Chapter 7: Instauration
Author: Rocket (a.k.a. Roketto/RyunoOhi); Editors: npberryhill & Saucemonkey
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"Haa...haa... Kgh..!" Frieza winced in pain, his body shaking. "I'll...not...be...weak..!" he ground out. If weakness existed in him, he would exscind it, strangle it within himself, quell it completely. The Arcosian growled with pain, digging his fingers into his chest, the blood dripping down his arms. With a primal scream, he sought that weakness deep within himself, and wrenched it out from behind the keratin plate in the center of his chest. "I reject...this...damnable weakness..." he panted, feeling a sense of triumph within the agony, glaring disapprovingly at what lay in his hand. Wetly, it pulsed, an insistent thump against his fingers. With a disgusted look of hatred, he flung it away. It tumbled, hit the ground, and left a bloody streak as it slid to a stop in a dark corner. He turned away, feeling empty, but better, somehow. "No more weakness." he spoke into the darkness. "Not anymore." The words rang hollow, his own voice sounding dead to his ears in the heavy air. Was this strength? This indifference? A comforting hand met his shoulder, the familiar weight of a heavy tail laid gently across his back as he crouched in the darkness. "Papa..?" he breathed, the pangs of pain in his chest feeling more numb and distant.
"Yes, my son." the older Arcosian seemed brighter than the dull surroundings, somehow. More real than any of this. "Come. Let us return, now that you have purged yourself. You have acted admirably, in spite of your weakness and doubt. From here, you can only move forward, forge onward for the benefit of our empire."
A wave of pride, that ached in his empty chest, passed over Frieza, before he tried to rise. His happiness turned to dismay. "Papa, I...I can't get up..." He half-expected the taller man to scoff, or to kick at him to force him up, but instead, there was only a shrug of his massive tail, and a peculiar half-smile.
"Rest then, Frieza." King Kold intoned quietly, looping his tail gingerly around his son's body, lifting him easily. "You've been brave, and it is natural to feel drained after such a...trial." The huge Arcosian draped his son over one shoulder, where he hung, limply, feeling exhausted. "Come on, then. Let's go."
"...Go where?" Frieza asked sleepily. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a small voice told him that this wasn't right. It was easily ignored, though. What could possibly be wrong about this? He felt safe, protected.
"Your mother is waiting." his father said simply. At this, Frieza's eyes opened fully, as he struggled to look up.
"What..?" he asked dully, his mind sluggishly trying to process this. "Wait..." This wasn't right. "Put me down." he said quietly. No response from his father. "Papa, put me down, I can walk." he said, a little louder. Nothing. A vague sense of wrongness crept into Frieza's mind, as he struggled against Kold's grip on him. "I said...I can...walk..! Put me down!" He squirmed, vainly pounding his fists on the dark brown of the armored pauldron on his father's shoulder. He heard a faint thumping, behind them. Receding from sight, the only thing of color in this dingy world, bright red, and still, still pulsating with life. "No..!" he gasped, pulling against Kold's grip. "I have to...I have to go back! I...I need—!"
"You need nothing there, Frieza." his father's voice traveled back to him, no longer sounding friendly, but icy and edged. A cold shiver went down Frieza's spine, hearing that tone. Suddenly, the comforting strength of his father's presence was a steel trap, pressing him down painfully, threatening to crush him.
"No... No!" Frieza painfully choked, thrashing with all his might. He felt something wet as he slammed his fist into the back of his father's armor. Drawing his hand up to his face in the dim light, he recoiled at the blood, oozing from a round hole through the broad back...from a mortal wound, Frieza suddenly recalled.
Before he could voice his surprise, Kold, as though reading his mind, turned his head to face his struggling son. "It's your fault, you know." Frieza stared at him dumbly, his mouth agape. His eyes were a blank white.
"Papa...You're... I...I-I'm sorry..." the younger Arcosian said, his voice quavering in fear and regret. "Now I see... It's all my fault, all of this...please...f-forgive me..." his voice hitched as he squeezed his eyes shut.
"A demon like you has no business begging for anyone's forgiveness." Kold said, prompting Frieza to open his eyes again. He flinched in shock, staring at his father's face, now sporting electric blue-green eyes.
"Aaaaaauuugh!" the small Arcosian let out a loud scream, shaking and thrashing around in his sleep, drops of sweat dotting his body.
"Looks like his dreams are haunting him, even now." Goku said in a concerned tone. He pulled the sheet up over the alien, who had kicked it partly off in his struggles. "What are we gonna do, guys?"
Bulma bit her lip. "Well...I'm not a medical doctor, and neither is Dad, but..."
Goku's concerned frown deepened. "But what? We've gotta help him, we can't just—"
"I'm thinking, Goku!" Bulma said, exasperated. "I'm trying to figure out how we can help him, without having to bring in an outside party who'll ask a lot of questions!" She smoothed her hair down nervously.
"Yeah," Krillin added, "If a doctor sees him, the first thing they'll ask is where the heck he came from, and why he's here. It's not like we can pass him off as an Earth species - he doesn't even look like a lizard person, they've usually got wings like that Giran guy you fought at the Tenkaichi Budoukai, Goku."
"Yeah..." Goku said dejectedly, scratching his head. "There's gotta be some way, though..."
"Hmm..." Dr. Briefs hummed in thought, flicking his cigarette into an ashtray outside the room as he entered. "You say we need a medical doctor? Well, haven't we got some interns in the biotechnology sector?"
Bulma gasped, "Oh! That's right! Thanks Dad!" she hugged him enthusiastically, grinning. "Do you know someone who can help?" she asked him, not being familiar with that wing of the company.
"Oh yes, dear, I know just the person who may be able to assist us." The violet-haired man adjusted his glasses, and pressed a comm button on the wall. "Paging Ash, would you please come to the medical wing, Room 294? Ah, thank you." he said to the voice at the other end. "He'll be here shortly; very bright young man." He glanced at the Arcosian lying in the hospital bed, moaning. "I think he may be able to help us."
A few minutes later, a young man entered the hospital room. He was short, and slightly overweight, with dark brown hair cropped short, and intelligent blue eyes. "Hi Dr. Briefs!" the man greeted the old scientist cheerfully - and more than a little familiarly. "So, I heard you have a patient for me to assess? You do know I'm not a doctor yet, right? I'm still an intern!" he chuckled jokingly. "So, is this some sorta test? Who do I have to look at, and what's— Agh!" the young man's bright blue eyes shot open in shock, as he finally noticed the alien in the hospital bed. "W-what...what is t-that?!" he stammered, backing into the wall with a thump.
"Ash..." Dr. Briefs started calmly, "...this is the 'patient', and yes, before you ask, he is an extraterrestrial. We called you in because, well, you're the most knowledgeable person on the staff here at Capsule Corp." The intern continued to gape in shock at the Arcosian, prompting Dr. Briefs to clear his throat. "Er-hem! Ash? We have a very serious problem with this fellow here, and you are his best chance for a possible diagnosis, given your background in cybernetic systems and biotechnology experimentation." He removed his glasses, wiping the lenses with the edge of his labcoat.
"...Uh, yeah...right... A real alien..." Ash whispered, seemingly to himself, a few drops of perspiration appearing on his face. "O-okay, Dr. Briefs, sir, uuuumm... Well, first, I kinda need a...patient history. So...how..?" he quirked his mouth as if to ask a question, but trailed off, just holding a hand out, palm-up, at Frieza.
Bulma sighed sympathetically, "It's...complicated. Better you don't ask too many questions, y'know, since this falls under your contract as an employee of Capsule Corporation as a 'company secret'." The genius knew this was stretching the confidentiality clause a bit, since Frieza wasn't intellectual property, but Ash's expression made it apparent that he caught her drift, and was willing to keep mum about this. 'Good.' she thought.
"Right, Ms. Briefs," Ash said politely, his momentary awe over Frieza disappearing behind a veil of professionalism, "...so, what can you tell me? Anything will help, since I've got no background on this...creature." He sidled over closer to the bed, warily keeping his distance but looking curious.
"Careful." Goku said, prompting Ash to look over at the strange man in an orange gi - he'd heard about Bulma's connections to martial artists, but this was his first time meeting any of them. "He's weak now, but he could hurt you if you're not careful. He's stronger than he looks."
'Stronger than he looks?!' Ash thought with worry, 'Yikes, this is...so surreal! It's like I'm in a science fiction story or something... I hope this thing doesn't try to lay an egg in my face or eat me or something...' He blinked nervously. "Well...uh...is he awake? Can he talk? Y'know, speak our language?"
"I can try to wake him up..." Goku said, moving to the bedside. "Frieza? Hey, you gotta wake up, there's someone here to help you." The Saiyan gently shook the pale alien by the shoulder. With a moan, the Arcosian cracked his eyes open. He barely seemed to register, or even care, that Goku was touching him. "Okay," Goku told the weakened tyrant, "now you've gotta tell this guy here what's wrong with you, or at least, whatever you think is wrong." He pointed to the rather stiff and nervous-looking human standing at the foot of the bed.
Frieza's eyes rolled hazily for a moment, before focusing, with some effort, on Ash. "...I'm ill." he rasped, before coughing weakly. "You can't...help...me..." He closed his eyes and slumped back again, breathing heavily.
"Well with an attitude like that, maybe we should just let him die..." Krillin mumbled under his breath. Bulma shot him a disapproving glare.
"Er, hey...Frieza, was it?" Ash asked, his voice no longer quavering, "I don't know anything about you, except that Dr. Briefs and Ms. Bulma want you to continue living. I don't know what your relationship to them is, or why you're even here on this planet...but for their sake, as well as for yours, I'll do my best to help you." The pale alien lying in the hospital bed opened his eyes again - his eyes were a bright red, Ash noted. Creepy.
"Heh. You...Earth people...are all so strange... So...altruistic." Another wet-sounding cough, and this time, Ash saw blood dribbling from between the dark lips.
"Ah! Oh geez, you're...you're bleeding internally..." Ash exclaimed. "Okay, someone, I don't care who, needs to tell me everything that you know about his condition, right now. Come on, I can't work on nothing!"
"Okay, okay!" Bulma said. "From what we know, he lost a large portion of his body fighting, and it's mostly cybernetic now." She gestured to his empty arm socket. "His arm was busted, so I was trying to repair it —it's still in my lab— but from that, I learned that it's very advanced tech, and it operates very closely to how an organic system would. Beyond that, though, I don't know anything about the way it all works; I haven't had a chance to study it." Ash listened closely, as he pulled back the sheet covering the Arcosian.
"Whoa..." he breathed, "You didn't tell me he had a tail! This is really different from a human being, I don't know if I can...what if his bodily systems are nothing like ours? If there's a crucial difference in his physiology that makes any Earth-based treatment dangerous, we could kill him."
"Well he's gonna die if we don't do something!" Bulma snapped angrily. "Just...figure something out!" she sighed with frustration. 'This is bad...what're we going to do, if he dies? I don't even want to think about it!'
"It's...so damn cold in here..." Frieza hissed, shivering. "Don't you...have heating in this building?"
"Eh? It's not that cold in here..." Goku said with confusion.
"Hmm..." Ash put his hand under his chin in momentary thought, before abruptly placing a hand across Frieza's forehead. "Frieza, do you happen to know what normal body temperature is for your kind?"
Frieza, somewhat discomforted by the man's touch, took a moment to respond hoarsely, "I don't know," before coughing again, "...lower than...yours." He seemed to tolerate the human's touching him, as now Ash seemed emboldened enough to run his fingers along the cybernetic implants lining his head.
"I see..." Ash murmured. He put two fingers to the alien's throat, feeling the weak pulse there, much slower than a human's. At this, Frieza made an attempt to draw away, a look of concern evident on his face. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Ash reassured him, "but if anything I do hurts, you let me know, okay?" Frieza nodded, still looking wary. The pudgy human continued to assess the strange extraterrestrial, taking special note of the red blotches that appeared to be spreading across his paper-white skin.
After answering a few more questions with Frieza's help, along with Goku and Bulma filling in any gaps in information they could, Ash said, "I think I've got some idea of what's happening to him, but first, let me summarize what I've deduced. First of all, Frieza's exothermic, unlike humans, and he's very feverish, prompting his perception of the surroundings as cold. His digestive system was removed for the most part, and the machines on the ship he came in were responsible for things such as dialysis and removing any buildups of waste. Goku, you told me that this 'Vegeta' person destroyed the ship, so that's not gonna help us. So then, after less than three days here, he collapsed with internal bleeding, the rash, and difficulty breathing." Ash ticked off the symptoms on his fingers as he sat down on a rolling stool next to the bed, and then sighed. "I don't think there's much we can do. After all, according to you, Frieza's been electrocuted, doesn't have a functioning digestive system at present, and was beaten nearly to death on top of all the other trauma." he glanced disapprovingly between Goku and Frieza, eyes lingering on the fading bruise around the latter's eye. "I'm amazed he's even alive, after all that abuse."
"You never told us what's wrong with him, though." Krillin said. "I mean, besides the obvious."
Ash looked at the shorter man with an academic's look of dismay. "Well, I figured it was obvious. You're looking at a textbook case of septicemia, more commonly called blood poisoning. What it amounts to is that he's got no functioning internal organs to carry away waste, and without the machines on his ship to filter and remove all of that, the bacteria just built up until it spread through his bloodstream. I did discover that he had some sort of nanobots for internal monitoring and maintenance in the sample of blood I took, but they were all dead or barely functioning, probably from the surges of electricity through his body. Personally, working with biotech, this is the worst case of sepsis I've ever seen. His whole body is trying desperately to fight the infection, but it's a fruitless struggle, in his state...he's essentially rotting from within. Why didn't you seek treatment sooner?"
Bulma and Dr. Briefs both looked shocked, but Bulma's face quickly turned to resignation. "I knew it, I knew he was hurt, or sick, or something, but he just wouldn't tell us." Bulma said, looking at Frieza - he had drifted back into unconsciousness, uncaring of his surroundings. His breath came in short, shallow gasps.
"He's not...real trusting." Goku said cautiously, to which Ash raised an eyebrow.
"He had to have known this would kill him, maybe not immediately, but...it's a really painful thing to go through." Ash stated. "You could try to pump him full of antibiotics, but he'll just keep rejecting the metal of the prostheses, and the strain on his immune system from the bacteria buildup will eventually kill him."
"Right." Goku said resolutely, staring at the Arcosian. He was twitching and making small sounds of pain in his feverish sleep. "How long does he have?"
"Honestly? I have no idea," Ash said, "But optimistically? Maybe a week. Certainly no longer than that, based on the severity of his wounds and how he's behaving now. He's already showing signs of the mental symptoms - confusion, delirium, having trouble staying awake... Pretty soon, he's gonna be hallucinating, and that'll be close to the end as everything shuts down. All you can do now is...just make him comfortable, maybe give him some painkillers, if anything we have works on him, and...well, you know..." He shrugged, sighing sympathetically.
"Goku..." Krillin put his hand on his friend's arm, "You did the best you could, okay? Some things, you just gotta let go. Some people can't be saved."
"Maybe." Goku said stonily, "But maybe not."
Exchanging a knowing look, Bulma and Krillin turned to the short biotech intern. "Thank you, Ash, you've been more than helpful." Bulma said politely. "We've got some things to discuss now though, so you're dismissed."
Ash shrugged, a sympathetic smile gracing his features. "Glad I could help, Ms. Briefs. Sorry I couldn't give you any better news about your friend." He turned to walk through the door, stopping at the threshold. "Oh, and Ms. Briefs? I know it's not my place, but I know a lot of weird stuff's been happening for a while, and lately, a lot of it's been connected to Capsule Corp. I'm not the only one who's noticed. So, if you need help, don't hesitate to ask. I couldn't ask for a better job, but if there's like an alien invasion coming or something, you'll let us all know, right?" He grinned sheepishly.
"If there is a full-scale alien invasion, Ash, all employees will be notified, yes." Bulma chuckled. "Protocol says you guys even get work off in such a situation, with pay!" she jokingly laughed. The levity in the moment was forced, but Ash didn't show any sign of noticing, grinning in return. After the genius waved goodbye, he and Dr. Briefs, who had decided to walk Ash out, left the hospital room, closing the door behind them.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Krillin said, "...Okay, now I know what you're thinking Goku, but—" he started, before Goku put his hand up.
"I know, Krillin, and don't think I haven't considered any alternatives. But what Ash said, about Frieza dying soon...this is the only way to save him."
"Why are you trying so hard to help him, Goku?!" Krillin exclaimed with a sudden burst of anger. "He's never going to change, no matter how kind you are to him, don't you see that?" The monk clenched his fists. "It's like you've forgotten everything he did to us," he growled, "he killed me, almost killed Piccolo and the Dragonballs with him, and if you hadn't turned Super Saiyan, he would've murdered Gohan too! And now you wanna save him?!"
Bulma stood, mute with shock, watching the verbal onslaught unfold. For a few tense moments, the only sound was Frieza's labored breathing, before Goku broke the silence.
"It's not like that, Krillin, I didn't forget." Goku said, in a placating tone. "My thought on it is, wouldn't it be nice, if Frieza was our ally, instead of our enemy? What if he actually atoned for his past deeds, so instead of us just killing him out of retaliation, he could be a force for good and fight against what he used to be? We'd be just as bad as he is now if we killed him just because he's evil, without even trying to help him change."
"Wouldn't it be nice, huh?" Krillin said vindictively, before sighing and looking down. "I don't understand it, Goku. No matter how bad things get, no matter how vile your enemies are, you still wanna give them another chance. I wish I could say that I trust you on this, but...I don't trust him. That's all. I'll support you in your decision, but that doesn't mean I'll like it." he said bitterly.
With a wistful smile, Goku said, "Thanks, Krillin. I promise, I won't let this get the better of me - I'll always look out for all you guys first and foremost." He laid a hand on Frieza's head, feeling the uncharacteristic warmth. "But right now, Frieza has nobody. He's alone and scared on a strange planet. I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't try to help him. If he were anybody else, we'd treat him just the same, wouldn't we?"
"Yeah...we probably would, wouldn't we?" Bulma said softly. "Take away all his power, and he's...well, not exactly like us, but much closer. More...well, human isn't the right word...but...you know..." She shrugged.
Krillin looked at the spiky-haired man, mentally juxtaposing him with his younger self - he had the same kind, caring attitude, under all the goofiness and a love of fighting. The monk couldn't help but smile. 'Damnit Goku, you see the good in everyone, and your optimism's nigh infectious... How can I say no to that logic?' He chuckled, pointing at Goku emphatically. "Okay, but just remember, if Frieza is still an evil bastard after all this kindness you're suffocating him with, I'm gonna blame you for whatever he does, including blowing up the Earth, got it?"
The Saiyan grinned boyishly, before bursting out laughing. "Hehehe! Yeah, sure thing, Krillin... Guess we gotta go gather th' Dragonballs, then... Man, we haven't had to do this in a while; it'll be fun!" He smiled, eyes sparkling with excitement and determination.
"Wait, Goku," Bulma said, stopping him, "you're forgetting something. Our Dragonballs aren't active yet. We just used them, right before you came back."
"Aww man, I totally forgot about that!" Goku exclaimed with annoyance. Then, his eyes lit up again. "...Wait! We don't need ours; we can use the Namek Dragonballs! They're active after a much shorter period of time."
"...That's if the Nameks will let us use them—" Krillin said.
"—and then, only if you can find the Nameks, Goku." Bulma added, "We don't know which planet the dragon sent them to for their wish. They didn't restore Planet Namek, they just wished to go someplace similar."
Goku looked crestfallen, but stood, hand scratching the back of his head, in thought for a few moments. Then, "I've got it!" He clapped his fist into his open palm for emphasis. "I'll ask King Kai!"
"That guy you trained with while you were dead?" Krillin asked, "How can he help us find New Namek?"
"He's not called the Lord of Worlds for nothin', Krillin," Goku teased, wagging a finger impishly. "He can look out from Otherworld at all the planets in the north sector of the universe! If anybody can find Namek, it's him!"
"Well, that's great and all, Goku, but how're you going to get to him?" Bulma asked, "Last time you were in Otherworld, you were dead! I don't think you can get back there without dying again, can you?"
"Hmm..." the Saiyan scrunched up his face in thought. "Y'know, I think I can. I was planning to use Shunkan Idou. I mean, I can sense him all the way from here if I concentrate, so I should be able to reach him. Well, only one way to find out!" he said with cheerful obliviousness, putting two fingers to his forehead. Before either Bulma or Krillin could protest, he was gone in a quiet whoosh of displaced air.
Under the pink "sky" of Otherworld, a portly, light-blue deity was lazily watering a small plot of bright flowers next to a dome-shaped house. A sudden odd noise caught his attention, as his antennae twitched. 'Goku?' he thought as he sensed the presence on his planetoid, 'But isn't he alive?' He turned around, setting down the watering can. Sure enough, he saw the unmistakable bright orange gi and unruly tangle of black hair of his pupil.
"Hiya King Kai!" the Saiyan waved good-naturedly. "How's it goin'?"
"Goku! It is you!" King Kai exclaimed, "But...aren't you supposed to be alive right now?"
"Hahaha! Yeah, I'm still alive an' kickin', I just came to ask you a question...well, more like a favor..." the tall man looked down at the short, dumpy god expectantly.
"A favor? Goku, you do know that I'm a god, right?" the deity snarked. "I can't just go around doing mortals favors just because they ask me to!" the Kai grumpily muttered, folding his arms behind his broad back. "Besides, you're not even supposed to be here!" he snorted.
"Uh, well, sorry 'bout that, King Kai," Goku stuttered apologetically, "but it's a real emergency; I need your help. Someone is gonna die if you can't help me find New Namek, so I can go use their Dragonballs."
"Hmmm..?" King Kai's glasses reflected the light, punctuating his curiosity. "Is this 'someone' a friend of yours? Another enemy came and killed them again, this soon after Frieza? Your planet must be some kind of trouble magnet..."
"Not...exactly...hehe..." Goku nervously laughed. "Have you been watching what's been happening on Earth?"
The Kai frowned. "Goku, again I say, I am a god, with greater responsibilities than to constantly monitor one planet out of billions." He moved his antennae towards Earth as he spoke. "What's with all the trick questions and evasiveness anyway, Goku? That's not like you at a— WHAT?! What's Frieza doing alive still?!" he spluttered mid-sentence, feeling the evil Arcosian's presence on the planet.
"It's...kind of a long story..." Goku scratched the back of his head disarmingly, as King Kai wheeled on him.
"Are you INSANE, Goku?!" the blue god screamed, "I told you to finish him on Namek! How is he still alive?" The Saiyan sighed, and quickly recapped the entire story for his mentor. After Goku finished, the Kai was still fuming, an eyebrow twitching above his round glasses lens. "So, you decided to spare a murdering psychopath who has laid waste to the universe for almost a century, because you...felt sorry for him? Am I correct, Goku?"
"Yep!" Goku replied cheerfully, "That's the long and the short of it, at least. He deserves another chan—"
"No he does not, Goku!" King Kai admonished, "Did you not listen when I said he's a murdering psycho?!"
"I heard you, King Kai," Goku pouted in annoyance, "but I respectfully disagree. Yeah, he's hurt people, but...he's just as hurt himself, I think. He lashes out 'cause that's all he knows how to do to deal with it. I want to try to help him. If I succeed, he'll be a powerful, useful ally. If I fail...well, there's no harm in at least tryin', right? C'mon, don't you think it's worth it to give him a chance?"
The North Kai was silent for a moment, brooding, mulling over things. Old thoughts, memories of times long since past, before Frieza held the galaxy in a death-grip of fear. He had watched, along with the other three Kai, how that Arcosian rose to become what he was at present, remembering the bloody, horrifying circumstances vividly. 'Frieza...he does have much potential...but that potential has been so twisted and evil for so long...' Behind his dark glasses, he looked at his student, so deceptively innocent and pure, in contrast to Frieza's obdurate evil. Clearing his throat, he said, "Alright, Goku, you've convinced me. If you were anyone else, I might have...no, I definitely would have refused you, but as long as you have greater power than Frieza, I suppose you can control him, if necessary. However, I can't guarantee that even if I find New Namek for you, the Nameks will allow you to use their Dragonballs for Frieza's sake. I hope you're prepared to be disappointed."
"I have to try, at least." Goku said brightly. "They'll listen, I know I can convince them."
With a resigned sigh at his pupil's undying optimism, the rotund deity concentrated, extending his godly senses outwards from Otherworld, reaching out to locate the new Planet Namek. After a few minutes of tense concentration, his antennae buzzed with a familiar ki. "I've found them," the Kai announced. "They're pretty far away, but with that nifty new technique of yours, you should be able to reach them, but just from here."
"For real, you found 'em? Thanks, King Kai!" Goku cheered, suddenly grabbing his master in a wholly inappropriate, if sincere, bear-hug. "I owe you for this one!"
"You're...welcome..." the squat blue god forced out, his glasses askew and his face squished against Goku's shoulder. "Now...get...off!" he commanded. When the Saiyan sheepishly complied, he fastidiously straightened his spectacles, and smoothed out the wrinkles in his ornate robe.
"Okay King Kai, now you meant I can get to New Namek only from here, right?" Goku asked. The Kai nodded. "Well then, I'll be right back, okay? I can't leave Frieza on Earth by himself, even when he's weakened like this. So I'm just gonna bring him with me, and hope that the Nameks'll be convinced to help him when they see how bad a shape he's in." The orange-clad Saiyan seemed pleased with his logic, but his master paled almost to white upon hearing this plan of action.
"N-no Goku, wait!" The North Kai squeaked, fear in his voice, as Goku put his hand up to his forehead. "You're not bringing him to my planet!" he yelled. Too late. The impetuous Saiyan had already vanished.
SHHFFT!
"I'm back!" Goku announced, coming out of hyperspace.
"Goku!" Bulma looked at him worriedly, "Frieza's...well, just look at him!" She pointed at the hospital bed. The Saiyan followed her gaze, fixing on the Arcosian, who was currently retching up blood in a pan, his body convulsing in pain. His eyes were dull, and he looked dazed, unaware of his surroundings. "He's getting worse, and fast." Bulma said quietly. "I don't think we even have a week like Ash said..."
"Oh man...guess I don't have any time to spare." Goku said grimly, as Frieza collapsed back onto the pillow, panting raggedly, his breath rattling in his throat. "I'm going to New Namek, and I'll have to take him with me."
"What?!" Krillin exclaimed. "You're taking him with you? Goku, that's...that's a really bad idea! The Nameks won't be happy about him being on their planet at all, and anyway, it's not like he's in any shape to do much damage to us here, to say nothing of traveling. You oughtta just leave him, really!"
"No, Krillin," Goku said calmly, "I thought real hard about it, and I know they wouldn't just let me wish for Frieza to be restored, unless they saw the shape he's in." He punctuated this by gesturing at the alien. "The Nameks are...well, from what I've seen of 'em, they don't really like to see suffering, so even though they hate him now... if I explain what happened to him, and show them his pain, then maybe..."
Krillin crossed his arms and shook his head. 'I'm amazed Goku thought that far ahead,' he thought, 'but he's really serious about helping Frieza...I guess he still feels guilty about what he did to him...even if that bastard did deserve everything he's gotten!' He sighed. "Alright, I see your point. Just be careful, okay?"
"Yup, I will!" Goku smiled. Frieza's moaning built up to a whimper, as he shifted in the bed.
"No...n-no..." the Arcosian rasped under his breath, eyes twitching under the closed lids. "Stop it...someone...please...stop them..!" The humans, and Goku, stared and listened with morbid curiosity.
"...You think he's dreaming, or remembering things?" Bulma mused.
"Who knows..." Krillin sighed, "All I know is that it's damn disturbing. The sooner he's back to being his smug, arrogant self, the sooner I can stop feeling sorry for him." the former monk grumbled, his emotions confused.
"No time to waste, then," Goku said, scooping up the limp Arcosian, still wrapped in the hospital blanket. "I'll go to King Kai's planet, and then from there, I can feel the Nameks on their new planet, and use Shunkan Idou to reach it. You guys hold down the fort while I'm gone, okay?" he said. "Oh, and you should probably let Chi-chi and Gohan know where I went, so they don't worry." he added brightly.
Krillin sweated at the thought of telling Goku's volatile wife that her alien husband was off-planet yet again, but he bit his tongue. "Sure, Goku. Just be safe, and hurry back!" he said, trying to keep his voice cheerful.
Bulma looked at Frieza, who stirred in Goku's arms. Rather than struggling and thrashing to get away, instead the Arcosian seemed to cling tighter to him, pressing his shivering organic body against the orange gi. 'He must be hallucinating, and trying to find a source of heat because of the fever making his body seem too cold. He doesn't even realize it's Goku.' she observed. "Good luck, Goku. If anyone can convince the Nameks to save Frieza, it's you."
"Right!" Goku nodded with determination, shifting Frieza's weight to one arm. "I'll be back soon!" he promised, putting two fingers of his right hand to his forehead.
SHHFFT!
"Gah!" King Kai leapt back from the point where Goku had transmitted in front of him, on edge at the thought of having the fearsome tyrant Frieza on his sacred planet. "Goku, what did I tell you, huh?! You don't listen!"
The spiky-haired Saiyan looked at him and shrugged apologetically. "Sorry King Kai, but he's in real bad shape. See?" The Arcosian, swathed in a white blanket, was gasping for air, each breath a struggle, especially under the tiny planet's high gravity.
Taken aback, the deity cautiously stepped closely, his antennae quivering, feeling out the alien's waning energy. "Mm, yes, I see," he murmured, "looks like you were telling the truth, Goku; he's at death's door." Frieza suddenly coughed, sending the short blue Kai stumbling back with a yelp. "H-he's still scary..." he squeaked.
"U-uuh...w-where..?" Frieza weakly tried to ask, attempting to raise his head to scan the surroundings.
"Don't worry, you're safe still," Goku reassured him, as the pale alien looked up at him blankly, "We're going to get you some help, okay Frieza? Just sit tight." The Arcosian's eyes still looked glazed over, but he stopped struggling to see where they were, his eyes sliding shut again, the alien emitting a weak sigh.
Through this short exchange, King Kai had watched with trepidation, and then, amazement as Son Goku calmed down the most terrifying mortal being in the known universe. 'That Goku...he really is something else...'
After quieting Frieza down, Goku turned his attention to the pink sky, focusing in the direction he remembered his master finding New Namek. "Okay, guess I'm off. Thanks again for all your help, King Kai." he said. He concentrated his aura, preparing for the jump. In the next moment, he and Frieza flickered out of existence.
SHHFFT!
"Whoa, it's just like the old Planet Namek!" Goku said with surprise, gazing at the smaragdine waters lapping at the shores, coated by cerulean-blue grass and similarly-colored trees. The pale green sky overhead seemed to have multiple suns as well, adding to the overwhelming sense of deja vu. "Okay...now I've just gotta find whoever is in charge of the remaining Nameks..." He scanned the village he had appeared outside, sensing for the highest ki. "There we go!"
He strode into the middle of the small village, the various Nameks immediately halting in their daily activities to turn to the tall, orange-clad warrior in their midst. One pointed at him excitedly. "It's Son Goku!" he cried. "He's back! Our savior!" Within a few moments, there was a throng of eager green faces crowding around the Saiyan, who was holding a large bundle of white in his arms.
An old and wrinkled Namek approached Goku. "What brings you here, Son Goku of Earth? We were not aware that you could reach our planet without a spacecraft, but with your power, I'm hardly surpris—" His breath cut off in an involuntary gasp, as he made out the form beneath the white sheet. "I-it's...I-it's Frieza!" he choked out. That single name, said barely above a whisper, spread like wildfire through the knot of people surrounding them, a susurrus tangle of words enclosing around Goku like a net. The elder's eyes were wide, his hands trembling in fright.
"—really is him?!"
"Oh no, he'll kill us, he's gonna destroy everyth—"
"Why?! Why is he back? What did we do to des—"
"—Elder! Do something!"
The tension in the Nameks' voices raised to a fever-pitch, as their energies radiated terror. "Everyone!" Goku said loudly, looking around at the currently-panicking crowd, "It's okay, Frieza's not a threat to you any longer!" That halted the steadily-growing roar of the small group. They stared at him, dark eyes searching his face, trying to see his intentions. 'They're all so afraid,' Goku thought, 'maybe bringing him was a bad idea...' Still, he couldn't back out of his plan now. He cleared his throat. "I...need to speak to whoever's in charge here."
"That would be me," the wrinkled green man in front of him said in a low, hushed voice, "but what business do you have with us? Why have you brought that...that demon into our world yet again?" he spat angrily.
"Mister Elder, if you'll let me explain, I'll tell you the whole story...but first, is there anywhere I can put him down?" Goku looked from the elder's narrowed eyes down to the unconscious alien in his arms.
"Follow me, Son Goku." the elder said darkly, turning on his heel and briskly walking toward a hut on the outskirts of the tiny village. The Saiyan moved to follow him, when suddenly, a metallic CLANG! rang out. He looked down, confused. A dribble of blood seeped from a small cut on Frieza's head below the metal portion, and, still spinning to a stop in the dust, a sizable rock lay with a red smear on it. Goku looked around, spying a small Namekian child with a truly murderous scowl on his tiny face, arm still raised from releasing the stone.
"Hey!" the good-natured Saiyan yelled, "That wasn't very nice!" In response, the child stooped, and picked up another stone, baring his teeth. Goku saw that other children, and even some adults in the crowd, were moving to do the same. "Shit..." he cursed under his breath, running after the elder Namek, dodging a hail of resentment and sharp rocks. He reached the hut, quickly ducking inside. A few thumps pelted the closed door.
A sharp sigh drew his attention to the center of the dwelling. "Son Goku, why have you come?" the elder asked curtly. His voice was steady, but Goku knew there was an undercurrent of venom in the tacit accusation.
"Oh...uh..." Goku fumbled, setting Frieza down on the floor in a corner of the building. "...It's like this: Frieza survived your old planet's destruction, but...then he tried to come to my planet for revenge. I fought him, and I won, but because of what I now know of him, I really don't wanna kill him anymore. I was trying to help him, but it looks like his injuries are catching up to him, and he's gonna die if I don't do something." The old Namek looked understandably confused at this truncated version of the tale, blinking with a silent, incredulous expression. 'Gah...I can't afford to waste time on the whole story...but I have no choice, if I wanna make him believe me!' the Saiyan thought. He took a deep breath, and started from the beginning, with Namek exploding...
The prince of an almost-obliterated race growled under his breath, the sound lost in the wind whipping around his tensed form. 'Frieza,' he thought, 'and you too, Kakarot! I am coming for you both!' With a look anticipating malice, Vegeta sped on, his flight leaving an angry trail of bluish-purple ki in his wake. He had come to a decision. He would not sit and stew in a cave, while Kakarot blithely tried to make friends with the monster that had destroyed everything he had ever even remotely cared about. "Grrr..! First I'll deal a death-blow to Frieza, just as I should have before, and then...then, Kakarot, you're mine... Super Saiyan or not, I will end your disgrace!" he yelled into the harsh airstream around him, barely hearing his own words before they were lost.
His resolution carried with it the confidence to bear him all the way to Capsule Corp., overriding the previous fear of retaliation Kakarot had unsuccessfully tried to instill in him. Touching down in a small explosion of loose grass and pebbles, Vegeta roared towards the main foyer of the complex's main building, "KAKAROT! Come out, you coward, and bring that slimy freak with you! I'm going to wring both of your necks, and when I'm done, I'll—"
"Vegeta." The quiet, yet stern address was enough to cut his tirade short, despite not being nearly as loud as his own rant. "I was wondering when you'd see fit to show up and cause trouble." Piccolo said.
"You!" snarled Vegeta, "Stay out of this, Namek, it is none of your conc—"
"It is my concern, Saiyan." The tall green alien narrowed dark eyes at the prince, staring him down. "Both Son Goku and Frieza are things I am intimately concerned with, so you can pack up that bluster of yours, and leave."
"What?!" Vegeta growled, a vein throbbing in his forehead. "Y-you..! How dare you speak to the Prince of all Saiyans in such a disrespectful manner, you worthless slug!"
Not rising to the bait, Piccolo merely intoned lowly, "Calm yourself, Vegeta. Before I force you into silence." Beneath his tranquil facade though, the reincarnation of the Demon King was anything but calm, feeling out just how much Vegeta's power had grown with anger. 'I can still take him, especially if he's reckless...' he thought, '...and I've wanted to teach him a little lesson ever since he first came to Earth!' He smirked condescendingly.
"Oh, so the Namek thinks he's a match for me, the great Vegeta?" the proud prince boasted. "Lucky for you, I'm not here to bother with small fry like you - I came for Frieza." He clenched his fist in front of him, sneering.
"Tch, if you had a brain anywhere in that pointy-haired head of yours, you'd sense that neither Son Goku nor Frieza is here." Piccolo chuckled smugly, watching as Vegeta's smirk melted away. "They're gone."
"Rrrr...Raaaargh!" Vegeta seethed wordlessly, extending his senses and finding that the Namek was telling the truth. "Where are they?!" he bellowed, "Talk! Where did Kakarot and that slimy wretch go?!"
Piccolo smirked. "What makes you think you're on the list of people who need to know?" He raised his arms to defend himself as, at that final taunt, Vegeta came at him screaming curses, wreathed in a blue aura.
"RAAAARGH!" Vegeta roared, his fist encased in a white glow of deadly ki. The Namek smirked, easily dodging the telegraphed punch - but stifled a groan of pain as, a moment later, Vegeta's boot slammed into his side. "That's right, you worthless slug!" the Saiyan growled, "feel the might of a true warrior!"
"Stop this, Vegeta," Piccolo commanded, "This is a pointless fight, and you know it. You're merely spoiling for revenge—" he said distractedly, dodging another heavy blow, "—and looking for an outlet! Agh!" he cried out as another kick connected, knocking the breath out of him.
"So what if I am?! What of it? If I kill you, at least my fury will be sated, if but for a moment!" Vegeta scrambled around to Piccolo's blind spot, snapping out another vicious kick. A clawed green hand stopped it, the Namek's brown shoes sliding backwards with the impact rattling his body.
"No, Vegeta." Piccolo said, his calm incongruent with the fury of the fight, "Your pride will never be satisfied, don't you see that? You're pissed off because Goku beat you out, once again, and he did so by saving your a—- to boot." The Namek watched Vegeta's face contort with hatred and shame as he lunged at him again.
"Shut up, damn you! Kakarot didn't just save me, you piece of shit! You and the worthless maggots this planet calls warriors were even more helpless than I was! At least I was prepared to die fighting to my last breath!" he panted, voice strained to a harsh rasp with his exertion and emotion.
As they traded blows, the shouting and general increase of ki had brought Krillin and Yamcha to spectate. Bulma hunkered in the main building, peering out of a cracked window, trying to safely listen to the heated conversation. "Geez...these muscleheads are gonna kill each other in front of my house!" she complained to no one in particular. The house shook with the force of a sonic boom as the two clashed. "Goku...hurry back..."
"Piccolo!" Krillin called, he and Yamcha tensed to jump into the fray, "Hold on, we're coming to hel—"
"No!" the tall Namek said sternly. "Stay out of this; I have a score to settle here!" He bared his teeth in a snarl, batting away a small energy blast into the sky. His hand smoked, as he clenched it into a fist.
"No way!" Krillin shouted back. "We've got just as much a reason to put this bastard in his place as you do!"
"That's right!" Yamcha growled, remembering the Saiyan's cruel laughter as he tortured and toyed with the bandit's friends - well, more like family, with how close he felt to them. "We won't let you fight alone, not against the likes of him!" He crouched in a deep stance, then pushed off gracefully, molding his hands to imitate a wolf's gaping maw. "Wolf Fang Fist!" The attack blindsided Vegeta, who took it head-on, stumbling backwards. Yamcha alighted a few paces away, standing next to Piccolo. Krillin followed suite.
'What..?' Piccolo thought with confusion, 'Why are they...standing with me? I figured they'd both be out for their own personal revenge, but...they're waiting for me to take the lead.' He glanced at the short monk, and the scarred fighter, reading their tense bodies, analyzing. Suddenly, it struck him. 'They're flanking me. They're acting as a cohesive team, ready to defend me...and trusting that I will do the same for them!' The sudden realization bowled him over, as he momentarily lost focus. Vegeta was quick to press his advantage, taking advantage of Piccolo's distraction with a spinning combination of kicks that bridged the gap between them.
"Better pay attention, Namek!" the Saiyan prince crowed, relishing the purple blood now dribbling from Piccolo's split lip. "You and your pathetic human friends are no match for me, singly or all...at...ONCE!" He powered up with every forced word, his aura forming a crater as he generated his own minute amount of gravity.
Ignoring the sweat now dripping down the back of neck in fear, Krillin charged straight at the alien warrior, only to feint to the side with an after-image as Vegeta drove a punch at his figure. 'He fell for it!' the monk thought triumphantly, sliding behind his foe and using his shorter height as the perfect opportunity to kick out the Saiyan's knees. Vegeta toppled forward, letting out a startled grunt, collapsing onto one hand.
"Sokidan!" Yamcha roared, gesturing to send a sphere of pale blue light in a controlled arc to meet the startled Saiyan's chin. "Take that, you arrogant bastard!" he screamed in triumph as the alien's head snapped back.
"Gahrk..!" Vegeta choked on his own blood, having bit his tongue after that last attack. "You...you worms will...regret trifling...with me!" he panted, body quivering with both rage and exhaustion. In his anger, he'd blown off most of his energy in a few bursts. 'This isn't good,' he thought angrily, 'at this rate, these...these inferior beings will defeat me by picking me apart..!' He could not allow them to defeat him. He tensed, waiting for his opponents to make the next move, desperately trying to regain some of his energy.
"Leave, Vegeta." Piccolo said in a serious, even tone of voice. "Goku isn't here, and he gets the final say in what to do with you. So get out of here, before this escalates any further." They stared at each other. The Namek stood tensed, awaiting the Saiyan prince's response. Yamcha growled next to him, and he could hear Krillin's alert breaths. They were still standing in solidarity with him. Turning his attention back to Vegeta, he was surprised when the proud prince straightened up, spat a wad of blood off to the side, and powered down.
"Tch. You worthless excuses for punching bags aren't worth my time..." the short Saiyan growled. "I'll be back, first for Frieza, and then, for Kakarot himself!" He blasted off in an explosion of dirt and disturbed plant matter.
"Whew...glad that's over..." Krillin said. "I'd almost forgot we had two murderous aliens on the planet right now...count on Vegeta to wait until Goku's not here to rear his ugly head and remind us he's not dead!"
"Yeah, honestly..." Yamcha sighed, massaging his palm. "Hitting him's like hitting a brick wall, if brick walls had a higher power level than me and half as much charm!" he joked, trying to conceal his lingering fear.
"Hmph." Piccolo glared at the sky where Vegeta had disappeared. "Whatever he tries to pull, Goku or no Goku, we can take him." he glanced sidelong at the two humans. 'To think, before the Saiyans came, I was their greatest enemy... Now they treat me as an ally, without question, even!' The thought was mind-boggling to the stoic Namek, who still, in some small part of his heart, knew himself as the Demon King's scion. His attention was ripped away from his inner reflection, as a boy's voice reached his sensitive ears.
"Mr. Piccolooo!" Gohan called, dropping from the sky. He was out of breath, with one arm half-in, half-out of his Saiyan armor. "I came as soon as I felt Vegeta and you starting to fight! What's going on?!"
"Nothing, Gohan, we resolved it, no problem." Piccolo stated, crossing his arms.
Krillin cut in, saying, "Give us some credit; why do you think your Dad left us in charge of the planet while he's away?" He laughed, slapping Yamcha on the back. "We've got it all under control, don't you worry!"
"Yeah squirt, we sent that Saiyan packin'!" Yamcha chimed in, as he pumped his fist in the air.
Gohan blinked, trying to process all of this at once. "Wait...so where'd my Dad go?" he finally asked.
"Your father's fine, Gohan," Piccolo said, "He took Frieza to New Namek to try to restore his organic body. Not that I agree with his methods, but once he gets an idea in his fool head, he's impossible to stop..."
"...Huh?" Krillin interjected. "Wait, how'd you know about Goku goin' to Namek? We haven't told anyone yet!"
Piccolo smirked condescendingly down at the bald human. "These ears aren't just to frame my face, you know. My hearing is much more sensitive and variable than you humans. I overheard the entire conversation - I have to keep abreast of anything involving either Vegeta or Frieza, until their threat is neutralized." As he spoke, his eyes unconsciously strayed to Gohan, busy absorbing all this information. "My priority is ensuring my own safety." he added coldly. The others ignored his show of indifference, shrugging.
"Well, I'm glad you're watching over everything, Mr. Piccolo." Gohan said, his face lighting up with admiration.
"...Yeah, sure kid. Like I said, I'm just looking out for myself. You all just benefit from my prudence." the tall Namek grumbled. The boy seemed to brush off the snub, beaming at his mentor and laughing in a way that made Piccolo's face contort into a grimace. Though he'd never admit it, Piccolo liked the kid, for whatever reason. 'Damnit, I'm losing my touch,' the former Demon King thought annoyedly, 'even a whiny kid like him isn't afraid of me anymore...' Still, fighting with the others earlier...it had felt right. Like he had belonged. He sighed.
Where was he? Frieza scanned the darkness, stretching out to infinity. He couldn't stay here, he knew. Had to move. Get going, his instincts urged him. His body felt heavy, hard to control. "Grrr...come...on..!" he growled, managing to raise his foot, taking a halting step forward. Then another. And another. Now that he could walk, he knew he couldn't hesitate, or stay here too long. The shadows seemed alive, morphing and moving of their own accord. He shivered, trying to ignore them. Whispering. Behind him! "Who's there?!" he whirled around, eyes searching, trying in vain to pierce the veil of shadows. Annoyed, he charged a ball of ki in his hand, shooting it out at random. The bright red light of his ki was instantly swallowed up, as if his energy was a candle's flame suddenly submerged. Staring into the darkness for a few more heartbeats, Frieza finally turned around to continue walking. "Gahaaargh!" he screamed, stumbling back in a blind panic from the thing he'd nearly walked into. "W-what...w-what t-the hell are you?!" he demanded, his voice laced with panic.
"I'm you, Lord Frieza." the abomination rasped in a distorted, unpleasant voice. "Don't you recognize me?"
His eyes wide with fright, Frieza took in the monstrosity as it laughed, a harsh, hollow sound. "N-no...you're...you're not me!" he screeched, backing away from the deformed visage of his monstrous third form. "I'm not a monster!"
"Oh, but you are, Lord Frieza, you most certainly are..." A deeper voice said, right behind Frieza. He wheeled, his blood running cold at the towering hulk of his second form, leering down at him with a predatory grin. "We're reflections of you, after all, so if we're monsters, how can you not be one? Makes no sense. I thought you were logical and rational. Where's your logic now, hmmm?" the giant said smugly, tail lazily waving in the air behind him in a self-satisfied display.
"But I'm...I'm..!" Frieza stuttered, "...I'm me! Not you, me! You can't be here, if I'm here...it's not...not possible..." He looked between the two transformations. They looked real, and they looked like he did when transformed. This had to be an illusion. It must be! "Grrargh!" he growled, "...You're nothing but phantoms!"
A sudden pain exploded in the back of his head, and the Arcosian prince saw stars as he pitched forward. His third form had struck him. "Ah ah ah..." the second form teased, catching him by the arm, "Don't be so hasty with your conclusions. A phantom can't hit you, can it? Can't hurt you." It punctuated that last word by squeezing Frieza's bicep painfully, forcing him to bite his lip to keep from crying out in pain.
"Aaaagh...kkhgh..." Frieza clenched his teeth, trying to break free. "If...if you're all me, then...rrgh...where's the other one?!" he forced through his teeth. The second form's lips drew back in a fanged smile.
"The other one?" the third form reiterated, chuckling. "Oh. You mean...your true form?" it taunted, raking its clawed fingers slowly down the Arcosian's back, drawing blood. Frieza refused to make a sound of pain. Growling, the distorted monster roughly grabbed the small Arcosian by the jaw, wrenching him around and forcing him to look off to the side. "That weakling refuses to partake. We're stronger than he is, but still...he's you too." Frieza, having no choice but to look where his head was pointed, finally saw, in the darkness, a small, horned figure. It sat, dyed in shadow, striped tail curled around itself, head resting on its knees, motionless.
"Wait..." Frieza said in disbelief, "That can't be right, that's...that's when I was a child!"
"Ah, now you're getting it," the second form sighed condescendingly, "For someone so smart, you take a long time to catch on to some things, don't you?" It snickered, wrapping a thick tail around his throat. "Weakling over there doesn't want to play. Doesn't wanna do anything, actually. Kinda hard, with your heart ripped out."
Frieza's eyes widened, not just in shock, but at the sudden constriction about his neck. Third form made a sound of disdain. "That part of you's dead, Frieza. He made a bargain to summon...us." It chuckled. "Pretty mature decision, for a brat to make, all on his own." It shook its long head, eyes closed.
"I...didn't...have a choice..!" Frieza gasped, futilely wrapping his hands around the tail blocking his trachea, trying desperately to pull it off. "I...threw away my soul...for the power to...s-survive!"
"And now?" Second form asked, "What do you suppose you've thrown away this time, hmmm?" the towering monster leaned down to look Frieza in the eyes, waiting for him to respond, like a teacher coaxing the solution out of a slow student. "Think. What do you have left?" It squeezed tighter.
Frieza gasped, seeing bright spots dancing in front of his eyes, and feeling dizzy and sick. "M-my...p-pride..." he muttered, going limp in the monsters' grip. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes from asphyxiation and defeat.
"Ding ding ding!" the bull-horned monster mocked, "We have a winner." It tightened its grip further.
"Now, we'll collect our prize, since you were so slow in answering...with you and the brat gone, guess one of us will be in charge now." the hunched-over alien stood in front of Frieza, caressing his chest almost tenderly. The Arcosian's vision swam, as he struggled in vain to escape. He couldn't breathe. His third form plunged its outstretched hand through his chest, and all he felt was the icy feel of death lancing through his heart.
Goku looked up from telling his story to Elder Moori to see Frieza, his eyes rolled back in his head, choking and flopping around, his ki spiking wildly from its resting state.
"Oh no! Frieza! Hey!" the pure-hearted Saiyan rushed to kneel at the fallen tyrant's side, rolling him over to lie on his side and frantically pounding his back. With a gasp, the Arcosian's breathing stabilized, as another clot of blood and defunct nanobots fell from his lips. "Shit..." Goku breathed in relief, turning back to the startled elder. "Mister Moori, you've gotta let me help him, please." He clasped his hands together, his voice full of concern. "I swear, I won't let him hurt anyone again...just look at him! Please, he's not gonna be able to hold out like this!"
Moori was silent, a drop of sweat the only indication of his emotional state besides the deep frown on his face. "This is not my decision to make alone, Son Goku." he finally said. "I have heard your story, but though I do not doubt your good intentions, I am only the keeper of one of the seven Dragonballs."
Goku's jaw dropped. "But! There's...there's no time! You have to let me go get the other six, then! I don't care what it takes, I can't let Frieza die like this..! Not...not this way..." He balled his fists, closing his eyes.
Moori sighed, looking from the Saiyan's tightly clenched teeth and tense posture to the Arcosian's limp form sprawled on the floor. "...I can convene an assemblage of Elders from the other six main villages," he said quietly, watching as Goku's eyes lit up with hope, "but I cannot guarantee their agreeance on this matter."
"...Thank you!" Goku said, a genuine smile of gratitude gracing his face. "But...what about Frieza? I don't think it's a good idea to move him any more than I have to, and I don't wanna leave him alone while I go get th' other elders...you saw what happened just now..." he trailed off, looking at the cyborg alien critically.
"Hmm..." Moori closed his eyes in thought. After a moment, he opened his eyes again, saying, "Do not worry, Son Goku; I promise that we will keep this creature alive, as best we can, at least until the Elders have decided his fate. I will send for the Healers, and they will be entrusted with watching over him."
Goku balked at the idea of leaving Frieza alone with the angry Nameks outside the hut, but he knew in his heart that he could trust Moori. Nameks who were healers might be more sympathetic to Frieza's state than the villagers outside. "...Alright," he replied, "and thank you again. I know you'd never even consider this, normally, but I'm grateful that you'll give me the benefit of the doubt on this one." The old man nodded to him and rose, and Goku followed him out of the hut, sparing a worried glance at Frieza's still form.
"My brothers," Moori announced, "Send for the Healers in this village, as well as in Suneglen Village to the East. We will be temporarily sheltering Frieza, until the Elders' Council decides upon his final fate." A wave of angry shouts went up from the crowd — from the look of it, the news of Goku and Frieza's arrival had spread quickly, and now every living soul in the tiny settlement had turned out en masse. Moori raised his hands in an attempt to calm the people, to little avail.
"Elder! Why?!" a tall, spindly Namek shouted. "He's a murderer and a fiend! Why would you even consider this?!" A murmur of agreement swept through the gathering, with the nodding of myriad green heads.
"Kares, it is my decision as an Elder, and as the leader of this village, that no harm come to him until the Council has spoken," Moori responded, "Far be it from us to refuse a plea of help from one who has done so much for us, in our hour of need." He gestured at Goku, standing beside him. "If it is the Council's will, he will live..." The crowd erupted in hisses and angry outbursts. "...But if the Council decides it, we will rescind any aid." Whispers, less angry, but still impassioned, drifted through the crowd. The Nameks milling around slowly disengaged from the mob, returning to their daily affairs with only a few more pointed glares and bared teeth towards the tiny hut where Frieza lay. Goku released a tense breath he hadn't realised he'd held.
With a deep exhale, Moori turned to Goku - the Saiyan noticed how his shoulders, tense before, relaxed as the villagers dissipated. "Alright, Son Goku, the Healers are inbound. Now, let us make haste - to tell the truth, it troubles me to house that demon on our planet, even as weak as he is. I would gladly see him gone, as soon as possible." Goku noted that the elderly Namek was purposely breathing deeply, probably to calm himself.
"Okay then Mister Moori, just grab on, and I can get us to the next village instantly, with my new technique." the Saiyan explained, offering his hand to the wrinkled green alien. Moori took it, and they vanished.
Only a few minutes had passed before the healers that Moori had sent for had arrived. At first, they were reluctant to touch Frieza's body, but one healer gathered up the courage and scooped him up in his arms. His brothers were terrified of the tyrant, as was he, but once they saw the pathetic state that he was in, they all knew that he wouldn't be harming any of them while his body was so weak.
In a matter of minutes they transported him to one of their huts, placing him in a cot and watching for a moment as he writhed in pain. The healer who had carried Frieza to the hut seemed most distraught; he was caught between his hatred for such a creature and his will to save the life of someone who was truly in need of his help. However, it didn't take long for his healing nature to kick in, and he was soon looking over the Arcosian's body to attempt to find the best place to apply his healing powers. The other three healers in the room were more skeptical about the situation, eyeing their brother with a mixture of fear for his wellbeing and anger that he would jump to the aid of someone so murderous so quickly.
"Brother, I know it is our job to heal anyone who may need our help, but why would you so quickly jump to this monster's side?" the eldest of the four healers asked, walking to his side and kneeling down beside him. His brother didn't turn to face him for a few moments, still attempting to find a good place to use his powers.
"Come now, Lomus, you are the one who taught me that all life is sacred." the healer stated to his elder, placing his hand on Frieza's body and concentrating his energies on one spot, a green glow enveloping his body as his healing magic began to flow over Frieza's body. "This monster may have destroyed our planet, but look at him now. Were we to deny him healing, we would be no better than him or his minions." He sighed out, the green glow fading from his body as he panted in exhaustion.
The Namekian called Lomus smiled at his pupil, placing a hand on his back for a moment. "You never cease to amaze me, Nigilas, with your neverending compassion." the elder praised, beginning his own examination of the being in front of him. After a few moments, the four healers heard a group touching down outside of their hut. The two who weren't examining Frieza rushed out to find three warrior class Namekians making their way towards the entrance.
"What is the meaning of this, brothers?" one of them asked, before being pushed aside by the larger, more hardened warrior.
Stopping for a moment in front of the hut, he turned to face the gathered crowd of Namekians eyeing Frieza's place of occupancy closely, raising his hands in the air to grab their attention. "This monster has been brought to us in a weakened state, or so I have heard. I, Tsumuri, am here to vanquish this tyrant in the name of our original planet, and for Guru!" The crowd cheered as he turned around, only being stopped for a moment as one of the healers placed his hand on the warrior's shoulder.
"This isn't our way, brother; we do not harm those who are defenseless." he said, attempting to calm his brother's riled nerves. The large Namekian shook off his hand and continued his walk into the hut, the other two warriors following closely behind him.
Lomus turned to see the three warriors walk into the hut, but quickly turned his attention to Nigilas. "Continue healing, he needs our assistance." The younger healer nodded at his mentor, Lomus raising to his feet to turn to his compatriots.
"Move aside, Lomus, this monster will be slain by my hand," the warrior called Tsumuri boldly claimed, "for all those who had to endure the pain and suffering he has caused, he deserves such a fate."
Lomus shook his head defiantly, standing his ground as the warrior approached him. "This is not a battle, my brother, you have nothing to prove here."
The warrior stared at the healer for a moment, but soon shoved him to the side with his superior might. Lomus grabbed his arm, causing the larger Namekian to turn and glare at him. "You will let me go, and you will not interfere as we take this monster elsewhere to teach him what it means to bring harm to my people. I will not spill blood in the house of a Healer."
Reluctantly, Lomus let go of his arm, sighing in disappointment at both himself and the warrior in front of him. Tsumuri turned his attention back towards the pathetic creature in the cot, and almost laughed as he observed him tossing and turning in pain.
"So this is the feared tyrant Frieza, who nearly destroyed us all?" the smallest of the three warriors let out, eyeing him with extreme prejudice.
"Pah, you're right Maima, he can't even lift his head, much less defend himself! We should strike now, while he's defenseless." the eldest warrior proclaimed, turning to the largest of the three.
"Well said Caluma – he wouldn't show us as much mercy." the huge warrior claimed as he clenched his hands into fists, his eyes lighting with a burning hatred for the creature in front of him. Nigilas kept his hands on the Arcosian's body as Frieza coughed out blood, a few drops trickling from his mouth as he wheezed in pain.
"Brothers, please, do not do this." Nigilas pleaded as he turned to face the three warriors. "Look at him now. He's no more a threat to us as a child!"
The largest warrior scoffed and shook his head. "Like all of the children that he killed in cold blood?!" he shouted, throwing his fist to the side to emphasize his anger, "I watched as his men slew the children in my village. Do not deny me this revenge!"
Nigilas released his hand from Frieza's body, standing up and turning to the three with a stony look of determination on his face. "I will not allow this, he is helpless, and I will not have you take the same path that those who worked for this tyrant had. You are not a murderer, brother, you are a warrior for the Namekian people, here to keep the peace."
Maima turned around and shook his head, sighing as he began to walk away from the others. "Do what you will, I will have no part in this."
The other two warriors eyed Nigilas harshly. "You will move, young one, or I will force you to move myself." Tsumuri growled with thinly-veiled hostility.
The healer Namekian stood firm, never wavering once from the larger Namekians' harsh glares. "Then so be it. If you wish to bring harm to someone so defenseless, then I will do everything in my power as a Namekian to stop you." Although he was not a fighter, Nigilas took what he believed to be a fighting stance, although the warriors across him knew that he had no clue what he was doing. The elder warrior grabbed onto the larger one's shoulder, sighing out in resignation.
"Let us go, Tsumuri, Nigilas speaks the truth." he said, eyeing the pathetic creature in front of him, "were we to kill this creature, we would be no better than him and his minions."
The large warrior stared at Frieza for a moment, growling in anger as he shook the elder warrior's hand off of his shoulder. "Fine. But should I get this chance again, I will not hesitate to take it." he stated, turning around and storming out of the hut, leaving the final warrior Namekian behind. The warrior looked towards Lomus for a moment, his eyes full of sorrow as he exited the hut.
As Lomus made his way back towards Frieza, he nodded at Nigilas approvingly. "You have done a wonderful job." he praised, the younger healer sighing in a relieved tone.
"I was frightened, Lomus, but I couldn't let them harm someone so weak and defenseless." The Namekian turned around to focus his attention on the dying Frieza.
"Do not blame them, brother, for they are proud Namekian warriors who watched as their villages were destroyed by Frieza and his soldiers. Each suffered a great amount, but that does not mean that they have the right to commit murder." Lomus turned his attention back towards the Arcosian, trying to heal him as best he could until he heard news from elder Moori.
The Namekian Elders' meeting hall was quiet for a moment as the other elders stared at Moori and his Saiyan companion, almost all of them taken aback by his blasphemous request. After Moori had relayed Goku's request to his peers, none of them could muster a word for what seemed to be hours, though in reality it was barely a few seconds. Goku grinned nervously and chuckled, grabbing the back of his hair in an attempt to break the mounting tension, although it appeared that the elders were far too deep in thought to notice Goku's attempts.
After a few moments, one of the elders finally spoke. "Moori, you cannot truly expect us to use our sacred Dragon to bring life back to the one who so mercilessly took ours." Many of the other elder Namekians grunted in agreement, prompting Goku to attempt to jump in, in defense of Frieza.
As the kind-hearted Saiyan moved to speak, Moori gently grabbed his gi. "No, Goku, this is a matter that must be resolved between the elders. Allow me to speak on your behalf." Moori said reassuringly, nodding his head at Goku.
"A-are you sure?" Goku whispered, still wishing to try and talk to the other elders himself, "I think I could convince them…"
Moori shook his head, placing a hand on Goku's shoulder. "As I said before, I do not doubt your good intentions. Although this Frieza…murdered me and my kin…" Moori paused for a moment and sighed, "I have been taught that compassion and goodwill are the way toward a better future, not fear and loathing." The kind elder released his hand from Goku's shoulder, leaving the Saiyan feeling better about the situation. He knew that Frieza was in good hands, although he wondered what was going on in the hut that Frieza was being held in. He shook off the thought and turned his attention back towards the group of elders, most of whom were conversing with each other on the idea of using the Dragonballs to help Frieza recover.
"My brothers, listen to me!" Moori said, raising his voice, "This is as much of a challenge of our character as was when this monster attacked our planet mere years ago. He killed our people, destroyed our planet, and defiled our Dragonballs by attempting to use them for his own twisted purposes. It is now that we must once again show the strength of our people!"
Many of the elders nodded in agreement, some clenching their fists with their conviction. "That's right, this monster cannot be allowed to harm anyone else! We must eradicate him!" one of the elders shouted out, fist raised in the air.
"No, my brother!" Elder Moori raised both of his hands in the air, as if to attempt to calm the riled elders. "You say you wish to kill this 'Frieza', but the strength of Namekian people comes not from our capacity to destroy, but rather from our capacity for caring! We are creators and nurturers, not destroyers or murderers!"
A few of the elders shook their heads; some even scowled. "Not for this monster!" one shouted out.
"He destroyed everything!" another cried, to which many of the elders nodded their heads.
"That may be so, brothers, but while Frieza may have destroyed our planet, he has not destroyed the principles for which we've lived and died for." Moori explained, beginning a slight pace in front of the other elders in the room. "So many good Namekians before us have given their lives so that we may survive, and thrive. Nail gave himself up for the Namekian people, gave himself up in a sacred melding of his soul so that we could continue to survive!" the elder clenched his fists, his visage full of pride, as well as sadness. "And…and Grand Elder Guru, who had more love in him than any other creature I have ever known…" At the mere mention of their old leader, the entirety of the elders went completely silent. "...He saved us once from the great catastrophe, and led us into a brief prosperity. The lessons that he taught us, the principles that he endowed us with, will guide us into prosperity once again!"
The elders were still silent, contemplating Moori's words as he spoke. He was much like the former Grand Elder — some of them had doubted Guru's choice to appoint Moori as the new leader of the Namekian people, but they now could not deny that the weight of his words had undeniable merit. Even some of the more conservative of the Namekians were hard-pressed to come up with a rebuttal. Son Goku, too, was left in awe of Moori's words; so many times he had heard of why Frieza should be killed, but the elder's words now encapsulated everything that Goku stood for. The Saiyan wondered how Piccolo could be related to these people at all…
"My brothers, let us not forsake that which is most dear to us. This is a test of our fortitude, a test of all Namekian people! Frieza cannot take from us that which is most sacred, and that is our undying spirit. We will show this monster kindness when he gave us none. We will restore his life when he had taken ours. We will show him that the will, the strength, and the compassion of the Namekian people is mightier than any army!" Moori shouted out with pride, causing the other elders to shout out in agreement. "What say you, my brothers, will you hold true the values taught to us by our forefathers? Or will you allow the same monster who annihilated our planet to destroy our dignity? The choice is yours, brothers!"
"I will gladly allow the use of my village's Dragonball!" one elder shouted, a tear forming in his eye as he spoke.
"As will I!" another shouted, followed by two more elders proclaiming that they would let their Dragonballs be used for the restoration of Frieza's body.
The remaining two elders stayed silent, however. They had listened to Moori's words well, but they still held the belief that Frieza was a monster who needed to be destroyed. They both shook their heads, signifying that they would not allow the use of the Dragonballs for such an act.
"You speak wisdom, elder Moori, but there are always exceptions," one of the more reserved elders stated, "I see no reason to defile our sacred Dragon by helping one who wished to annihilate us all."
"I agree. I know that Grand Elder Guru taught us to love unconditionally, but he never had to deal with a tyrant such as this!" the other Namek elder growled.
Moori exhaled deeply, shaking his head. "If that is the way you see it, then there is no more that I can say to convince you."
Goku's eyes widened in disbelief, and he quickly spoke up. "Wait! Just like that? But that's five against two!"
Moori turned to Goku with a somber look. "For the Dragonballs to be used, not a single elder may protest to the wish being made. It is the way of our people, Goku."
The Saiyan looked around the room at each individual Namekian elder, taking note of the two that declined the use of their Dragonballs. He wouldn't just leave it like that, he needed to convince them somehow, there had to be some way that they could be shown that Frieza was just as vulnerable as they. He sighed and looked at Moori, a slight, apologetic smile curling on his lips. He crossed the room in two strides, putting his hands on the shoulder of the one of the elders who had refrained from voting to save Frieza. The other, he leaned against, earning a confused face from the thin green alien.
"Sorry, mister elder, but I can't just leave it like that." Goku stated, bringing his hand up to his forehead, disappearing along with the two reserved elders.
SHHFFT!
In a flash, Goku and the two Namekian elders were transported to the small building that housed Frieza. As Goku took his hands off of the two Namekians, they looked around the room in surprise. The healers started with surprise at their sudden appearance.
"W-what just…" One turned to look at Goku, backing up in shock. "Y-you! What is the meaning of this!" he shouted, the other petrified in fear as he looked forward to see Frieza lying on a low cot, tossing and turning.
"This, this is the reason." Goku claimed, motioning over to the writhing Arcosian. The other elder looked toward where Goku had pointed, and gasped in fear.
"I-it's him!" he breathed out rapidly, his breaths becoming more calm as he tried to recompose himself. "I…I had hoped to never see this monster again..." The elder's eyes widened as he watched the poor creature struggle around, obviously in vast amounts of pain. His skin looked sickly, where it wasn't covered in angry red blotches, and he was gasping and babbling incoherently in his sleep. The elders noticed that, although his appearance had changed from the horned, striped body they remembered, the biggest alteration by far were the unnatural metal limbs and attachments. Try as they might, the two elders couldn't bring themselves to hate the pathetic creature in front of them.
"Look at him, please, and tell me that he doesn't need your help." Goku pleaded, walking forward in front of Frieza, kneeling down to inspect his body closer before turning around to face the elders. "Everyone has it in them to change. The first step is to show them that there's people who will help them even though they've done terrible things. If they know they aren't alone, then maybe they can start to trust again." The Saiyan stared at the two Namekians for a moment, each of whom couldn't speak a word as they watched Frieza wriggle around in pain. Finally, the older-looking one let out a resigned sigh.
"Alright, you win, Son Goku. I will agree to use my village's Dragonball to help this creature." The younger, thin elder looked over towards his brother for a few seconds, contemplating his decision, his already gaunt face taut with tension.
"I…I will not like it, but you have my permission as well." the elder said, shaking his head as he turned around, unable to face the pathetic being before him.
"Really?! That's great!" Goku nearly shouted, turning to the healer Namekians guarding Frieza. "Thanks for watching over him, you guys!" the Earth-raised Saiyan praised, grabbing onto the elder Namekians once again. "We'll be right back."
SHHFFT!
Just a few minutes after they had left, they returned, only this time Goku had a large grin plastered on his face. Moori had already put the pieces together as to what Goku was trying to do, but decided to let it slide with a small groan of annoyance at the Saiyan's impetuousness. The two reserved elders looked around at their brothers with solemn faces, nodding their heads towards them.
"We have seen the pathetic creature, and he does, indeed, need our assistance." one of the elders said, causing Moori to smile.
"Then it is decided?" Moori asked, looking at each and every one of his brothers in the room, "We are to use our Dragonballs to restore Frieza's body?" Throughout the room there were grunts of approval; everyone finally seemed to be in agreement.
"Only if Son Goku promises that once Frieza's body is restored, that he will be taken off of this planet." one of the elders whom Goku had taken to see Frieza chimed in.
Goku nodded, "Of course, I don't want to cause any more trouble than I already have..." He chuckled, though the others in the room did not share his sense of humor about the situation.
"I have a condition as well," the thin, younger elder said, "We will restore this demon's body to its natural form...but though it is within Porunga's powers, we should not heal him fully." The others murmured among themselves, as Goku gaped at him.
"What? Why?!" the Saiyan asked. "He's sick, real sick, an' the doctor who looked at 'im said he's gonna d—"
"Goku," Moori said forcibly, "Let my brother speak his piece; surely he has a reason for this request." He nodded at the pale green Namekian. "Go on, Trogas."
The Namek named Trogas continued, "You say you wish to...rehabilitate...this monster." Goku nodded, a focused look on his face. "Then you must force him to be dependent upon you. He is probably far too proud to acquiesce to you, unless you have something to hold over his head — the fact that he was weak, but you, and only you, brought him back from the brink."
Goku nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, I see now; you're right! I was doin' that before he got this sick, and I think, if I give it enough time, he might..." he shrugged, "Well, he might at least open up and trust us."
"I wouldn't trust such a creature as far as I could throw him..." muttered one of the elders. His brother elbowed him.
"So, it's settled, then." Moori said. "Let us gather the Dragonballs and summon the sacred dragon!"
Thanks to Goku's Shunkan Idou, the Dragonballs were easily gathered in a short amount of time. Frieza was carefully carried out into the sunlight, groaning in pain, but remaining passive. Milling around, the Nameks were nonetheless nervous and tense, looking furtively between the Arcosian's limp, unconscious body, and the clutch of golden-orange orbs on the ground in the center of the village. "What if...what if Frieza attacks us again once his body is restored?" a young Namek asked. He clung to his guardian's robes, his posture fearful.
"Do not worry, child," the older Namek replied, "he will be weak still, and besides, Son Goku is here to stop him, should he lash out." He patted the youngster's smooth green head reassuringly.
Moori looked around at all the hopeful, fearful, excited, and nervous faces of his brethren. "It is time." he nodded seriously to Son Goku. "Remember, from now until he is off our planet, you will control him."
"I will." Goku affirmed, meeting the wrinkled old Namek's eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Moori raised his hands, and cried out in a loud voice:
"Takkaraputo popurunga pupirittoparo!"
The enormous Dragonballs shone from within, emitting a bright golden light. A tendril of energy burst forth from their center, twisting and growing as it climbed upward into the now-sable sky. Many meters above their heads, it took the shape of a muscular, spiny dragon with rutilant eyes. It spoke in a rumble, the sound reverberating through the bones of all present.
"YOU WHO HAVE SUMMONED ME, WHAT ARE YOUR WISHES? SPEAK NOW, and IF IT BE WITHIN MY POWER, I SHALL GRANT THREE OF YOUR DESIRES, AS A BOON FOR CALLING ME FORTH."
"Great Porunga," Moori said in Namekian, "if it is within your power to restore the organic body of the one known as Frieza, that is our request!"
The dragon narrowed its ruby eyes and growled, making all of the Nameks present shiver. Its green, scaly face contorted, lips drawing back to bare sharp, clenched teeth.
"THIS I CAN DO. THE ONE YOU CALL FRIEZA SHALL BE RESTORED IN BODY."
"Hey, is it just me, or does the dragon seem a little...angry?" Goku whispered to Moori.
Moori's face displayed a sheen of sweat. "Yes, your eyes do not deceive you, Son Goku. Porunga does indeed seem to be incensed, and I believe I know why...Porunga is an extension of the hearts and minds of all the Namekian people, and he still carries a grudge against Frieza. He will grant our wish; he has never refused something in his power, but I'm afraid he may..." He trailed off.
"What?" Goku asked, "What's he gonna do? You said he'll grant the wish."
Moori shook his head and turned away. "Wait and see. Porunga has his own will, and I do not profess to know the vastness of his mind, despite being his keeper."
Goku was about to press Moori to explain, when suddenly, Frieza cried out. Fixing his attention on the Arcosian, Goku's eyes widened in shock. The small alien was enveloped in a golden glow, his whole body shimmering with ancient Namekian magic. 'If he wasn't awake before, he sure is now...' Goku thought, gritting his teeth sympathetically as Frieza screamed in pain. Above, Porunga's face held a hint of a smirk, Goku thought, as his eyes glowed red.
"As I thought..." Moori said, with a hint of regret, "Porunga cannot retaliate directly against the demon who succeeded in destroying Lord Guru and himself, but...he is making his restoration as painful as possible."
Again, an agonized screech tore its way out of Frieza's throat, as he writhed on the ground, clawing at the air with his flesh-and-blood hand, scrabbling and kicking with his metal feet. His eyes were huge, pupils constricted to pinpricks in pain.
"Look!" one of the healers exclaimed, "it is beginning..." A hush came over the crowd, leaving the air silent but for Frieza's wails. The Arcosian's screaming increased in pitch and intensity, as his metal torso separated itself from his flesh, audibly ripping free.
Goku felt queasy, flashing back to the sight of Frieza's mangled, broken body in the healing tank of his father's ship, looking like a motionless corpse. 'He certainly looks alive now...' he thought ruefully, wincing at the former tyrant's pain as he thrashed. 'Just hang on, Frieza. I promise that after this, it'll all get better for you.'
The other metal parts of the Arcosian's body had similarly been ripped away, as if by an invisible, giant hand, leaving the alien alternating between hoarsely screaming, or whimpering softly. His head was a mass of blood, the damaged areas there more extensive. A gaping hole yawned and pulsed blood where his right eye and cheek had been. The fingers of his right hand twitched, as though wanting to clutch at his injuries, but were held captive by some unseen force. Worse than anything else, though, was the tangle of ragged ribbons of flesh and gore trailing from his waist, pooling dark red blood. He smelled, and looked, like death itself: a tortured, pitiable sacrifice to some blood-loving god, laid out on an altar of torture and despair.
"May the gods have mercy on this poor creature..." a Namek standing next to Goku and Moori croaked, holding his hands tightly over a child's ears, the young Namek's face buried in the folds of his robes.
For a few moments, the spectators to the wish watched and waited, breath held. Frieza continued to bleed and make small sounds, like a dying animal. Then, Porunga rumbled in concentration, his eyes glowing a brighter red. Slowly, something began to appear from the raw open wounds, making the Arcosian scream in earnest once more. Little by little, yellow-white bones appeared, and were covered by flesh. Layer upon layer of fat, muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage, and keratin materialized with sickening sounds, not at all helped by Frieza's keening. All of the Nameks had clamped their hands over their sensitive ears. Some were sobbing, wide-eyed, unable to tear their gaze away.
The skin came last. Goku could swear that, to spite Frieza, the dragon of Namek purposely waited a few moments before sealing the bloody red of the alien's flesh in a snow-white covering, relishing in the half-flayed creature's pitiful cries. It was painful to watch, but at last, Goku could breathe again. It was over. Frieza was whole. The Saiyan watched as the former tyrant, now looking weak and vulnerable despite his sleek, muscled form, curled in on himself, emitting a pule of a whimper, like a kicked dog. Knees to chest, tail tucked between, the tip curling around to cradle his face, still contorted in abject pain. He shivered, further folding himself into a fetal position. Whether he was shuddering with pain, cold, or nightmares, Goku didn't know. A twisted feeling in his gut told him it was probably all three.
"IT IS DONE," Porunga boomed, "THE ONE KNOWN AS FRIEZA HAS BEEN RESTORED TO HIS NATURAL STATE." He cocked his huge head at Moori. "WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH?"
Moori seemed to snap out of a trance, tearing his eyes away from Frieza. "Uh..!" he faltered, turning to Goku, "...Goku, do you have another wish? Other than healing Frieza's sickness, of course."
Goku asked, "Is there any way for Porunga to check and see if any of those little metal things are still inside Frieza's body? Bulma said they were for keeping him alive with his metal body, but they were making him sick before."
Moori relayed the translated wish, to which Porunga shook his mighty head.
"I HAVE ALREADY PURGED ALL BUT FLESH FROM THIS BEING'S BODY."
Goku smiled, "Well then, that's it. Mister Moori, you can tell Porunga I don't need anything else."
"We have no further need of your benevolence, mighty Porunga. You may take your leave, with our utmost thanks." Moori shouted up to the dragon.
"AS YOU WISH, SO BE IT." Porunga said with a voice like thunder rolling. He began to glow golden, his snake-like body retracting into the Dragonballs. "FARETHEEWELL!" His voice echoed as his form faded away, the sky brightening as though a veil had been lifted.
Watching the dragon disappearing and the sky over Namek return to normal, Goku felt a sense of relief. 'Everything turned out okay.' he thought. His gaze shifted to Frieza, still curled up in a ball, among the bloody remnants of his metal prostheses. 'Now, I've just gotta get over the next hurdle. He's still gonna have to recover, and there's no guarantee he'll survive...but at least this way, if he dies, he can die whole.' The Saiyan couldn't explain it, but he felt that, somehow, this would be preferable to Frieza himself. A green hand on his shoulder roused him out of introspection.
"Son Goku," Moori said, "As promised, we have restored Frieza's body. Now, as promised, you will depart with him, and keep him under control." The elderly Namek turned to look at Frieza, but the look was no longer a glare of hatred...it was more of a sympathetic frown. "Oh, and Goku? Good luck. You'll need it, as will he." he said.
"Thanks Mister Guru," the Earth-raised Saiyan said, trying for formality but innocently using the wrong title. "I'm sure I can handle it all from here, thanks to your help. We'd better get going now." he smiled genuinely. Walking over to kneel next to Frieza, he slid his hands under the Arcosian, hoisting him over one shoulder. The alien stirred, but made no effort to struggle. Goku noted with worry that his body was still warm, almost hot, to the touch. The Namekian dragon had definitely not seen fit to heal him. With a final wave towards the Nameks — healers, warriors, civilians, and of course, Elder Moori — he placed two fingers to his forehead, and vanished.
SHHFFT!
"We're back, King Kai!" Goku announced. The blue god, who had been reading a newspaper in a lawn chair, quickly got up to meet his student.
"So Goku, looks like you managed to do it." King Kai said, cautiously scrutinizing Frieza from a few feet away. "And the Nameks, they were okay with this after all?" he asked skeptically.
"Yeah, it took seeing Frieza with their own eyes, but they let me use the Dragonballs for him." Goku responded, shrugging. "Like I thought, they're not like humans, or Saiyans. They can't stand to see suffering, so they've gotta help...I feel kinda bad, 'cause I knew they wouldn't say no..." He frowned, looking at the ground guiltily.
King Kai's eyes widened imperceptibly behind his round sunglasses. 'Honestly, Goku is the strangest student I've ever had, in all my millenia... He seems like such a dunce at times, but then he pulls stuff like this!' he thought with disbelief. "Goku, you shouldn't manipulate people like that..." he said disapprovingly, watching his student's face fall further, "...but in this case, uh, I suppose it was for a good cause." he added quickly, unwilling to chastise his pure-hearted pupil. Goku's eyes brightened, and a small smile came to his face.
"Thanks, King Kai. I hope I'm doing the right thing, bringing Frieza back from almost dying like this. It woulda been real easy to just let him die, but...it wouldn't have been...right, somehow..." he trailed off, his brow scrunching up, as if he couldn't come to terms with his own decision.
King Kai risked venturing closer to Frieza to pat Goku on the shoulder supportively. "Goku, you remind me that even as the universe gets darker, even as more and stronger villains appear, heroes exist as well." he said gravely. At this point, he would normally make a joke, to cut the tension and the seriousness, but at the moment, he couldn't think of one. No real zingers, anyway, and Goku had a notoriously lacking sense of humor. He sighed at an opportunity lost, clearing his throat. "Okay Goku, time to go. You know you're not supposed to be here while you're alive, and he definitely isn't allowed up here." he said, gesturing a thumb at the unconscious Arcosian hanging off Goku's shoulder.
Goku chuckled. "I dunno King Kai, he'd probably have no trouble with the gravity here, and—"
"Goku, that wasn't a joke." King Kai growled, with a hint of sarcastic humor, "I could be in trouble up to my antennae if the higher-ups find out you, or he, have been on sacred ground while still alive." He pouted melodramatically, folding his hands behind his back and turning away from Goku. "So unless you want to get me in hot water, shoo, both of you!" He made a dismissive gesture, hearing a light-hearted laugh and a characteristic whoosh of air in response.
Back on Earth, Goku gently carried Frieza back to the hospital room in Capsule Corp.'s small, but respectably outfitted, medical wing. Krillin and Yamcha told him about Vegeta's visit, while Gohan sat in his father's lap, peering nervously at the Arcosian. Goku listened with a grave expression on his face, absentmindedly ruffling his son's hair. "Man...Vegeta hasn't cooled down since I last saw him, I guess..." he said. "I'll have to confront him about it eventually, but right now, Frieza's not out of the woods yet, so I'd better stay here."
"Dad..." Gohan started, craning his head back to look at his father, "When Frieza wakes up...what are we gonna do with him, exactly? Won't he be as strong as he was on Namek?"
The spiky-haired Saiyan smiled. "That's easy, Gohan. We're just gonna watch him, and make sure he doesn't hurt anybody, or blow up anything. Don't worry, I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, your Mom, and everybody else on Planet Earth." he promised. He smiled, the grin lighting up his face with confidence.
Gohan grinned as well, mirroring his father's facial expression. "An' if he tries anything...you'll defeat him again, right Dad?" the half-Saiyan asked.
"Yup, you betcha!" the orange-clad warrior said, brandishing a fist dramatically. "But, I somehow don't think he'll be in fighting shape when he wakes up." Goku reached over and nudged Frieza gently. The white-skinned alien merely coiled his tail around himself protectively, not making a sound. "See Gohan? He's not trying to strike me or anything; he's just trying to keep himself safe, like any other creature."
"Yeah, or it could be that it's just because it's you poking at him, Goku," Krillin pointed out, "I think he's well and truly terrified of you, even when he's unconscious."
"Well, maybe," Goku admitted, "but all that means is I gotta work harder at getting him to trust me. I still feel really bad about trying to scare him into not comin' to Earth, but I was just trying to avoid havin' to kill him."
Krillin and Bulma sighed in unison. Krillin snorted, "Geez Goku, you don't have to feel guilt over that, anyone else in your position would have just killed him right then and there!"
"Yeah Goku," Bulma added, "you've already given him more chances than any other sane person I know would."
Yamcha snickered. "Who ever said Goku's sane? Right?" He playfully "knocked" on Goku's head. "This is the guy who took on the Red Ribbon Army when he was a kid! And won! I mean, who does that?"
Goku had an embarrassed look on his face, playfully batting Yamcha's hand away. "Hey, I was a kid," he laughed, "an' besides, they were gonna take over the world, right? I couldn't just stand by!" The group shared a laugh, reminiscing over fond memories of adventure and risking their lives for the Dragonballs.
"C'mon Goku, it's getting late, and we wouldn't want you to miss dinner," Bulma said gamely, poking her childhood friend in the ribs after Gohan slid off his lap. As if in response, his stomach grumbled.
"Hehe...guess I was so caught up in everything today, I mighta missed lunch!" the Saiyan weakly laughed, a sweatdrop on his temple. "I guess Frieza'll be out for a while, so we can leave him alone for now." He glanced at the alien's still form beneath the blankets, before his stomach made itself known again. "Well, sounds like I have no choice!" he chuckled. As the others filed out of the room, he said, in a lower voice, "Rest well, Frieza."
"Goku, come on!" Bulma called from out in the hall.
"I'm coming guys!" Goku called to his friends, hurriedly disappearing through the door, "Hey, can I have a snack while your Mom's cooking, Bulma?" Their voices and laughter faded as they all trooped towards the kitchen.
As the stars started to peek out from beyond the evening clouds, dyed in lavender and peach, Frieza slept, lost in a mercifully dreamless sleep of restoration, as slowly, he began to recover, at least in body. Though he did not know it, the future had been inexorably altered by his survival, and he would be changed along with it, in time.
Hello my loyal SoD readers! In case you're wondering, here are the puns in use this chapter: the village Moori sends for Healers from is called Suneglen Village, from the Danish word for snail, sneglen. Kares is from escargot, obviously. Trogas comes from "gastropod". Lomus is from mollusc, which is the phylum that snails and slugs are from. Nigilas is from the Proto-Germanic word for snails, snigilaz. Two of the warriors are actually based off of characters from the videogame Dragonball Heroes, Tsumuri & Maima. To round the group out, the final O.C., Caluma, derives his name from the Italian word for snail, lumaca.
Since it is the end of the year, here's a late Christmas present for you: a list of recommendations for good stories! Thank you to Symbiotic from the DBM forums for suggesting this; if you want links to most of these, just check my Favorites on . A Planet United by UnromanticPoetess; Black Cat by DoraMouse; Break Through the Limit by Captain Space; Bringer of Death by npberryhill; Collectable by Emertheawesome; Contradicting Mission by Chelsee; Dead Race by HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR; Destiny by Khandy Raynne; Dragonball XV by Elbadj; Dream of Yesterday by Somatrasiel; In Ashes by Alpha Shenron; Keep Your Eye on the Butterflies by jcogginsa; Mid-Morning Tea & Conversation by Murazor; Monkey See, Monkey Do by Arzosah; Piccolo's Choice by saucemonkey; President for a Day by Darke Angelus; Promise Me by Ness Frost; The River of Fate by Nickolaidas; The Otherworld Saga by Demod20.
On to the Q&A!
Author's Note: smashman42 won the prize for guessing what was wrong with Frieza, earning him a cameo in this chapter as a minor character!
Q: Guess what is wrong with Frieza? Sepsis. Blotchy skin near the wounds/cyber attachments, fever, heart rate, confusion - the odd symptom out is coughing up blood & bits of metal. The messing with his antibiotics schedule (missing dose then mega dose) probably wouldn't have helped it any.
A: You're absolutely right, in identifying the symptoms, as well as the one thing that isn't a symptom of sepsis. At this point, there's no way Frieza can fix this himself through self-medicating. Now then, since you're the one who gave me the first correct answer, with explanation, I have a surprise for you! In the next chapter, you'll get a small cameo. All I need is a description of you or a human character of your choosing. Include physical appearance, as well as any personality quirks that stand out. Also, please answer this question: what would your response be to seeing Frieza, as he is at the end of this chapter, if you're a normal Dragonball human (who doesn't know that aliens are on Earth already)?
Q: I think I have a guess for Frieza's condition. I have a few, but one of the most logical ones in my mind, is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, since he saw his father die right in front of him.
A: Well, yes, he does have post-traumatic stress disorder, among other things. Not just because of his father's death, either.
Q: Good chapter overall. I hope Frieza learning to sense energy will have an impact on him. Imagine, a being who's never really been able to empathize with someone, at least not for a long time, suddenly feeling Life at its most basic form. it'd be serious. Is Frieza's condition a disease, or caused by his injuries?
A: Well, sensing energy will have SOME impact on him, but I won't say what effects it will have just yet. Frieza is currently dying because he wasn't meant to live this long. There will be a more detailed explanation from Frieza himself later on.
Q: Great chapter Roketto. It's been an interesting ride to see Frieza trying to adapt to a more normal domestic life, trying to live a life if he was just a normal person than a prince of a planet or a overlord of an entire universe. I did have to chuckle when Frieza felt his personal space was pretty much molested from a distance by Piccolo when he said he was watching him the entire night - couldn't help but picture Piccolo sitting in the bushes with the old cartoon spyglass or standing beside Frieza's bed pretending to be a nightlight or a lamp. It was interesting for Goku to pick up the fact that a lot of angst from Frieza is he really hates the state that he is in both physically and mentally. which does show that Goku isn't as dumb as people like to put him as since he can pick up on things but he just isn't good with very complicated things. Even in the manga he would point out a lot of interesting things about people but I guess people tend to forget about that and make Goku more dumb than he actually is since I always figured Goku was a pretty smart guy he just isn't good with alot of high complicated things. The nightmare sequence seems to give a lot of hints between a reborn Frieza and the remains of the overlord Frieza molded by his father, like the remains of what he used to be and both sides are pretty much clashing in an all-out fight on who will be the dominate of Frieza's soul from now on which is leaving Frieza confused and I can even say a bit fearful. since I always believe Mecha Frieza was just the outside embodiment on what Frieza's true nature was deep down in his soul: a twisted and broken being that was being led in every direction by his Pride and Ego and by what he felt was true power. I can say Frieza is slowly seeing just how badly his pride has blinded him to so many things but his past trauma with his father is has that longing effect on him to truly open up. Keep up the good work Roketto maybe if the Dragonball Z community makes enough noise maybe someone can come out and ask to draw a manga of your story since everything you write does give future writers something to think about than the same old cliches that everyone uses when it comes to Frieza and his family and species as a whole.
A: Frieza has issues with personal space. Even in canon, you don't see him getting physically close to anyone unless it's to hurt them, & he always has to initiate it. In sociological terms, this is what's called a high power-distance, & it's cultural. In his case, it's also greatly psychological, because he likes to be in control. I will say it many times, but Goku is not stupid. He is naive, unintelligent in some areas, but in no way truly stupid - he has great powers of perception because of the way he thinks, not despite the way he thinks. Twisted & broken are good ways to describe Frieza, especially right now, at this point. I can only hope that in the future, someone will do some fanart of this fic without me having to solicit it (I always feel so awkward asking), otherwise I'll have to find some time to do my own.
Q: Amazing chapter and the character development is stupendous. The phase the story is in a phase where there is a break in the action to explore the psychological profiling of every character. This has been done perfectly throughout the fanfic and is truly something that was sadly rarely ever done in canon. In my opinion, the canon story should have been something like this. It seems Frieza's wish of being away from Earth and Goku could happen sooner than he thinks. Were his injuries from the fight this horrendous? and lastly, did Goku just win an argument with Vegeta? 0_o
A: Yeah, these few chapters have been less fighting, more exploring the characters' personalities. Glad you like it! Frieza is getting his wish, as you cleverly put it, but not in the way he might want. Also yes, Goku did just win an argument with Vegeta, mostly because the prince is still rather afraid of his Super Saiyan form.
Q: Freeza is suffering from Sepsis aka Blood Poisoning. He's also manic-depressive.
A: Wow! You win the prize for the fastest deduction. Frieza is indeed suffering from sepsis. However, I'm not sure I'd classify him as manic-depressive. You won the fastest guess, but not the most detailed explanation. That was the specified criteria to win fully. You get points for celerity & sharpness, though!
Q: You know, you accidentally made a pun, Frieza earlier was talking about the centrifugal core, and Bulma's said it's a revolution, both related to spinning. Was that on purpose or not? BTW read your TVTropes page and I think I know why "in universe" there are some elements of Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness, it's usually Bulma or Frieza's point of view and while Frieza may not be a genius, he is definitely smart enough to use elaborate vocabulary and Bulma is a genius, so her Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness doesn't come to that much surprise. I really like your portrayal of Goku here, he may be naive, but he isn't stupid, you show that, most fics just brush it off and write Goku as an idiot, Goku could be just as smart as say, well not Bulma, but less naive if he had simply gotten an education, but he didn't since he lived in the mountains and all. Goku knew that Frieza was deteriorating yet he could do nothing about it, well, I think that calls for "Useless ass psychic powers!" Good luck surviving Frieza. I can understand why he finds it hard to be polite, usually he can just blast anyone who annoys him, he is literally less than half of what he used to be, thanks to his own Death Saucer, a cyborg in pain and he has to contend with Goku's cheerfulness which like Vegeta and sometimes Piccolo, he find annoying. You know, Frieza here reminds me a bit of Vader and Grievous, they used to be powerful warriors, but then fate dealt them a bad hand and are now cyborgs who are only half of what they used to be, in Grievous's case, even less considering he is just a brain and some internal organs in a duranium body. Hehe, makes me think of something rather amusing. Dark Lords at Tea Time, we see Vader, Grievous, Frieza and other Dark Lords on Life Support, having tea and chatting nicely, then one of them makes Grievous mad, he goes on a rampage and slices em all up, or they make Frieza mad and he blasts them into oblivion.
A: It was accidental, but thank you for thinking me clever. ^_^ Lol, I try not to have OOC speech for characters, but I figured with Bulma, & sometimes Frieza, I can get away with it. Goku is not psychic, haha, he's just very perceptive. Bravo on making the connection between Frieza, Grievous, & Darth Vader! I have a thing for humbled, cyborg villains, so I try to keep Frieza's behavior consistent with theirs, since we don't see much of Mecha Frieza in canon. I honestly want to see a minicomic now featuring the three of them drinking tea or something equally silly.
Q: Um...very good chapter...I feel like I should say something deeper and more insightful...I don't really know. 'Twas good. I predict Frieza is infected with a rare and dangerous virus that causes a rash of plot points to break out all over your story. If left untreated, they develop into fully-fledged subplots. Other symptoms include inflamed chapter lengths (seriously, these are some long chapters). You certainly are brave, tackling some of those massive-wall-of-text reviews...
A: Haha, so you're saying Frieza is suffering from a Plot-Inducing Disease? Well, you are correct on that point. As for tackling long reviews, I'm not brave, I'm just insane.
Q: Guess what's wrong with Frieza?... man that's going to be a looong list other than that I would say that his ''repairment'' was just meant temporary... I like that you put the wine in his races culture / their rituals. Normal people would probably really feel bad for him now ( I bet that was your idea all along haha). Well I look forward to seeing how this turns out ( Beware the mighty Plot-Armour haha)
A: You were on the right track with your assessment. Frieza's cyborg state was not meant to be a permanent fixture.
Q: Amazing chapter, from an amazing author! This chapter's surprise was, undoubtedly, Vegeta, Prince of all Bastards. I like the fact that unlike the others, he's not willing to play ball, and considers Frieza the greater of all evils. His interactions with the Tyrant will be awesome, no doubt. As for Frieza's condition ... hell, I'm no doctor, I have no idea. My guess would be some some sort of reaction with his mechanical parts interfering with his live ones, because of being unattended, or damage. Maybe Frieza is rotting from the inside? Anyways, stay cool, gal! Awesome chapter!
A: Awww, Vegeta's totally a legitimate heir! xD Kidding aside, yes, he is abrasive, vindictive, & downright evil right now...but then, so is Frieza. Your guesses as to what's up with Frieza are generally right, but details will come next chapter.
Q: Another brilliant chapter! Wine being an important part of the Arcosian culture was very interesting. I really have no clue what's physically wrong with Frieza, but whatever it is maybe a Senzu will fix it. Hope he will be alive and kicking again soon and that Vegeta achieves SSJ soon since there are now two mortal enemies he wants to surpass. Keep up the fantastic work.
A: I like creating culture, biology, & other "deep" aspects of a character while writing them. So now you know that Frieza & his family aren't just super-fond of drinking, there is actually a reason behind it. When Vegeta finds the will to unlock Super Saiyan remains to be seen, what with his whole stubborn-prince persona right now.
Q: Seems Frieza's condition is getting worse; his body is rejecting the mechanical parts, and with most of his organs missing, it might also be that his flesh is slowly decomposing. While it would be a foolish thing to do in order to save Frieza, they could use the Dragonballs to heal him back to normal, (and in turn he might later learn the 5th form), but if Bulma manages to fix him with mechanics, that can also lead to interesting events as he remains a cyborg.
A: Correct on all counts of your analysis. Also, as this chapter showed, you predicted Frieza being restored with the Dragonballs. Don't count Bulma's influence on Frieza's body out just yet, though.
Q: So is Future Trunks gonna show up at all? Or is he just not gonna happen now? Please don't ship Frieza/Bulma. If Future Trunks does show up I think it would be interesting if Frieza was his mentor (instead of Gohan). Also, if you aren't going in that direction, any thoughts on Gero getting his hands on upgrading Frieza. Considering what Part Human, Part Android machines built by Gero can do, I can only imagine what a Part Arcosian, Part Android could do.
A: For the last time, no, Future Trunks will not be appearing in this story. He only traveled to ONE universe, & this isn't it. I don't see Frieza becoming anyone's mentor, given that he isn't a very patient person himself.
Q: Frieza is suffering primarily from Sepsis. He is also probably suffering from malnutrition.
A: Correct on the first guess, but less so on the second. Malnutrition is less of a problem for him now than outright starvation. Luckily (or unluckily) for him, Arcosians can survive without food for a lot longer than most species.
Q: Drawing upon my medical knowledge. Thinking, thinking. Arterial blood from the lungs, fever, abdominal pain, rash, bits of his prosthetics swimming in his bloodstream... I'll guess that his body is rejecting the prosthetics, combined with accumulated damage from prolonged electrocution. Feel free to correct me.
A: You're on point, very astute! Septicemia combined with bodily rejection of the foreign metal in his body is his main issue, & you're the only one who has brought up the effects of prolonged electrocution as well. Very good.
Q: Truly a lengthy read, but it felt like stuff got done and everyone moved forward a little bit in their own right. The tension between Bulma and Yamcha is interesting, and I'm glad that it looks like we'll actually get to see their initial break up instead of it just being mentioned offhandedly like in most other fics. One thing I'm interested in though is to see how the likes of Tien, Chiaotzu, and Gohan are doing at this point in time. In any case, great work once again.
A: Glad you liked the character-building in this chapter! The length is why you don't see Gohan & the others in this part of the story - I just can't fit them in! Everyone is awesome, but my chapters are threatening to generate their own gravitational pull, which will draw in the entirety of like a black hole, growing & expanding until it encompasses the entire Internet! õõᶸ As this is rather alarming, I will be rotating character focus to avoid it.
Q: Krillin, I get what you're saying about empathy, but I don't think you're trying hard enough. Regarding the family angle, you could see it as Frieza being evil because of his family, not just his whole family being evil by default. Although, as Krillin points out, Frieza killed him, so it makes sense he wouldn't really try to empathize. Even if he rationally could do so, he subconsciously sabotages any attempt. The bit where Frieza finds his father's wine is interesting... not only does it tell us a bit about Arcosian culture, it also says that wine doesn't have nearly as much of an intoxicating effect on them that it does on humans, that it could even be so ingrained (Is that a pun?) to start with. That aside, considering what Cold did to Frieza after he died, the shocks and all, I'm a little surprised Frieza didn't know how little his father cared for him. But still... as I think was mentioned somewhere in this chapter, the plotting and the doublehanded thinking seems to be second nature to Frieza and his father, so yes, while what Cold did was horrible... Frieza saw it not as confirmation that his father didn't care, but as incentive to succeed and punishment if he failed. Which he would expect if Cold were alive, so, he saw this as him just doing what he would otherwise, post-mortem. In that light, Frieza would think his father cared for him, and the idea that he was nothing more than a tool to him, that he would care so little that he would only drink that one bottle, and even then just out of custom and obligation rather than any emotion... that must have truly cut him deeply. Especially, I note, since he just swore to avenge Cold and his honor not two seconds before. Might make him think twice about the avenging part, since his father didn't care about him at all, eh? But that's just idle speculation on my part. And on a personal note, I always found that opening up about my problems to someone, getting them out in the open, generally does help, especially if it's something personal, or something I had been struggling with for a long time. Maybe that's obvious, I don't know, but it seems true. If Goku could get Frieza to open up, like he said, he would start making some real progress, no doubt, as this chapter does show flickers of it for those reasons. Anyway, I digress. As always, a wonderful chapter, and I look forward to the next one. See you next review...
A: Krillin has a serious mental block against forgiving Frieza, as do the others who fought him on Namek. Besides Goku, nobody else had the satisfaction of winning against him, so there's still a sense of resentment & hatred there. I love putting little bits of Arcosian culture & custom in this story, so I'm glad you thought the wine subplot was appropriate. Oh, & who says Arcosians don't get intoxicated? Perhaps not as easily as humans, but they can feel the effects (which is partially the point of alcohol, culturally). Frieza's relationship with his father is...rather abusive, mentally. To keep Frieza under control, King Kold made himself the most important person in his world, & so Frieza has this built-up image of his father in his head as something unshakeable & almost godlike, meting out praise or punishment as deserved. It is not a healthy mindset, as you probably have guessed. On your last point, Frieza has never opened up to anyone, so it will take a lot of prying on Goku's part to get anything personal from him.
Q: Hmm, the Dragonballs haven't re-activated yet, have they? They could probably solve all of Frieza's problems, and I'm sure Goku wouldn't hesitate in using them for that, if they were available. I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to this kind of stuff, so I don't have a bet on what Frieza is suffering from. The Kooler "cat" is out of the bag now, and for us readers, so is Isa. I assume Isa might be similar in color to Kooler, which would be why he's so different from his brother and father... I'm pretty sure you had some art of that on your DA, but can't remember it visually right now. It is kind of funny how we're having so much Arcosian awesomeness across many DBZ fics right now: Frieza here (plus the looming threat of Kooler and the mystery of Isa), Admiral Haabu in Piccolo's Choice (in which you've had a hand in as well), Kold kicking a** in DBM. Damn you Roketto for pulling me to the Arcosian side of DBZ.
A: Mwahahaha, I am slowly but surely extending my influence through consulting on Arcosians for various fanfic authors, thus making people like them, & even root for them! Yup, you have exposed my master plan. Also, curse you for making me imagine cat versions of Kooler & the other Arcosians. That is horrifying. They would probably be Sphinxes...except I always imagine Kold as this enormous Maine Coon, because of his size.
Q: First, I'd like to say... Update soon, please! When fanfic told me you update I had actually forgotten about this fic! And that's sad, because it's easily one of the most well written fics on here. Hmm... Wonder what's wrong with him. Maybe something simple, flu-like illness? Bronchitis, pneumonia, something up that alley? Maybe the implants weakened his immune system, making him susceptible to simple infections? Then again, all those pills... Maybe he has some sort of immune deficiency. Born with it, maybe! Perhaps that's why his father thinks so little of him? His greatest shame, a son born weak... And for his entire life, Frieza had to overcompensate in everything he did to try to make his father proud? Hmm. Also interesting, considering how little his father shows affection... How did he even learn to care about such a thing? Someone had to teach him. "Isa" I guess? Isa his mother? If that is the case, and he was born "weak", there must have been a lot of tension between his mother and his father over him. I wonder how that relationship panned out. The idea of him being born with some sort of defect is completely plausible, considering we've seen little to nothing about Frieza's private life in the series. I can go on forever. I can't wait to find out what's really wrong with him. Update soon, please! :)
A: I update as soon as humanly possible, given my chapter lengths, & the fact that I work (so I can't be writing 24/7)...but hey, that's what notifications are for! As long as you Favorite/Follow the story, it'll tell you when there's a new chapter. ^_^ You have an interesting theory regarding Frieza's condition. Unfortunately, it's incorrect, but it's a good guess. All will be revealed soon enough.
Q: There are several villains who'd be interesting in this story, namely Lord Slug and Bojack. Lord Slug being a Namekian along with his name would result in some funny comments from Frieza. Before you say that Slug is too weak, Slug's Giant Form was so powerful that it apparently warranted a 100x Kaioken just to pierce him, Slug is not weak at all. As for Bojack, he used to be the Galactic Emperor, seeing some interaction between the two former Emperors would be nice. Of course, the problem is that Bojack is Perfect Cell Tier, he'd trash everyone on Earth.
A: Well, my plans for future story arcs in SoD are not set in stone, so you may just get your wish. I will definitely be using at least *some* of the movie villains.
Q: I really like the subtle changes in Frieza's character. At the start he's almost becoming relatable and you start seeing him as a person, not as the galactic tyrant. Then Bulma goes and spoils things, as is her want, and sees him retreating back into his shell. The ending suggests he's coming out of it again... if he survives (which he, of course, will unless this has a heck of twist ending!) His slow realization that his father didn't think much of him is quite sad in its own way - equally so the manner in which Frieza finds any excuse to refuse to accept it as true in the face of mounting evidence. I almost regret the password not being Kooler, if only because I would have loved to see the mega-tantrum that would have followed! I think you've handled Kooler well as well - this chapter giving just the right sense of foreboding about the elder prince (who is undoubtedly staring in disbelief at the distress call sent from the ship, unable to believe his luck). I'm very curious about what he keeps in that box, particularly so as it seems he very much wanted to hide it from his father as well. I'm guessing it's not a teddy bear ;) Goku's also getting to shine with you giving some time to what is an often overlooked part of his character: his insightfulness. Certainly Frieza seems perturbed by his ability to look into him and read him so well. It's an aspect many seem to miss so I'm happy that we're getting to see it at play here. It is also funny to see his interactions with Frieza and the Arcosian's growing frustration that the man just will not take a hint. The return of the prince was done well as well. I'm guessing Goku using the password will blow-up in his face when Frieza, inevitably, finds out. It's interesting to see how Vegeta's character changes as he adjusts to Frieza's presence and the knowledge that he isn't going away. One thing that I think is missing is seeing what Gohan is up to and how he's feeling about the arrangements, but I'm sure that will come along in time. My wild guess to Frieza's condition is a peptic ulcer, caused by the fusing of his organic and metallic/synthetic parts not being quite right. I suspect I'm wrong but what the heck! Keep up the excellent work!
A: I'm glad that you like the subtlety with which Frieza is changing his perspectives & behavior. Too many fics get this wrong, either by having too short a transitional period, or skipping it entirely & going for a Heel Face Turn at the drop of a hat. Bulma has taken it upon herself to constantly remind Frieza that is not top dog anymore - much to his frustration, of course. She is trying to help though, in her own bossy, forceful way. I can't wait to write Kooler in this story. His interactions with Frieza will be all kinds of tense & uncomfortable, & you can bet I'm gonna play up the sibling rivalry between them (with some twists). As for Frieza's memento box...I already gave a preview of the contents, way back in Ch. 4, if you've forgotten & wish to speculate. Goku is fun to write, as always, because of his contradictory nature; seemingly very dense about some things, but frighteningly perceptive about others. Don't worry about Gohan & everyone else - as I've already mentioned in some reviews, I can't fit everyone into every chapter, so I'll try to rotate the cast to give everyone the limelight & character development. Good guess in regards to Frieza's affliction, but no cigar.
Q: Short review because finals week is killing me (shouldn't it be less work if I'm giving the final?) In general, everything about this story is still fantastic. I like your exploration of Frieza's mental state, Bulma and Yamcha's deteriorating relationship, and Vegeta's background. I like that you're letting the reader figure out aspects of Frieza's character as well as having the other characters explain it somewhat. Also, I love the idea of Arcosian culture having wine-related rituals. It's giving me ideas about the planet's climate. I have no idea what's making Frieza sick. I was assuming it was an infection he developed on Earth, which would be a serious problem as he would have no antibodies, and Arcosian antibiotics might not work on it. But he was taking antibiotics before, so I'm at a loss.
A: The fact that you still think it's fantastic is...fantastic! I'm seriously glad that people are still hooked on this story, despite there not being any major fights for a few chapters. There will be much, much more revealed about Arcosian culture in this fic, as bit-by-bit I illuminate it. Your guess for what's ailing Frieza is close to the mark, but not quite there.
Q: I thought, that last ending was terrible, but this time is even more sadistic! Shame, that your story doesn't happened in canon, because is better (especially with that stupid, pink, jelly called Buu…). Your story is great (I think everyone agree with this). I always hoped, Goku will somehow "get along" with Frieza, even if they wouldn't become friends. Frieza and Cold plot could be interesting in canon, shame that they only appear to be killed by Trunks. By the way, all this plot with time travelling was far-fetched. Frieza always was ambiguous for me. Evil but certainly full of fear, well-mannered but lose temper when things are getting off control. For me he was most human (don't know it is proper word, he is not human at all ;) ) from all main villain. I don't like Vegeta, but you write characters so well, that maybe I will start tolerate him. I like all mentions about culture and customs, and of course EVERYTHING connected with biology - small professional deviation ;). Speculations in my fan-fiction were different, so I'm even more interested how you will surprise me now. This topic leaves room to maneuver, so you may do everything. Alternative fan-fictions are the best ;) I think using Dragonballs yet to heal Frieza wouldn't be good idea. It's too early, so I think they should figure out something else. Wonder what our former tyrant will do after they save him once again. I forgot diagnosis our tyrant earlier, but better late than never ;) I put on sepsis with respiratory distress syndrome. Fits accelerated pulse, respiration, temperature changes and disorders of consciousness. As for the reasons I have a few theories. First: the rejection of metal components of prosthetics - which explains the red stains around the waist, and maybe these metal flakes. Second: general weakness and problems with immunity. After mutilation Frieza lost part of organs - including the immune system. Besides, after exhausting fight and received serious injuries, it is not much needed to occur infection. When we add a break in the use of drugs and surgery as "feeding" or dialysis is no wonder that the whole organism is destabilizing. It also explains why illness is revealed now.
Can I ask one question? Do Arcosians are warm-blooded? Preference for warm places may suggest cold-blooded, but endothermy is useful thing - even the development of the brain. That's why birds and mammals develop high intelligence and behaviour (compared to amphibians and modern reptiles).
A: Mwahahaha, I am quite the sadistic writer, with all my dastardly cliffhangers... Right now, Frieza hates Goku's guts, but who knows, maybe in time, he'll warm up to Goku's attempts to be friends. I also liked the apparent contradiction that was Frieza's personality in canon. He could be so polite, yet so chillingly barbaric, that it was as if he had a complete disassociation with what he was doing. I always found that fascinating. I, like you, have a bit of a biology obsession - with any alien species, I want to know more about their past, their history, their culture, etc. Aha, you got it! Your diagnosis is absolutely correct; Frieza is suffering from a case of septicemia, or blood poisoning, for all the reasons you listed. Also, to answer your other question, Arcosians are exothermic (cold-blooded). New studies have shown that reptiles & birds are more intelligent than what we gave them credit for in past animal studies - it's just that we couldn't reliably test their smarts because we weren't offering a good incentive for them to perform. Case in point, to get a piece of food, a rat will solve a maze easily. A snake in the same position can't be bothered to solve the maze, because it doesn't have that high metabolism that tells it to constantly seek sustenance. If you put something the snake wants, like a heat rock, at the end of the maze, the snake can & will solve it just fine. Besides that, some reptiles do exhibit a lot of intelligence naturally - look at Komodo dragons, alligators, & monitors, to name a few.
Q: I've finally found the time to review this and I'll start by saying I'm impressed. Now going off memory I loved the battle with King Cold and Frieza - you really showed the cunning of and sadism of the King and you gave us a perfect view of inside Frieza's mind. The only thing I had issues with was in chapter four, although it was nice to see what Goku's stay on Yardrat was like, and how it conveyed Frieza's character - I just felt a little off that Goku would purposely try to harass/bully Frieza. But with all things said thank you for writing the story; I am really enjoying it and I can't wait to see how it develops.
A: Glad you're enjoying the story so far! I have to say, writing Kold & Frieza is so much fun it should be illegal. Sadistic is one word to describe them both quite well. I realize that Ch. 4 may seem to a period of OOC for Goku - but remember, if he hadn't followed Ramein's orders, he wouldn't have been able to learn Shunkan Idou. That, to him, was more important than an enemy's mental state at the time. Still, Goku being so kind-hearted, it did bother him, as you can see from his behavior in later chapters. That's why he's now overcompensating to try to be kind & patient towards Frieza.
Q: So, this is it. Savior of Demons, the fanfiction that had a hype campaign spin doctors can only dream of. I was afraid I'd be given free cocaine and hookers on the way in. You do an exceptional job of conveying Frieza's mental state. From the hallucinations down to the everyday stuff. And Ramen (yes I will call him that) had a great attitude and teaching method. Mentally unbalancing your enemy before the fight even starts, gold star. King Cold is more, serious here than anywhere else. I mean serious in the sense that he isn't nearly so complaint or favourable of Frieza as per the norm. His lecturing of Frieza was very good. The line about listening to him holds a special place in the hall of quotes. And the electric failsafe built into Frieza? 130% in character. Very Machiavellian. Goku got quite a large amount from his Abridged personality. 'Are you sorry now?' I know it says in religious texts to forgive at least 28(?) times, but this is ridiculous. Dealing with an unrepentant asshole who expresses enthusiasm in killing you is a stupid move. But then again, look at Piccolo and Vegeta. Poor Yamcha. He should have stuck to baseball. This is a realistic fanfiction. I like that. Makes Frieza's plight seem all the more harrowing. I've never cared for him, and am just here for the enjoyment of watching his pain. That's what got me through the first chapters at least. I'm just glad this wasn't as perfect as promised. My eyes may have bled gold. I am glad that your idea got off the ground, and has quite the following already. Many fanfictions have had smaller changes that were the catalyst for massive, timeline altering events. What will Frieza surviving do to the overall Dragon ball universe? I do know that unlike Gohan and Turles in a certain fanfic; Frieza would gladly kill them all with Cooler's help. Yes, the level of hype going around had me wary. But the strobe lights aren't as bright as they look. I'll keep reading for a variety of reasons, one of which being the possibility that Frieza dies of his injuries, meets up with his Father before being wished back. Would make his death a lot more expensive if it happens later.
A: Hookers & blow? Just who do you take me for? xD I'd be more likely to hand out Pixie Sticks & Chippendales dancers. Anyway, glad you like how realistic the story is so far. If my fanfiction isn't perfect enough to make you bleed gold through your eyes & other orifices, it's because this is my first serious venture into writing a fanfic. I hope that the promise of more torment & pain for Frieza will keep you reading, my friend! I'm a Communications specialist; I know how to run a campaign, lol. xD. As for your comment on Frieza dying, meeting Kold, then getting wished back...well, you will sort of get your wish, this chapter...
Q: Well, if I had to guess I would say that Frieza is suffering from some sort of rejection syndrome, except with the cybernetics instead of donor organs. He's also a mess psychologically, probably suffering from shell-shock, torn between wanting to grieve for and hate his father Kold for recent events, and wanting to kill Goku but being powerless to do so. Not a pretty place to be in by any stretch. Ah, I look forward to seeing what's physically wrong with him. I've really been enjoyed the story thus far as well. Kudos to you for taking the time to expand on the background of the Arcosian race and to delve deeper into the character of Frieza.
A: You're correct in terms of the psych evaluation, but less correct in regards to his physical ailments. He is absolutely suffering from PTSD, & you're right in sussing out that mentally, he's in a very, very dark place. I also wanted to say thank you , & I hope that you continue to enjoy SoD! I write about Frieza & the Arcosians because I love to do so, & that is why I appreciate every review telling me I do a good job of it.
Q: I'm curious to see how Goku handles the secret of knowing that not only did Vegeta blow up Frieza's ship and possible only hopes of ever leaving, but also steal potentially vital information. We all know Goku is notoriously bad at keeping secrets, although this timeline's training with Ramien has definitely improved that, plus he's trying to win over Frieza which is only made harder by keeping secrets. Like one of the above comments I also greatly appreciated the reptilian ancestral traits attributed to the Arcosians, I find it increasingly annoying that some people seem to think them insectoid rather than reptilian. My brother did pose an interesting idea which I can accept, their root species is some sort of mix between reptilian and insectoid traits. I seem to remember you saying it took you something like a month to complete a new chapter, if I'm remembering correctly I have to ask what's taking so long with the new one? I understand that this is Christmas month which is busy for many people and there might be other issues at play, I just hope everything is alright with everyone in your life and that I can keep looking forward to the next Chapter of Savior of Demons, if not before the end of this month maybe early next month.
A: Goku isn't good at keeping secrets because he's an honest guy. However, he can stifle his urge to spill the beans, if it's for a greater cause, like protecting someone (in this case, Frieza & his fragile mental state). Insectoid? Really? I see little evidence of that theory, myself, whereas Arcosians-as-reptilian is almost intuitive. Yes, I take an entire month to update. This month has been particularly trying, with a family member in the hospital contributing to the usual holiday stress. Everything is okay though, so I should be able to release the next chapter in time for New Year's.
Q: You've got Piccolo's dry sarcastic wit and grimly blunt sense of humour down artfully, he's actually one of the more tricky characters to write and keep true to his anime self, some might think keeping him genuine is simple, but there's more to him than a lot of people realize, so kudos to you. And by gum even Piccolo is cowed by Pansy Briefs's implacable cheeriness, he's right, that woman is certifiably bonkers manhandling Frieza, the poor guys, enemies true enough, but also brothers in torment under their host's exuberant generosity. Piccolo escaped breakfast early, so he missed the classic Goku vs Food battle, hehe, poor Frieza, I bet he's seen many Saiyans eat in his time, but he still ain't used to it, huh? Vegeta's inner turmoil at its best, always tormenting him, ever pushing him beyond his mental and physical limits; he seems more ambitious and more driven here than in the series, if that's even possible; perhaps he will walk a different path now he has two superior rivals to outmatch, and when he does attain his ascension, well, here's hoping Frieza starts training in the gravity chamber cause he's going to need all the strength he can get to fend the prince off. Again, like Piccolo, you keep the prince true to form, especially the dialogue, though the accuracy there may differ between English dub and original Japanese, but who cares, this fic's still awesome and so are you. Krillin's decision to abstain from accepting Frieza was interesting. Krillin may not be the brightest guy, but at least he tried to look at things from a different perspective but he just couldn't share Goku's optimism; can't really blame him either, Frieza did kinda kill him, one doesn't just –get over- being murdered so easily, true Krillin isn't really one for ongoing vendettas, but who can say what lurks in the dark corners of a man's heart, even a good men whose hearts sometimes harbour darkness darker than cruel and petty men, only they focus it into do-gooding instead of bad-doing. Hehe, Bulma giving Yamcha the cold shoulder, the silly bugger can't catch a break, but heck let's face it, the cocky sod of a bandit's at his funniest when at his most miserable. Bulma's eagerness to study alien tech might actually advance her knowledge to a beneficial new height when or if the androids show up. As ever I found great entertainment in Frieza and Goku's interaction and weird banter, especially when Goku knew Frieza was insulting him without actually knowing what the insult implied. Bulma making Frieza say please just to get her to help with a task she herself commissioned was hilarious, more so the fact Frieza didn't reach that conclusion and throw it in her face, rather he acquiesced, guess his headache and phantom arm fuddled his rational mind, so sad. And his plight only worsened with some heavy hitting truths about papa Kold's true regard for him, the bit about certain wine for certain occasions embraced in Arcosian culture was a wonderful bit of lore, it enriches to the fic in a way many fic writers rarely ponder, most commendable indeed. Frieza's mysterious box only augmented this chapter's contemplation vale. Again Goku proves an uncanny intelligence beneath that goofy, seemingly witless exterior; for all the insight he shows in most non-combative situations, he sure is quite intuitive when it comes to comprehension of the individual. He's likely correct about Frieza to some degree, living alone in a crowded cutthroat family business, raised to loathe all things –weak and emotional- with only Kold's and his own standards to live up to, to be universally feared and despised, unable to trust none bar himself, especially not family, it's no surprise he became who he is. Truly you have a grasp of Goku's deeper side, it's a pleasant counterweight to your eerie intuition of Frieza's mind, or perhaps even because of it, your understanding of Frieza's mentality helps clarify Goku's own observations of Frieza. I know I suck at explaining the style. Antithesis-thy-comprehension maybe? Still, clever you, it's a tricky concept to grasp despite its deceptive first-glance simplicity. Furthermore you pull it off with Goku and Vegeta just as effectively, specifically Goku's reasoning regarding Vegeta's failures to ascend. The Vegeta/Frieza dynamic you've set up is most intriguing, two monsters, deeds differing only on scale. Kold moulded Frieza into a monster who then twisted a young impressionable Vegeta into the same thing, though King Vegeta might've contributed with his –you're the prince above all others- speech. Suffice to say both Frieza and Vegeta's respective redemptions may be stymied by their mutual loathing of one another; plus neither really wants redemption, believing they are who they're meant to be. It's quite twisted actually in that Frieza could once have been called Vegeta's teacher, or breaker, and now here they are, being nudged down a lighter path by the goofy former enemy they both abhor. See this sort of intricacy is why you deserve all the praise and adoration you get, thus why you've already surpassed the hundred review point so early. Lots of funny bits too, like Bulma telling a guy who can fly to take a dive off a cliff, as Goku so astutely pointed out, and the wrench throwing, I think Frieza's found a new hobby, the psychological torment of that most pesky blue haired woman. But naturally with Goku playing bodyguard she can retaliate with all her heart's fondest vindication; she should hope Frieza never catches her alone, uh-oh. But I suppose if she saves his life now, he may just let up a bit with the nasty comments, unless she rubs that fact in his face, which of course she will. I wish I had the time to give a more in depth review and for that I apologize, but alas, life is life. So to conclude; here is another bag of well earned praise, bank it, devour it, light it on fire and shoot it into the sky to explode like fireworks, use it in whatever way you need to fuel your creativity writing this fantastic fic. I also wish I could figure out the answers to your little contests, but I know too little of diseases to guess Frieza's illness, nor am I smart enough to discern the extent of Frieza's psychology chemistry, so I shall patiently await the answers. You are now among my top three favorite fanfic authors.
A: Pansy Briefs, I fear, may become everyone's Dark Horse Favorite. She is almost supernaturally nonchalant, & I have a lot of fun writing her, especially her cooking. Everything she makes, food-wise, is stuff I enjoy eating, so that's a little bit of escapism on my part, haha. Npberryhill is the master of writing Vegeta, so you have him to thank for the Prince's emotional outbursts this chapter, in all his arrogant glory. You gotta admire his perseverance, at least. Krillin is nothing if not human, so his inability to forgive Frieza immediately is understandable. Thing is, not many people are so quick to forgive like Goku is, which makes the normal perspective here (Krillin's) important. I love having Bulma interact with Frieza, because it always feels like their conversations always teeter on the edge of violence, with or without Goku to step between them...& because it's funny imagining all the different facial expressions Frieza would make in the course of their insult wars. I like that you like the exposition about the wine. It's not just thrown in there, but will be plot-important later. I appreciate the compliments regarding how I write Goku; I have worked really hard to try to get him right, every chapter, so I'm glad you think I have a handle on him (considering that he's the POLAR OPPOSITE of my personality). I do love the scene with the wrench, because it perfectly illustrates how Frieza operates - he can't physically retaliate, so he will resort to psychological warfare (or just annoyance) instead.
...Fireworks! ÒÓ ..starts laughing maniacally at them..
The following are reviews for previous chapters:
Q: I first off want to say that I truly applaud your pacing ability. By now, you must've written at least 20,000 words and we're still only (if my hunch is correct) in the early stages of the Goku vs. Frieza/Cold battle. The way you're taking the time to get into each and every character's mindset is truly admirable - however, there is a flipside to this. Sometimes I'm feeling as if the character interactions are just slightly drawn out too much and that you're spending a bit too much time on it, but it's really just a minor qualm that I've found. There is one thing that I'll need to comment about, though, and that's your use of dialogue. Only one character is allowed to speak in one paragraph; if you want to have another character talk or say something, it needs to be in another paragraph altogether. Otherwise, quotes and speech can be mismatched and tough to follow. Just a note for the future! Now I'll move into discussing the plot - I really love how you're emphasizing how Goku is still willing to let Frieza flee without any sort of repercussion for the damage he's caused to all of his friends. You're portraying Goku to be the character he is - this merciful hero who pretty much just wants peace in this world, no matter how evil or dastardly his foe is. Needless to say, I'm really enjoying his portrayal. Again, Frieza continues to be stellar. I seriously don't know how you do it, but you really know how to portray his fears to the T. Excellent job. I'm really starting to get into this story, Roketto. Can't wait to read Chapter 3!
Hello, Roketto! It's about time I started reading this story - I'm a huge Frieza fan, and also a fan of well-written fanfictions. Luckily for me and your other readers, your story features both Frieza and quality writing, so I'm sure I'll enjoy future installments to come! I really enjoyed this opening chapter and how you dedicated a LOT of time to portraying Frieza's psyche. Props to you for actually starting after Frieza becomes Mecha Frieza; it's really rare that someone tries to write Frieza after that time period(most people will start directly after the battle on Namek with Goku, but you've taken an alternate method - I must say, I really like it so far). Unfortunately, this chapter didn't feature the divergence quite yet, but it more than made up for it by including Frieza's internal dialogue and including the 'alternate timeline' fight between Frieza and the Z-Fighters. I'm really looking forward to Goku intervening next chapter and just WHY the battle makes a true divergence from canon. I suspect it's because of King Cold making his power known much earlier, but we'll see what happens. Overall, great chapter, Roketto! Can't wait to see more!
A: Thanks for the glowing review! Opening chapters set the tone for the entire story, if done right. I hope that I've managed to portray Frieza in such a way that readers will see him as a villain at first, but then slowly come to understand that he's much more complex than that. The same goes for the heroes, too. I plan to take inspirations from their canon depictions, but make them somewhat deeper, with more dimensions to their personalities & motivations. Yup, by Ch. 2 I was still feeling out the whole writing fanfiction thing, so sometimes my paragraphs have more than one person talking. I have since learned not to do that, haha. I love getting in characters' heads. That is why I do it so often in my stories, & the internal monologues will only get more frequent from here, I'm afraid. Say what you will, but a genuinely relatable cast of characters drives the plot & makes people wanna keep reading. As for how I manage to write Frieza so well...lots of research. Along with psychoanalysis, & a healthy dose of logically filling in the blanks in his canon personality. I do that with everyone, but Frieza gets special attention to detail because he's, well, the main character here. Goku, of course, is also a big focus of mine.
Q: I can't believe Vegeta will not try to kill Frieza and in fact kill him. I can't believe Vegeta will ever forgive Goku and the others, or even accept to stay as long as Freeza is living on Earth. In my imagination they lived in a quadruple star system of blue giants "near" the galactic center. Around one of these orbits (among others) a gaseous much bigger than Jupiter and around this an iron planet twice or thrice the size of Earth: Arcos, a waterworld with thousands of volcanic islands, very hot world but often ice superstorms and instantaneous glaciation so any time there are some large glaciers. Oxygen-free atmosphere (thus no ozone) 2,000 times Earth air pressure. At first the WTO empire was Arcos and other moons of the giant, then other planets and moons of the quadruple system, finally interstellar conquest. In my humble opinion Salagir succeeded in making them a one in a million race whichever the credibility, will you?
A: Well, as you can see in this chapter, Vegeta did try to kill Frieza. No doubt he'll make more attempts, as well. I do not follow Salagir's ideas on Arcosians at all, so please banish his theories from your head as you read Savior of Demons. Not that he doesn't have unique, interesting ideas, but sometimes unique is not good.
Q: I really liked the primal way Frieza acted when he was completely powerless, I think that's how any being of any race would act when facing such superior forces with no means of fighting back however futile. The way Goku followed after the scared Frieza is just so like him, if I'm not mistaken something along these lines happened in Dragonball at some point with a wild animal didn't it? I really appreciated the Grandpa Gohan flashback, that's the exact method I was taught for training dogs not to bite. I completely agree with the above comment comparing Savior of Demons and Bringer of Death. Is having npberryhill and davidstarlingm assisting as editors a part of that? I have to ask how you manage to maintain such in-character characterizations without consulting Akira Toriyama, I tried writing my own story with other people's characters a long time ago and I kept having to run the pages by the original creators to ensure I stayed true to the characters. You do hint at King Kold possibly being unable to control his subsequent transformations, do you subscribe to the belief that Arcosians must learn to master their own power in each form or do you instead attribute his staying in 2nd form and slow transformation to pure arrogance? I do have a minor nitpick, The lack of nonverbal communication is one of my favorite parts of being online since I can't pick those up naturally due in part to my Aspergers. So I would appreciate if you could include text explanations of the emoticons when you do use them as aside from a few basic ones I've never been able to understand them which forces me to just ignore what would otherwise be interpreted by my mind as gibberish.
A: Glad you like Ch. 3! Personally, it is my favorite chapter so far, so I am a bit biased... Anyway, I like how you describe Frieza's reaction as "primal"; that was exactly what I was going for. Goku being patient & calm, in contrast to Frieza freaking out, is the dynamic I really want to underline. Also, I was taught how to disengage a dog (or any animal) from biting when I was young, & I figured it'd be the sort of thing Goku learned growing up in the wilderness as well. That scene has gotten lots of positive reaction, and I'm glad I put it in. For the most part, the BoD team are my editors, & I write chapters wholly on my own - unless I special-request that they write scenes for Vegeta, for example. They're my Vegeta experts, Sauce is the Namek authority, & I'm the Arcosian fanatic, so between all of us, we can write everyone in-character. I do honestly wonder what Akira Toriyama would think of my story's characterization, but I'd be beyond shocked if he even acknowledged my fanfiction! As for King Kold's transformations, the answer to your question is both: he has trouble, as all Arcosians do, controlling his higher forms, & his pride & hubris tend to eclipse his common sense. As someone who also struggles with a mild inability to interpret nonverbal communication, I apologize for my exuberance in using emoticons. Most of the time, they're just some variation on expressing my happiness, as I have nothing but joy when reading my reviews.
