Not far from the action, Gohan helped Koretz to his feet.

"I don't understand; why did you just take that attack?"

"I wanted to see if the stupid bastard had sense enough to kill me; he doesn't. He's not really interested in me, which gives me something of an advantage. While he's pounding the living hell out of you three, maybe I can slip in an attack or two, catch him by surprise."

"You don't think Trunks can handle him?"

"No. I've yet to meet a Saiyan that wasn't overconfident, and you three are no exceptions. You don't know what you're up against. He only took that monkey form to taunt you. He can get much, much stronger than that." He shook his head.

"He gets stronger by changing?"

"He can be just about any race you could think of; any that he's 'sampled', and from what I've heard, he's gathered quite a collection. I know you don't like to hear it, but the Saiyans are not the strongest of those. Right now he's just playing with you."

"Well," said Gohan darkly, "Playtime's over."

*****

Goten arrived as Yamcha pulled the last of the rubble off of Takira. She stood up in one fluid motion, then fell over with similar grace. She lurched back to her feet and staggered, legs braced, wobbling. Blood dripped into her eye from a cut on her forehead. She wiped it away irritably, wincing at the pain. Goten rushed over to her, lending a steadying hand.

"Takira, you're alive!" She grunted.

"Guess I'll take your word for it," she groaned, looking around, trying to force her blurred vision to focus. "Where's Mordrig? Where's Trunks?"

"They're on the hill with the others. Trunks is fighting with Mordrig. He sent me to see if you were okay."

"Yeah. Sure. Never felt better," she muttered, swaying slightly, still dripping blood.

"Sit down," Yamcha ordered. "Bulma will be back in a second."

"Bulma? What's she going to do, cover me with band-aids?" Bulma appeared, bearing a small drawstring bag, from which she drew a single, nondescript bean. Takira howled with laughter.

"What the hell is that?"

"A Senzu seed," Bulma replied tersely. "Before you laugh too hard, eat it." Still snickering, Takira did as she was told, her sarcasm dissolving into surprise. She stood and stretched.

"Amazing!" she exclaimed. "Man, I wish I'd known about those things back on planet Vegeta!" She clapped a hand to her mouth as she realized what she'd just admitted.

"We're going to hear your story, Takira," Yamcha said, "Later. For now, let's see if Trunks and Gohan need a hand." He took the bag from Bulma. "We may end up needing these, though I hope we won't."

"There's only one left," Bulma warned. Yamcha tucked the bag in his pocket.

"Well, I'll be careful with it, then. Let's go."

"Wait," said Takira, approaching Bulma. "I thank you for healing me, but I have one further favor to ask of you."

"What's that?" Bulma asked guardedly.

"The dragontear--your necklace. May I wear it? I promise you'll get it back when all this is over." Bulma looked uncertain, but nonetheless pulled the necklace over her head and handed it to Takira. She put it on and turned to face Yamcha and Goten.

"Okay, guys, let's roll." The location was not difficult to see; a curious glow, punctuated by bursts of light, marked the hill they sought. As they drew nearer, they saw the Oozaru and Trunks exchanging blows. Neither noticed the three as they approached.

"So that's what a super Saiyan looks like," Takira murmured.

"That's it," Goten confirmed, "but he seems to be taking a bit of a beating. Takira, can you pull that trick of yours again?"

"If I can get close enough. He's so big, though; I don't know effective I'll be, clinging to his fur." She drew her katana. "Distract him, guys. It's about time I repaid him for ripping off my tail." She flew in a wide circle around the hilltop to orient herself behind the Oozaru, concentrating on cloaking her ki. Goten and Yamcha flew around and were immediately intercepted by Gohan, holding up a hand to stop them.

"Trunks wanted to handle this alone, guys," he said, but his tone conveyed no great confidence.

"Gohan, we need to get in there!" Goten protested. "We need to be sure Mordrig's distracted so Takira can make her attack!"

"Takira? So she's alive."

"Alive and well," said Yamcha. "Bulma gave her a Senzu seed. We have one more, in case we end up needing it." He patted his pocket.

"If what Koretz said is true, I fear we may need it."

"What? It's just an Oozaru, he's not even super Saiyan!" exclaimed Goten.

"This isn't even close to his strongest form, apparently. He can change forms at will, and to hear Koretz tell it, he's got quite a repertoire."

"Where is Koretz?" Goten asked.

"* Who * is Koretz, is my question," muttered Yamcha. Gohan ignored him.

"At his request, I left him. He's prowling around here somewhere, though I can't imagine what he hopes to do."

With a resounding thud, Trunks' body smashed into the ground nearby. He growled in anger and struggled to his feet. The fight was not going well. Mordrig laughed and approached the group.

"You pathetic fools! Can't you even defeat one of your own kind?" He raised a gloved hand, preparing a ki blast, when he caught sight of movement behind him. Takira streaked forward, katana raised, making to move to dodge even as Mordrig turned slightly and launched his ki attack at her. Desperation propelled her forward.

'If I can just outrun this attack--don't think I'm going to make it. Shit! Well, I said I'd die trying--' She braced for her own destruction.

Suddenly a broad beam of energy shot up from the ground, striking Mordrig's attack and deflecting it. The two bolts of energy screamed past Takira, burning her arm. With a shriek of pain and fury, she brought down the katana with all her strength, severing Mordrig's monstrous tail.

Shooting away before Mordrig could retaliate, Takira looked down and saw Koretz, still braced from the attack he'd launched. An instant later Mordrig's mouth-blast hit him, his shattered body slumping to the ground before he'd even had time to scream. The Oozaru roared but did not seem to be shrinking. He roared again, and from the bloody stump of his tail, a new one appeared. Mordrig swished it lazily as he looked at Takira.

"Thought you had me, didn't you, girl? Well, that's very clever, but if my body changes so easily, wouldn't it makes sense that I could regenerate? Really, I expected you to be more sensible than that. All you've managed to do is kill Koretz, burn yourself, and piss me off. That last one," he growled, "was not such a good idea."

Takira leaped aside as Mordrig's fist slammed into the ground where she'd been. She took to the air, sword still drawn, and rushed in, aiming for the throat. He swatted her aside, then followed with a ki blast that she barely managed to dodge. 'Too fast,' she thought with alarm. 'He may look like an Oozaru but he's drawing on more power than any Oozaru ever had!" Quickly she sheathed her sword to free her hands.

'Little pest,' Mordrig thought to himself. 'She's no threat but she's going to be a nuisance. To hell with saving her for last.' He prepared another energy ball in each hand. This little game was going to end now.

He threw the first with dazzling speed, but Takira was ready with an attack of her own. The two energies met in a clash of light, and then Takira's began to press further, slowly forcing its way toward Mordrig. He grunted, unimpressed. 'She's using all her power in that. She doesn't realize I've still got one more!' He grinned and prepared to obliterate Takira with his second attack, sensing too late the glow behind him.

The hilltop shuddered and then exploded, rocks and trees spraying out to cover a quarter-mile radius from the site. As the dust cleared, Mordrig found himself lying in a smoking crater, his head spinning. Trunks and Yamcha stood at the edge of the crater. Above Mordrig hovered Gohan, aura blazing, a perfect picture of fury. It was he who had fired that attack.

"Enough of this," he hissed through clenched teeth. Mordrig slowly rose to his feet, reverting to his original form.

"Indeed, enough," he said. "It's about time someone took real action around here. You were even good enough to destroy that meddlesome girl, and for that I thank you." Gohan smiled grimly.

"Take a good look behind you before you thank me." Mordrig turned to see Goten hovering a short distance away, a surprised-looking Takira in his arms. Releasing her to float beside him, he grinned.

"Too fast for ya, hmm? Sorry to disappoint." He gave Mordrig a cocky smile. Mordrig bristled and turned back to Gohan.

"Well, that was very nicely orchestrated; my compliments. Now, what say we raise the stakes a little?" He powered up, changing again, dust and rocks swirling around his twisting body. When all was calm again, a lizard-like Rykal stood before them, golden eyes glowing beneath scaled hoods. A forked tongue flicked from his mouth as he laughed softly.

"I don't think you've seen one of these before. They don't travel much to this end of the galaxy; I had to travel long and hard to find one, myself." He rose into the air. "Let's see if it was worth it."