Fresh, blocky letters ones Levos didn't recognize had been scrawled across the inside of the water tank's glass.
One look and he pieced it together.
Without a translator, Captain Ginyu had resorted to writing. He'd made Tagoma read the trigger phrase aloud the incantation for the Body Change and in that instant, hijacked Tagoma's body.
Levos's eyes thinned.
So much for the plan.
He'd kept Ginyu close precisely because he didn't trust him. And yet the frog had sniffed out an opening anyway.
Inside the tank, the real Tagoma now a furious, flopping Namekian frog thumped helplessly against the glass. Levos couldn't help a wry pang.
Ginyu was still very useful if you could keep him leashed. Unfettered, he was a nightmare. No one knew the upper limit of that swap technique; if he ever stole Levos's body again, that would be a catastrophe.
Shff
Levos snapped into his Mechanical Cell form and blinked to a stop in front of Ginyu.
"M-Mr. Levos!"
Ginyu skittered back two steps, every line of him coiled and wary.
"Congratulations on the new body, Captain Ginyu."
"T-thank you…" Ginyu's smile was stiff. "What are your orders, sir?"
"So you do understand your position," Levos said mildly.
"I I'm sorry! I never should've tried to steal your body in the first place. I wouldn't dare target you again!"
Ginyu's face had gone chalk-pale; he trembled.
"See that you don't." Levos's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Right now, I need your help."
Ginyu hesitated, then dipped his head. "As you command…"
"Good. I have an excellent body in mind. Swap into him first, then I'll tell you the rest."
Levos turned. "Piccolo, please break the seal on Rose Broly."
Piccolo's brow pinched. "Levos… you're not seriously letting Ginyu take Rose Broly's body?"
"What? That's insane!"
"Ginyu's a villain! Why give him that chance?"
"He stole your body once, Levos! You're just going to let that slide?"
The protests came in a rush.
Levos didn't budge. "I've cursed Ginyu plenty. But this is our chance to deepen cooperation with His Majesty."
He looked to Frieza. "What do you think, Lord Frieza?"
A small light clicked behind Frieza's eyes. "Mr. Levos intends to grant Captain Ginyu Rose Broly's body?"
Levos nodded with a sunny, harmless smile. "Of course."
"However…" He added, patient and clear, "not grant. Loan. For a time."
"How long?" Frieza's frown deepened.
"That's hard to say," Levos answered honestly.
"Truly? You'd have me exchange with Rose Broly?" Ginyu could barely contain himself.
"Yes," Levos said. "If anyone is suited to this, it's you."
Frieza's eyes narrowed; he seemed ready to probe further
Thud.
Rose Broly's body slumped to the floor.
Piccolo had already unsealed him.
At his peak, Rose Broly sat roughly a thousand times a Mini-Cell baseline terrifying in any other context. But with Levos's Mechanical form for delta control and Broly badly injured and powered down the risk was contained.
Even so, Broly's vitality was monstrous. The instant the seal came off, his wounds began knitting visibly.
Levos sustained his Mechanical form, attention locked on Broly. If the brute so much as twitched wrong, he'd be dropped in an instant.
"Captain Ginyu," Levos said evenly, "begin."
Frieza stepped forward, a flash in his gaze as if to intercede.
Levos slid between them, voice cooling. "Lord Frieza, I know you're concerned for Captain Ginyu's safety. He won't die."
Frieza's brows held their knot.
Levos turned back, smiling at Ginyu.
Ginyu hustled over, pried open Broly's eyelid, and met his gaze.
"Change!"
Whumm !
An orange beam burst from Ginyu's mouth straight into Broly's.
Light spiraled.
Within the column, Levos could almost see it two ghostly silhouettes unmooring, crossing paths, diving into new flesh.
So that's the swap… Zero read on the principle at all.
The glow faded.
Every gaze fixed on the fallen Rose Broly.
Levos, meanwhile, chopped Tagoma on the neck and dropped him cold.
"Piccolo, hold him."
Piccolo hoisted Tagoma's body by the collar and floated up out of reach.
"Mr. Levos success!" croaked the man on the ground, voice strained. "Get me healed badly wounded here!"
Ginyu? Or Broly?
All eyes fell to Levos, waiting for his call.
He stroked his chin, frowning. "I can't be sure yet."
"What? Even Levos can't tell?"
"This is bad Ginyu has failed a swap before, on Earth "
"This could be a mess…"
"Mr. Levos! It worked, I'm Ginyu!" the prone man blurted, urgent. "Let me show you the Ginyu Special Fighting Pose!"
"Words don't prove anything," Piccolo cut in.
Levos hid a smile. Piccolo had caught his drift.
"Then do this," Levos said, grave. "Perform another swap. If it works, you're Ginyu. After that, you can switch back."
Rose Broly's eyes went wide.
Around them, heads nodded. It was a clean test.
Frieza's stare glinted with suspicion; something about this rubbed him wrong. Vados's lips curved in a mischievous line, but she stayed silent.
Broly's borrowed body shuddered with pain.
He gritted out, "Fine. Anyone hurry I'm in agony!"
Levos, Piccolo's voice sounded in Levos's mind, who's the target?
Levos scanned the plaza.
Saiyans like Goku, Gohan, and the two Trunks could spike through Super Saiyan 4 or the Super Saiyan God path; giving them Broly's body wasn't the best value play. That pushed the choice to others.
On hand were Yajirobe, the Pilaf gang, Chiaotzu, Bulma, Android 18, Videl, Puar, Hedo…and Levos's two Mini-Cells, One and Two.
Ginyu swapping into Tagoma now had blindsided him. Tien, Krillin, Master Roshi, Mr. Satan all the martial stalwarts were back on Earth; no help there.
And then Frieza stepped forward, face locked in a brittle smile.
"In that case…try swapping with me."
Levos's eyes flicked. Of course Frieza would try to muddy the waters he'd clearly smelled the play.
Levos met Piccolo's look; both of their expressions darkened.
"Captain Ginyu," Frieza pressed, "begin."
No time left to juggle options.
"My apologies, Lord Frieza!"
Rose Broly's eyes flashed red.
"Chaaaange !"
Not the emperor. Anyone but him.
In the heartbeat the orange beam erupted, Levos seized Broly by the front and Instant Transmitted
so that the beam lanced straight into the figure standing beside Bulma.
Every jaw dropped.
Of all people…how could it be him / her / it?!
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