Inner Conflict (Ninjin)

[Frigid]

Frigid sat on top of a tall building, legs dangling over the edge. Being one of the taller buildings in Beta Minor, one could see just about every nook and cranny of the busy city below. On the horizon, the skyline of Alpha Prime, the bigger brother city to Beta Minor. Though the Collective was known for it's many bad traits, it was a thing of beauty. As it was often forgotten, the Omega Collective was built. Each tree, bush, and blade of grass was put in its place by someone. That someone was a true artist, and on top of the skyscraper, this was only made more apparent.

For Frigid, this was his first real "stop and smell the roses" moment. With all the chaos that the past few days had brought; the feasts, the drinking, the celebrations, and the fighting, it seemed like it would never stop. But it had finally done just that, and it weighed heavy on Frigid's heart. Amongst the chaos, the Icejin had met so many people, each so much different than the other. A few with true opportunities to offer the Icejin. With his departure from the Kingdom, and the conclusion of the tournament, it only made sense to the Icejin to finally leave the Collective and pursue the life he'd always dreamed about.

It had taken a whole day for Frigid to recover from the celebration he'd partaken the night before, and as things came back to him, some more blurry than others, he began to piece the whole picture together. Inside the bar, where he'd spent most of his night, Frigid had met an armor-clad Saiyan Prince, Ninjin, if his memory served him right. Thoughtfully, the Saiyan had offered the Icejin a place with him at New Vegeta, where he could train amongst the powerful warriors that the planet had to offer. Frigid had agreed, having met his fair share of Saiyans, and even fought against them, he knew just what they could offer him. But as the night progressed, the Icejin was invited to a dinner.

Zex, the "King" of the Collective had offered Frigid, Banduk, Kurosanai, and Conri a job. It was on offer that equally rivaled the one that the Saiyan Prince had made. So, with a conflict within, Frigid came to his favorite spot to think it through. Upon leaving Zex's mansion, Frigid had asked one of the servants to find Ninjin and ask him to met Frigid here. Hopefully the Saiyan, who Frigid already came to respect, could help shed some light on the subject. That was, if he hadn't already left...

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

There was a sharp rap at his chamber door, and Ninjin opened it in a bleary haze. He was still hung-over since his partying with Frigid, Conri and Akassa and was sincerely hoping for a quick death rather than deal with the hangover that was currently stampeding around from temple to temple. The man standing at the door was short, standing a full foot shorter than the saiyan prince. Ninjin looked down at him with contempt, angry not at the man but rather at the headache. The man look frightened to be standing in front of the prince of the saiyans, and when he realized the look on his face he smiled, trying to comfort him.

"Hangover." He said in an explanatory manner. The man sighed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Message for you from Frigid sir, he requests your presence at once. Here is the requested location for the rendezvous." He handed the prince a slip of paper and dashed off, glad to be away from the ire of the prince, even if it wasn't directed at him.

Ninjin stared down in the note in wonderment. What could Frigid want that was so important to summon him? There was a bold move by a Icejin he had just met, but since he considered them friends he would oblige.

He left at once, throwing on his armor as quickly as he could. He had been through a lot on Omega, and had learned to be careful. Yes he trusted Frigid, but who knows what the Icer could be up to. Had he changed his mind considering the prince's offer?


Ninjin sailed through the air, the note leading him out into Beta Minor. He had been here a few times before... and it wasn't any better or worse than any other area he had been in. He saw his friend sitting on a ledge overlooking the skyline of Alpha Prime.

"Something on your mind friend?" He said as he landed lightly on the roof.

[Frigid]

Even with his lack of ki sense, Frigid could see the red-clad Saiyan from a mile away. As he landed behind him with a quiet click, Frigid peeked over his shoulder and smiled. It must have been obvious that there was something eating away at the Icejin, as the Saiyan asked right away. It was a nice feeling to have someone to talk to, though.

A light chuckle left him as he turned back to the skyline, tail tapping lightly at the edge of the building, "You could say that..." It seemed that Frigid had beaten the hangover a bit quicker than the Saiyan. Perhaps that was a racial trait, or maybe just dumb luck, "Looks to me like you've seen better days as well, eh?"

Small talk would fill the time that Frigid would need to go over what he would tell the Saiyan Prince. Though it might be rude, the Icejin thought it best to share everything about the dinner. Perhaps a second mind could help make sense of it all. Then there was the fact that Conri was a Saiyan. Perhaps if anyone was to be told, it was Ninjin.

"Not long after I left our little party last night, while you were asleep on the table, I was met by a man. He invited me to a dinner at Zex's mansion. I am sure that you are familiar with who that is..." Giving his story a thought through, he took a deep breath and continued, "Upon arrival there earlier today, I came to find out that Conri, Banduk, and Kurosanai were invited as well. The dinner was a ruse. Zex asked the four of us to head to an uncharted planet to recover a team he'd lost contact with..."

Shrugging lightly, his tail wrapped around his torso, the tip scratching lightly at the small, black spike protruding from his chin, "The reason that I am telling you this, other than the fact that I could use an outside opinion, is that I had promised my accompaniment with you to New Vegeta. I want to reassure you that that is something I would still like to do, however might have to put off at a later time."

Half of the Icejin still believed that Zex's offer was a trap. Perhaps he had invited him and Conri to this planet to meet their demise. Perhaps during the tournament he had realized that each he'd invited were quite strong, and perceived them as a threat to the Collective. If this were the case, and any of them agreed, Frigid would hope to have the Saiyans there to help them out of it. After all, out of the four Frigid was the most likely to be considered a threat, given his history to have rebelled from the Icejin Kingdom.

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

It concerned Ninjin that his friend had answered in the affirmative and with a air of mystery. He had assumed that his friend had something on his mind when he got the summons but his tone was... Ninjin smiled when he mentioned the hangover. Yes it was true that he had been in better shape but a hangover wasn't going keep him down for very long, he had shown much more strength than that during the tournament. Still the pounding in his head was distracting.

The prince stood in silence as his Icejin friend explained the situation. Zex... Yes he had heard the name and seen the man during the tournament, though they had never had the pleasure of meeting face to face. The rumors circulating Omega ran rampant regarding the mysterious alien. They ranged from benefactor to mastermind of evil, and Ninjin didn't know what to believe.

What to make of the uncharted planet and Zex's missing team... Why had the mysterious alien sent a team to the planet in the first place? From what he had heard of Zex he didn't do anything with good reason, and more often than not that reason was profit. So how could he profit from an uncharted world? It was definitely worth investigating.

And Conri, Banduk, and Kurosani were invited as well. He had seen all the men in the tournament, and he considered Conri a friend. Frigid and Conri were powerful, as was Banduk. He had never met Kurosani, but he was in good company. Why send such a strong group to investigate a simple case of missing men. If this was the rescue group how strong had the original group been. And most importantly, had this been Zex's plan all along? The questions ran through his mind.

"It is a very interesting situation to be sure. How much did Zex reveal?" Ninjin stood with his hand on his chin in deep though. How much would Frigid reveal to him? How much did the Icer himself know?

[Frigid]

It seemed like Ninjin listened carefully, waiting to speak until Frigid had finished. Scratching his chin in thought, the Saiyan asked how much Zex had revealed to Frigid. Thinking back on it, Zex hadn't revealed too much, "Simply that he had found two planets, and sent two teams. Upon arrival, or shortly after, he lost communications with them, and that he fears the worst. The part I don't understand is that he stated that he had sent the teams to open communications with the people on the planets. Now, I do not know that much about contacting extra terrestrials, but I am sure that sending a group isn't the only way one could so it."

With a shrug, Frigid stood and turned to Ninjin, stretching his arms up high, "It may be that I am just too suspicious, but I think it may be a trap. To call Conri and myself, to go on a recon mission... Perhaps he thinks we could be a threat? Or maybe he is trying to start a war? Or perhaps he is really telling the truth."

It was just all so random. To have been called to dinner, and asked to recover these teams. It just seemed too suspicious to the Icejin. However, perhaps that was brought on because he'd never left the collective. Perhaps his mindset was irrational, and he was being daft. Whatever the case, Frigid was not one to go against his better judgement. Sure, he considered saying yet to such an offer, but that wouldn't mean that he would have to take his guard down.

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

"We normally send a delegation to meet with groups of people we haven't met yet, so that part is not out of the ordinary, but the whole thing is strange..." The Prince looked out over the skyline towards Alpha Prime and the Monarch district. Prometheus Zex was there somewhere undoubtedly... what was it that he was plotting? It was rumored that he had eyes and ears everywhere, would he be able to hear what the duo was talking about? Ninjin didn't care much either way, it wasn't as if the monarch could do anything to Ninjin without starting a war with the Saiyans, and that was one he couldn't hope to win. Still... The situation was one that Ninjin was uncomfortable with. It was no wonder Frigid had wanted outside help.

"I Don't think it's a trap... the four of you combined in strength can handle most things I've come across in the galaxy so far, so to set a trap up for the four of you would require a great deal of power. Though..." A thought came to his mind that the prince wasn't sure he wanted to give voice to. But Frigid asked him for his council, and he would give it.

"How well do you trust the other three members in the group? Conri is one thing... but the other two? I know them not, and it could perhaps be that Zex has gotten to them in some way? I'm not trying to plant thoughts in your head, but you did ask my advice. Or perhaps it really is what it appears to be and the mysterious Zex is concerned about his men." Ninjin would not be going with him, but this information was useful indeed. He was beginning to trust Frigid more and more.

[Frigid]

Frigid listened carefully to Ninjin as he spoke. The Saiyan was much smarter than Frigid when it came to most matters of business. Frigid had been taught a little in the ways of planetary business in the Kingdom, but nothin that would help him here. It was nice to hae someone to dialogue with about the unknown. The information Ninjin shared helped settle Frigid's mind a little. First off, it was not out of the ordinary to be in the situation Zex was in.

Secondly, the Saiyan was right. If it were a trap Zex might have trouble gathering a force to take down the four. Zex himself didn't seem all that powerful anyway, Frigid could tell that by the way be was constantly bodyguarded. Then there was the fact the Conri was a friend of Ninjin. Though slight, if Zex planned on trapping him, he would chance going to war with the Saiyans. The tournament had proven that was nothing anyone wanted to do. At least, that was how Frigid saw it.

It was then that Ninjin offered a rather grim idea. How well did he trust the others? That was a question even Frigid did not have an answer to. In fact... Taking a deep breath, Frigid spoke in a hushed tone, "I hadn't even realized... All three were opponents of mine during the tournament. Kurosanai was first, then I fought Snow, then Banduk, and finally Conri. Perhaps the trap is for me?"

It was definitely a thought, the idea that the others were all opponents to the Icejin. Though he looked at them like friends, holding no hard feelings, perhaps they didn't feel the same. Perhaps they thought that Frigid was an enemy... Sure, Frigid beat both Banduk and Kurosanai, but together they could definitely overpower him. It was something Frigid didn't want to think about.

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

Ninjin tilted his head at the idea. Perhaps it was a trap for Frigid. But why would that be? Had the Icer done anything to upset such a one as Prometheus Zex? Sure he had beaten the others, save Conri, in the tournament. That and what could he have done that was so bad to Banduk and Kurosanai. Ninjin didn't know them, so perhaps they could hold grudges... But it didn't seem likely. He could tell he upset his Icer companion with the thought.

"If it is a trap for you... Well I consider you a friend. They would make a powerful enemy of me... But somehow I don't believe that to be the case, though Zex is one for elaborate plans, or so I've heard, that seems to be a lot to get to you. Have you done anything that would upset him?"

He placed his hand on the Icers shoulder in attempts to comfort him. Ninjin wasn't sure exactly what was going on.

"We need to get to the bottom of this. Perhaps it would be best if you went. You are powerful, though I think you forget it. You were in the finals of the tournament! One such as yourself shouldn't fear a trap as this. And I think Conri isn't involved in this plot, so at the very least you have one ally."

[Frigid]

Again, the Saiyan's words soothed him. Though the thought would always be in the back of his mind, he would have to agree. As far as he knew he'd done nothing to anger anyone, "As far as I know, Kurosanai and Banduk are my friends. I couldn't see them betraying me. I think you are right, it can't be a trap for me..." It was also nice to know that Ninjin would have Frigid's back, even if he couldn't come with. Having such a powerful ally just helped to prove that it couldn't be a trap.

"Thank you, Ninjin. You too are my friend, and that means a lot to me. I think you're right.. Perhaps I should go and see what this is all about..." Smiling kindly, Frigid put out a hand to shake, "Perhaps when I am finished with this mission, I can join you at New Vegeta for some training."

That was what the Icejin needed to hear. He would take part in this little event, simply to quench his curiosity. Knowing that he'd have allies made him feel much more powerful. It was truly a good feeling to have, and a new one at that. Frigid had never had and friends before the tournament, let alone people he could actually call allies.

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

Ninjin gladly took and shook the Icer's hand. An Ally... He had always had lackies and yes-men, had since he was born. He had a friend inherently in Truffle, because they had grown up together. but he had never really made a friend before... and much less one he could rely on and call an Ally. He was sure that he could count on Frigid should he ever call for aid, and that was a feeling completely foreign to him. Were he able to read minds, he would find that the Icer was thinking very similar thoughts.

"It means a lot to me. More than you know. I'm glad I could offer you council, I will be keeping an ear on the ground about this entire ordeal. And yes, the offer stands whenever you want my friend." The Icer had seemed to have made up his mind about the event.

"Do you know when you leave? If you have the time... Well I've never sparred with an Icer..." He said it suggestively with a smile. He looked around at the area they were at. It was the top of a large building, long and flat. Very little else was on it. It seemed like a good place for a spar. He wouldn't be offended if the Icer declined. They had never tested their powers against one another, and Ninjin had never fought an Icer before.

[Frigid]

Frigid gave a nod, glad to hear the offer was still good. He would for sure follow Ninjin to New Vegeta once this ordeal was all straightened out. Perhaps a dollar more in the pocket, and a little stronger in the process. After all, the Icejin would have to make enough money to buy a ship to actually get to the Saiyan's home planet. Sure, he could take the Global Transit, but all that time could be better served training and honing his skill. Something that the Icejin enjoyed very much.

"Do you know when you leave? If you have the time... Well I've never sparred with an Icer..."

Frigid couldn't help but laugh as he took a step back. It was funny how the two seemed to share such a mindset. Perhaps they were brothers. Yes, brothers of battle. With a stupid grin, Frigid nodded, "I can make time to honor such a request, friend. Actually, it is perfect. I haven't had the chance to see what the tournament has done for me. And I have been working on something... You'd be a perfect opponent to test my skills before I leave."

Taking a few more steps back, he crouched down low, setting himself in his fighting stance. The same one that Ninjin would have seen him in his fights in the tournament, "I'll even let you throw the first punch." His tail thrumped hard on the ground with excitement, his hands balled into fists, feet read to move at a second's notice. This would be fun.

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

When he got the affirmation that Frigid did indeed want to spar, Ninjin would rush forward. As far as fighting went, the crown-prince of the Saiyans was very straightforward. He had been hoping that the Icejin would accept his challenge, but had no idea that he had been thinking and feeling similar thoughts. The Icer had dropped into a fighting stance, and was no doubt both expecting and prepared for this assault. He was, however, nearly half of Ninjin's power.

"Just hoping to toughen you up before your journey." The prince would joke as he came close to the Icer. His fist would lash out, aiming for the Icer's midsection, which if it hit he would follow up with a kick. His speed would no doubt be surprising for the Icer. Ninjin was unsure how much of his combat during the tournament, so he didn't know how much Frigid was prepared for. He however had watched Frigid's match with Conri Lane, and was vaguely familiar with how the Icer fought. Though this time he wasn't facing an Oozaru, just a Saiyan with higher power.

If both his punch and his kick connected he would back up and fall into a fighting stance, allowing the Icer to come at him. There would be no malice behind any of his attacks, and the brutal nature he normally fought with would be held back some. It wasn't that he was holding back at all, that wasn't the case in the slightest, it was just that he didn't want to seriously hurt his friend.

[Frigid]

The Saiyan opened with a rush. It seemed like that was pretty common when it came to most the bouts that Frigid had fought. Perhaps the straightforwardness was a sign of respect. That the two played on an even playing-field, regardless of how much more powerful Ninjin was. His apparent speed was a sign that he did overpower the Icejin, thankfully, he'd recently created just the technique for such a situation. Maybe he'd get to use it.

A fist connected hard with Frigid's stomach, causing him to double over with a hardy grunt. Taking advantage of Frigid's reaction, Ninjin then aimed a kick towards him. The kick would connect, sending the Icejin back few feet. Even with his hardy Icejin shell, the hits were something else. A grin crossed his face as Ninjin jumped back, falling into his stance. It was apparent what was going on.

This was the "test" phase of the battle, one that Frigid had grown all too familiar with. The tournament had taught him many things, but one of the more important being not to trust this phase. It seemed that during the test phase, there was always a kind of mental block. No matter how hard a punch was thrown, it was nothing compared to what the opponent could actually do. The real fight often took place right at the end, when each was desperate for the taste of victory. When anything could happen...

Falling into his own stance, he nodded, kicking off his feet into a rush of his own. His hand would cock back, aiming a punch to Ninjin's stomach. If it connected, the Icejin would spin into a hard tail whip aimed at the man's ribs. Though his speed was not a match for the Saiyan's, his moves were relatively fluid and swift from his much smaller statue. Hopefully his size would gain him the advantage.

[Emperor Ninjin Hattori]

It was true that Ninjin had been testing the Icer, intent on seeing what his opponent could take. He had absorbed the punch and kick rather well, but that was to be expected. Icers were renowned for their durability. Despite the disparity in their powers, Ninjin was impressed. This would indeed be an interesting battle. The prince wasn't holding back, but he wasn't exactly fighting as if he was going to lose, or if his life was depending on it.

Frigid came at him then. It was his turn to test Ninjin. The Saiyan prince was more than happy to oblige. The punch hit him square in the chest but it hurt very little, and then the whip caught it. It flung him to the side but again hurt very little. He rolled to the side and dug in his hand to the roof, attempting to skid to a stop. The trail sent debris from the into the air, causing dust into the air. As soon as he stopped the Saiyan sailed forward mere inches from the ground, using his bukujutsu to empower his flight that much further. He would attempt to tackle the Icer and spear him to the ground. Were it successful he would roll off and kick downwards in an ax kick aimed for The Icers' hand. If he had stayed on the Icer the spar could have been over that much quicker, but then again that wasn't the point of this was it? They were testing each other, the real fight would come later.

Should the Icer dodge the spear, the Saiyan would skid to a stop behind him and turn to face where Frigid was, but he would be susceptible to attack from behind.

[Frigid]

Both Frigid's attacks connected, but looked as if they did more damage to the building than Ninjin himself. But that was the whole point of the "test" phase. The Saiyan skidded, mere inches from the edge, before rushing at Frigid again. It seemed the Saiyan was much more of a melee fighter, which was a nice though considering that Frigid himself was considered a melee fighter. Perhaps the two were more even than it seemed.

As he rushed, he put his weight into a tackle, just Frigid would bound into the air, narrowly avoiding it. Ninjin would skid past, only to turn and face the Icejin again. This was it. This was the chance that Frigid would have to take. A small ball of ki formed in his hand, about the size of a softball. Whirling it hard at Ninjin as he turned to face him, Frigid would land, jumping back. Perhaps the Saiyan would dodge it, but if he tried anything but, and the ball connected, it would mold around the Saiyan, sticking there, and slowly draining his ki. It was Frigid's Drain Grenade. An attack he had never had the privileged to use.

This was the first chance Frigid would have to see what the attack was capable of. What it's flaws were. The information he would get from seeing the impact the attack might have on such a strong opponent was very valuable. From there, Frigid would be able to tweak it, to perfect it. Hopefully, the attack would live up to the expectations it had given him in the creation of it.