*@* Dragonball SU *@* It Begins

[Master Rudy]

Ok.....as a timeline reference since quite a few things have happened this is before Van's arrival and the latest Zaito post. Sandor is arriving just as Shitagi and company are leaving.

Shitagi Summers
Turning the tide of battle
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This is absolutely amazing! I thought to myself. Hearing about the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was one thing. Actually seeing what it could do for a person was another. Being half Human I never bought into all of the hype that Saiyans were the stronger race. With enough training anyone could become as strong as they wanted. Even so it was still awe inspiring to see what Zaito was doing. He was doing the very things that required my use of Kaio-Ken to do. Checking my scouter my next big shock came when I saw his power level. He's at 7400! Zaito was using what felt like a perfect combination of pure speed and power to overcome the Kwalis. Not only that but I could sense that this was only a fraction of his full power.

Finally after about a minute or so Zaito dodged out of the way of an attack and forced the brothers to actually hit each other. Awestruck I attempted to complement him. "Zaito! You....." I started to say. However he cut me off and reminded me of the fact that we couldn't afford to watch the rest of this battle. "Twenty times Earth's gravity will make you this fast but you need to go train now! We'll deal with these morons!" Zaito was right. If we didn't start training now and something went wrong then him and Kura would have no backup for when the real battle started.

Not wasting anymore time on words I turned around to fly off. Retasu, Hammer and Basawe were quick to join me. Kamo had attempted to stop our retreat but was stopped by Zaito. On the way back to the lookout the four of us passed Sandor as she made her way to the battle. Dammit.....I forgot about her. Guess she was doing some last minute training while Zaito and Kura held down the fort. Before long a voice from behind us shouted "Hey! Hold on a moment guys!" Glancing over my shoulder I saw that it was my mother. As she caught up I said "Well I know you can't join us due to the four person limit so it's got to be something else." With a shrug she told me "Well as much as I hate to admit it I'm outclassed on both sides. Right now I think the best thing I can do is provide support." Looking at Retasu and Basawe as we flew she told them "With the destruction of West City I lost nearly all the supplies that I had stored. However I think the two of you are somewhat lucky. My ship has two sets of battle armor. Seeing that you guys are the only ones in the group that wear it you're welcome to use it if you need to replace your armor following your training." Basawe thanked my mother for the offer while Retasu made a "Heh" sound and simply nodded. I assumed it was a thanks and that she was simply more focused on the task at hand. Or perhaps she's thinking about how to get the Dragon Balls I thought to myself. I still needed to find a way to confront Retasu about that without coming across as calling her an enemy.

As we landed and began to make our way to the time chamber my mother reached into her pocket and pulled out a capsule. Turning her attention back to me she said "I had hoped to give this to you under better circumstances Shitagi. Inside is a gift. It was suppose to be a surprise so all I ask is that you wait until your training is complete before opening it." I took the capsule from her just as we got to the door of the chamber. As the others began to enter I looked at my mother's face. Despite the fact that I had been talking to her all day for the first time I noticed that she actually looked a little older. I couldn't tell if it was worry or something else. One way or another I knew it had to do with what happened in West City. Many people we knew died in the attack. That alone had to be a very heavy thought on her mind.

Finally after a few moments she spoke. "I've always done the best I could to raise and teach you Shitagi. However it goes beyond fighting styles and life in general." I had never heard my mother speak like this before. As much as I wanted to ask her why she was talking to me like this I knew better than to interupt her on an important matter. Continuing she said "I have a strong feeling that the events you've witnessed so far and the ones that will be coming up once you leave that room are going to teach you far more than I ever could. I grew up in a very peaceful world thanks to our family and their friends. Even so for many people who were just children at the time the horrors of threats such as Cell were still fresh in their minds. I had hoped that peace would extend to you and eventually your own children. Sadly however this isn't the case anymore. It would appear that it's now your destiny to fight for the Earth and whatever else you feel is important to you. I know my words may not make sense to you now. However I'm sure you'll understand in time." With a laugh she said "You know.....I was always waiting for the day that I could spar with you and go all out. Now it's looking like your going to surpass me before I get the chance. I will catch up with you but with everything that's happening now I'm afraid that it's going to be a long time before we can do that."

Chuckling at the last comment I told her "Well you'll have plenty of time to catch up. It's not like your going off to fight Rothax alone right?" I kept on laughing but eventually stopped when I saw how serious my mother was. It was then that it dawned on me. "Oh my god......" I said with a feeling of fear. "That's exactly what your planning on doing isn't it?!" Looking down at the ground as she spoke my mother told me "Look Shitagi........if I do this then my survival is very unlikely. However he needs to be stopped. It's possible I may even be able to stop him. At the very least however I know I can weaken him before you start to fight him." I was dumbfounded by what she was telling me. We were about to train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber! Surely there had to be another way. I began to protest but was stopped by my mother. "It's not open for debate Shitagi. I would tell you that you'd understand one day. However I know you already do. It's the same reason you tried to fight him by yourself before he transformed. It's also the same reason you ran off to distract the Kwalis. Sometimes in order to do the right thing and help others you have to be willing to put them ahead of your own needs and wants. Besides we have the Dragon Balls don't we?" Once again feeling dumbfounded as I felt tears starting to come I said "We may have the Dragon Balls mom but that's besides the point! Please don't do this to me. It shouldn't have to come down to needing to bring you back to life!" With a weak smile she told me "No matter what happens Shitagi don't be discouraged. I'm scared as hell at the prospect of going into a battle like this. However sometimes you've got to face your fears in order to grow as a person. Anyway I don't think we can debate this anymore. At the very least I can promise you that in the end it'll all be ok."

There wasn't much more I could say right now. Even if there was the words just didn't want to come out. I knew I wouldn't talk my mother out of it. Feeling sick at the thought of what she was about to do all I could do now was enter the room and do what I could to help put an end to Rothax while hoping that somehow she didn't get herself killed. As the door shut behind me I saw Basawe standing in what appeared to be a bedroom with his arms crossed. Apparently he had been waiting for me. "Well it took you long enough to get in here. For a moment I was starting to wonder if you had gotten cold fe....." Basawe must had seen the look on my face because he stopped talking and started to walk closer. I turned away before he could see that I had been crying. Just as he got behind me he asked "Are you ok Shitagi?" In all honesty I wasn't. However I wouldn't be doing anyone any favors if I didn't try to focus on this fully. Setting fear and worry for my mother aside I turned towards Basawe and said "Yeah.....let's get started!"
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There we go. Second group is finally in! Don't forget that I'm going to try to have Shitagi push for two hours (one month of compressed time). Feel free to bounce out at any point following the first hour or to keep him company. As for Victoria she is now off limits. I've got evil plans for her >=)

[Blademaster]

Basawe

"I really hope they know what they're doing..."

That was all that Basawe could think as he shed his traditional Saiyan armor in favor of the strange new suit Shitagi's mother had prepared for him and Retasu.

It lacked shoulderpads... So it was less restrictive than his normal armor. Felt thicker, too. Not heavier, strangely. Maybe that was just the Time Chamber's boost to his strength making it feel lighter.

"Blue... is NOT my color." he whined to nobody in particular.

"It looks good on me, though." Retasu said, flexing and testing her mobility in the suit. "Maybe this planet has more to offer than I thought."

Basawe ignored her. He wasn't in the mood to start fighting with her again - he just wanted to keep an eye on her.

"Are you two ready?" Kuji asked from outside the ship's cargo bay. "I don't mean to rush, but time is of the essence."

Basawe cast Retasu a dirty look.

"Ladies first." he said dryly. She chuckled and left for the chamber, with Basawe trailing close behind.

*************

Back in the chamber, Basawe tapped his foot impatiently. He'd already been here, waiting for what felt like an hour for Shitagi. Retasu and Hammer had already begun training not far from the rest area.

'Where IS he...?'

Finally, the door opened. Shitagi stepped in and closed it, his head lowered.

"It's about time you made it." he said. "I was starting to wonder if you'd gone back to fight the Kwalis with the others..."

No response. Shitagi looked away.

"...Shitagi...? Are you alright?"

".......................Yeah... Yeah. Let's get started." Shitagi looked back to the Saiyan, forcing a smile.

"Are you sure-"

"I'm fine, Basawe. Really. Now come on, I know what you want to talk to me about. You want to learn the Kamehameha and the Kaio-Ken, right?"

Basawe blinked.

"Um... No, actually." he replied. "Well, not entirely... The Kamehameha is a powerful attack. I would like to learn it. But... Shitagi, I mean no disrespect, but your Kaio-Ken technique is... well, it's very flawed."

"Flawed?" Shitagi didn't seem to be expecting that. "What do you mean 'flawed?'

"From what I can see, it forces your body to pull all of its energy out of reserve at once. That is not only very dangerous, but even if the danger were circumvented, that energy is expended quickly. At the most, even your highest Kaio-ken level... What was it? Triple your strength?"

Shitagi nodded.

"Even that will only last for a couple of minutes before it wears off and your energy reserves are depleted. You need a more reliable move. That's why I'm proposing a trade: You teach me the Kamehameha, and I'll teach you the Basawe Boost."

Shitagi pondered this for a second, before asking the obvious - and in Basawe's case, dreaded - question:

"What advantages does your Boost have over the Kaio-Ken?"

Basawe looked down.

"You... have heard about me, correct? My... disability?"

"Your disease? I heard it mentioned once or twice, but never any details..."

Basawe sighed, a look of shame on his face.

"...I was born with an undocumented birth defect, something unlike anything ever seen on Ninjin..."

***********

"...That's how I came to land on this planet, Shitagi. That's why I'd rather show it my loyalty than the backwater rock of brutes I was born on."

There was a long pause.

"That's... Wow, that's a sad story." Shitagi finally said sympathetically. "People on Ninjin REALLY treated you that badly? All because you don't have a tail?"

"Ninjin is home to the Saiyans, Shitagi." Basawe reminded him. "The most proud, brash, unfeeling beasts in the cosmos. They treat equals like garbage. A birth defect like me, and one with foreign blood to boot..."

"And that foreign blood is what makes your Boost work?"

"Among other things..." was Basawe's cryptic reply. "My birth blood is unaffected by the Blutz Waves emitted by the Moon, but the blood I was donated for my surgery is affected by it. Moonlight charges it with a dormant Oozaru energy that, with a great amount of effort, I can harness even though I can't become an Oozaru myself."

He looked at Shitagi.

"That's where you come in. You, like me, have pure Saiyan blood in you, as well as non-Saiyan blood. Am I correct?"

"Yeah... It's pretty diluted, though." Shitagi admitted. "A quarter Saiyan, at most."

"That's enough. Tell me, Shitagi, have you ever looked up at the full Moon?"

"Sure, who hasn't?"

"Have you ever felt a strange sensation from looking at it? Heightened senses? Increased aggression? An inexplicable urge, like a hunger?"

"I... dunno if I'd go that far..." Shitagi said, unsure of Basawe's tone of voice. "They say the full Moon increases human aggression, but beyond that..."

Basawe gave his companion an odd look, then closed his eyes and began to strain. He held one hand in front of him, palm raised.

"Hrrrrrrrnnngh....."

A pale blue-white energy began to crackle in Basawe's hand... A small sphere began to form. Sweat beaded on Basawe's brow as the sphere swelled, an odd energy emanating from it.

Shitagi's eyes widened.

"Is that a Power Ball!?"

Basawe forced himself to grin. "I never thought I of all people would need this, but after my transfusion, I started tinkering with the idea. It's far from perfect... It's practically starved of true Blutz energy, but it still contains power. That power can be drawn from."

Basawe pulled his hand back and lobbed the sphere upwards. It hung in the air, a few feet above his head.

"Your Kaio-Ken draws energy from within your body to empower it." Basawe said. "My Boost summons latent energy from my surroundings to empower me. It isn't quite as fast as your Kaio-Ken, but after a few seconds, my power begins to increase exponentially."

Shitagi looked up at the Power Ball in awe. He COULD feel something inside of him stirring. Like he were just waking up from a deep sleep, his body working itself back into action, drawing in energy...

"How high does it rise...?"

"If necessary, I can amplify my power by five times. It begins to drain quickly after that peak, but that's the highest I can go.

"It went up five times when we were fighting the Kwalis?!"

Basawe grinned.

"No... Just three. Now, draw in as much of that sphere's energy as you can. All the potential energy in this chamber, as long as it doesn't kill any of us."

"Even Retasu." Basawe added, a split-second before Shitagi beat him to it.

Shitagi grinned, then focused his mind on the ball of energy floating above him (which Basawe strangely refused to make eye contact with). He could feel it emitting power, like the rays of the Sun. After a few moments, he could feel residual energy from Basawe himself, then Retasu and Hammer, and even from the cracks of the Chamber door.

Basawe's scouter beeped. He smiled, relieved - Shitagi's power level had already risen by several hundred points, and was continuing to rise.

"That's right, keep it up...!" he coached. "You're doing it!"

Shitagi began to strain, then his aura burst to life, whipping his hair and clothes around him. He looked like he was in pain... He yelled out, and the power around him surged.

His power level had just doubled.

"Nice work..." Basawe applauded as his scouter began to decrease again. "You learn quickly."

"I did it?" Shitagi looked at his hands, confused. "I don't... But my power is already dropping again."

"There's not much latent energy here aside from that energy ball, Shitagi. You managed to absorb its small amount of power and multiply it. Imagine how strong you'll be once you're outside this Chamber, surrounded by energy from the Sun, the planet itself, and every force acting on it."

Shitagi had to stop to take that in.

"It's like a cost-effective personal Spirit Bomb..." he muttered, closing his fist.

"What?"

He looked up.

"Oh, uh, nothing. Just thinking about something my grandpa told me when I was younger... So that's how your Boost works? You absorb power from around you instead of forcing it to the forefront of your body?"

Basawe nodded. "That's the simplest way I can put it."

Shitagi grinned. "Well, we might not get to practice that too much in here, but it definitely sounds useful... You sure you're not interested in learning my Kaio-Ken, though? Just so you have an extra edge in battle?"

"Thank you, but no. My disorder would render it useless - I likely wouldn't be able to drawn even a quarter of my power out, and whatever I did draw out wouldn't last for more than a few seconds before it was drained."

"Alright then." Shitagi replied, adopting a familiar stance. "Then it's my turn to show you a trick. Let's get to work on the Kamehameha."

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As the unlikely duo of heroes trains inside the Time Chamber, the battle between the Kwalis and Earth's first group of warriors continues to rage, with the rest of Rothax's army quickly on approach. Can Basawe and Shitagi perfect one anothers' secret techniques in time to aid their friends? Or will the arrival of Rothax's remaining soldiers tip the scales in the technological tyrant's favor? Find out next time, on DragonBallSU!