The Power of Pride
Saiyans were a peculiar bunch. She could never quite get her head around them. Most dismissed them as simple minded, brutal warriors, but she had never found that perception particularly accurate. Saiyans were a prideful lot, but what that pride meant changed from Saiyan to Saiyan. For some it was pride in their homeworld, for others it was a pride in their own skills as a warrior.
For others though, it was a harder distinction to nail down.
The column of iridescent light slammed into the surface of the unnamed moon, just another hunk of stellar dust floating through the cosmos of the Sixth Universe, leaving behind a lone figure carrying a staff. The figure was tall, her blue skin and shockingly white hair contrasting with her green and black robes. The blue halo that floated around her neck matched that of the ring mounted atop her sceptre.
Vados, Angel and Guide to the Sixth Universe's God of Destruction, felt the ground trembling beneath her feet. A golden aura projected into the sky just beyond the closest ridge like a jet of flame trying to propel the satellite out of its orbit.
"Oh dear..." she muttered, letting out a concerned sigh. The aura of energy expanded, streams of lightning pouring out from the crater lashing at the ground around like a many-tentacled beast hunting for its prey. With a disappointed sigh, Vados tapped her staff lightly against the surface of the moon and floated down to the depths of the crater.
She'd been watching the Saiyan girl for some time now. Since the end of the tournament, Vados had let her concern for Champa spread to the other members of the team. They had all witnessed first hand the power of the Omni-King after all, the child-like deity that had deemed their universe fit for destruction. While others in the sixth universe had simply winked out of existence, these warriors had known what was happening. Vados wondered what effect this might take on the prideful Saiyan warriors.
Kale, it was true she had been concerned about, but it seemed like the young lady had taken the events in stride, simply happy to be alive at all thanks to the selfless acts of the seventh universe's android. Cabba too had expressed his gratitude, vowing not to let the second chance he had been given go to waste.
Caulifla however...
The young warrior had not taken the failure well it seemed. She blamed herself for her weakness, and her failure to protect her own universe. Vados may not have the same level of experience with Saiyans as her younger brother Whis, but even she could see how such emotional turmoil in such a powerful warrior could be devastating if left unchecked.
The ground trembled beneath Vados' feet as she lightly touched down at the bottom of the crater. While stone and dust was flung around in a maelstrom of catastrophic energy, Vados allowed herself to maintain a quiet bubble of peace as she waited for the Saiyan to notice her presence. When it became clear that Caulifla would not notice her arrival over the sound of her own screaming, Vados cleared her throat.
It may have just been a whisper, but Vados' voice cut like a knife through the tumultuous cacophony:
"Caulifla, may I have a word?" The request came through loud and clear, and the young Saiyan whipped her head around, eyes glistening a blazing blue and filled with rage. Her mouth parted in a snarl as she swung her fist towards whoever may dare to interrupt her training. Vados raised her delicate index finger, and took the punch with barely a hint of effort. The shockwave shook the crater, and Vados allowed for a few moments to pass as the dust began to settle on the moon's uneven surface.
In those moments, recognition sparked behind Caulifla's eyes, and she allowed her feet to touch back to the ground. The golden glow that suffused her wild hair faded and her eyes lost their roiling sheen, returning back to the solid black that matched her hair. She let a look of frustration scrunch her features before she turned her back on the Angel.
"What d'you want?" Her tone of impertinence dripping from every word.
Vados stayed silent for a moment, finger tapping her chin lightly as she tilted her head, pondering the question.
"Hmmm, well that's a rather large question isn't it?" She responded, her voice ringing like a pleasant chime of bells. "There are many things I
want,
Caulifla. Right now for example, I would like nothing more than to sample some more of that scrumptious berry tart I acquired from the Flaxion homeworld. Such a shame that Lord Champa destroyed them shortly afterwards, but as is his will..."
"Is that it? Champa wants me to do more dirty work for him?"
"My word, no Caulifla, not at all. After all, Lord Champa doesn't even know that I'm here! In fact, that is very much to your benefit."
Caulifla found a large boulder that she had shaken loose from the crater's edge and turned to sit on it, finally letting her gaze settle back on the attendant. "Whaddya mean,
'my benefit'.
"
"Well, to put it plainly Caulifla, if Lord Champa became aware of your activities, he may become paranoid that you were seeking to overthrow him. I happen to be aware of his brother falling under a similar paranoia about the Saiyan's from his own universe, and I would hate to see your world be destroyed after all the effort you went to save it during the Tournament of Power..."
"Whaddya... What do you mean overthrow him? I aint go no interest in bein' a destroyer!"
"Well, I dare say that shaking apart one of Planet Sadala's own moons wouldn't be an ideal way of proving that point. He might get worried that you're coming for his job..."
"Shaking apart the moon..." Caulifla cast a confused look at her surroundings, "the hell are you talkin' about Vados? The moon looks fine to me!"
Vados let out a sigh and cast her gaze downwards momentarily. She gathered herself, and moved to stand beside Caulifla. "That would be because I have stopped time, Caulifla. If I hadn't done that once I arrived, well..."
Vados tapped her staff on the ground again, and the surface of the moon began to tremble beneath them. Great gashes split the surface of the satellite as tremors ripped the surface asunder. Caulifla jolted to her feet as just over the ridge behind her a great column of lava broke from the planetoid's surface, cascading over the edge towards them. With another tap of her staff, the destruction froze in place.
Caulifla cast her gaze around her, taking in the carnage. "I did all this?"
"Simply by raising your power, yes." The angel remarked casually. "I have been observing you for some time since the tournament. I've seen you training, casting aside your friends and loved ones, devoting yourself solely to the act of gaining strength."
Vados spread her free arm wide, her gesture taking in the calamity frozen in time around them. "And yet you have not sought to control that strength. Had I not arrived when I did, either this moon would have detonated and taken you with it, or you may have been lucky enough to be launched back into Sadala's atmosphere."
Caulifla swallowed, struggling to take in the truth of what Vados was saying. She hadn't known the angel very long, but she had never known her to have cause to lie. Why would someone that strong need to lie?
