By Your Side Chapter 7

                                                                                The Pirate King
That night, Toushiro started spreading the word around. It seemed word had already gotten out about Vegeta’s injury and his thoughts about retiring from fighting. So Toushiro’s work was easy. The following morning, the young captain had Vegeta do some of the files while he continued talking to the other squads. Some had their own ideas on what they should do.
Zaraki: “Why don’t I remind him just how much fun fighting is?!”
Toushiro: “I’m afraid you’ll just do the very opposite of our intent, or worse!”
Squad 12, of course, had the worst idea thanks in part of their crazy scientist.
Kurotsuchi: “My, my... That is interesting. A saiyan who doesn’t want to fight anymore? This calls for an examination!”
Toushiro: “Touch him and you’ll be examining what ice looks like from the inside for the next 1’000 years.”
Kurotsuchi: “Are you threatening me?”
Kurotsuchi suddenly had Hyorinmaru’s blade hanging just inches away from the center of his face. Clearly, not an empty threat.
Toushiro: “What do you think?...”
After getting the word out, and making sure everyone understood that the idea was to help persuade Vegeta to return to fighting and not scare him away from it, Toushiro informed Goku that he got the word around before returning to keep Vegeta occupied. He even had a clever way of getting the saiyan prince to the party without actually spilling the beans.
Toushiro: “Hey, Vegeta. I was thinking...”
Vegeta: “You and thinking are a trouble causing bunch.”
Toushiro: “Shut up. What I was thinking was... Since we’re off tomorrow, you could show me where Goku lives. I still don’t know where he and his family live and I’ve known you guys for at least 5 years now.”
Vegeta: “I guess.”
Toushiro: “... You could try being a little more enthusiastic.”
Meanwhile, the pirates were bowing down to their leader. An old man who was decked out like a king, blind in his left eye, and commanded the highest of respect. Laying next to the old pirate king’s chair was his pet. A black panther with frightening orange, almost even red, eyes.
Pirate King: “What is this I hear about intruders in our base?”
Pirate Commander: “Sir... Three intruders came to our base with the intent to stop us. Two men and a young adolescent.”
Pirate King: “What did you do?”
Pirate Commander: “We chased them but they managed to get past all our traps and enter the ship yard.”
Pirate King: “Ah. I assume they met their end to our guard, right?”
There was some hesitation from the commander.
Pirate Commander: “Uh... Well... That’s why we came to you, sir. You see... The biggest of the trespassers... was actually able to hold his own against the guard-”
Pirate King: “What?!”
Pirate Commander: “It’s like he wasn’t even human, sir! He had a tail, walked on all fours, and as he was fighting, he was making all these animal sounds!”
Dog Pirate: “And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg...”
Pirate Commander: “His strength, it was... beyond superhuman! You should see the guard! It’s missing its arm, it has huge dents and slashes all over it! Hell there’s even a huge chunk of its armor plated chest missing and that’s not thin armor either!”
The old king seemed shocked. A man who could not only hold his own against the robot guard but also damage it to that level was astonishing. It was almost hard to believe until his men brought in the damaged robot. It was indeed beat up to a reasonable level.
Pirate King: “Did they escape?”
Pirate Commander: “We believe so. One of the subs is missing and there weren’t any bodies. We did, however, find evidence that may suggest that the robot managed to get in a good hit on that big guy, sir.”
Pirate King: “Hmm... Injury may had been the motive of escaping without finishing off the robot guard...”
Pirate Commander: “Sir, we have an idea of where they may be. The other adult was that little man who lives on that tiny island with that old turtle hermit. I have sent my best trackers to look for them, and it appears that they are planning something with more people over at Mount Paozu tomorrow. A man doesn’t get that strong alone. He must have friends. Maybe we can persuade some to join us! With men that strong in our gang, we’d be unstoppable, sir!”
Pirate King: “I’m afraid I must reject that idea.”
Pirate Commander: “Sir, I... Don’t understand.”
Pirate King: “I commend you for finding them. That is why I chose you as commander. And normally I would agree in attempting to recruit these people. But this time we cannot. You said that one man fought our guard, right?”
Pirate Commander: “Yes sir. Just the one. The other adult hid with the young juvenile boy.”
Pirate King: “A man who is not only strong enough to face that robot, but also damage it to what I am seeing is a dangerous person. Too dangerous in fact. And who’s to say that the other was not as strong? As you said, one man does not get that strong alone. There could be many more as strong or even stronger! For all we know, that boy who was with them could be the son of that man or someone even stronger. They are a threat to us and we must eliminate them without hesitation... Gather all of our fleets! Supply them all with our best weapons! And as for the robot guard... have our finest engineers repair and upgrade him accordingly. Tomorrow we will attack Mount Paozu swiftly and mercilessly.”
Pirate Commander: “Heh heh... As you command, sir.”
The next morning, and clueless to what was about to hit them, Vegeta was walking with Toushiro down the road leading to Goku’s house. He’s only been there himself a few times, but he remembers the way easily. Toushiro on the other hand was trying to pretend he had no idea where he was. He was also trying to keep up with Vegeta. For every one step the saiyan made, Toushiro had to make 2 to 3. There wasn’t much talking as Vegeta wasn’t in much of a mood. Finally they were just feet away from turning the corner and arriving at Goku’s home when Vegeta suddenly stopped and sighed.
Toushiro: “What’s wrong?”
There was a long pause from the prince before he spoke. And the words he said took the young captain completely by surprise.
Vegeta: “So what exactly is waiting for me are Kakarot’s, Toushiro?”
Toushiro: “W-What are you talking about?”
Vegeta: “Don’t play dumb. I’m aware of what you’ve been up to these last two days. Just so you know now, Kurotsuchi won’t be join us.”
Toushiro: “Uh... What?”
Vegeta: “He came over the other day saying something about examining me before I get fixed by you and Kakarot, which led to me breaking him arm in three places.”
The look on Toushiro’s face was shocked.
Toushiro: “That son of a-! I-I can’t believe this! I told him not to say a word or even go near you! I told him that our plan was to try and convince you to return to fighting! I even made it clear to him that I wasn’t joking in my threats! I can’t... I... I’m gonna kill him!”
Vegeta: “... Toushiro...”
Toushiro: “What?...”
Vegeta: “... ... I lied.”
Toushiro: “Excuse me?”
Vegeta: “I never saw Kurotsuchi yesterday or the day before. In fact no one told me anything about what you were doing. I only sensed that you were hiding something from me and I knew using Kurotsuchi was the best way to get it out of you.”
Toushiro just seemed to stare into space with utter shock and bewilderment. Somehow Vegeta had managed to get him to talk by tricking him. As Toushiro rounded the corner, everyone cheered.
Toushiro: “D-Don’t... He already knows...”
As Vegeta joined the party, Goku had to ask.
Goku: “How... did he...?”
Toushiro: “He said Kurotsuchi told him to which I got angry and said everything only to discover that it was all a lie to get me to talk.”
Goku: “Err... Yeah ya gotta watch that, he’s pretty good at that...”
Toushiro: “Obviously.”
Omaeda: “Ha! All this time and you’re still learning about your OWN lieutenant?! Ha ha!”
Toushiro: “Watch it, fat man! I could punch someone right now and there is PLENTY of you to punch!”
Goku just devilishly grinned as Omaeda reconsidered his words. Some people started talking to Vegeta but they were only met with quiet rejection. Then Kurotsuchi seemingly forgot Toushiro’s threat.
Kurotsuchi: “A saiyan who doesn’t want to fight isn’t a saiyan at all. If you are that concerned about your mortality, I could help you fix that for a small price in the name of research!”
Unohana: “Captain Kurotsuchi... I thought that Captain Hitsugaya made it very clear to you not to do this. Do I need to remind you as well?”
Using her fear striking stare, Unohana had Kurotsuchi leave Vegeta alone instantly. Unknowingly to her, Unohana’s stare also made Vegeta sweat, as well as many of the other Z-Fighters.
Piccolo: “Is she aware of that terrifying stare?”
Vegeta: “Uh... That’s a good question.”
And then the one thing no one wanted to happen, happened! With just a split second to react, Vegeta and anyone near him jumped clear just as Zaraki crashed his sword into the ground!
Zaraki: “Ha! If you don’t want to fight anymore than why did you dodge that?!”
Goku and Toushiro just watched in speechless annoyance as Zaraki kept going after Vegeta.
Goku: “... Somehow... I’m not surprised.”
Toushiro: “I’m ending this.”
Toushiro drew his sword and waited for Vegeta to jump clear of Zaraki one more time. When he did, the young captain slammed his zanpakuto into the ground, unleashing a huge wall of ice that split the two apart! And as expected, Vegeta just ran off to get as far away from Zaraki and Kurotsuchi as he could! Goku made sure that no one went after him. At least not yet.
Goku: “Just leave him be, guys. We can’t force this on him. And you two need to chill!”
Zaraki: “What are you talkin’ about?”
Kurotsuchi: “Is it really our fault?”
Everyone: “YES!”
And as if things weren’t bad enough, there was a bang and suddenly a net flung over the majority of the group! They struggled, but the net was electrified! Just enough electricity struck them to temporarily paralyze those underneath. For those that were not in the net, it was a rougher capture! Pirates suddenly appeared in mass, cutting off some as they tried to flee! Some were captured with separate nets, some by pure muscle. Toushiro was the last to be caught. One minute he was running, the next he was on the ground, shoved there by a bolas as it wrapped around his body and locking his arms against him. When he looked up, he saw the same commander that attacked Krillin, Vegeta, and himself just a few days ago.
Toushiro: “You!”
Pirate Commander: “This is the boy, sir! But I don’t see the one we’re after.”
Toushiro watched as an old man with a black panther beside him came up to the commander.
Pirate King: “It doesn’t matter. We have his treasure, and if he values it... He’ll come back for it.”