Five days had passed since Toji's first training session with Goku, and the routine had settled into a comfortable rhythm.
Currently, Toji, Vegeta, and Nappa hovered high above a rocky mountain range, engaged in what had become their daily sparring match.
Toji had suppressed his power to 150,000 - matching Nappa's post-Zenkai boost level - to give the training some semblance of challenge.
The big Saiyan had recovered remarkably well after his initial defeat, his near-death experience granting him a significant power increase.
"Come on, is that all you've got?" Toji taunted, easily sidestepping Nappa's lunging punch. The massive Saiyan's fist sailed harmlessly past his ear.
Nappa growled in frustration. "Stand still and fight, damn you!"
Vegeta hung back, analyzing the exchange with calculating eyes.
Unlike Nappa's straightforward assault, the prince had adapted his approach over the past days, incorporating more feints and tactical maneuvers.
"Nappa, flank him!" Vegeta commanded, darting forward with a kick.
Toji blocked Vegeta's attack with his forearm while simultaneously ducking under Nappa's follow-up strike.
The movements felt almost mechanical now, his body responding to their attacks before his mind fully processed them.
Five days of sparring had accelerated his combat instincts dramatically. What had once required conscious thought now happened automatically.
His muscle memory had developed to the point where fighting the two Saiyans simultaneously felt like a choreographed dance rather than a battle- all thanks to his absurd talent.
And it was starting to bore him to tears.
Toji spun between them, launching a casual counterattack that sent Vegeta flying backward. The prince recovered quickly, stabilizing himself mid-air with practiced ease.
"Your form's improving," Toji commented flatly, his voice lacking the enthusiasm it had held during their first sessions.
Inside, a restlessness was building - a pressure behind his eyes, an itch beneath his skin that grew more insistent with each passing day.
The carefully regulated power level felt increasingly constraining, like wearing clothes several sizes too small.
Nappa charged again, roaring as he gathered energy in his palm. "Take this!"
The energy blast rocketed toward Toji, who batted it away with casual indifference. The deflected attack exploded against a distant mountain peak, sending debris falling down its face.
"Predictable," Toji muttered, his irritation rising. "Always the same approach."
Vegeta noticed the shift in Toji's demeanor - the tightening around his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. The prince adjusted his strategy accordingly, moving more cautiously.
"Nappa," Vegeta called, "change formation. Pattern Delta."
The larger Saiyan nodded, immediately altering his position.
Together, they began a coordinated assault that had proven effective in previous sessions - Nappa attacking head-on while Vegeta struck from blind spots.
But today, Toji's patience had worn dangerously thin. As Nappa closed in for another punch, something inside Toji snapped.
His fist shot out with significantly more power than their agreed-upon limit, catching Nappa squarely in the chest.
The impact created a shockwave that rippled through the air, and Nappa's eyes widened in shock before he was sent hurtling downward.
The massive Saiyan crashed into the earth with great force, creating a crater nearly fifty feet across.
Toji stared at his fist in surprise and mounting frustration, as if the limb had betrayed him.
The sudden release of power had been instinctive - a pressure valve opening without conscious thought.
"What the hell was that for?!" Nappa shouted from the crater below, pushing himself up from the rubble. "You used way more power than we agreed on!"
Toji clenched his fist tighter, his knuckles whitening. "Shut up," he said quietly.
"What did you say to me?" Nappa demanded, rising unsteadily to his feet.
"I said SHUT UP!" Toji snapped, his voice echoing across the mountains. He turned to Vegeta, who remained hovering cautiously nearby. "Training's over. Both of you - scram."
Nappa's face contorted with indignation. "Now listen here, you can't just-"
A sharp glare from Vegeta silenced him immediately. The prince descended swiftly, landing beside his comrade.
"Let's go," Vegeta ordered, helping Nappa to his feet with uncharacteristic help.
"But what's his problem?" Nappa grumbled, dusting himself off.
Vegeta offered no response, simply launching into the air in the direction of Capsule Corp.
After a moment's hesitation, Nappa followed, casting a confused glance back at Toji's rigid form silhouetted against the sky.
As the Saiyans disappeared into the distance, Toji remained suspended in the air, trembling with barely contained energy.
When he could no longer sense them nearby, he threw his head back and released a primal roar of frustration that echoed across the mountain range, sending birds scattering from distant trees.
"AAAARRRRGGGHHH!"
The sound tore from his throat, raw and powerful. The sky darkened in response to his emotional state, clouds gathering as if drawn by the turbulence of his ki.
Toji clutched at his chest, feeling the power surging beneath his skin like a living thing trying to claw its way out.
It had been manageable at first - simple, even - to keep his enormous power contained within his core. But with each passing day, the pressure had built.
Now it felt like he was constantly holding back a tsunami with nothing but his willpower.
'Is this what Frieza felt?' he wondered, descending slowly to land on a flat outcropping of rock. 'Is this why he created those suppressive forms? To disconnect from his power completely until he needed it?'
He sat heavily on a boulder, running his hands through his hair. If that was the case, it would explain so much about the tyrant's behavior.
Perhaps those forms weren't just about hiding his power level from enemies - they were necessary for his own sanity.
But was this condition unique to beings like them? Abnormalities? Mutants?
Gohan had possessed tremendous power in the future timeline Toji remembered, yet never displayed this compulsive need to fight, to release his strength, to dominate.
The half-Saiyan had been content with a scholarly life, his power dormant until needed- and he was far stronger than he and Frieza were right now.
Toji, however, found himself craving the exhilaration of real combat. The memory of his first battle with Vegeta and Nappa - when he'd been new to his power, when the outcome wasn't a almost foregone conclusion - stirred something within him.
The awe and fear in their eyes as they realized they were outmatched had been intoxicating.
But now, they weren't prey anymore.
They were tools - his tools for building an empire. The predator-prey dynamic had dissolved, replaced by something far less satisfying.
The ground beneath him began to tremble as his power level rose unconsciously. The sky darkened further, lightning crackling between the gathering clouds.
Toji noticed the change and hastily suppressed his energy again, forcing it back.
But the damage was done. Heavy raindrops began to fall, quickly intensifying into a downpour that soaked him within seconds.
Toji stood, face upturned to the weeping sky, making no move to seek shelter.
The cold rain felt cleansing somehow, the water running down his face and neck, soaking his black shirt until it clung to his body.
He remained there for hours, motionless except for his breathing, letting the storm rage around him as he tried to understand the storm raging within.
Why did he feel this way? He'd always been drawn to the idea of power in his first life, but this was different - more visceral, more demanding. In his first life it had been more an understanding that without power, in whatever shape or form, one couldn't protect themselves and their interests.
This was different.
It couldn't be simply about strength though; the Z-Fighters had never exhibited such symptoms, save perhaps Goku and Vegeta with their Saiyan battle-lust.
But Toji wasn't a Saiyan. His ki was unmistakably human.
Was it because he was a mutant? Did all mutants have their own unique abnormalities, their own curses to bear alongside their gifts?
Frieza had his need for suppression and a sadism that rivaled even Majin Buu's.
Broly - the Z version at least - had been the epitome of Saiyan warrior instinct, yet even he had toyed with his prey rather than killing them outright.
'Poor bastard,' Toji thought, remembering Broly's golden crown - that mind-controlling headband his father had used to contain him. 'No wonder he went insane. If he felt even a fraction of what I'm feeling now...'
The parallel struck him suddenly - Broly was essentially the evil reflection of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King from Journey to the West.
Both had golden crowns controlling them - Broly's from his father, Sun Wukong's from the Celestial Court.
And Toji? His crown was his own restraint, his constant suppression of power that wanted - needed - to be unleashed.
The mere thought of fighting Frieza sent a thrill of excitement through him.
That was why he hadn't tried to access the Room of Spirit and Time for training - something he could easily do by visiting Kami's Lookout and just seeing the big door and asking about what it is- and that way having an excuse for how he knows it and why he should use it.
He wanted the challenge.
He craved the blood-pumping exhilaration of facing someone who could actually push him to his limits.
He wanted to fight them all - Frieza, Cell, Broly (preferably the Z version, that sadistic devil he wouldn't feel guilty about killing), Majin Buu, Beerus, Jiren...
The anticipation made him feel like he might burst.
Suddenly, Toji became aware that the earth was quaking beneath his feet. The sky had darkened to near-night, despite it being mid-afternoon. His power was rising again, unconsciously responding to his thoughts.
With effort, he forced it back down, but the storm had already intensified. Rain pounded the mountainside in sheets- even more than before, lightning splitting the sky every few seconds.
Toji rose from his seat, staring up into the clouded, raining sky, feeling utterly lost. What was he supposed to do with this feeling? How could he contain this pressure for the days- and the probable weeks the journey in the ship - remaining until they left for Namek?
He stood there for hours more, soaking in the downpour, letting the cold water cool his thoughts.
His black dress shirt and pants now clung to him even more- like a second layer of skin, his hair plastered to his face.
By the time he finally decided to return to Capsule Corp, night had fallen completely. The storm had followed him all the way to West City, lightning illuminating the urban skyline in strobing flashes.
It was nearly 3 AM when he arrived at the Briefs' compound.
Rather than entering through his bedroom window, he landed at the main entrance, unlocking the door with a careful application of telekinetic ki.
The door swung open just as lightning cracked overhead, silhouetting his drenched figure in the doorway.
A startled gasp came from inside. Bulma stood frozen in the hallway, a glass of water halfway to her lips, her eyes wide with momentary fear before recognition set in.
"Toji?" she asked, lowering the glass. "You scared me half to death!"
"Sorry," he replied absently, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. Water pooled at his feet, his clothes dripping onto the expensive flooring.
Bulma calmed down and studied him with concern. She'd been heading back to bed after a late-night trip to the kitchen when she'd heard the door.
The fact that Vegeta and Nappa had returned hours ago without Toji, Nappa mentioning how he'd snapped at them, had already worried her.
Now, seeing him soaked to the bone, his expression distant and troubled, her concern deepened.
"Are you okay?" she asked gently.
Toji merely nodded, moving past her toward the living room where he sank onto one of the plush couches, seemingly unconcerned about soaking the expensive fabric.
After a long moment of hesitation, Bulma set down her water and retrieved a large fluffy towel from a nearby linen closet. She approached him cautiously, sitting beside him on the couch.
Without a word, she placed the towel against his face, beginning to gently dry him off. The unexpected gesture startled Toji from his reverie.
"What are you doing?" he asked quietly.
"Helping you dry off, silly," she replied, her tone light despite her concern. "You'll catch a cold if you stay like this."
Toji nodded his thanks, his hands remaining folded in his lap as he stared downward, lost in thought.
He made no move to take over the task, but neither did he stop her as she began drying his hair.
"I know we haven't known each other long," Bulma said after a moment, breaking the silence, "but you're already a friend to all of us. If you need help with something, you should ask."
Toji closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "I appreciate that, but what I'm dealing with isn't something you can help with."
Bulma frowned, pausing in her ministrations. She moved around to face him directly, crouching down to cup his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.
"You don't know that until you let us try," she said firmly, her blue eyes locked with his.
For a moment, they remained frozen in that position, something unspoken passing between them.
Toji found himself transfixed by her eyes - a blue so vibrant and clear it reminded him of the sky before the storm had gathered.
Bulma, in turn, felt herself drawn into the depths of his gaze, like staring into twin black holes that pulled at her.
After what felt like an eternity, Toji gently took hold of her wrists, removing her hands from his face. He sighed again, the sound heavy with resignation.
"I feel... dissatisfied," he admitted quietly. "Bored."
Bulma blinked in surprise. 'Bored? That's what this is about?' she thought, momentarily confused.
"It's more than that," Toji continued, struggling to articulate feelings he didn't fully understand himself. "It's like... I'm carrying an ocean in my hands, and I can feel it slipping, leaking through my fingers. I'm afraid I'll lose control."
He leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "I need to let it out - this power. It's building up inside me, making me feel like I'm suffocating. And I instinctively know that the only relief is to use it - really use it, not these controlled training sessions."
Understanding dawned in Bulma's eyes.
This wasn't ordinary boredom - this was something more, something, that if it was as he described, she realized with a sinking feeling they really couldn't help with.
"Wait here," she said, rising to her feet. She disappeared briefly, returning with a blow dryer. Without asking permission, she plugged it in and began drying his hair properly.
Toji leaned into the warmth unconsciously, his eyes drifting closed as Bulma sat beside him on the couch.
"There's that Frieza person everyone's talking about," she suggested as she worked. "Maybe he'll give you the challenge you need."
Toji sighed, leaning back into the couch beside her. "I hope so."
As the blow dryer hummed, Bulma noticed that while his hair was nearly dry, his clothes were still soaked through. Without hesitation, she reached for the buttons of his shirt.
"What are you doing?" Toji asked, startled.
"Your clothes are soaking wet," she explained matter-of-factly. "You'll never get dry this way."
"I can do it myself," he protested weakly.
"Yes, you can," Bulma agreed with a small smile. "But so can I."
She finished unbuttoning his shirt, helping him slide it off his shoulders. She tried not to stare at him as she rose again.
"Wait here," she instructed, disappearing once more.
When she returned, she was carrying a set of gray pajamas. "These should fit you," she said, handing them to him. "Go change and come back."
Toji nodded gratefully, taking the clothes and heading to his room.
When he returned a few minutes later, Bulma couldn't suppress a giggle. The pajamas featured a cute cartoon lion on the chest.
"What?" he asked, glancing down at himself.
"Nothing," she replied, still smiling. "It looks cute on you."
Toji felt his cheeks warm slightly at her words, wanting to protest that he wasn't cute, but thought better of it.
"Sit down," Bulma instructed. "I'll make us some tea."
As she busied herself in the adjacent kitchen area, Toji watched her curiously.
Why was she going to such lengths for someone she barely knew? Yes, he'd saved her friends, but this level of care seemed beyond simple gratitude.
Perhaps it was just her nature - to help, to fix problems. Or perhaps she was simply kind to those she considered friends.
Bulma returned with two steaming mugs and a plate of cookies, setting them on the coffee table before settling beside him on the couch.
"I know what we can do," she announced, reaching for the remote control. "We can distract you until we leave when the ship is ready."
She clicked on the television, the screen casting a soft glow across the darkened living room.
"We?" Toji questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"You didn't think I wouldn't come along, did you?" Bulma asked incredulously. "We're going to space! I'm not missing that opportunity."
"It's going to be dangerous," Toji countered. "There will be powerful enemies there."
Bulma punched his arm lightly. "I'm not worried. You'll protect me, right?"
Toji couldn't argue with that. Even against Frieza, he was confident in his strength enough to keep her safe.
"So, what are we watching?" he asked, accepting the inevitable.
"Avengers: Infinity War," Bulma replied, scrolling through a menu of options. "I loved it as a kid, and I still do. Have you seen it?"
'Huh, that exists here too?' Toji thought to himself surprised.
"To some extent," Toji answered truthfully. "It was a long time ago, though. I don't remember much of it."
"Then it's perfect for refreshing your memory," she declared as the movie began to play.
As the familiar Marvel logo appeared on screen, Toji felt some of the tension leave his body.
The restlessness was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but for now, at least, he had distraction.
Beside him, Bulma settled more comfortably into the couch, her shoulder lightly touching his as the opening scene began.
For now, this will do, till he finally has Frieza before him, and can let loose and tear him apart.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it.
Yeah, I found it logical that Toji has the same problem Frieza had before his extensive training for those four months- it makes sense since they're both mutants.
Mutants all I think have their quirks.
Z Broly his sadism, Frieza his uncontrollable power needing those supressive forms, Super Broly his Wrath, the Ginyu Force... Well, being the Ginyu Force.
Also the Toji and Bulma interaction. Some may find this too out of the blue, but Bulma when Vegeta arrived was acting very close to him in the canon timeline, so here it instead being with Toji, feels well, natural.
It makes sense to me.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)