you’d travelled to on other missions.

There was something about the sight that, deep in your soul, felt… familiar. Comforting. Maybe it was similar to where your species originated from? You’d seen images and heard stories, but you’d never personally been to the planet your kind claimed as their homeworld. You’d never really been that interested, because it had little to nothing to do with your day-to-day schedule. Besides, while your kind were spread thin across the galaxy, the same could not be said for the empire’s influence, so very few places felt altogether foreign to you.

For instance, the architecture was much the same on every world under the empire’s control. From a cursory look at the outside of the headquarters alone, you could already predict much of its layout.  Soon enough, the ship docked, you checked in, and the cases of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment you’d brought along were scanned over. One soldier came to escort you through the compound while others finished unloading everything.

Sorbet was busy barking orders into his scouter when you first entered the room. From what little you picked up on the conversation, there seemed to be trouble on yet another rebelling world. The moment he saw you, the commander hurriedly ended the call and switched off the device—likely as a way to try to maintain some guise of control rather than out of politeness. It didn’t bother you though. As obnoxious as Sorbet was, you had to give him some credit for keeping the empire from crumbling apart entirely. There must’ve been something to all his posturing for him to get so many proud individuals to stay in-line.

Outside of that, he wasn’t an impressive person by any means. He wasn’t a warrior and the biggest thing about him was his mouth. He straightened his back as he turned to face you, and you couldn’t help noticing the surprise in his gaze. He probably hadn’t expected that Algid wouldn’t have actually sent anyone to speak with him.

Given his dazed reaction, you gave him your name first, “Someone should have informed you that I’d be coming on Algid’s behalf.”

With that reminder, he snapped out of it, “Y-yes, of course!”

“You should find everything in today’s shipment is accounted for.” You wasted no time in cutting to the chase as the soldier that guided you there handed off a tablet with the shipment’s log to Sorbet. “However, we can’t give you more than we’re already supplying—not when we’re having to stretch ourselves thin as it is.”

You echoed what your benefactor had told you to say. The many battles taking place took many resources, and Sorbet had been pressuring Algid to increase the army’s medical supply. That in itself wasn’t actually too much of a problem, except Algid wasn’t going to let Sorbet get what he wanted so easily. If his help was in high-demand, then he naturally wanted his reward to reflect that. Your job wasn’t to reject Sorbet outright, but to remind him that he couldn’t just throw out orders as he might with the grunts that served directly under him.

Your presence alone did seem to have some effect. Although you and other candidates didn’t really outrank him, the possibility alone that any of you might one day take control of the empire—along with the fact that you were overwhelmingly stronger than him—carried weight on its own. Sorbet made sure to mind his tone and, while he didn’t immediately back down, debated terms with you fairly.

You did the same. You didn’t have any interest in throwing your weight around and actually could see where Sorbet was coming from as well. To maintain the empire’s dominance, it needed a strong army, and that army needed as many resources as it could get right now. The arrangement just had to stay mutually beneficial.

A few hours later and, while the two of you weren’t exactly able to come to a full agreement, a few points were settled. One issue was that some of the materials needed to develop certain medications were hard to come by, and so more focus would be given to reconquering planets that could provide them.

You were left on your own after that. Before you retired for the day, you took the chance to stretch your legs and explore the headquarters. Playing negotiator was a relatively new experience and you felt tired in a way you hadn’t before.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling either though. At least you didn’t have to look over your shoulder as much.

For a moment, you wondered if something like this was a better path, or even a feasible one. If dropping out of the fight for the throne was so easy, there was a chance you would’ve already done so. No matter what, so long as there was any hint of competition, there would be paranoid individuals aiming for your back. You had to be strong and carve a place for yourself. Still, maybe handling negotiations was a separate skillset you could lean on.  Maybe you could convince Algid to let you take on this role more often.

You weren’t all that eager to return to the base, and to Hymal, either—as much as you knew you had to. It would be around another two weeks before you were expected back. Would that be long enough for the talk surrounding you both to have died down? Could you afford to wait that long anyway, if Hymal ended up needing you or any drastic changes occurred in the dynamics between the other candidates?

If you return to the base as planned, go to Chapter 64.
If you delay your return, go to Chapter 20. 

Chapter Text

Was it really this easy…?

From the day you first awoke to the world, your life had always been devoted to either taking over the empire or serving whoever did. You didn’t know anything outside of being a candidate. The fight for survival and to claim superiority; the pride in a race that was strong, but incredibly few; the check-ups, the spars, the deaths… This was all you’d ever known. The idea of leaving it behind had rarely entered your thoughts.

You hardly even travelled off-world from the base. In nearly every way, this would be a new frontier for you.

You chose to leave under the cover of nightfall. True, anyone with a scouter would be able to spot you flying away easily, but there were still less eyes to worry about. Besides, since it was unlikely that outside forces would attack the planet due to the number of high power-level fighters present, security was somewhat lax.

Would anyone try to pursue you? Possibly, but if they hadn’t bothered tracking down the first candidate who disappeared, you saw no reason for them to come after you—granted, you didn’t know how your Nitro would react to a runaway like this compared to how Drice did. In any case, you could never come back. Once you left, there would be no opportunity for regrets.

The base grew smaller and smaller as you travelled through the sky before eventually jumping into orbit. Even if your species wasn’t so resilient, you had gathered a few supplies and done a bit of research before leaving. There was an old depot not too far out of your range. You could fly there before deciding where to go next. Not too many worlds were friendly to your kind thanks to King Cold’s lineage,  

The reality of what you were doing didn’t truly settle in until a star-filled landscape filled your entire vision, the planet a cloudy, shimmering marble below you. You glanced back only briefly, swept away by the quiet sea of twinkling lights that each marked countless suns and the worlds that surrounded them. With that view came a strange feeling of freedom that you had never known before.

THE ESCAPEE ENDING 

Chapter Text

One year later...

Darting around a series of storehouses, you rammed your side into a wall as you moved. Your right arm was singed raw from taking the brunt of a large ki blast. Your head was swimming, making flight almost impossible. Instead, you tried to keep as many obstacles between your pursuers and yourself as you could.   

You knew you'd been poisoned. You had entered your private quarters, completely unaware of the danger until a thick gas had already started to fill the chamber. You barely managed to escape—the door attempting to lock itself and you having to blast a hole through to create your own exit—just not before you had already taken in a couple breaths.

Not once did you ever think you’d be left scrambling for your life like this. You didn’t even know who was targeting you, couldn’t guess what candidate would throw aside their pride in their strength for such a cheap shot! You didn’t know any one of them that favored these types of tactics.

Then again, the situation had changed. Sorbet had succeeded in bringing Frieza back to life. With that impossibility turned reality, years of effort training someone to fill the power gap fell apart. Alliances broke down and factions that once gave their full support pulled out. The candidates were left isolated by both each other and much of the Frieza Force—who swiftly abandoned them to return to the revived ruler. Tensions were higher than they’d ever been.

Which, unsurprisingly, led to many of you dying at an accelerated rate. Despite the odds, there were still those that tried and failed to challenge Frieza. Some candidates still fought with each other, others just vanished or turned up dead without reason at all.

Much like you likely would, the way things were panning out. On top a lack of concentration and weary feeling, whatever you’d breathed in seemed to have an almost paralyzing effect on your body. You hadn’t gotten a good look at whoever was firing at you either! In your mad escape, you barely even had an idea of where you were going.

It wasn’t as though you expected help, but you hoped that finding a crowd would at least deter your assailants a bit. Unfortunately, in just one month, the base’s numbers had greatly dwindled. If there was someone willing to stand against the foul play, they weren’t anywhere around.

Another ki blast scorched the metal plating above you. You ducked and threw yourself off-balance in the process. You rolled forward; keeping to one, fluid motion, but barely managing to drag yourself back onto your feet. It was only getting harder to move straight.

The stubborn part of you that didn’t want to call for help fought against the will to live that did. Nevertheless, who would come for you? Hymal? Maybe, but then again, you hadn’t been the most reliable ally yourself… Besides, he was gone now—had left the planet to chase after Frieza’s orders. You didn’t follow him.  Maybe you should’ve—

The next shot hit you squarely in the back. Knocked to the earth once more, you looked over your shoulder in time to see a dark silhouette move across the evening sky. It was clearly a member of your species. You flipped your body around, firing a wild ki blast back in retaliation and moving backward as you scrambled for any cover you could find. The long seconds of frantic searching brought you inside one of the storehouses and within a maze of large shipment crates.

Catching your breath, you looked down at your hand. Your attack was nowhere near as strong as usual. It was also starting to go numb. More than the fear of dying itself, the fear of facing death completely unable to do anything about it was unbearable.

Footsteps echoed in after you. You grimaced, your mind bracing itself for the worst. If you were going to die, you didn’t want it to happen as you were huddled in some corner struggling to move. While you could still fight, you would to the very end.

You turned around corner and positioned yourself so that you could let off a volley of fire as soon as your pursuer rounded it next. The footsteps grew nearer and louder, each as calm and purposeful as a predator inching toward its wounded prey.

However, out of all of your would-be enemies, you didn’t expect your backer, Algid, to be one of them.

You were so stunned that as he approached you with his usual, placid grin, you didn’t release the ki charged in your hand. You were fired upon instead, a blast striking you just below the collar. A gasp tore past your lips from its viscous sting and you clutched the newly-made injury.

“What is the meaning of this?!” you yelled.

Much to your growing rage, Algid’s sickening smile never once faltered. He explained himself in a lackadaisical manner, as if he were only talking about a small, if bothersome chore, “Nothing you need to worry yourself over now. I’m merely… tidying up some loose ends.”

Another ki blast was fired—this time directly into your lungs.  You tried to manifest a small shield, but couldn’t gather the energy to do so in time to defend yourself against the blow. You fell backward and heaved.

“We could’ve brought in a new age for the empire. We did our best. However, now that Lord Frieza’s back from the dead, it’s best to cut our losses where we can,” he continued with a shrug, “And if I were to let you and the other candidates live, I’m afraid that could spell a very big loss for me.”

You gritted your teeth, the taste of iron subtly bubbling in your mouth. "Do you honestly think Frieza would only go after us? There's no way he doesn't already know just how many of us you made to replace him. You're just as much of a dead man walking!"

The relief you felt knowing that the one who orchestrated your death would inevitably fall after you evaporated as Algid leveled an even colder smile your way. This wasn't someone killing out of desperation or a desire to pull others down with him. Somehow, this was all precalculated.

"I don't think he'll care in-particularly," said Algid, "As of now, he's too busy preparing for his battle on Earth. As much as we tried, even I must admit, none of you would be worth his attention—let alone measure up to that mutant strength."

There was a hint of disgust in his voice that wasn’t directed at you. It followed some inward train of thought that, sadly, didn’t derail enough of his attention away. You tried lashing out with your tail only for the traitor to side-step past it.

"But when he does eventually turn his sight our way, I can’t afford to let living proof of my research waltz right in front him." 

Research….?

“A shame you couldn’t accept euthanasia. I really meant for this to be quiet and painless.”

Your body’s faculties now shutting down at a fast rate, you couldn’t protect yourself against the beam launched straight through your heart. You slumped sideways, releasing a mute cry at the intense pain.

Just as calmly as he appeared, Algid began to walk away. Blackening out, you reached toward him with a shaky, purple-stained hand. You wanted to kill him—had to kill him! He had to pay for tossing you and so many others aside like this!

But everything went dark swiftly after that, your lingering questions, your anger, and your soul vanishing from the world in one last, struggling breath. 

THE EXPENDABLE ENDING

Chapter Text

Shaking off your disorientation from the surprise attack, you quickly hurled a ki blast of your own at the other two candidates. They dodged easily, but you followed through by charging at one of them with another orb ready in your hand. It exploded right in your enemy’s face before you fired a beam at the second assailant.

Whether or not this was a fight you could win, you had to do something!  You know that, if you left yourself open for even a moment, these two wouldn’t fail to seize it. Both palms outward, you kept up your counterassault with a massive energy wave. Unfortunately, the rule of three failed this time: Your attackers once again veered out of the way, the bolt instead careening past them to harmlessly ignite the sky.

In the very least, you had established a bit of distance between the three of you. There was a brief pause as you all looked between each other, trying to feel out who would make the next move. You, however, did not have the luxury of keeping a careful eye on both of them at the same time. A minute passed and then the candidate to your left suddenly vanished before reappearing close to you. He lunged forward with a raised fist, striking you in the jaw. You grabbed him by the arm, yanking him downward to knee him in the chin—teeth clattering on impact. In return, he captured your leg to fling you around and over him, back toward the earth.

Waves rippled around you as you caught yourself before you could fall into the center of the lake. A bolt of ki scraped your arm as the other candidates dove after you once again. More followed. You weaved around them and ended up close to where you had started. By then, your opponents were almost right on top of you. With a telekinetic pull, you yanked some of the broken rock from the initial attack and smashed it over the closest of the pair. The other stayed back for just a short moment to avoid getting hit by the fragments of stone that splintered off.

The former growled at you, rubbing a gash on his cheek—much to your satisfaction. “What a cheap trick! Then again, maybe that all you can manage to in a fight!”

You moved back to recreate some of the distance you had lost. “I could ask the same from you, firing at someone from behind… And did it really take both of you to come after me?”

This rebuttal only added fuel to the fire. Their attacks became faster and more severe, as if their anger had somehow sharpened their movements. Arms held up in a guarded pose, you could only block half of the barrage of hits that came your way.

The Frost Demon that had stayed back suddenly zipped behind you. You tried to block him with your tail only for him to yank it back. This action threw you off-balance and the next strike was aimed between your shoulder blades, a sharp elbow drilling between the twin plates. It gave his partner time to follow through with an attack of his own, raising both fists above his head before slamming them into your own.

You rotated your body around, firing another set of ki blasts in attempt to drive them away. Both blows took more out of you than you thought, your mind reeling from the impact. You could feel your heartbeat hammering in your skull.    

You were almost too stunned to move. The pair lunged for you once more to take advantage of the opening, but a large shape flew toward them before them could. For a second, you didn’t know what it was: All you saw was one of your opponents fall into the water as the sudden blur rammed into him.

It was Hymal. What he was doing there or why he was going back on his word to defend you, you didn’t know, nor did you care to ask. You were just relieved to have someone fighting with you. The remaining attacker stared down at the lake, equally stunned by the sudden change in the tide of the fight. You had to swallow your pride at the rise of panic in his eyes that came only with Hymal’s arrival.

Your partner, too, stared at the lake, but with a displeased look. Even as the other candidate soon resurfaced with a harsh cough, choking on water and coming to terms who had struck him, Hymal could only glare at the duo. His words echoed your from earlier, “Pathetic, the both of you… If you really ever thought that your opponent was weak, then you should have the guts to fight one-on-one.”

The scuffle didn’t last long after that. Hymal easily held off the pair as you caught your breath and the two of you were able to chase them away not long after—each cradling significant wounds they would need to see to immediately when they returned to the base. Your partner, unsurprisingly, looked none the worse for wear. You, meanwhile, were aching all over and a thin trickle of blood emerged from a cut on your lip. Still, you were glad to have all of your limbs intact, something that could not be sad for the ones who’d ambushed you.

It was only a small relief though. You wiped at the blood with the back of your hand.

You knew that the pair had meant to kill you. The threat to your life wasn’t new, but having anyone aim for your specifically was. Just how often was this going to happen from now on? You got lucky this time. Luck didn’t last.

“You should drag yourself back home too,” said Hymal, snapping you out of your daze. “Get to a medic. You look rough.”

You just looked at him. You had no idea what he was thinking… It felt like a thousand questions were running through your head, but if he saw any of them reflected in your gaze, he didn’t give you any answers. He didn’t even make a single comment about the fight itself.

He was the reason any of this was even happening… Were you really going to stand by him, despite that? Even if you did walk away, where would you go…?

If you give up, go to Chapter 74.
If you stick with him, go to Chapter 7.

Chapter Text

Maybe there had never been a report because Jewel had threatened anyone who would’ve made one. Even if a person felt that death was inevitable no matter their options, they were often still more prone to responding to an immediate danger.  As the Force was now, soldiers would’ve been easier to scare in compliance than crooks or smugglers anyway.

After doing some more research, it looked like the supply ship had gone to a world that was since embroiled in one of the many rebellions plaguing the empire. Well, resistance fighters weren’t anything that you couldn’t handle. Travelling there could even serve as an excuse for your absence. Between the fuel port and there was mostly empty space, a straight trip that would take no more than four hours. You marched back to where your own ship was docked and swiftly gave the order to leave.

Just more trouble… you grumbled to yourself, leaning back in your seat with your tail flicking in irritation.

You were tired from the long trip and endless stream of work. A short nap couldn’t hurt and it wasn’t like the pilot ferrying you around was the best conversationalist. Soon enough, you started to nod off.

However, an alarm flashed on the ship’s console before you could get any decent rest. The vessel suddenly jerked to a much slower speed and you gripped your seat to keep from flying into the viewport. The pilot winced as you gave him a fierce look, explaining, “Systems detect strong, electromagnetic waves in the vicinity. Usually, it’s from a solar flare or a CME. The engines turned down to avoid bolting straight through them and risking potential damage.”

A solar flare or CME… From a star? You pushed yourself up to get a better view of the ship’s surroundings. There were none nearby. The only objects floating through this part of space were a small field of asteroids and yourselves. Besides, the ship should’ve traced any such waves early and re-routed its course in-advance.

Ka-boom!

The ship suddenly bucked, its stern rising at a harsh angle. A second later, something flew overhead—a smaller, faster vessel with a narrow frame. Two more followed after it, releasing their own firepower.  The lights flickered and a worrying groan echoed through the walls.

It was a trap!

While your vessel technically was built for combat, its firepower was minimal in comparison to your enemy’s; smooth, sleek machines built for attack and nothing less. You had to deal with them directly! You darted for the door even as the pilot’s voice chased after you, “Hey! W-what are you doing?! There’s no secondary hatch, so i-if you do that—!”

He had no time to finish that complaint. The enemy vessels circled back. He turned around and scrambled with the controls, likely to see if he could boost the shields, but it was too late. The combined attacks pummeled against the viewport until it shattered, drawing him out into the void not a second later.

Idiot! He should’ve found something to latch onto rather than tried to argue! You were sitting ducks either way! You grimaced, jumping outside with a ball of ki in each hand.

A spear of light flickered in your vision: You ducked to avoid the shot launched your way and immediately returned fire. Yours was a smaller blast, but a far more devastating one that completely obliterated the first of your targets.

It seemed that whoever was flying the enemy ships didn’t expect you, a Frost Demon, to have been their opponent. Those remaining hesitated, giving you every opportunity to take them out before they could retreat. You took no satisfaction of the swift victory though: With one glance at the damage done to your own ship, you knew you were still in a dire situation. 

You were alive, but stranded. It seemed like yours and the pilot’s scouters were yanked out of the cockpit when the viewport shattered. The three small ships that attacked you didn’t necessarily seem fit for deep space: If you were lucky, perhaps there was a habitable planetoid nearby. If there wasn’t, unless you managed to get your own craft in worker order, you would have to trust in your own willpower to overcome this newfound danger.

THE STRANDED ENDING

Chapter Text

“Keep making excuses and I'll kill you before he can."

Nevermind the gutless response, there was only so much audacity that you could tolerate. You might've needed this favor, but by the end of the day, you still outranked—and outmatched—him. You had to make it clear that you weren't taking 'no' for answer. 

Unsurprisingly, your threat was effective. Almost immediately, Balon straightened his posture and went quiet. You continued, "I expect you to meet me later for training. The hour and arena number will be sent to your scouter. Try not to be a second late."

If he was so afraid of angering the other candidates, then you would make him understand that you weren't anyone he should risk angering either. As you left him with that order, you felt certain that he would ultimately obey.

Sure enough, when the time came, Balon was already waiting for you. However, to your uncertainty, he had also brought along two others: A towering amphibian with an armored cranium whose species you didn't recognize and a somewhat thin, but tough-looking Kabochan. You would’ve worried that they were attempting some kind of act of defiance had Balon not quickly introduced them, “These are Pavlov and Gigori, two of the members from my old squad. I’m sure that you’ll find that they are both capable fighters, able to keep up with whatever lengths you wish you go with your training.”

You looked over them with a careful eye. Undoubtedly, you would still need to hold back to keep yourself from killing them, but the one called Pavlov’s body was similar enough to Tokaki’s that you would get some decent practice grappling someone of that size. As for the Kabochan, you weren’t entirely sure what role he filled besides being another person to spar against.  You didn’t approve of the way he looked at you either; in resolute silence, with a fiery resentment in his eyes. You didn’t recall ever having anything to do with this soldier to invite such anger. Perhaps Balon had complained about you to the pair…

You spent several days training with the group. Over the course of that short span of time, you did everything you could to increase your strength. Sometimes, they’d attack you all at once; other days, they took turns, wearing out quickly in comparison to yourself. 

The moment when you had to face Tokaki again came fast whether you liked it or not. The both of you, as well as Hymal, were placed in a small line-up of candidates to match up against one another. It was a common practice in developing the natural hierarchy between all of you, and in testing who among you was truly fit to one day rule.

Nevertheless, the assortment was typically split between Algid’s and Drice’s separate groups or otherwise seemed entirely random. You cursed your bad luck, or whatever force may have pulled the strings behind the scenes, to have ended up placed against both Tokaki and Hymal combined. You could tell that the latter was staring at you cooly from afar, as though he was already aware of your attempts to ally with someone else.

Much to your confusion and relief, he kept his distance. A part of you had expected him to confront you directly, or to ask to challenge you specifically in the matches to come. No, that role instead went to Tokaki, who seemed entertained by the whole affair. Before pairs could even be decided, he approached the staff overseeing the match and pointed you out. You braced yourself as you stepped forward.

“I hope you’re better prepared to prove your worth now,” he said, his tail flicking behind him. He moved into a fighting stance, “Try to stay conscious for more than five minutes this time.”

You heard some light snickering behind you. On the sidelines, Hymal leaned against a wall with his arms folded across his chest. Something felt off… You’d made a point of keeping your actions as much of a secret as possible, but the more you looked around, the more it seemed that others were already aware your attempt to ally with— 

You didn’t get the chance to wonder over it further. Tokaki charged at you, a punch flying toward your stomach. You managed to catch his arm with your tail before the hit could land. You answered the attack with a punch of your own, dealing the first strike with a strong uppercut.

Your opponent was initially stunned, but then gave you an almost manic smile. Twisting his arm around, he grabbed ahold of your tail and pulled you off your feet. You were flung to the floor before he sent you flying toward one of the walls, which you then repelled off of and into the air. Firing a wave of consecutive ki blasts, you used them for cover before launching yourself back in his direction with a swift kick. He blocked it. The serrated edge of his tail came flying at your head next and you ducked back, hovering slightly above the floor as you both paused to read each other.

Although many of your ki blasts had landed, they hadn’t done much besides scuff Tokaki up a little. While you’d already been on the receiving end of his attacks, that was just him playing around—a cat toying with a mouse. This was truly like fighting a tank. He left no clear openings to attack and powered through your own defenses.

It took a little while longer though to see just how underprepared you were. Soon enough, you both went back to trading blows; however, Tokaki’s were swiftly wearing you down more than yours did to him. It felt like fending yourself against a barrage of meteors, as if your arms could snap with any single punch. You maneuvered around most of them just fine, but when you had no choice other than to take them…

All of the training you went through was simply nothing in the wake of raw might.

A finishing strike inevitably made its way past your defenses: An open palm jab that nearly dislocated your jaw. Your vision scrambled and then you were sent flying across the arena once again with a firm kick. Exhausted, your body shook as you pushed yourself up into a crouch.

“I went out of my way to give you a warning and this is still the best you can do? A weakling like you really should know your place,” Tokaki sneered, “Normally, I wouldn’t think twice about killing you, but to be frank, even I think this is just sad. Rumor has it, you even turned to asking low rank grunts for help.”

You stiffened.

“If you value your life, just get out of my sight.”

And then do what exactly…? You could feel the heavy stares all around you. It wasn’t exactly considered shameful to lose to a stronger opponent, but to be humiliated like this was another matter. Where any other time you may have been considered stupidly brave or overly proud of your own abilities, now, you were someone grasping at straws to cling to someone too far above your station.

Tokaki made a fool out of you. Hymal would surely no longer accept an alliance with you. And who would risk teaming up with someone who had disappointed both of the top contenders among the candidates? Even if you accepted this so-called mercy, where would that leave you after this moment? What could you do to survive?

If you give up, go to Chapter 75.
If you see the fight to the end, go to Chapter 14.

Chapter Text

What a farce… Whatever this was—a trick, a setup, or even a genuine offer—you weren’t going to entertain it. There was nothing about this that you could trust: You had absolutely no information to go on and you didn't believe there was any good reason that this stranger would've come to you, out of any of the other candidates.  

Maybe Fu could see the rejection on your face, because before you could answer him, he raised his shoulders in a lax shrug. "It's not like I'm forcing you. It would kinda defeat the purpose of coming here if I did," he said, "so I'd rather it be your choice."

 Your scowl only deepened. Again, that vague purpose... If your mind wasn't already set in stone, it was now. Your eyes briefly flickered over to the nearby door panel. While you loathed the very idea of it, if you were quick enough, you could possibly sound the alarm. The real trick was if anyone would, or even could, rush to answer it in time.

"I'll have to pass," you responded coldly.

 Fu's expression remained casual, only the click of his tongue indicating his disappointment, "Ah, well. Maybe next time. Although, I guess that answer in itself could lead to something interesting... There's just too many anomalies with you and the others—it's exciting! 

He seemed to partially drift into his own thoughts for a moment. You took it, lunging for the panel and slamming at its controls. An electronic blare filled the room and blasted down the hall outside. However, in just that short instant, the trespasser vanished: You spun around on your heel, prepared to hold Fu off, only for him to already be gone. You weren't sure whether to feel relieved or not.

A few candidates who neighbored your quarters peeped into the hall as you stepped out, but their curiosity was short-lived. Eventually, a couple of soldiers arrived to see what could've happened. You just blamed the alarm on a possible malfunction and ordered for someone to check. It was hard to say if anyone would believe you about the so-called scientist's out-of-nowhere appearance and you'd rather save face whether or not they did anyway. In any case, once the inspection was over, the crew did detect the remains of a peculiar energy signal. It was enough to put the others on alert for now.

Whatever intentions that Fu had trying to make a deal with you, there was a part of you that hoped he wasn't going to try to make that same deal with someone else—or, in the very least, that you wouldn't be caught in the crosshairs if he did. 

That problem aside, however, you had plenty enough already to concern yourself with. Giving it some more thought, there were different ways you could go about trying to get Tokaki to train with you. You could either join him at a time when candidates faced off against each other or you could try to spar against him one-on-one. The first option ensured that medics would be on standby if things went sour. The second option was a bit riskier in that sense, but it was a much more direct approach.    

If you try to fight Tokaki in a group training session, go to Chapter 70.
If you try to get Tokaki to spar with you alone, go to Chapter 54.