Miika here! I would like to announce that I am open for beta-ing for other stories, so if anyone is interested, and meet my criteria, I would be more than happy to oblige. I'm new to the beta scene, so please be sure you specify what you believe on what you need help. Oh, and I apologize for the length of this particular chapter, but there will be longer ones in the future! Just... not in the near future. And disclaimer time!

Disclaimer: I do not own DB/Z/GT, or the song My Friend of Misery. That's Metallica's work.


Chapter 3: The Darker Side- Snake Way Part 2

I stop in front of a classic Japanese style castle, adorned with bright crimson trim. I blink curiously, and continue on my way. Sure, the castle looks like it'd be fit for a King, perhaps like King Kai, but I want to know what happens if I follow the trail further. I don't give the castle a second glance before blazing my trail down the slate road. Besides, I'm sure it'll always be there.

It feels like forever, only stopping to eat some of the light yellowy fluff at the edge. I want to keep going. I need to keep going. Visions on the Saiyans keep dancing through my head like sugar plum fairies on the night before Christmas. And then an image of the Saiyans as dancing sugar plum fairies. I stifle my giggles, until I watch the burly bald one pirouette, and I fall to the stone road, laughing my head off. Have I gone insane? Shouldn't I be thinking about more serious things? I wipe a tear from my eye and continue running down the path until a list of songs pop into my head. I remember the melodies clearly.

Ba ba-dum, ba ba ba-dum, de FLY AWAY! Or... well, I never really learned the lyrics to that particular song. I know there was one particular catchy song I sang in disparaging times.

...Misery
You insist that the weight of the world
Should be on your shoulders
Misery
There's much more to life than what you see
My friend of misery

I shudder at how well I relate to those words. Through our past together, I always felt Goku and I shared a common thread. We both protected our friends and family, insisting on self-sacrifice, like we have something to prove, even before I died. We put others before us, even to the dismay of those we care about. I sigh. I don't consider myself a miserable person, or one constantly in the shadows. I'm not terribly alone. There's Goku, Gohan, Bulma, Yamcha, Puar, Oolong, Krillin, Chi-chi... I basically grew up with the whole gang. I love and care for them very much. Thoughts go back to when I had the vision about the Ox King's castle on fire.

xFlashbackx

Flames lick the massive castle nestled in the mountain. A giant holds a little girl dressed in dark blue and pink garb, barely covering herself. The flames shrink away into a fizzle of smoke with the aid of a fan-like device. And this little girl hangs on Goku like she owns him! He looks distressed, but he can handle himself.

After clutching my head, and coming to, young Goku eyes me warily. His concern is evident.

"What's wrong, Hayashi?" he asks. "It was another one, right?" My eyes widen and check my area closely. I'm in Kame House. Sand speckles my gi, to which I hastily brush off. Master Roshi will clean it up anyway. Bulma must be outside with the lecherous Martial Arts Master.

I nod my head, confirming his suspicion. "It was horrid. Someone's castle is on fire, and he was protecting a little girl," I tell him, holding back shivers of nervousness. I refuse to tell him the last part. Could this be jealousy? I've never been truly jealous of anyone before.

xEnd Flashbackx

Upon thinking about it, I was extremely jealous of her. She captured his heart in a way I couldn't. I couldn't cook. At all. Sure, I learned how to, but still. We both had tails. The same type of unruly hair. Uncanny ability to manipulate ki, and learn other moves from others. He didn't pick me though. It doesn't matter now, because Chi-chi has been a good friend of mine since we met, enough that I do think of her like a true sister. Especially with how much of a fight she puts up with Goku. I laugh at how the two of them go together. I may be jealous of them, but I think it's for other another reason now.

A family. A partner to hold at night. A kid whose mind is as bright as his eyes are wide. I shrug and push myself harder, running faster. I don't need those things at this stage in life. As seeing what had happened with Gohan, I'm not sure I could ever live with Goku if he handed my child over to someone who claimed to be my sibling. I'm surprised Goku is forgiving enough in that aspect.

I envy him more than I should.

I focus on my speeding feet, barely making enough contact as I leap across the road. The toes only touch to bounce forward at lightning speeds. I need to focus on this road. I don't want to be stronger for me, but for those I care about. Not for personal gain, not to attract anyone, but to protect the place I call home.

I stop, heaving deep breaths into my chest. Eyeing it, I notice the cooler air prickling the skin around about my collarbone. I turn a deep shade of red, judging by the heat radiating from my face, and instantly begin ridiculing myself for my behavior. There's no one around for at least thousands of miles, and those that have seen it didn't seem like they cared. The only thing making me slow down even more now is the fact that I'll be in the presence of a Kai. I had only heard about these powerful beings. I resume my running, mindlessly munching on more fluff. Energy builds up in my body. I don't allow myself to rest for too long, otherwise I would take even longer to reach King Kai. I release a growl in hopes to help with my speed. I feel my hair whipping my back and face, trailing behind like a mysterious dark cloak.

I want to be happy. And I won't squander my opportunity. Unless...

"I hope it's not too late," I say to myself in reassurance. What if that perfect man had been killed by either of our monkey forms? Or, worse yet, by one of our enemies? My eyes spy the ending of the road, marked by a finned tail. I look back, not seeing the castle anywhere in my vision. Then again, it is so far behind, even with how winding this road is. I glance around and I see a small planet, and I fly over to it, and instantly regretting it. I feel a strong force pulling me down, and I can't escape. I fall with a trembling thud. Coos come from above me, revealing a brown fuzzy monkey.

"Bubbles! Come back here!" I hear a nasally voice call out. I urge my eyes to look up, despite the pain. Even my eyelids struggle to keep open. Through my lashes, I see a stumpy figure in black and red. Blue skin on his hands, and a pair of round sunglasses, reminding me of Master Roshi. A pair of antennae adorn his head. Though I can't see through his glasses, I can feel his gaze upon me. "Can I help you?" he asks while placing his hands behind his back.

My teeth grind against each other. "Can't... move..." I say. My voice is garbled by a mound of dirt in my mouth. I hear him hum.

"The gravity here is 20 times Earth's gravity. I assume you're from Earth, correct?" he asks. I try my best to nod in affirmation. He hums again, and nods. "You must be Son- no. Goku is a male name. You're Kin Hayashi, I presume?"

"How do you know Goku? And yes, I'm Hayashi," I tell him. I'm officially confused. Did something happen to Goku while I've been dead? As if reading my mind, he responds casually.

"An evil being killed Goku. From what King Yemma told me, he will be here shortly. And by shortly, it means anytime within the next five or six months Earth time." I gawk at him. Goku's dead?! But he's so much stronger than me! Chi-chi must be devastated now, knowing her husband and the one person like a sister are gone. Poor Gohan too.

I push against the solid ground, forcing myself to stand. "So, 20 times normal gravity, huh?" I chuckle slightly. "Not sure how I'll get any training done this way."

I can see King Kai's face, blue, cherub-like cheeks, and whiskers like a catfish. I fight against the gravity, my brow furrowing.

"Well, you see, Hayashi, I'm supposed to train you. But first," he says with a grin and a quick push of his glasses, "you need to tell me a joke, and make me laugh."

Aw, crap! I'm no good at jokes. I think of my best ones, and shrug my shoulders as the first one pops into my head. "Why is a mouse when it spins?" I wait for a moment before continuing. "Because footballs don't have handles!" I smile in hopes. Not even a twitch. I'm slowly getting used to standing in this increased gravity.

A quick joke runs to my mouth. "A guy walks into a bar. Ouch." I say it with a wince to add the effect. Nothing. Not even Bubbles the little monkey coos at it.

I can't think of much else. I doubt he would appreciate an Aristocrats-type joke, so that's out of the question. Suddenly, a ball of light flies and rests near King Kai.

"Ah, Gregory! I see you decided to join us," King Kai says, a snappy tone adding to his nasally voice. The large insect nods his head.

"Of course!" the bug screeches. The sound hurts my ears, almost as painfully as Bulma's scream. I hum, and it hits me.

"If a chicken and a half can lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, then how long would it take a grasshopper with a peg leg to kick the seeds out of a dill pickle?" I ask, a smirk gracing my features. I wait a moment, and give the punchline. "As many there are beans in the bag, and because hamburgers don't fly!"

I cross my fingers, and King Kai releases a laugh that could make even the most stoic person's belly sore from watching. His laughter causes me to laugh uncontrollably. My eyes dart to see confusion marking Bubble's and Gregory's faces. As I stare at Gregory, though, my stomach becomes sore from the laughing, and yet I laugh harder as I imagine him as the grasshopper in the joke. With a peg leg. My gods, what is wrong with me?

King Kai's laughter dies down to a stifled chuckle, and eyes Gregory. "That was beautiful, Hayashi! Now, onto the next test-" My stomach rumbles loudly. I watch as Bubbles scurries away from me and hides behind the blue old-style car. I clutch my gut, hoping I could muffle its terrifying sounds to no avail. I feel very faint, and I let gravity do its work, working 20 times more efficiently than Earth, my home.

"Arugelle," a gentle voice reaches my ears. I'm no longer on King Kai's planet, but floating in a void. The lilting tone reminds me of the dream I had, Ms. Rooto.

Afraid to speak, I tighten my mouth and feel a shadow on my mind. "Yes, dear, it is I, Rooto. I understand I have been gone for some time now, and now that we're roughly in the same realm, I can sense you." I imagine the Kanassan from long ago in question, hoping I can match the voice with the being. "Do you remember me?"

"I... I've only recently been called Arugelle, but my new name is Hayashi," I say, unsure if my voice would reach her.

"I see," I hear understanding and disappointment in her voice. "I wanted to tell you something long ago, perhaps to help with your mental abilities and coping. One of the techniques we use is a form of meditation, similar to what Earthlings call astral projection," she explains. "It can, however, be triggered by extreme fatigue. I can read your ki from here, and I say you've collapsed from the latter. Silly girl," she chuckles, sounding like chimes in the distance.

"What's the use of this technique?" I ask curiously. In my mind's eye, I can almost see her crossing her cloth-draped arms and nodding her head, approving of my inquisitive nature. The light gossamer robe and pink silk of her top and billowing pants come to mind now, as it had been the last outfit I remember her wearing.

"The technique aids in checking on others in different corners of the galaxy. So, say, you ever wanted to check on Bardock's son, you could focus on him, and you'd see him. But, of course, since it's only a projection of your spirit, he can't see, hear, or smell you. Not too sure on tasting, but he would be able to sense your presence," she says.

I take in this new information and smile. "Wait, which one of Bardock's sons?" I ask. I hear that chime-like chuckle once more.

"The one who's alive. Go on. Give it a try," she offers. I focus on his being, traveling so quickly through the endless expanse of space. I feel my spirit being drawn to the pod. I reach the glass and peer through it and see his furrowed brow, the device over his left eye remaining, and his arms crossed over like he's in a hissy fit. And then I wonder, could I mess with him? I breathe on the tinted glass, fogging it up. I scribble his name, and draw my face, albeit poorly. I watch as he shivers, and I laugh before returning to the void.

"You did very well, young one," I hear Rooto say as her mental presence vanishes. I gulp, choking back sobs like I lost a good friend once again.

"Rooto! Don't leave me!" I scream helplessly. "Rooto!"

"Rooto!" I yell out, startling Bubbles and Gregory. My breathing is erratic, and I attempt to calm myself when I see Bubbles' mug. "Must've been a dream," I say as I rub my head weakly. Out of the corner of my eye, I stare at King Kai's form. Though I may not have known him for long, I can tell he needs to talk to me about something. I realize I'm no longer outside by the lightly purple-tinted walls, and the firm bed. The aroma of fried rice and udon noodles stir within my nostrils. I sigh contentedly, though I'm unsure about moving. First, I kick a single leg over the side of the bed, and then the other. Using my hands to help, I sit up, with some trouble.

"Ah! Good to see you've woken up, Hayashi!" I hear the nasally voice call out not too far away. "You looked exhausted, so the two others carried you inside." King Kai walks in, still unfazed by the lack of top. "Don't worry about that. Although if you're bothered by it, we can zap a new uniform on you, though I give you a new one once you complete training." He turns his back to me, hands still behind his back.

I stare at my chest, and I realize that I don't care. Not like they'll come loose or anything with how tight I bind them. Besides, there's not much there to gawk at, much to Master Roshi's displeasure.

"So, Hayashi, would you like to start your training?" he asks, walking towards the door. I take a deep breath. I know I've come a long way, and to refuse training under a Kai would be the most foolish decision made, next to letting Raditz go. Though the longer I'm here, the less I regret it. Thanks to him, I can have this opportunity.

The door creaks open, and I eye Bubbles the monkey and Gregory the floating magical cricket exit the house. I swallow hard.

"I do want to train with you, King Kai, without a doubt," I tell him. A smile graces his blue fish-like face. I look down to my hands resting on the bed. I push off, and feel the squishing effect this dense gravity has on my body. My legs must be strained from all the running on Snake Way.

His head turns to me. "So, you want to train? Or is there a 'but' in there somehow?" he asks. I know my body will get used to feeling so heavy. The silence grows denser by the moment, the yet-unanswered question hanging in the air.

"There is," I finally say. My eyes shoot up. "Could you tell me about the Saiyans? Or about the impending danger my planet Earth will be facing?" His head faces outside, I can only assume staring at Bubbles.

"Is my name King Kai?" he asks me. I quirk an eyebrow and scratch the back of my head.

"As far as I know, yeah, I guess you are," I respond. He smiles and his antennae twitch a couple times.

"Then yes, I can tell you about the Saiyans and the threat towards your home," he says. "But first, we need you to do a couple things to test your strength!"


The wily bastard! Yep! Oh, and if you have any questions regarding her abilities, do not hesitate to ask! If you have predictions, ideas, or even some form of critique, leave me a review. I do try to answer them in a timely manner, but I will apologize if I don't. Thank you, R&R, and Miika, out!

P.S. The song she didn't know in the beginning was the theme song for DBZ. Just for future reference, I don't own that song either.