Day Two: Early Morning

[Burter]

Face to Face

King Cold, Koola

Celipa, Bujin

Koola was already starting to drift off again. It was almost 4 in the morning and neither of the Cold men had actually gotten real sleep. Bad dreams were common in the middle of the Abyss, so the only sleep they did get was riddled with nightmares. He was just about to get some sleep when his father called to him.

"Koola," he whispered, "Wake up. We got company."

This woke up the changling quick enough. "Who is it?" He asked as he joined his father behind a rock next to the lake. He didn't risk peeking out, as his dad already was.

Cold examined the two intruders. "Looks like a human and a blue...thing." The elder of the two responded. "Both packing guns. I'll surprise em, you back me up."

"Fair enough," Koola nodded. He had content leaving the strategizing to his father, as long as he got to see some action.

Meanwhile, Celipa was telling a joke about three saiyans and a bar with Bujin only half-listening (as he was dealing with commentary from Rae the whole time). Finally, as they moved closer to the lake, he had an excuse to stop the horrid joke in the middle. "Check out the view."

Celipa halted the punchline to look up at the moonlight radiating from above. "Whoa," she said, pausing. They both stopped walking to see the beautiful sight. They were so caught up in it that they failed to notice King Cold appearing behind a rock.

Firing a shock rifle.

Bujin noticed it first, leaping sideways. "Look out!" He said without thinking. Shoving Celipa to the side, the blast of lightning spazzed into his blue body and shot backwards, sparking around him.

Celipa rolled back to her feet, catching the situation. Reacting fast, she raised her gun, pumped it, and fired.

"Shit!" Cold shouted as the ki shotgun blasted into his shoulder, ripping apart his joint. His rifle hit the ground as he dove behind the rock. "Go!" He ordered, looking at his son.

As Koola appeared on the other side of the rock, Celipa was just getting a handle on the situation. No longer was she smiling her cute smile, or giggling after a funny joke. Now Bujin was down, and it was only her. "I'll get you for that!" She shouted. With a loud crack, her aura turned red. "KaioKEN!"

Koola was already transforming as he ran towards her. His weapon wasn't as long range as Celipa's, but it would do the trick. By the time he got to the powered up saiyan, he was in his third form form and ready to fight. Celipa dodged the punch, but the stun gun zapped her good enough to send her backwards.

That was when King Cold fired the shock rifle. Celipa turned to look just as she was struck. "Damn!" She cursed, flying backwards.

Koola was going to finish her, but Bujin was up by then, raising his machine gun. "Leave!" He demanded. "Leave her be, or you're done!" Before Koola could decide, he pulled the trigger and the changing was forced to run back.

"Dad!" Koola shouted as he ran back, taking some bullets. "I need some back-up!"

"Got it right HERE!" As he said the last word, Cold fired a zap of power, missing Bujin but providing the distraction. "Too many guns, let's get outta here."

"I heard that," Koola agreed as he moved behind the rock.

Bujin swallowed hard as the changlings disappeared. Better to fight another day, as they say. He turned to see Celipa, recovering. If he wanted to kill her, could have. Right there. It'd be over. But he didn't.

Nice job, Rae said in his head. That was close.

"Too close," Bujin said aloud, as if to Celipa.

The saiyan stood. "Aw, they're gone? That was fun."

33 Remain

Celipa and Bujin are burned bad. Minor injuries

King Cold has been shotgunned in the shoulder, almost completely tearing his arm off. It's just dangling, barely usable. Major injury

Koola's been shot in the arm/sides. Minor injury

Celipa is tired for 24 hours