-One week since Lordship
Toji sat alone on his obsidian throne in the Lord's Chamber, the vast room silent except for the steady rhythm of his mechanical breathing.
Before him, suspended in a shimmering bubble of ki, floated his infant son Megumi.
Since arriving at the Imperial Capital, Toji had barely had a moment alone with the boy. Between formal ceremonies, political maneuverings, and the constant demands of his new position, fatherhood had taken a reluctant back seat.
"Just you and me today, kid," Toji said, "I'm ignoring all imperial business for the afternoon. Let the universe run itself for a few hours."
Megumi gurgled happily, tiny hands reaching toward his father.
Toji stood, gently lowering the ki bubble until it hovered at chest level. "What should we do first? I'm new at this whole father thing."
The baby blinked his violet eyes - Freeza's eyes - and made a grabbing motion.
"Right. Playtime it is."
With a gesture, Toji created a small ball of ki, no larger than a marble, glowing with soft blue light. He sent it floating gently toward Megumi, who watched it with fascination.
"Let's see what you can do," Toji murmured.
To his surprise, Megumi's tiny hand shot out, catching the ki ball. The infant giggled, the light casting blue shadows across his delighted face.
"Not bad," Toji said, genuinely impressed. "How about this?"
He created another ki ball, this one glowing white, and sent it floating in a different direction. Megumi released the blue one - which remained hovering in place - and reached for the white one.
Soon, Toji had created a dozen ki balls of different colors (none red), sizes, and brightness. Megumi showed surprising dexterity, batting them back and forth, occasionally catching one and examining it before sending it floating away with a push of his own tiny ki.
"You're a natural," Toji observed, creating a slightly larger green ball. "Let's make it more challenging."
He set the green ball moving in a complex pattern, weaving between the other floating orbs. Megumi's eyes narrowed in concentration - an expression so reminiscent of Freeza that Toji couldn't help but laugh.
The baby made a sound of frustration when he missed the green ball on his first attempt. On his second try, he lunged with surprising force, nearly tumbling out of his ki bubble before Toji stabilized it.
"Competitive, aren't you?" Toji remarked. "You get that from both of us, I'm afraid."
Megumi finally caught the green ball, making a triumphant sound that was half giggle, half victory cry.
"That's my boy," Toji said proudly. "Already showing your parents' determination."
After the ki ball game, Toji decided to try something different. He expanded Megumi's protective bubble and used his telekinesis to lift it higher.
"How about a little flying lesson?" he suggested.
Megumi squealed with delight as his bubble began to move around the vast chamber. Toji guided him in gentle swoops and curves, creating a flight path around the furniture and hanging decorations.
"Look at you go!" Toji called as Megumi spread his arms like wings, clearly enjoying the sensation of flight.
To Toji's surprise, he felt Megumi's ki subtly merging with his own telekinetic field, the baby instinctively adding his power to maintain flight. It wasn't much - just the barest flicker of energy - but it was unmistakable.
"You shouldn't be able to do that yet," Toji muttered, both proud and concerned. "Your power is developing faster than I expected."
Vegeta's voice suddenly came from the doorway. "The child of two anomalies was never going to develop normally."
Toji turned to see the Saiyan prince leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"How long have you been watching?" Toji asked, guiding Megumi's bubble back down to a safer height.
"Long enough to see that your offspring has inherited both your talents," Vegeta replied, approaching cautiously. "His ki control is... remarkable for an infant."
"Is that concern I hear in your voice, Vegeta?" Toji teased.
Vegeta scoffed. "Merely observation. A power developing too quickly without proper guidance can be dangerous." His eyes followed Megumi's floating form. "Even for the child itself."
"I'm aware," Toji said, his tone sobering. "That's why days like this are important. He needs to learn control from the beginning."
Vegeta nodded, seemingly satisfied. "I came to inform you that Kakarot has broken the gravity chamber again. The woman is... displeased."
"Bulma's fixing it?" She had brought the one her dad made to replace the one lost on Namek in a capsule, apparently having wanted to gift it Goku for killing Cooler during the feast.
"With much colorful language," Vegeta confirmed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I thought it prudent to be elsewhere."
"Smart man," Toji chuckled. "You're welcome to stay and watch if you want."
Vegeta hesitated, then shook his head. "I have training to do. Unlike some, I don't have the luxury of such absurd natural talent." With that parting shot, he turned and left.
Toji turned his attention back to Megumi, who was watching the door where Vegeta had been.
"Don't mind him," Toji said. "He's just jealous."
After the flying game, Toji felt himself growing warm inside the Vader suit. He reached up and removed the helmet, wiping sweat from his brow.
Immediately, Megumi's face scrunched up. His lower lip trembled, and he began to cry - loud, heartbroken wails that echoed through the chamber.
"Whoa, whoa!" Toji said, alarmed. "What's wrong?"
Megumi continued crying, reaching toward the helmet that Toji had set aside.
"You can't be serious," Toji muttered, looking between his son and the mask.
Experimentally, he put the helmet back on. After a hiss and few clicks, the mechanical breathing resumed, and instantly, Megumi stopped crying. The baby clapped his hands, gurgling happily.
"Really?" Toji asked through the modulator.
Megumi cooed in response.
Toji removed the helmet again. The crying resumed immediately, louder than before.
"Oh, come on!" Toji complained, quickly putting the helmet back on. "How can you hate your own father's face?"
Megumi beamed at him, clearly delighted by the return of the mechanical breathing.
The door slid open again, this time revealing Nappa's massive frame.
"Everything okay in here?" the bald Saiyan asked, looking concerned. "I heard crying."
"Everything's fine," Toji replied, his voice once again altered by the modulator. "My son apparently prefers Darth Vader to his actual father."
Nappa looked confused for a moment, then burst into laughter. "That's hilarious! The kid's got taste!"
"Not helping, Nappa."
"Sorry, Lord Duskborn," Nappa said, trying and failing to suppress his grin. "But you have to admit, it's pretty funny."
"What's funny?" came Bulma's voice as she entered, wiping grease from her hands with a cloth. "I could use a laugh after fixing that disaster Goku calls 'training.'"
"The baby doesn't like Toji's face," Nappa explained gleefully. "Only likes him with the helmet on."
Bulma's eyebrows shot up. "Is that true?"
"Unfortunately," Toji confirmed, gesturing to Megumi, who was happily playing with a floating ki ball. "Watch."
He removed the helmet again. On cue, Megumi's face crumpled, and he began to wail.
"Oh my," Bulma said, trying not to smile. "That's... unfortunate."
"It's not funny," Toji grumbled, quickly replacing the helmet to stop the crying.
"It's a little funny," Bulma countered, approaching to get a better look at Megumi. "Maybe he just associates the breathing sound with comfort? It's probably been a constant presence since you've had him."
"Great," Toji sighed. "My son prefers me as a machine."
"Could be worse," Nappa offered. "At least he recognizes you. Saiyan cubs often can't recognize their fathers for the first year."
"Is that true?" Bulma asked, looking skeptical.
Nappa shrugged his massive shoulders. "How should I know? I'm making it up to make him feel better."
Despite himself, Toji laughed. "I appreciate the effort, Nappa."
"What are you two doing, anyway?" Bulma asked, watching Megumi bat at the floating ki balls.
"Just playing," Toji replied. "Father-son time."
"That's sweet," Bulma said sincerely. "He needs that."
"I know," Toji agreed. "With everything happening, it's too easy to forget he's just a baby. A baby with extraordinary power, but still a baby."
Goku suddenly appeared in the doorway, his hair and gi singed in several places. "Hey! Is this where everyone went? I've been looking all over!"
"What happened to you?" Bulma demanded.
"Minor gravity chamber incident," Goku replied sheepishly. "But it's fine! Mostly fine. Kind of fine."
"I just fixed it!" Bulma exclaimed.
"And I appreciate that," Goku said with his characteristic grin. "It worked great... for about five minutes."
Bulma threw her hands up in exasperation. "I give up! Next time, you can fix it yourself!"
"Aw, don't be like that, Bulma," Goku pleaded. "I didn't mean to - oh, hey! What are you guys doing?" His attention shifted instantly to Megumi and the floating ki balls.
"Father-son bonding," Toji explained.
"Cool!" Goku exclaimed, moving closer to watch. "He's pretty good at this! Look at that control!"
"I know," Toji said proudly. "He's a natural."
"Can I try?" Goku asked eagerly.
"Try what?"
"Making some ki balls for him!"
Toji hesitated. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. Your control of power is..."
"Perfect!" Goku finished confidently.
"I was going to say 'catastrophic,'" Toji corrected.
"Please? I'll be super careful!"
Toji sighed. "Fine... I may be, being unfair. You're probably the one with the most control out of all of us. But make them small. Very small."
Goku's face lit up with childlike excitement. He held out his palm and created a tiny sphere of golden ki, about the size of a pea.
"See? Perfect control!" he declared proudly.
The ki ball suddenly expanded to the size of a basketball.
"Oops," Goku said, quickly shrinking it back down. "Sorry! Got excited."
Toji's eye twitched in side his Helmet, 'No, you just wanted to mess with me,' he thought to himself.
Megumi, far from being frightened, clapped his hands with delight at the display.
"He likes it!" Goku exclaimed.
"Just... be careful," Toji cautioned.
As Nappa, Bulma, and Goku took turns entertaining Megumi with various ki displays (Bulma using a small energy projector she'd built), Toji found himself reflecting on this being a father thing.
He'd never imagined himself as a father so soon, not in his first life and certainly not after his transmigration. Yet here he was, responsible for this tiny being with unfathomable potential.
How did one raise a child in an environment like this? The Imperial Palace was hardly a normal setting for childhood development. And Megumi was no ordinary child - half-human, half-Frost Demon, born with power that defied conventional understanding.
'I'll do as well, if not better than my own dad did. My true dad, from my first life. The man I still look up to till this day.' Toji promised silently in his mind, watching Megumi laugh at Goku's antics. 'I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens.'
The others eventually departed - Bulma to repair the gravity chamber again, Goku to resume training elsewhere, and Nappa to "find something to hit," as he put it.
Left alone with Megumi once more, Toji decided to continue their bonding session. He lifted the baby onto his shoulders, the ki bubble adjusting to maintain protection while allowing physical contact.
"What should we do next? How about a... story? What should I tell you? Hmm..." Toji questioned to himself pacing around the room with Megumi perched securely on his shoulders, until his eyes widened in his helmet and he gained an eye with a smile on his face.
"Let me tell you the tragedy of Darth Vader... the Mighty."
Adopting his best Palpatine impression, Toji began: "It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend."
Though he himself nearly burst out laughing while doing so- his Vader modulated voice trying to act like Palpatine was hilariously bad.
As he told the story, he used his ki to create shadow puppets on the wall - a lightsaber duel between Vader and Obi-Wan, the Death Star, and the final confrontation between father and son.
Megumi watched, entranced by the light and shadows, occasionally reaching out to try to touch them.
"So you see," Toji concluded, returning to his normal voice, "even the mightiest warrior can be redeemed through the love of his son. Remember that, Megumi. Balance is important, but family is what truly matters."
Megumi's response was to tug on one of the control buttons of Toji's helmet, nearly activating it.
"Careful there," Toji laughed, gently removing the tiny hand. "This isn't a toy."
For their next game, Toji decided to test Megumi's ki sensing abilities. He created several small objects infused with varying levels of ki and hid them around the room.
"Alright, Megumi," he said, holding the baby in front of him. "Let's see if you can find them."
He guided Megumi toward the first hidden object - a small crystal with just a whisper of ki embedded in it.
To his amazement, Megumi immediately turned his head in the correct direction, tiny hands reaching out.
"Good job!" Toji praised, allowing Megumi to "find" the crystal. "Let's try another."
One by one, Megumi located each hidden object, showing remarkable sensitivity to even the faintest ki signatures.
Toji felt a surge of pride, mixed with a touch of concern. This level of sensitivity in one so young was to his knowledge unprecedented.
"Is this normal for Frost Demon hybrids?" he wondered aloud. "Or are you special even among the special, little one?"
As the afternoon wore on, both father and son began to tire. Toji went to his bed, settling onto it with Megumi nestled against his chest, still protected by a thin ki barrier.
"Just a quick nap," Toji murmured, the mechanical breathing of his helmet creating a steady rhythm that soon lulled Megumi to sleep.
Toji was just drifting off himself when a frantic voice suddenly boomed in his mind.
"TOJI! WAKE UP! EMERGENCY!"
The voice was so loud that Toji jerked upright, instinctively tightening his protective hold on Megumi.
"King Kai?" he responded mentally. "What's wrong?"
"Earth is under attack!" King Kai's voice was panicked. "Lord Slug, the Flaw of Dragons, has arrived! You need to get there immediately!"
Without hesitation, Toji leapt to his feet, cradling Megumi securely against his chest. He didn't bother asking for details - if King Kai was this alarmed, the situation was dire indeed.
He raced through the palace corridors at superhuman speed, his senses locked onto Goku's ki signature. He found him, predictably, in the palace kitchen, surrounded by empty plates.
"Goku!" Toji called, skidding to a halt.
"Hey, Toji!" Goku greeted cheerfully, his mouth full. "Want some of this space pasta? It's amazing!"
In one fluid motion, Toji placed Megumi on the table, the protective ki bubble expanding slightly.
"Watch him," Toji commanded. "Earth is under attack. I have to go."
"Wait, what?" Goku exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Earth is-"
Before he could finish, Toji had already turned and launched himself toward the nearest window. Glass shattered as he burst through, immediately accelerating to his top speed as he headed toward Earth.
"King Kai," he communicated mentally as he flew. "Tell me everything."
"Lord Slug is a Super Namekian," King Kai explained, his mental voice still frantic. "An anomaly like you, Toji. He disappeared a million years ago after battling an unknown pink monstrosity and losing terribly."
"Pink monstrosity?" Toji questioned, his mind immediately going to Majin Buu, which was terrifying to think about.
"No one knows what it was," King Kai continued. "But now Slug has returned, seeking the Dragon Balls to restore his youth and power."
"Why couldn't he do that a million years ago?"
"Because back then, the Dragons couldn't grant selfish wishes," King Kai explained.
"They were created with stricter limitations. The modern ones can grant almost any wish. Namek barred itself from him and anyone who would work for him with the power of the Dragon. But now the Namekians are on Earth and no longer on Namek. He has his chance."
Toji processed this information quickly. A Super Namekian anomaly seeking to restore his youth and power through the Dragon Balls was dangerous, very dangerous.
He knew of the possibility of Slug being out there, but the fact he may have fought Majin Buu in the past, and that he is so much older than the one he knows, makes him an insane threat.
"I'm coming," he told King Kai. "Have the others stall for time. I'll be there within an hour."
With that, Toji activated Kaio-ken x2, doubling his full power. His aura blazed crimson as he accelerated, tearing through space toward Earth.
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Back on his small planet, King Kai lowered his antennae, his expression grave.
"I'm sorry, Toji," he whispered to the empty air. "I didn't want to send you into such danger."
He stared anxiously in the direction of Earth, his concerns mounting. The pupil of his pupil was heading into battle against a foe that might be beyond even his immense power.
"Even with Kaio-ken x20," King Kai murmured, "I don't know if Toji can defeat a rejuvenated Lord Slug."
The tiny planet trembled slightly as if sharing its master's concern, the gravity well momentarily fluctuating with his distress.
All King Kai could do now was wait... and hope.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter!
So, we're going up against Slug soon. I hope you all are excited for him.
Also, do tell me how you found the father-son bonding between Megumi and Toji?
I hope you all liked it.
See you all hopefully later,
Bye!)