Status: Ongoing
Cooler Rising
Chapter Three
Three of the Saiyans got ready to attack. Two leapt forward while the third prepared a kai blast.
"Wait!" said the fourth. "Susha! Sauge! Wich! These aren't people you should kill on sight. This is Lord Freeza's brother."
"It's good to see you remember me, Oran," Cooler said. "Perhaps...perhaps your men were too hasty in their assumption that I'm here to kill you."
"Lord Cooler, it's been years..." Oran said. "How did you find us here? Where have you been?"
Cooler stepped forward and walked towards Oran. "I've been dead," he said. "I fought against a strong opponent. I died. And now I'm back to avenge my family."
"But Lord Freeza's death--"
"Happened just like you heard it did," Cooler said. "That's why I fought this warrior. My brother underestimated your kind, and for a long time I did as well." He looked over at Neiz and smirked. "Some habits die hard. But now I understand...the legend of the Super Saiyan isn't just a legend, is it?"
"There were rumours, sir," Oran said. He leaned down on one knee.
"No, don't bow before me," Cooler said. "I'm not as vain as my brother was. Stand. You've got legs and if my men's scouters are working properly, you're strong enough to use them."
Oran stood. "Sir, there were rumours for a long time among my people that one could actually become a Super Saiyan," he said. "But certainly if they're true, there hasn't been any for a long, long time, my lord. Certainly it's something that only happens once every one thousand years."
"Then perhaps your one thousand years of waiting has come to an end," Cooler said. "The warrior who killed my brother and killed me was one of your kind. He was able to become a Super Saiyan. And I know where he is right now."
"Then it's possible..." Oran's eyes went wide.
"Oran, don't be foolish!" Wich said. "Don't believe him! Surely someone as strong as you would have already have been able to reach that level if it was possible."
"No. You don't understand how transformations work." Cooler walked over to Wich and looked him directly in the eyes. "Transformations can work one of two ways. It's either a natural thing that you're born able to do given the right conditions--that's why you're able to turn into a great ape--or it's something that you can only become once you've reached a certain point and can you can tap into some pure emotions. That's why people of the races that transform through strength--well, that's why you see some that can transform just like that and others who aren't so fortunate.
"But the trick isn't so much in transforming. The trick is in being able to hold that transformation. Do you know why I'm stronger than my brother?"
Wich shook his head.
"It's because I've learned how to hold my fourth form," Cooler said. "I could strut around in my base form like he did. But I don't; I don't need to. I can keep my emotions in check just enough to hold this form indefinitely. That's the true measure of strength, Wich. Strength isn't just about raw power; it's about the ability to hold onto that power and control it."
Cooler walked back over to Oran. "So, Oran. The question is simple. Will you join me and my men to restore the honour of my family, or will I have to kill you?"
"Wait!" said the fourth. "Susha! Sauge! Wich! These aren't people you should kill on sight. This is Lord Freeza's brother."
"It's good to see you remember me, Oran," Cooler said. "Perhaps...perhaps your men were too hasty in their assumption that I'm here to kill you."
"Lord Cooler, it's been years..." Oran said. "How did you find us here? Where have you been?"
Cooler stepped forward and walked towards Oran. "I've been dead," he said. "I fought against a strong opponent. I died. And now I'm back to avenge my family."
"But Lord Freeza's death--"
"Happened just like you heard it did," Cooler said. "That's why I fought this warrior. My brother underestimated your kind, and for a long time I did as well." He looked over at Neiz and smirked. "Some habits die hard. But now I understand...the legend of the Super Saiyan isn't just a legend, is it?"
"There were rumours, sir," Oran said. He leaned down on one knee.
"No, don't bow before me," Cooler said. "I'm not as vain as my brother was. Stand. You've got legs and if my men's scouters are working properly, you're strong enough to use them."
Oran stood. "Sir, there were rumours for a long time among my people that one could actually become a Super Saiyan," he said. "But certainly if they're true, there hasn't been any for a long, long time, my lord. Certainly it's something that only happens once every one thousand years."
"Then perhaps your one thousand years of waiting has come to an end," Cooler said. "The warrior who killed my brother and killed me was one of your kind. He was able to become a Super Saiyan. And I know where he is right now."
"Then it's possible..." Oran's eyes went wide.
"Oran, don't be foolish!" Wich said. "Don't believe him! Surely someone as strong as you would have already have been able to reach that level if it was possible."
"No. You don't understand how transformations work." Cooler walked over to Wich and looked him directly in the eyes. "Transformations can work one of two ways. It's either a natural thing that you're born able to do given the right conditions--that's why you're able to turn into a great ape--or it's something that you can only become once you've reached a certain point and can you can tap into some pure emotions. That's why people of the races that transform through strength--well, that's why you see some that can transform just like that and others who aren't so fortunate.
"But the trick isn't so much in transforming. The trick is in being able to hold that transformation. Do you know why I'm stronger than my brother?"
Wich shook his head.
"It's because I've learned how to hold my fourth form," Cooler said. "I could strut around in my base form like he did. But I don't; I don't need to. I can keep my emotions in check just enough to hold this form indefinitely. That's the true measure of strength, Wich. Strength isn't just about raw power; it's about the ability to hold onto that power and control it."
Cooler walked back over to Oran. "So, Oran. The question is simple. Will you join me and my men to restore the honour of my family, or will I have to kill you?"