(Continuing From Where The Last Chapter Left Off, At The Ayoma Residence. . .)
"Well. . .this isn't the worst thing that could happen. . ." 21 muttered.
She was currently washing some of the dishes left in the sink from the previous night as the universe 6 Saiyans continued to chow down on their morning breakfast at the kitchen table. All the while Kuzuku sat in front of the unexpected person who had landed in front of their home earlier this morning after taking a nice hot shower and changing into a comfy grey sweats and white T-Shirt. In a typical manner of his husband's kind hospitality, he invited him in after taking pity on his starved state and offered him food in exchange for information. To which it led to the scenario now as Kuzuku simply sat and watched him intently as he ate and took a bite out of his pancakes.
His eyes widened in surprise at the sweet flavor of both the white fluffy pastry and homemade syrup, "Wow, this is super good! Hey, what's this called again?"
"Heheh, it's pancakes with homemade syrup made by my wife," Kuzuku chuckled.
"Pan. . .cakes? What an interesting name, I like it! And this yellow stuff is some kind of egg, right? It's kinda shaped weirdly though the insides are so good."
The Saiyan rested his hand on his cheek and smiled at the ignorance, "That's called an omelette, uh. . ."
"Ryo!" He informed me with enthusiasm, "My name is Ryo Kenga! May I ask what your name is?"
"Mhm, well I'm Kuzuku Ayoma and my wife's name is 21" Kuzuku introduced, his hand pointing over to the majin scientist.
Ryo cupped his chin and thought for a moment, his nose twitching as he took in the air. At first, Kuzuku was confused until he noticed that he was staring in 21's direction, though he was unsure as to why that was the case. After a short moment, the young man suddenly smashed his fist into his palm as if he figured out something, "I see, congratulations as well by the way!"
Kuzuku raised an eyebrow, along with both Caulifla and Kale suddenly putting a halt to eating their food. 21 couldn't help but turn to see what the big fuss was about until she heard the very words come out of Ryo's lips.
"Your wife's pregnant, right?" Ryo smiled slightly, "So congratulations!"
His incredibly accurate assumption left the room as frozen as statues, so much that the Universe 6 Saiyans had forgotten that they were holding onto forks for a moment. Kuzuku nervously chuckled while 21 blushed, her eyes unconsciously looking down at her stomach to see if she had "grown". The Saiyan scratched the back of his head in disbelief, though his nervous smile was too easy to read.
"Ho-how could you tell just by looking at her?" Kuzuku murmured, knowing full well there is no reason to hide it.
Ryo musely pointed to his nose, "Well, I didn't really do that, I simply could tell by smell! She's been exuding a familiar aroma similar to how one of my friends was back on Planet Tyunal! It did take a minute for me to realize it since I didn't know what it meant to be pregnant before that, hahahah!" The Saiyan stared in awe at how good his sense of smell was. If he had to compare, he might be on par. . .no even better than Hudo and Zugo. Though, before he could ask further, Caulifla and Kale couldn't help but leap out of their seats and get a little too close in his wife's personal bubble.
"Is this true, 21!?! Did he really. . ." Kale inquired into a whisper as her face flushed at the thought.
Caulifla couldn't help but growl, "Tell us the truth, it was forced wasn't it! He took you when you were vulnerable! Don't worry, we'll make sure he pays dearly for it!"
"Why would I need to do that!" Kuzuku comically snapped, "She's my wife, it was totally consensual!"
21 nervously chuckled and nodded, her face still as red as a cherry since she remembered how it all went down bit by bit, "To tell you the truth. . .I am pregnant. But, recalling back to when it most likely happened, let's just say. . .I will never be accepting or drinking alcohol ever again." The two Saiyan females simultaneously tilted their heads, their eyes blinking in silence from trying to figure out what she meant while the events replayed in her head. She shook her head vividly at how embarrassing she was acting in front of her husband.
Laughing, Ryo simply took another bite of his pancakes and squealed with delight, "Hmmmm! I still can't get over it!" The Saiyan sighed at his excitement and decided it was best to start getting down to business now.
"Anyways, I think it's about time you answer my questions now that you've had. . .well having your fill," Kuzuku rested his chin on the palm of his hand before asking, "What brings you to Earth?"
Hearing his question clearly, Ryo swallowed his food whole before licking his lips to rid himself of the sticky sauce that elevated his delightful taste buds. Once settled, he rested his fork over the remains of his food, his smile still present as he showed no ill intentions, "Simple, really. I'm just a wandering traveler who just loves seeing all the different planets and what they have to offer. So far, I'm loving every minute of it!"
"So you came here with no other motives other than checking out Earth, huh?" the Saiyan raised an eyebrow.
"Uh, yeah?" Ryo questioningly replied, "What other reason could I be here for?"
Kuzuku nervously chuckled and laid back since he couldn't sense any malice in him. He scratched his head as he formulated the best way to explain things, "Well, I can already tell you're not a bad guy. People who come to Earth out of the blue typically have the idea of harming the planet in some shape or form. Just yesterday, some old enemies of ours came here looking for a fight as you can tell by my tattered clothing."
"Ohhhh, that explains it. No wonder you seemed a bit on edge," Ryo said as he stood up abruptly. He placed his fist on his pumped chest proudly and profoundly, his declaration filled with honesty, "You don't have to worry about any of that! I promise I will not harm the Earth with ill intention in any way! Your wife and daughters are safe with me!"
"Wait, daughters?" Kuzuku tilted his head to 21 who seemed just as confused as he was. Similarly, Kale and Caulifla did the same, their eyes blinking comically before suddenly realizing where he got that from.
The feisty female stood from her seat and pointed at him accusingly like a child, "Who are you calling, his 'daughters'!?!" The newcomer from space could only stare at her blankly at her question.
"Huh, you're not his kid or something?" Ryo wondered.
Caulifla growled at him at the confirmation of him assuming such a thing, "Hell no! We're all the same age, so there is no way in hell I'd be his kid."
"I see, hahahahah! Guess that's my mistake, sorry. But can you blame me?" He laughed as he simply brushed aside her attitude. Though, the last bit of his sentence didn't go unnoticed as she continued to berate him with more of her typical Saiyan nagging.
On the other hand, as they bickered between one another, Kuzuku couldn't help but his carefree demeanor felt familiar. Something from a long time ago before he was even consciously aware. Though, it didn't feel entirely weird at all as he smiled at the sight while being lost in thought. However, as soon as he nearly drifted away into dreamland, Caulifla let out a huff before turning her attention to her current master sitting at the table.
She placed her knuckles against her hips and demanded without hesitation, "Hmph, anyways Kuzuku, when are we heading out to train today?" The Saiyan in question looked up at her with slightly surprised eyes.
"After everything that had happened yesterday, you still want to train today? I'm impressed by the enthusiasm but, are you sure?" Kuzuku questioned, his eyes raised as he searched for any signs of doubt.
Though just as he expected her to react to such a question, the feisty Saiyan simply scoffed at him, "Pfft, please I've had plenty of time to recover! Besides, I bet that other prince of yours is training Cabba and Lottus right now! No way am I going to let them pass me or Kale!"
Kuzuku stared at her for a moment before chuckling inwardly at her response. He could swear that if Goku or Vegeta were training her then they'd waste no time in helping her progress without any rest. It was simply Saiyan nature. Something to which no matter how many injuries they've received or how much they've recovered; training would be a number one priority for most of the time. In Caulifla's case and as well as Kale, they both were no exception to this rule. After settling with that thought, he simply sighed and stood up from his seat, his eyes catching a faint glance of approval from his wife while Ryo simply watched him curiously.
"If that's what you want then how can I deny you your request?" the universe 7 Saiyan smirked, adding, "But still, since you both haven't fully recovered from the fight against Frieza's hellspawn and Broly, we'll halt on doing anything strenuous. For now, we'll focus on your weaknesses."
"Weaknesses?" Caulifla repeated with a mutter.
Nevertheless, Kuzuku nodded before turning towards the door, his eyes motioning them to follow him outside so they could properly train. Without a word, he began walking towards the door as the two female trainees followed their current teacher out of the house. As they began to exit, 21 decided it was best to join them in some fresh air before looking over to Ryo who was still sitting at the table. She smiled, her radiance gaining his attention in that moment before she asked, "Why don't you come join us? You know, just to watch?"
"Ah. . .uh, sure but. . ." Ryo replied with uncertainty in his voice, though he quickly asked, as he noticed the swaying monkey tail sticking from behind Kuzuku, "I'm not sure if I am out of line here but. . .your husband as a tail? I wonder, are all 'Humans' like him?"
21 shook her head, her eyes facing forward after picking up the newcomer's plate and placing it into the sink, "No. . .well he's not really Human to begin with. He along with several others are actually Saiyans. The two girls are also Saiyan but they aren't from our Universe. They came here to train and learn under Kuzuku just recently."
"Wai-wait, there are more Universes than ours!?!" Ryo gasped in surprise, his face brightening up as his eyes widened with slight glee.
"Yup, if I remember, with our Universe included, there are 12 in total," 21 giggled until she insisted, "Anyways, we better hurry on out before they get their warm-ups done."
With that said, the majin scientist made her way to the door as Ryo was trying to wrap his head around the reveal. He was muttering to himself, his grin widening as he couldn't believe how big the world was. He's explored many places, some in which he almost died but simply knowing that there was going to be more to see was enough to make his heart jump and dance with warmth. With a low audible squeal, he pumped his fist into the air with enthusiasm, "Ah, yeah!" Wasting no time, he hastily ran out of the house to meet up with the rest of the household's residence.
The sky indicated that it was definitely already noon as it was as blue as it could be. The clouds were barely visible while the sun beamed down on them with it's rays of light as the three pure-blooded Saiyans were finishing up their stretches while 21 sat on the open grass field from a safe distance away. Spotting her, Ryo decided to watch near her as he didn't quite know how powerful these people were. That and she was a pregnant woman sitting in a potential battlefield. The small breeze brushed against his skin as he walked over to 21's spot, his steps small yet relaxed until he reached her before turning towards the Kuzuku who seemed ready to start. After a few more reps of stretching, Caulifla inhaled and exhaled calmly, her eyes matching the serious question she decided to suddenly ask, "So, what will we be starting off with today?" The universe 7 Saiyan smirked, his hand resting against his hip as he took a quick look at Kale who seemed idle.
"Normally, I'd be trying to push you beyond your limits as per usual in order to force you to dig deep to find the power needed to transform into Super Saiyan 3. But seeing as you both had quite a challenge beforehand, we'll hold off only trying to reach that level and work on those weaknesses I spoke of," Kuzuku explained before glancing over to Kale. The initial sight of his eyes locking onto hers made her nearly jump out of her skins as she was in a daze trance from the lack of sleep she had. Nonetheless, she still wanted to train with Caulifla which was the main driving force keeping her body awake, "Seeing as Kale achieved her 2nd level the other day, I'd like you both to transform into Super Saiyan 2 for me right now?"
Hearing this, both of the female warriors stared at him questioningly before mentally shrugging at the request. Without a word, they tightened their fists by their waist and began to focus their Ki as they dug deep within themselves for the power they needed. Their aura's flared almost at the same time, the light flickering between gold and white as they began roaring in union along with the increasing power that they were progressively unleashing. Judging by how things were going, Kuzuku could tell that they've gotten stronger and are getting better at reaching deeper for that power. Then, in a quick flash of light, their auras burst into their Super Saiyan 2 forms. The universe 7 Saiyan smirked, noting, "Not bad, especially since Kale has already got the feel for it despite her just transforming yesterday. Perhaps it's because their potara fusion is able to transform into that state as well enable her to learn a lot quicker."
Caulifla eased herself before smirking, "Alright, what now. . .?"
"Easy. . .," Kuzuku replied, the air around him beginning to rise. In a quick flash of light, his aura flared gold as he quickly transformed into Super Saiyan 2 as well before stretching his shoulders, "Like I said, we're going to be working on your weaknesses and the best way to do that is to do some light sparring. Come at me at once whenever you like."
"2 on 1?" Caulifla almost murmured in confusion and annoyance, "You looking down on us or something like Goku did back in the tournament?"
Kuzuku chuckled and smirked, knowing full well that she'd much rather have a one-on-one fight but he knew how to get her riled up, "No, not at all. You can't be the only one allowed to get stronger. That said, I think a 2-on-1 will serve as a good warmup for me." His emphasis on the word warmup had struck a nerve as Caulifla slowly formed a grin with malicious intent. Her left eyebrow began to twitch as she got ready to charge in.
"I see. . .Kale, I'll take the lead then while you have my back okay?" Caulifla growled under her breath, her anger clearly noticeable in her voice.
Kale silently nodded before replying with a slightly intimidated look on her face at how angry her big sis was, "Uh. . .okay, I'll d-do my best!"
"Good because. . .," She said as she got ready to charge. In that moment, her aura flared with the ground nearly crumbling away at her burst of strength. Her eyes were completely glued on Kuzuku who was begging her to come at him as he smugly smiled at her. The feisty Universe 6 Saiyan roared, her feet kicking off the ground towards her opponent with full force, "I'm going to have to give Mr.Smug some more stitches!"
(Might need to loop lol)
Her speed was enough to rip through all forms of resistance pressing against her body, her eyes solely on decking Kuzuku in the face for his little snide remark. Though, the Saiyan from universe 7 simply smiled at how much stronger she had gotten. But, it wasn't enough to phase him as he simply caught the oncoming punch aimed low at his stomach. The gust of wind rustled the grass below as Caulifla grunted at his calm expression. Swiftly, she retracted her fist and ducked low while twisting her hips into a low-sweep kick aimed at his legs. Kuzuku mentally whistled to himself at how quickly she changed her attack before subsequently hopping over her kick as if he expected it to come. The action itself left her slightly shocked for a moment until she decided to use the momentum to help her to her feet. Taking the opportunity to do so, she then followed it up with another fist aimed directly at his face but similar to before, her opponent merely deflected the punch to the side a bit casually. Frustrated, she suddenly began unleashing a barrage of punches rapidly one after another in hopes to overwhelm him. Each of her fist looked like an afterimage of the other, so much that it created an illusion of her having multiple arms.
Despite this, Kuzuku's head seemed to replicate the same effect as none of her punches were connecting as he simply dodge each one without much effort. He could see each of her moves clearly while deflecting some of them to the side from time to time. For instance, he spotted a hook coming from his left to which he stopped half-way by simply pushing against her arm with his palm while also deflecting a straighter punch aimed directly at his stomach so much that it barely missed the side of his ribs. Skillfully, he caught whim of her almost immediately coming in with a strong roundhouse kick aimed at his side though he blocked it quickly with his knee, the impact indenting the ground beneath them from the force alone. Caulifla growled as she tried pushing against his knee in hopes to throw him off balance but he didn't even budge as he smirked at her with slight pride.
"Not bad, your strikes have gotten a lot sharper and more fluid than before. Not only that, but I've come to realize that you are really remarkable when it comes to being on the offensive, however. . ." Kuzuku noted before pausing as he noticed her eyes glisten. Without warning, her left fist was already making its way towards Kuzuku's chin in the form of an uppercut. However, the Universe 7 Saiyan anticipated her to take advantage of him talking and took the opportunity to grab her wrist to stop the punch's approach. Shocked, Caulifla almost didn't even realize Kuzuku's immediate response as he quickly hoisted her over his head before slamming her into the ground on her back. She gagged from the sudden shock of pain she felt as Kuzuku continued to explain, "Because of that, you lack the ability to have consistent counters and defense. Whether you are stronger than them or not, your mindset is just set on blowing your opponent away with full-force."
"Big Sis!" Kale cried, her aura flaring as she dashed into the fight. The universe 7 Saiyan mentally took note of her power as he watched her arm wind up for a wild punch. Nonetheless, her fist shot went forward as soon as she closed the distance until it was immediately blocked by Kuzuku's forearm. Even so, the impact alone displayed far more power as the tree's behind him were threatening to be blown away by the shockwave created by her punch. Determined to be of help, Kale leapt back a bit before dashing back in, her fist flying at Kuzuku while he simply deflected her entire barrage of strikes with only using his right arm. That in mind, the Universe 7 Saiyan smirked as he saw an opening to strike as while he brushed off two of her punches, he immediately countered with a hard kick to her ribs. The blow was enough to cause her to groan though she simply pressed on as she attempted to lunge forward in hopes of tackling him. However, as soon as she even made the attempt, she was suddenly met with another kick to the stomach in order to keep her away. She was confused for a moment, the air leaving her body in one swoop until she felt another kick across her cheek while another nearly followed up immediately on her other side. Before long, she began to feel Kuzuku barrage of kicks all over her body with each one just as heavy as the last. All the while he still held Caulifla's hand as she groveled on the ground trying to cope with the pain.
Ryo couldn't help but stare in slight awe, "Whoa, I know they are girls but he's holding off that Kale girl with only his right side!"
"Yeah though I think he's pushing it a bit too far. . .they still haven't fully recovered just yet," 21 commented.
"Really? But isn't he only hitting her with three kicks with a slight pause in-between? I don't know much about fighting but I think he's trying to give her an opening," Ryo noted.
Hearing this, the Saiyan's wife couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise at what she had just heard, her eyes darting over at Ryo's interested facial expression, "Wait. . .you can actually see that?" Her question was only responded with a nod as he gleefully observed the spar at hand.
"Yup! I mean, you can too, right!?" He chirped.
As she was shocked, Kuzuku delivered a harder kick to her chest, the blow forcing her to skid back against the ground as she steeled herself. She panted heavily from all the kicks she had received while she still looked just about as strong as she was moments before. However, the damage had piled up with noticeable bruises and scrapes all over as Kuzuku slowly placed his foot back on the ground with a small exhale. He wasn't even close to being out of breath which didn't help her situation in the slightest.
Taking note of her just glaring at him, Kuzuku slightly grinned, "Now onto you, Kale. Between the two of you, you contain the most destructive power as you hold a transformation far stronger than Caulifla. But compared to natural talent as a fighter, you aren't as accustomed to fighting compared to her. Due to this, you are timid and unable to follow through in the middle of battle when action is needed. Furthermore. . ." He paused his sentence once more as he felt danger heading straight toward him. His eyes quickly noticed the feisty female Saiyan somehow flipping herself onto her feet despite her hand being gripped tightly.
She roared, her body twisting into an immediate kick that was meant to stun Kuzuku long enough for her to free herself from his grasp. However, the young male simply countered her strike before it could even reach its target as he spun her around in order to toss her at Kale who was at shock at seeing her sis coming towards her at such speed. Unconsciously, Kale extended her hands out wide before catching the distraught Caulifla, the impact causing her to skid back a bit while her vision was blinded. However, before she could even catch a glimpse of what the primal Saiyan may do next, she heard a loud shout escape from his lips.
"Kamehameha!" Kuzku quickly roared, his hands already firing the energy wave at the two disoriented Saiyan. It was fast, almost too fast for them to process as it was already only inches away from colliding into them. They both watched in horror as the light began to envelop them until everything temporarily went blank as the explosion of Ki erupted over the numerous trees in the area: the gales generated causing the leaves that were on the ground to scatter into the wind. 21 couldn't help but sigh at the amount of yard work that had to be done afterward as the smoke covered the result of the attack.
(Song Ends)
A moment passed as the smoke began to reveal the two girls laid on top of each other, their hairs reverted back to the normal black color as they defromed back to base. The sight itself signaled the end of the spar as Kuzuku reverted back to base as well, a smile plastered across his face as clear as day, "Despite your teamwork, due to that previous weakness, your movements and fighting pattern are almost dictated on what Caulifla does. You've become reliant on her, something that Caulifla has been trying to get to leave behind for a while. If you do that, you two could become not only better individuals but as well as a team."
"Tch. . .!" Caulifla groaned, her body shaking from the pain washing over her, "You make it sound so easy."
The universe 7 Saiyan still ignored her rudeness and continued to smirk, "Well, I never said it would be easy. You wouldn't get stronger if things were that simple." His words stuck in her head for a bit as she slowly began to stand on her feet in order to allow her dazed friend to pick herself up. She scoffed but nevertheless, she still couldn't help but feel a bit encouraged.
"Whatever, just know that next time you will be the one groveling against the dirt," Caulilfa warned.
Kuzuku musely laughed at the little threat before playfully replying, "Sure, that'll be a sore sight to see in my book. Anyways, how about we'll call off any further sparring for the day from here now that I've addressed those weaknesses." Timidly, Kale decided to speak up after dusting herself off in defeat. She was slightly okay from the attack as she could tell it wasn't meant to actually hurt them that bad but the pain of losing really was weighing away at her confidence.
"Umm. . .please don't mind me asking, Mr.Ayo--I mean Kuzuku! But. . ." Kale muttered, earning a raised eyebrow from the universe 7 Saiyan. She gulped before mustering her small amounts of courage to ask, "Ho-how exactly am I supposed to be less reliant on Big Sis?"
Her question alone left Caulfila and Kuzuku in thought. It was already good enough that Caulifla was a role model and example for Kale to build confidence off of but even the role model herself had struggled to push the female berserker toward that goal. Such a dilemma could only be mended by so much through the use of external help but. . .Kuzuku knew that was all he could do. He sighed, before giving her a small smile as he walked over to the timid Saiyan: his hand resting against the top of her head as if she were a child, "Kale. . .listen, do you want me to be brutally honest?"
"Umm. . ." Kale murmured before nodding quietly, "Yes. . .?"
"Alright. . .Kale, those problems you are asking us to help you aren't entirely possible for us alone to fix. There is only so much we can do to boost someone's confidence and point them in the right direction but in order for that to work, we need one more thing," Kuzuku explained.
Kale raised her head with a curious look in her eye of hopefulness, "What is it. . .?"
"Isn't it obvious? We need the you that believes in yourself. Not the one that believes in just Caulifla. Remember, your goal is to be on equal ground with her? Well, how about I give you an extra goal to follow?" the primal Saiyan suggested.
She blinked a few times in confusion, repeating, "An extra goal to follow?"
"Yup. . .!" Kuzuku grinned, his smile as bright as the sun in the sky, "Instead of just that, aim to be someone who is trying to surpass her. Someone that helps push Caulifla to strive for greater. Become her rival, her closest rival."
His words reverberated in her head like an echo. Her eyes widened at the somewhat absurd suggestion. Her? Be Caulifla's rival? Not her lovable prodigy? What type of ludicrous idea was this. Not once in her life did she ever think she could be worthy of such a title. To her, Caulifla was someone above all else. She was someone who she strived to become and once she did, then her life goals would be complete. The mere concept itself was just out of the picture entirely. With that thought in mind, she unconsciously looked over to her idol for help but she was met with the very same encouraging eyes Kuzuku was giving her. She gulped, her mouth trembling before panicky spouting out her feelings without realizing it.
"No way! There's just no way! Me as Sis's Rival!?!? I don't think that's possible even if you say so, Ku-Kuzuku! I'm nowhere near as great a fighter as her! She learns faster than I do and not only that, she's way more confident and cut out as a fighter than I'll ever be! I'm just as content in being someone who can fight alongside her and support her with all I've got!" She stuttered, her voice snearly screeching as she tried to refute the mere thought. She had to stop and catch her breath for a moment, her last words becoming but a mere whisper, "I'm. . .just not. . .good enough. That's the plain truth. . ."
Her final words left the two in silence so quiet that they could hear the wind blow against them. Kuzuku stared down at her for a moment before glancing over to Caulifla who looked to be just in shock as he was. From what he could probably guess, she didn't expect Kale to revere her that much to the point that it almost felt like the feisty female Saiyan was a divine being. That in mind, he couldn't help but chuckle in hopes to hold his laughter. Eventually, he let it all out, his small bits of laughter turning into a fit of laughter that left everyone a bit confused. Though, 21 seemed to have caught on quickly as she smiled warmly as she sat and watched the scene on the grass. After several small moments, Kuzuku settled his amusement down before commenting, his eyes glancing over to Caulifla, "Heheheheh. . .man you really gotten yourself a good friend here. It's actually adorable!"
"O--Oi! What the hell is that supposed to mean!?!" Caulifla snapped, her quick remark earning more chuckles out of the Saiyan male.
Ignoring her question, Kuzuku turned his attention back to the now confused Kale, his chuckle ceasing into a warm smile, "Kale, I'll admit, you are a difficult one to crack. Don't you remember what I said?"
"Umm. . .no, what did you say?" she asked a bit curiously.
"Kale, at this moment and out of all your company that you've come with, you are by far the most powerful one even though you are the least experienced fighter out of the bunch. Don't you remember when you achieved your Super Saiyan 2? You were the only one able to keep up with Frieza's hell spawn while previously he was mopping the floor with you. Doesn't that give you some merit? The fact that you've achieved that Super Saiyan 2 of yours makes me incredibly proud though, probably not as much as Caulifla," Kuzuku complimented.
As if to back him up, Caulifla couldn't help but snort, "Hmph, you damn right!"
"See!" He exclaimed happily, "Even that idol of yours agrees with me. Just think about it for a moment! If you work on your confident issues and become less dependent, then you'll reach that ideal self in no time! The reason why I want you to aim to become her rival is because it'll greatly benefit you both in your progress. It's the same relationship that Goku and Vegeta have! Neither one of them wants the other to get too far ahead to which they train their butts off to keep up. That said, think of training from here on out as aiming past Caulifla instead of trying to be her."
The timid Saiyan's eyes widened at his words, the realization of what he was trying to hammer into her skull this whole time finally reaching her. Well. . .no, perhaps it didn't start with him. She unconsciously looked over to Caulifla and she was grinning alongside him. All this time, she's been pushing her to be better than what she appears to be, even going as far to call her a "prodigy" that was under her wing in hopes to push her to live up to that reputation. Now, with her agreeing with the Saiyan male's suggestion for her to be her rival instead, she couldn't help nearly shed a tear. She blushed slightly, her eyes casted down out of embarrassment of how much of a coward she was acting; something that Caulifla outwardly despises. But. . .she couldn't help but smile slightly.
"I. . .understand now. . ." Kale whispered, before looking up at the two with new found courage. Her eyes said it all as she finally began to speak with more confidence, "From here on out, I'll be the best rival I can. I'll show that I can stand on my own without following Big Sis!"
Hearing this, Caulfila practically leapt over and wrapped her arm over her shoulder with gleeful chuckles of pride, "That's the spirit, Kale! This is what I exactly wanted to hear from my prod--no, my rival! I won't be holding your hand as much as before just to let you know!" Kale stared for a moment until she giggled in response after being taken off guard.
"Likewise, Caulifla. . .likewise. . ." She agreed, somewhat still not used to accepting that role.
Nevertheless, Kuzuku couldn't help but sigh in relief from finally getting that problem out of the way. He placed his hands on his hips in triumph before turning to 21 who was smiling back at him. He grinned, happily asking, "Now, since that's out of the way, 21! Do you think that Pizza place will still be open at 8!?" His wife cupped her chin before answering.
"Nope, I think I remember they were staying open a bit longer for their 5th anniversary!" She replied.
The primal Saiyan smirked, nodding as he turned back towards the female Saiyans before him, "Good, after we finish up training today, we'll be celebrating Kale's ascension to her Super Saiyan 2 form with some Pizza from my favorite place! Lucky for you two, I plan on teaching you the Afterimage technique from here!"
"You mean that technique that creates those fake copies of yourself like Goku? Sweet, then count me in! I'll master that technique in no time at all!" Caulifla proclaimed.
Meanwhile, Ryo couldn't help but drool at the sound of food being ordered, his eyes almost pleading at 21 for permission. With a small smile, she nodded, "You can join us for dinner as well, Ryo. We don't mind having you with us during your stay on Earth though I'm afraid we don't have enough room for you at our place."
"No worries, I typically sleep in my ship anyways. . .even though it's a wreck and needs repairs," Ryo assured before grinning, "Anyways, thanks for inviting me for dinner anyways!"
The majin scientist giggled at the positive vibes he emits, her eyes casting onto Kuzuku who was explaining the technique at hand. She couldn't help but marvel at how great of a motivator Kuzuku was for Kale just before, something that he's consistently done for her in the past. Though, that in mind, she still couldn't shake the fact that their new acquaintance was still a big mystery. It was strange, even if his reasons for coming to Earth are innocent, it's most likely rare to meet someone who can clearly see Kuzuku's movements as accurately as he described it without much training. That begs the question, what exactly was he anyways? She didn't want to ask as that seemed more personal than anything but she couldn't shake the feeling that he was definitely not normal. That in mind, she subconsciously kept an eye on the cheerful young man who watched Kuzuku's training session for his apprentices.
(Hours Later Into The Middle Of The Night, Ayoma Residence By Mount Pao. . .)
Hours into the busy day of training had passed into the serene night. After trying to teach them the Afterimage technique in hopes of bettering their arsenal of tricks to use in a fight, Kuzuku and his apprentices decided to put a stop to training once the food had arrived at their front yard. Needless to say, the sight of multiple copies of them had definitely been the oddest thing that the Pizza delivery guy had seen in his whole life. After they had all had their fill, the universe 6 Saiyan girls had already passed out on the couch out of exhaustion. Though, it wasn't as nearly as bad as Ryo who seemed to have eaten the most since he was knocked out cold on the kitchen table with a crust all over his lips.
Seeing all this as he stood in the hallway, Kuzuku couldn't help but sigh into a smile at the eventful day. He wasn't one to wake someone from a blissful sleep so he decided to leave them there. . .discomfortable sleeping positions intact and make his way back into his room. Unsure that his wife was asleep, he made sure to open the door slowly in hopes of not waking her but instead, he found the room to be dimly lit as she sat in the bed reading a book. She hummed a tune silent until she spotted him at the door, her warm expression welcoming him to bed. The sight itself made him feel even more at ease as he walked over to the bed with no hesitation and laid down beside her with his hands behind his head.
"Ahhhh. . .today wasn't the least bit relaxing at all," Kuzuku sighed with satisfaction.
21 giggled at his sarcastic joke, "You don't sound like you're against it, Saiyan boy." Her implication on his heritage made him chuckle.
"Well, today wasn't a total waste. I finally got Kale and Caulifla in the right direction. Took me longer than I thought but now things will really pick up speed," Kuzuku smirked.
"I bet it will, you've done a great job training them," 21 complimented.
The young Saiyan only remarked cheerfully, "I wouldn't say that now, I'd hate to start tooting my own horn because my wife gave me the card to do so." The two of them shared a small bit of laughter until silence temporarily replaced it. She thought for a moment, her mind dwindling on the most intriguing thing that had happened today.
That in mind, she could only think of one person's opinion on the matter as she suddenly closed the baby manual she was reading, "Kuzuku. . .?"
"Hmm?" Kuzuku mumbled under his breath.
Now that she's got his attention, she placed the book on her bedroom counter. That action right there had already set his red flags into the air as he knew something was up. The majin scientist took a breath before remarking, "It's about Ryo, don't you think he's a bit mysterious?"
Kuzuku raised an eyebrow, "I mean. . ., he came from the sky and crashed directly on our lawn. I would think he'd be a bit weird in some way."
"That's not what I meant even though you are right," 21 said almost immediately, before continuing, "Dear, you are literally one of the most powerful beings in our universe. In fact, most of our friends are not really no shows either with each having power comparable to a Super Saiyan God. But just earlier today, Ryo was able to clearly see your movements in Super Saiyan 2. Don't you think that's weird?" In a way, she was right. Out of all the enemies they fought from Aereos to Kugeki, to Goku Black and Jiren, at this point they should be far more powerful than before to the point only the Gods of Destruction feel like a threat. Broly was a special case to say the least but even he didn't seem like a threat in the beginning. But unlike Broly, Ryo was just outright more than what he seems from the gecko. Knowing this, she calmly examined Kuzuku's reaction as she knew he would piece things together. Such is the curse of being raised with more common sense than Goku and Vegeta by various motherly figures.
Her husband couldn't lie, his surprised expression was clearly visible on his face. The look itself already gave her his answer as she sighed, "It's not like I can't trust him but despite his cheerful and kind heart, something just feels off about him now that I know that. But knowing you. . .-"
"I wouldn't care anyways if he comes off as a good person?" Kuzuku interrupted her sentence.
21 nodded, with a small smile that matched the one her husband was currently showing, "Yeah, that's exactly what I expected." Kuzuku chuckled.
(Dragon Ball Tenkai ED 1: Last Letter [FreeTEMPO] By Thelma Aoyama)
"I'm not gonna hide it but what you said did raise some questions for me as well, but, he did say he wasn't going to harm Earth in any way so I have no reason to jump the gun just yet. Not only that, it's actually impressive and it shows he has potential if he ever wants to train. He may become a good sparring partner," He noted.
She stared at him questioningly, "Sparring partner, for Kale and Caulfila? But didn't you want them to be rivals so they could push each other?"
"Heheh!" Kuzuku snickered at her confusion, "Not for them but for me. Look, I can train Caulifla and Kale all I want but I also need to continue my training as well from time to time. That and I have you to take care of as well now that we are expecting. Knowing that, eventually they are gonna have to figure some things out on their own but I know just who to send them to soon in order to help them reach the 3rd level better than I can."
"Wait, better than you? But who could. . .Oh!" 21 gasped in realization.
Kuzuku grinned as he looked at the dimly lit ceiling, his mind only on one person only. He chuckled, knowing it was kinda wrong for him to dumb his students onto her of all people but it was better than nothing. Otherwise, he would have to make another trip into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber again, "Yup, the only person who mastered Super Saiyan 3 faster than I ever did. Though, I can already tell she's going to wring my neck out."
A/N: Just a little development chapter for Kale. What I was aiming for was to have her finally step out of her timid, idolizing shell and into more of an initiative role as being a rival for Caulifla. To me personally, she's stronger individually by a clear margin and I think her being a rival will suit development better than her just striving to be a better lackey for Caulifla. Next chapter will be another development/training chapter which will tie into one of the main parts of Tenkai that I wanted to get into. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and until we meet again!