Chapter 009 - Nappa the Resilient

"You're mine!" Nappa bellowed as he closed in on Tenshinhan.

Corset blinked in surprise as Piccolo suddenly appeared in midair next to the Saiyan, smacking him with a strong slap across the sky. Krillin was ready; he slammed the Saiyan with his fists sending him down towards the ground – straight for her and Gohan!

The look on the Saiyan's face was terrifying as he grew closer to them. Corset couldn't contain her fear and began to take a couple of steps back. This man had effortlessly survived every attack that had been thrown at him. Two people had already died here; they were just children! What could they do that the adult fighters couldn't?

"GOHAN, CORSET – ATTACK!" Piccolo bellowed down to them at the top of his lungs.

"I-I-I can't! He's j-just too p-powerful!" Gohan trembled; Corset couldn't even muster the words. Her arms trembled as she placed them before herself, trying to aim a shot for Nappa.

Her terror got the better of her, her concentration stifled.

"COWARDS!" Piccolo bellowed.

Within a second, he and Krillin had launched two attacks heading straight for Nappa, neither of which hit as Nappa recovered, easily dodging them both.

Corset screamed as the two beams flew over hers and Gohan's heads. The attacks struck the ground behind them, Corset defending herself as best as she could from the strong gusts of wind. Her knees knocked together as she tried to compose herself.

"Not too bad you little punks, you really surprised me! Too bad your little plan didn't work. Don't expect to get so lucky; I won't let something like that happen again." Nappa yelled from high in the sky, his attention on Piccolo and Krillin. "...Alright, I'll take care of the Namek first and the midget second. ...Oh wait, I can't kill the Namekian! Consider yourself lucky Namek – we need you alive to tell us about the Dragonballs, after all!"

They needed Piccolo alive? Why? Corset didn't understand what Piccolo had to do with the Dragonballs. She recalled the conversation from earlier. The two Saiyans had suggested Piccolo had created the Dragonballs; Piccolo said he hadn't... She was sure she'd heard this story before from her mother...

"KIKOHO!"

Corset had no time to wonder what was going on as a bright flash of light shot straight up for the Saiyan. The entire area became yellow albeit Corset could barely see anymore, blinded by the pure intense light. She felt herself sliding backwards in the strong gales, falling to her knees and trying to keep herself in the same spot. Why was everyone capable of creating such strong attacks? She couldn't believe these were really her mother's friends – they were far stronger and impressive in the flesh and she no longer doubted what her mother had told her.

There was a small but noticeable thud.

Corset turned to face where she'd heard it come from and gasped horrified. "M-Mr Tenshinhan!"

He was down on the ground, his ki dwindling... until it vanished.

"Another one dead..." Nappa smirked.

Corset's head shot up – not again! The Saiyan was still alive!

What was it going to take?

"I wish my daddy was here..." Gohan trembled.

"Where is your daddy?" Corset asked confused. "Why isn't he here?"

Gohan frowned, "I... I don't know... b-but he isn't scared. I know my dad would never run away from anyone, especially big bullies like him."

Corset looked down at the ground. She'd seen his dad stand up to pineapple-head so there was truth to Gohan's words. She just wished he was here with them.

"Goku! Get here quickly!" Krillin's voice was heard screaming from above them.

Corset frowned empathetic; it looked as if they were all feeling that way...

Krillin and Piccolo had gone from being up in the air to being on the ground. Nappa's scream made Corset jump as he shot straight for them.

"Daddy!" Gohan cried, covering his face with his hands.

"NAPPA - STOP!"

The loud bellow coming from the shorter Saiyan startled Corset and she glanced over to him. What was going on?

"Just hold on a minute..." Vegeta's smirk appeared, "I just want to ask them something. I'm curious. This 'Goku' you guys keep referring to... Surely you don't mean Kakarrot? You're referring to Kakarrot, aren't you?"

"That's right!" Krillin nodded in revulsion.

Vegeta threw his head back in laughter, "You fools! Kakarrot couldn't even defeat his weakling brother Raditz! What chance do you think he'll have against us?"

"You'll see!" Krillin bellowed. "Goku will be back stronger than ever before!"

"Yeah right!" Nappa sneered. "If he's so great and strong then where is he? He's hiding, that's what! The coward won't be here."

"My dad is not a coward!" Gohan snapped angrily. "He'll come and he'll beat you bullies!"

"Son Goku is not a warrior to be taken lightly," Piccolo warned them with a smirk. "He'll show."

Corset gulped and stayed quiet. She wondered what was about to happen...

Vegeta grinned and unfolded his arms.

"Alright then, you've managed to convince me. We'll postpone the fight for three hours and wait for Kakarrot to show. That should give him plenty of time."

"WHAT?" Nappa gasped. "Three hours? Vegeta, he's not going to show up Let me just kill these guys now! I've had to sit still for almost a whole year – I need to kill something! Forget waiting for Kakarrot!"

Catching the others off-guard Nappa charged towards Piccolo and Krillin with a furious yell.

"NAPPA! DO AS I SAY!" Vegeta bellowed angrily. "DO YOU DARE TO DISOBEY ME?"

Corset had never seen the Saiyan react so fast; in a flash he'd stopped his flight and seemed a little intimidated! That wasn't a good sign.

"I-I'm sorry... I guess I just got a little carried away..." Nappa apologised.

Corset's eyes turned back to the shorter Saiyan; he was a lot smaller than the other Saiyan, so why was it the bigger Saiyan was scared of him?

"There; you have three hours. For your sakes you'd better hope Kakarrot shows up!" Vegeta smiled at the four.

She couldn't believe it. Was he for real? Had he really just given them three hours? Part of her felt relieved; she'd survived this far. She hadn't done anything but she was alive... Maybe it was better that way.

"Corset, come on," Krillin grabbed onto her hand and pulled her away from the Saiyans, following Piccolo and Gohan over to a large rock.

"Why's he just given us three hours, Krillin?" Corset asked.

"He's giving time for Goku to get here," Krillin replied, a serious look on his face.

"So my daddy really has come back? He's alive again?" Gohan beamed happily.

"Whether he's alive or not, he'd better get here soon!" Piccolo snapped. His glare turned more venomous as he looked down at Corset and Gohan. "Don't think I don't remember what happened earlier! You two are a disgrace! The best chance we had of beating that big lummox and you both botch it up!"

Both Gohan and Corset flinched at Piccolo's tone.

"We're sorry." Corset mumbled, eyes down on the ground in front of her, still teary-eyed. She hated being told off like this.

"We were both scared," Gohan added timidly.

"If you're going to get scared then we have no need for either of you!" Piccolo retaliated.

"Aww cut them some slack Piccolo," Krillin intervened. "It's their first fight; this thing is scary enough as it is! I'm impressed the two of them are actually still here! If I'd been in their shoes at their age, I would have legged it long ago!"

"Thanks Krillin," Gohan responded with a small smile.

Corset exhaled quietly; at least someone was encouraging them. It made her feel a little better about herself... yet she knew she should have done more. She should have but her emotions had gotten the better of her - as Piccolo would have put it. She was only five years old; how was she supposed to be able to control her emotions like an adult could? She didn't know how!

The minutes went by agonisingly slow. It felt as if time had completely stopped and yet at the same time it felt as if it had gone on forever.

"... I can't take the suspense!" Krillin growled, clenching his fists in frustration. "I just wanna get this over with. Come on Goku, where are you? You know I hate fighting without you!"

Gohan frowned and looked at the grass at his feet. "... Come on, Dad..."

Corset had sat herself on a raised flat-rock, legs together and head cupped in her hands. Once again she was trying desperately to stop herself from crying; Piccolo would scold her if she did. But how could she not cry? She'd seen three people lose their lives... surely she would be following them?

"... Hey, I've been wondering about this for a while now," Krillin mumbled more to Piccolo than to the two children, although both Gohan and Corset had looked over to the bald fighter.

"I remember a year ago both Gohan and Corset had tails..." Krillin started.

"We lost them," Corset interrupted, "we woke up and they were gone. We got new clothes and a sword though."

"...Right..." Krillin was temporarily confused. "... Anyway, we know that Gohan had a tail because his father had a tail... I was just wondering how it was that Corset got her tail."

"I see what you mean," Piccolo nodded.

"My tail?" Corset repeated. Then it hit her. She remembered she'd had this conversation with Piccolo earlier. "OH!"

Gohan and Krillin both seemed stunned by her sudden loud cry.

Corset's eyes shot over to the two Saiyans. "One of those men must be my daddy. Mr Piccolo thought so too!"

Krillin blinked in surprise. "... To be honest I'm surprised that you of all people knew where this conversation was going! Was I not subtle enough?"

"Which one do you think he is?" Corset asked the two adults.

"Uh... I'm not really sure kid," Krillin scratched his head, although he had his suspicions. "Well... I guess really it doesn't matter. I was just wondering which one it was, that was all. In the end whichever one he is..."

"...He'll kill us all," Piccolo finished.

Corset frowned, feeling her heart plummet to her feet.

"It'll be ok," Gohan tried to console her, "my dad will be here soon. He'll beat up these bullies and then we can use the Dragonballs to bring everyone back to life!"

Corset smiled hopeful. "Yeah!"

A small bleeping sound came from over where the Saiyans were, catching Corset's attention. The shorter one got to his feet.

"Your three hours is up. Looks like Kakarrot isn't coming after all." He jeered, dropping what had been sitting on his face to the floor.

"I knew the coward wouldn't show!" Nappa sneered. "That was disappointing but I guess he's got enough sense not to come here. That coward wouldn't dare show his face because he know's he's going to die."

Corset swallowed the lump in her throat; her body began to shake a little again. Those three hours had gone too fast!

"My dad is not a coward!" Gohan bellowed. "He'll be here!"

"Where is he?" Krillin growled. "I would have hoped Goku would be here by now. I still can't even sense him…"

"Alright! Let's get this over and done with," Nappa sighed, taking off the armour that had been covering the upper half of his trunk, letting it fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"Guess it's now or never then," Krillin smiled wryly putting up his guard. "Man, I don't think I've ever felt so unprepared."

"We've only got one option left," Piccolo muttered, catching Krillin, Gohan and Corset's attention.

"We do?" Krillin asked in confusion.

"We have to grab his tail; that's the Saiyan's weak spot," Piccolo explained. "If we can manage to grab his tail, his power will drop significantly and he won't be able to defend himself. Now, here's the plan. Krillin, I'm gonna need you to charge him. Don't fight him, just keep his attention. I'll then grab his tail, leaving him wide open. Gohan, Corset; you'll then launch all your power on him."

"W-What?" Corset quivered in horror. "A-Are you sure that'll work, Mr Piccolo?"

"It will," Piccolo nodded.

"Goku always lost his power whenever someone squeezed his tail," Krillin explained.

"Even that Saiyan Raditz fell when Goku grabbed his tail," Piccolo added. "Don't worry; it'll work."

"... We won't run away this time," Gohan gulped, Corset nodding beside him. She was determined not to repeat what she'd done earlier. She didn't want to let Piccolo, Gohan and Krillin down like she had with those who'd died. It was a wish she know would be easier said than done! These Saiyans were still terrifying.

"Be sure that you don't; just believe in your abilities." Piccolo spoke. "If you both concentrate your powers, you could be more powerful than even me."

More powerful than Piccolo? Corset shook this off; it wasn't true. How could Piccolo think that was even possible?

"Ah, secrets... Well it doesn't matter what you're scheming; you're all going to die no matter what you try!" Nappa's voice roared.

"Fiend!" Krillin sneered back, "Take this!" The short fighter began to run at his titanic opponent, dashing ahead of his comrades.

Both Gohan and Corset gulped and prepared themselves as the plan got underway.

Nappa grinned confidently and put up his guard. "Bring it on, little man!"

Corset watched carefully as Krillin suddenly raised both hands, tossing them down and suddenly shooting up into the sky.

It worked – Nappa followed with his eyes startled by Krillin's strange move. Piccolo dashed off in a flash, appearing behind Nappa and snatching his tail. "Now!" He roared. "Gohan, Corset!"

Strangely she felt a sudden surge of aggression flow through her. "Let's go!" Corset cried, running forwards with Gohan, both preparing to fire off energy blasts at the vulnerable Saiyan.

"Fools!"

What happened next shocked everyone.

Piccolo gawked stunned; he'd taken a massive blow to the head from Nappa's elbow.

The sight stopped both children in their tracks. They watched horrified as Piccolo's ki began to waver for a couple of seconds. The tall fighter slouched forwards, stopped only from falling to the ground by Nappa grabbing the back of his shirt.

"W-What happened?" Gohan cried fearfully. "Mr Piccolo!"

What had happened? Corset had no clue. The adults had said this would work – why hadn't it worked?

"What a disappointment," Nappa jeered, holding Piccolo by his chin. "One hit and he's down – he's meant to be one of the stronger fighters on this planet too!" With little effort Nappa slung the Namekian forward; Piccolo striking the ground just feet in front of Gohan and Corset.

"What happened?" Krillin couldn't fathom it out. "The tail was always a Saiyan's weak point! Piccolo had his tail! Why didn't it work?"

Vegeta retaliated. "What kind of fools did you take us for? We eradicated that stupid weakness long ago."

Eradicated? Corset was confused; what did that mean? Was it bad?

Gohan ran over to Piccolo and tried to wake him up, nudging him with his hands. "Mr Piccolo, please wake up! Piccolo, we need you. Please!"

"Is he...?" Corset asked fearfully. "Please get up Mr Piccolo! Please!"

"Looks like I'll need something else to use as a punching bag for a little while."

The whimper that came from Gohan made Corset's hair stand on end. Reluctantly she turned to look over at the Saiyan. She quickly began to mimic Gohan's vocal sounds; the Saiyan was heading towards them Once again, for goodness-knows how many times today, she was struck by fear and unable to move. The Saiyan towered over the two of them.