Okay, I've tried to be respectful about this, but I won't be any longer now that this has happened twice.
XxAnimusXx2016's story, 'Solorion Kai,' is plagiarizing Turbulence. The first time, the first chapter was ripped word for word by the author with modifications to names only. I reported him and had that immediately deleted. This time around, the author thought it would be clever to modify slight portions of the first chapter and then reupload it, and then he had the gall to have his second chapter feature direct quotes from Turbulence as well. While I don't believe the third chapter has any offenses(and I may be wrong), plagiarizing my first two chapters is unforgivable. While I will never ask much of my readers, I do ask that you stand up for what's right and report this author for copying the work that I try so hard to put out for you folks.
With that out of the way, let's kick off the tenth chapter of Turbulence with a brighter mood. As always, thank you all for your support, as it's really one of the reasons that I kept my head up about this story despite it going through a time of uncertainty(i.e. chapters seven through nine). As always, I hope you have a great time reading this chapter, and here's hoping that the best is yet to come.
"There comes a point where every man must decide what they value. There also comes a point when every man realizes just how much they value it, whether it's by seeing it fade into nothingness or just barely retaining it by the skin of their teeth. When someone is able to identify both of these points, they're driven on a quest for retaliation.
"And when that day comes… they strike back."
-Y2J, Codebreaker
Demon Saga - Part 7: Striking Back
Two blue specks of light, one trailing ever slightly behind the other, rocketed throughout the emerald skies of Namek. They left identical trails of azure energy in their wake as they soared over a seemingly never-ending chain of islands, each blue land mass revealing nothing unique about it when compared to its siblings.
Nail, intentionally lagging behind with his arms folded, couldn't help but frown as he saw that, despite everything his traveling partner had claimed, there appeared to be absolutely no spaceship in sight. 'We must've traveled at least halfway around the planet by now… and yet there appears to be nothing here. I don't believe that he has the mental fortitude of being able to fool the Grand Elder, but so far there's absolutely nothing to back up his words.'
A few more moments passed before the two passed straight over Caracol Village, something Nail was quick to mentally note. They'd already made their way over the Seilide, Salin, and Slimak villages, and adding Caracol to that list only confirmed his initial suspicion; they had passed over half of Namek, which didn't leave many possible locations for them to land other than in the center of a village…
'Worrying over this isn't going to help me find any answers,' Nail internally chided himself. 'I merely have to allow Articuno to lead me to them… then, and only then, will I find my answers.'
All of a sudden, Articuno skidded to a halt, something which the Namekian noticed as he immediately came to a screeching halt as well and put up his arms in a defensive stance… something of which the Arcosian actually had the gall to frown at. "Sorry if you had the perception that I'd actually attack you; I guess suddenly stopping in place would probably incline someone to think that way."
Slowly lowering his arms – but most certainly not his guard – Nail continued to size up the Arcosian's body language. He didn't seem the slightest bit tense after everything that had happened, seemingly not even frightened at the possibility of there being any doubt regarding the rebel's affinity. "It was my mistake; the way I trained both Kakarot and myself was to react to any sudden changes in movement. But I don't think that either of us apologizing means much… I'm a little more interested in knowing just why you stopped."
"Merely one glance at you told me that there's something on your mind," Articuno said, receiving a nod from the Namekian. "And if your brainpower matches even one-half of your strength, I'd take a guess that you're still concerned about where I stand on the morality line."
"Well, Articuno, part of working together with others is expressing honesty… so I'll admit you're right." He was sure to carefully observe for any sudden reactions in Articuno's stance, but he remained perfectly still as if he didn't have any concerns in the world. "Quite frankly, I don't know how you don't seem concerned that I might distrust you."
That, ironically, prompted Articuno to smile. "I would only have reason to fear something like that if I knew I had something to be distrusted for. While it's true that I'm not exactly the clear-cut definition of a hero, what with how many innocent lives I've regrettably had to take over the years… I think that, above all else, you'd rather align with me than a murderer who had no intentions of reforming."
Though he made sure to hide his reaction externally, on the inside, Nail couldn't have been any more surprised by his answer. 'He's almost acting as if passing his judgement with the Grand Elder was all he needed… but that's only the beginning. We'll have to work with him for now, but it'll be a while before I can consider him one of our own… should he even remain by our side long enough for me to even think about something like that, that is.'
"But I suppose that you still have a right to doubt me," continued the rebel as he whirled around to face their current direction. "And that is something that can only be mended with time."
"Speaking of time," Nail capitalized on the Arcosian's word choice, bringing up a new topic altogether, "where exactly did your ship land? I know for a fact that we've traveled at least halfway over the planet by this point."
Articuno, his back still turned to the Namekian, cupped his chin in thought. "Hmmm… well, it most certainly wasn't near a civilization... I know that much for certain. You were the first that I met on this planet, and our battle wasn't too far from the ship… but I definitely recall moving over a village at one point... so with all things considered, it was likely an open plane of land not too far from one of these villages. It's a little hard to remember considering how terribly repetitive this land is."
"Well, we haven't exactly been focused on sprucing it up all too much," replied Nail dryly. "We've passed over four of them already, and there's only three more left. I guess it's only a matter of time before we make it there."
Articuno whirled around and nodded to his traveling partner. "Yes, most likely. We should keep moving forward until we make it there, then."
Gesturing toward their current direction, the Namekian ignited his aura. "Then let's go. Time is of the essence, and I'd rather not keep everyone in suspense for too long."
Taking the hint that Nail wanted to speed up this mini-expedition, Articuno proceeded to do the same before both dashed forward in twin trails of light.
Bulma kept a firm grip on Chi-Chi as she soared through the air as fast as her newfound power would allow her, her new tracking device allowing her to not waste a single morsel of energy as she made her way back to Kame House.
'According to this scanner here, getting back to Kame Island should take me another two minutes, more or less,' she thought to herself as she mentally processed the red speck of light that hung just above her right eye. 'And if this radar is working efficiently, everyone else is inside the actual house.' She was incredibly fortunate that she'd had this concept in the works in conjunction with the idea of her energy suppressor technology, which prompted her to suggest the inclusion of a thermal heat scanner that allowed her to trace the presence of any living being, even if their energy was suppressed.
Another beep ran through the system's interior, prompting Bulma to quickly type in a brief code that would scope out her immediate perimeter. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to her, prompting her to continue…
...and then all of a sudden, it appeared that two of the life forms she'd detected were on the move within Kame House. Though it wasn't for certain, the brief pause that her scanners had picked up could've meant that someone was opening the door, meaning that they were either expecting her arrival or preparing to send someone else after them.
Bulma's highly intelligent mind wouldn't accept being in the unknown for long, however. It took her a moment to assess the likelihood of either possibility, but just as soon as the gears in her brain began to turn, the heiress grinned in realization. They'd likely sensed the battle and were able to infer she'd made it in time to prevent anything fatal happening to Chi-Chi.
'They can't sense her power, or even my own, but since that demon is on his way back to the castle now… they know that we're all right.' Her hypothesis was soon proven to be correct when she used the magnification device on her suit to zoom in on the barely-visible Kame Island, increasing its scope to ten times her original eyesight before being able to properly identify Krillin and Tien standing on the shoreline, the former waving frantically with a grin on his face.
It only took her about half a minute before she was able to properly greet them on the island; she descended from the sky as gracefully as her new mecha suit would allow her and landed on the island that she'd called home for the past eight years with a loud THUMP.
"Bulma! You made it!" Krillin cried out, elated to see both her and Chi-Chi after the very recent scare they'd gone through. It didn't matter to him that Chi-Chi was critically injured; at the moment, it was simply a blessing that both of them were still among the living. "And it looks like your suit there's working just great!"
Through the glass canopy of her mecha suit, Bulma couldn't help but grin despite the situation. "Yeah, definitely. I almost regret not picking this up sooner… but then again, if it weren't for it being in production for so long, it wouldn't have half the features it did now." She then suddenly remembered the unconscious body she'd been carrying, which prompted her to slowly lower her down and ask "Does anyone mind taking her into Kame House and watching over her? I'd do it myself, but there are some things that I saw that seriously need to be discussed."
Tien stepped forward and accepted the unconscious body of the Ox-Princess, Bulma nodding toward him as thanks. "I'll handle it; it shouldn't be too difficult. Plus, with all due respect, Bulma… you may have your fair share of information, but I think that we can't even remotely move forward without hearing what Chi-Chi went through."
"You're definitely right," Bulma agreed. "Remember, I was there just as any of you were for that announcement… I know that Piccolo essentially told us that the gloves are coming off, and from what I saw of Chi-Chi before I brought her back here… well, I think it's safe to say he wasn't joking."
Tien turned toward the door of Kame House, the black soles of his shoes tapping lightly against the sand as he approached it. "Well then, I guess there's nothing more to say. You and the others should go inside, Bulma; everyone needs to catch up on the situation… including you."
"Lemme get the door for you," Krillin quickly said, speeding over to the patio door and holding it open for Tien as he carried the unconscious Ox-Princess inside. The two shared a knowing look just as the triclops passed him, and both knew just what that meant:
It was time to strike back.
"Chi-Chi!" Yamcha exclaimed as Tien walked into Kame House with the woman of the hour in his arms, immediately noticing the welts and bruises that decorated the female's skin. "Damn… looks like that monster really did a number on her."
Not even pausing in his movement for the slightest of seconds, Tien replied, "Not enough to finish her off…" before he immediately turned and began his way up the staircase that led to the second floor of Kame House. It took him a few seconds to complete the ascent, and upon doing so his gaze fell upon a quartet of beds that lay in pairs—the makeshift 'hospital' that they'd had to create for themselves while dealing with Piccolo's brutal regime. In the instance that one or more of their fighters were injured, the second level of Kame House had been dedicated to treating them.
It wasn't much of a space, but it'd have to do in critical times… and Tien couldn't call Chi-Chi's current state anything but.
Gently setting her down on one of the beds, not bothering to tuck her under any blankets for fear of causing her any additional pain, Tien finally took a minute or two to scrutinize her fully. 'Her injuries don't look like anything unusual if you consider all the bangs and bruises we've been through… but somehow, I get the feeling that this time it would've been a whole lot worse if Bulma hadn't been able to save her.'
He suddenly heard footsteps behind him, prompting him to turn around. All three of his eyes locked onto Yamcha as he made his way upstairs, concern evident in his expression as he attempted to keep himself composed.
"You don't have to worry; she's fine now," Tien said, attempting to placate his ally's worries. "She's definitely not going to be fighting at full power anytime soon, but she's going to make a full recovery soon enough."
"Soon enough isn't good enough, Tien," Yamcha spat back, almost childishly, as he took one of the spare chairs in the room and planted it next to Chi-Chi's bedside. "Bulma's already filled us in on what she saw just before she saved Chi-Chi, and judging by the fact that he was about to impale her with his claws… I don't think we have much time before we have an absolute manhunt on her hands."
The two stood in an awkward, pregnant silence, their eyes locked in a stare. Tien was sure that both of them knew the severity of the situation, but it was only at that very moment when he truly was cognizant of the real world. The monsters that stood before them weren't going to be anything even remotely resemblant of the demons they'd been dealing with before—if going by Chi-Chi was any indication of what those demons had in store for him and the resistance, then Tien knew that things were about to become eerily reminiscent of a search and destroy mission.
"You're right, Yamcha," Tien nodded slowly. "I, um… well, I agree with you there. I think we both know that we're going to have to make a move against Piccolo and his crew before he gets the chance to go after us."
Yamcha attempted to muster up a glare, but all he could manage was a feeble stare. "No kidding. Problem is that we have to get everyone – and I mean everyone – on board with this. This isn't going to be like the life we've grown used to. We have to take one last stand—together. We have to stare these guys down and fight with everything we have… just one last time. If we win, then everyone's life can return to normal. If not, then we didn't deserve to protect this planet in the first place."
"Well said," lauded Tien. He then motioned over to the door that led to the first level; faint words could be made out here and there. "Now it's time to get everyone else on that same page before those little gremlins find a way to hunt us down."
Launch sat on Kame House's ruby red couch with her hands cupped underneath her chin, the bluenette's long legs swinging ever so slightly as she listened to Yajirobe talk about what he felt was best for the group going forward. While she appreciated the portly man's efforts to try and think ahead for everyone else, she did have to admit that digging their own graves prematurely did seem a little… weird.
"Yajirobe," Krillin suddenly interrupted in the middle of the formerly obese man's ramblings, "You, uh… you do know that these are the same guys we've been fighting for the past eight years, right? While I know they're definitely gonna put up a fight, we shouldn't just call it quits just 'cause they said they weren't going to play around anymore."
The now slim samurai scowled at the ex-monk's optimism, no doubt finding it childish in what was currently a very serious and concerning moment. "Don't you get it, Krillin? That's the only reason we always did get away—they always wanted us comin' back for more! What's the point in putting up a resistance when we're just gonna get ourselves tortured and killed?!"
Launch raised her hand shyly, not wanting to start any disruption within the current group. She knew that Yajirobe was clearly in distress regarding Chi-Chi's current state, and she figured it'd make the most sense to try and avoid any arguments if she could. "I don't want to interrupt, Yajirobe… but if you've felt this way for so long, then why did you always fight with us for the last eight years?"
Yajirobe turned his head away, and while the bipolar girl couldn't be certain, something told her he did it because he didn't want to have to look her in the eyes. "Hmmph… if it weren't for Krillin, I woulda been dead all those years ago."
"But if you've always felt like putting up a fight against Piccolo was pointless, then why bother to keep fighting?" Krillin interjected, raising an eyebrow. "I know you're more interested in eating rather than fighting, but it doesn't make sense to me."
"Because—"
"AHHHH-CHOOOO!"
Almost everyone whipped their head around to see the ever rambunctious blonde Launch be resurrected, and for a moment, all was silent.
Until the newly opinionated Launch felt she needed to get an answer out of Yajirobe quicker than he wanted to spill it, of course.
"C'mon already, spit it out!" snapped the fiery woman, gripping Yajirobe by his garments and hoisting him up into the air as if he were a child. "We don't got all day to listen to ya while 'bout 'cha problems; there's a freakin' killer demon and his thugs that are gonna eat us for a gourmet dinner if we don't bust our asses to think of somethin' right now!"
Krillin immediately tried to grab onto her gloved hand in an attempt to free Yajirobe from Launch's clutches, but it was to no avail; the blonde had no intent on releasing the samurai in the slightest. "Launch, violence isn't gonna help him calm do—"
"—I-I-I-I'm scared, okay?"
Silence filled the air faster than Launch could let Yajirobe down, which was only proven when the sound of Yajirobe's footwear made a THUMP against the wooden floor of Kame House. He took a moment to inhale the air around him and dust off his uniform with a small cough before he continued, his voice uneven. "...I know I-I said I don't wanna fight them… but… I wanna live, damn it!" He tightened his hands into fists, small droplets of water rolling down his cheeks. "I know it's hopeless… and yet I still want to live."
"Tell me," Launch said, crossing her gloved arms across her chest, "what's better for ya—livin' in this rotten hellhole with that slimy green bastard ruling over our planet, or knowin' you went down swingin' an' givin' the best ya could for Earth?"
"There's no right answer," hastily said Bulma, long having discarded the mecha suit in favor of roaming around Kame House more leisurely. "And there doesn't have to be. We don't exactly have a choice in the matter right now, what with that announcement Piccolo released."
Looking over toward the scientist-turned-fighter, Launch nodded. "There ain't no choice; sorry for sayin' otherwise. But here's the thing—we had ya back for the last eight years of our lives. It's kinda weird to say it, but…"
Seeing where she was going with her argument, Krillin smiled and stepped in. "We're kinda a family now; we've lived together, trained together, fought together… I can't think of anything that defines a family that we don't have right here."
"...Know what?" came a voice in the corner. Everyone turned to face said corner, finding that it was Pilaf who'd spoken. "Can't say Krillin's wrong about that. We're not even close to typical… but I guess we are one."
That got a grin out of the ex-monk, and he turned back to the frightened Yajirobe with a reassuring smile. It was just the same as when he was a kid—some things really never changed. "So, now do you see? We're only here to help… but at the same time, we need your help too. Part of the reason why Piccolo's group of demons work so well is because, like it or not, they are a family; they work well together under the orders of their king. And the only way you can fight a united group… is with one of your own."
"I… I guess…" Yajirobe stuttered out, bowing his head.
"Speaking of that united group, I think you might be missing two people," Tien said as he descended down the staircase, Yamcha not too far behind him. "And while we weren't here for whatever just happened, Yamcha and I spoke upstairs… and we came to the conclusion that we need to carry out a plan before Piccolo and his cronies have a chance to use their own against us."
"Tch! That's what I've been sayin' all along!" spat Launch bitterly. "Not like he's gonna play cat an' mouse any longer; may as well think of somethin' to work with."
Bulma pursed her lips as she mulled over a few ideas, seemingly settling on one as she cleared her throat to attract the attention of her allies. "Well, my first idea is to strike at night—it's a little predictable, sure, but I bet he'll think that we'll just panic and run around like a bunch of kids." Maybe a few years ago, she would've suggested exactly that—but no longer. While having had to live out eight years of her life in such a dark situation wasn't something she'd willingly take on again if she had the chance, she did have to admit that it had its benefits. She'd matured greatly from this experience, as had her tactfulness, and having both brains and brawn on her side would hopefully allow her to predict the demon king's thought process.
Abreast her, Krillin had the same train of thought. "He probably thinks I'm the most likely to do something like that… he knows that I saw Master Roshi die before my very eyes, and—" he paused to dry his eyes momentarily, "—and he'll probably try and account for that in his plans."
"If there's something that we learned about Piccolo during our… 'tenure' with him," Pilaf said with a slight tone of disgust laced within his voice, "It's that he's a clever guy. He doesn't take most things for granted—he probably knows more about a few of you than you do his entire family." Both of his accomplices firmly nodded behind him, backing the self-professed emperor's claims.
"In that case, we can't try and overpredict him; we're likely to get outthought if we try something like that." Tien crossed his arms. "My idea is to keep things simple: we should attack at night, like Bulma suggested, but just keep it at that. There's a chance that Piccolo may expect a more elaborate plan, which means we could possibly be able to get one over on him just by being basic. It's not a guarantee that it'd work, but it'd definitely at least catch him off-guard." Another thought came to mind, and Tien wasted no time in articulating it. "As for the time, though, that may be a little too predictable… we might want to consider moving our attack to around daybreak. It may be a little risky to wait so long, but it may throw a wrench into his plan."
"I'm game for that. But there's one thing we haven't thought about, though… Chi-Chi." Yamcha's expression remained as serious as ever, and even though they had their agenda in place, his mind had never once left behind his concern for the Ox-Princess. "Obviously it'd be nice to have her in the fight and all, but first and foremost… we have to get her healthy again."
"Leave that to me," Bulma said confidently, a smile touching her lips. "I can help her out until we leave… and even if she's not fully up to fighting, I have another idea that just might turn the battle in our favor."
After what seemed like hours of scoping over the repeating blue islands of Namek, Articuno had finally spotted what they'd been searching for: his personal spacecraft. With a small smile at finally having found it, he gestured toward it to Nail before they quickly descended.
Both Namekian and Arcosian landed on the freshly-cut grass with a gentle TUP, the former's moccasin-covered feet and the latter's boot-covered feet crunching against it gently. Within a moment's time, they'd reached the foot of the ship.
"It looks… quite large," bluntly voiced Nail, unsure of what else to say. Articuno could tell that this was likely his first time seeing such a spacecraft, and the rebel decided that he couldn't blame him—after all, it wasn't a run of the mill spaceship. It was rectangular in shape, its color a predominant blue with a few pinches of silver here and there. It had incisions that served as windows; one could be found in each corner along with a few other ones throughout the apparent hallways. It was truly quite a sight to behold, and the Arcosian could tell Nail was most certainly marveling at it.
"I take it you expected something a little less… luxurious," Articuno drawled, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "I could certainly do without it, but I suppose that I was lucky. It certainly helps to house the others who you'll be meeting in just a few moments."
Looking upward and directly at the center window, the rebel smiled and crossed his arms. "Be sure to watch this and to listen carefully, because there may come a time when I may not be here to fulfill the password."
That certainly got his attention if nothing else did. "P-Password?"
"That's right," Articuno affirmed. Then, with a deep breath, he spoke, "Liberate and glaciate, freeze us in time... allow the heavens to keep us in our prime!"
Almost instantaneously, a black, steel bridge descended straight out from the window itself and slammed roughly onto the ground of Namek, kicking up a small gust of wind that caused Nail's blue jacket to flutter in the wind. It ceased within a moment or so, allowing them entry into the ship itself.
Nail hadn't noticed said breeze, however; he was more interested in the password itself. "Before I go in, I do have another question for you… what exactly does that chant mean? And, also… why make it so lengthy?"
"Well, in regards to the time it takes to actually voice the password… do you really think anyone will be able to memorize such a sentence in so little time? It's immediately distinguishable from something generic, hence why I opted to use it. If I used such a phrase, Suzaku, my pilot and navigator, would easily know that it's me and open the ship."
"So… someone's behind opening this door?" Nail questioned. "Then wouldn't they be able to identify your voice from the start?"
Articuno smiled shrewdly, impressed by the Namekian's intelligence. Not many people, including some of his crew, had even thought about something like that. "Well, that's more a precaution than anything else. This little string of words is something that only Arcosians know, and with there being rumors of there being body-snatchers out there… well, I'd rather not risk anything. Even if someone like that was able to mimic my voice to the letter, they most certainly wouldn't have my memories. It's rather silly, and I do suppose that it doesn't quite hit the ear all that well… but I would rather account for every situation than leave out one because of a foolish mistake.
"Now, as for the actual meaning behind it itself... I suppose it would be a little awkward for someone outside of my people's culture to understand, so allow me to break it down for you…
"My people, as I've always defended and will until the day I die, are generally good-spirited at heart. Our original purpose for starting the Planet Trade Organization was originally to protect those in need of assistance… but somewhere along the line, things obviously changed. But that's a story for another date.
"Anyway, once we had those planets under our protection originally, we fought valiantly to protect them… hence why we wanted these moments to be glaciated and frozen in time. Nothing could possibly hurt more than thinking you'll be under the protection of another only to realize that, in the end, you were never truly being looked out for. And of course, being kept in our prime allows us to lend as much of a hand as needed to look out for the species that may not be able to look out for their own."
Nail took a step back, clearly surprised by the explanation. "I… I hadn't thought that this organization could've had such a noble background…"
"Well, all systems generally start out with benign intentions." Articuno began his walk up the bridge, his feet providing a metallic CLANG each time they made contact with the steel walkway. "It's just generally when one man becomes corrupt in his ways and influences a whole generation to follow that the system falls apart, much like the Planet Trade has to this day."
He reached the end of the bridge and turned around to find Nail softly landing before him, evidently having floated up here instead of walking. It mattered little in the grand scheme of things, though. "I take it you're ready to see my ship?"
Nail nodded stoically, looking out toward the horizon. "Yes, but if you don't mind, we'll have to keep things generally brief. Elder Moori and the Grand Elder will be expecting us back fairly soon, and I'd rather not keep them waiting."
"All right, understandable," Articuno responded, turning his attention back to the door. He applied a small force of pressure to the entrance with a kiai, which forced the upper half of the door to ascend and the lower half to descend, thus allowing them access. With a swift gesture, Articuno motioned for Nail to step in, and he did so rather quickly.
What he would find would be a surprise to him.
"So… this is your ship," Nail murmured to himself as he stood just far enough inside to allow Articuno to comfortably make it inside. The first room he saw seemed to possess a rather casual decorum about it, looking… almost comfortable. It was filled with couches, seats, and a dining table; there was even a large monitor there as well. Additionally, a doorway to a kitchen could be seen at the farthest corner of the room, presumably leading to a much more luxurious table.
All in all, this first room was incredibly pleasant; it wasn't at all what he'd had expected.
"I'll show you and everyone else around a little more, but since we're on time constraints, I figure it'll be best for you to meet everyone else in a rather simple and relaxing area." Articuno folded his arms behind his back politely, his garnet eyes scanning either of the hallways to his sides in order to find anyone he could allow Nail to meet.
"Back already, Articuno?" came a gruff voice from the kitchen corner. Just a moment later, a large, purple-skinned creature walked out of the kitchen, his face resembling a bulldog with a prominent lower jaw splotched in red colors. A menacing sight when one considered his bulky frame as well. Almost immediately, Articuno observed Nail tense up and mentally prepare himself for combat, but it was hidden quite well behind a facade. To this, he mentally exhaled a sigh of relief that Nail would even allow this man a chance to properly meet him.
"Yes, indeed, Victus," came the smooth reply of Articuno. "I brought an ally here to meet with you. It's kind of a long story, so I'll refrain from the details until everyone's met up, but we'll be working with him and his race to bring down Frieza."
"Good to hear!" came the rumbling voice of Victus, extending his large paw-like hand out to Nail. He shook it as a sign of respect, Victus' paw practically swallowing his hand whole. "I'm the head chef here, and I'll be cooking food for you in case we ever go off into the stars."
"H-Head chef…?" Nail gaped. 'Someone with this size and bulk… it's almost inconceivable to imagine him as anything but a warrior…!'
"I think I can see the gears turning in your head," Articuno chuckled, folding his arms. "If you're wondering, yes, Victus was once a warrior. He then took a very serious blow that effectively ended his days as a fighter, and he'd always been talented at preparing meals… so he became the head chef here. Or, rather, the only chef, but he prefers the title of head chef for whatever reason."
'That's quite interesting...' Nail mused, looking over the bulldog-resembling chef. 'His usefulness as a fighter expired, but yet he's still found a way to give him a home and a purpose...'
"Everyone else will likely be here in a few minutes, so please feel free to make yourself at home."
Nail, not wanting to be seen as resistant at all, quietly sat down in a recliner chair, moving out his feet slightly to get more comfortable. What he didn't notice was that he'd accidentally triggered the recliner, which immediately snapped his body back; he immediately leapt up into the air as if he'd just avoided the jaws of death.
Almost immediately, Articuno's smooth laughter and Victus' howling filled the quiet atmosphere at Nail's expense.
"Sorry about that; I'd assumed you knew about these types of chairs," innocently laughed Articuno as he went over and realigned the chair back into its basic sitting position. "But that's enough of that for the moment. Shall we wait for my pilot, Suzaku, and the others?"
Nail nodded firmly, trying to put up a facade to pretend he wasn't spooked from that odd chair. "Yes, that'll be fine, thank you."
"Can I get you anything to snack on, Mister…?"
"My name is Nail, sir," swiftly replied the Namekian. "And no, thank you. Aside from one inhabitant of this planet, our people merely require water every so often. You'll still have a fair share to cook, however… this one particular man's appetite is absurd."
And just like that, the three of them had started a conversation. Though he hadn't met the other members of Articuno's crew, Nail was certain that they couldn't be all that malicious. Someone with Articuno's values and moral beliefs wouldn't accept someone into his 'family,' so to speak, if he didn't wholeheartedly believe that their souls were pure.
It would still take some time, but for the first time since the Grand Elder had stated Articuno's innocence, Nail believed he could learn to trust the Arcosian rebel and proudly fight alongside him against Frieza someday.
Hours had passed since the Z-Fighters had constructed their plans to fight Piccolo, the night beginning to creep up on the unsuspecting daylight. Slowly, gradually, the sky began to shed its azure coloring in order to don a pitch-black one, and precisely as Bulma had theorized, Piccolo seemingly hadn't made a move against them. All that was left to do was wait until their designated time of departure in four-ten arose.
Chi-Chi, to her credit, had regained consciousness and was now able to move her limbs again. It was certainly nothing short of willpower considering the beatings she'd taken, but after she'd been filled in on the situation, she was putting in a ridiculous amount of effort in order to recover.
Unfortunately, her body could only heal so much within a few hours' time. By the time that nightfall had long overtaken the sky, she could only walk halfway around the room before fatigue claimed her energy. It frustrated her, but that meant that they'd have to go with the option that Bulma had developed in case of her inability to move.
As for the other Z-Fighters, as soon as the clock struck at a quarter 'till five, their operation was underway. The final battle was upon them; either they would liberate the planet today, or they would ultimately doom it to an eternity of a demonic monarch in Piccolo...
Tien
It's been just a few minutes since we all set out toward the castle. Everyone knew that traveling in a horde would only attract attention, so we decided to make our own different paths there in hopes of getting a sneak attack in. I don't like the idea of us splitting up that much… but unfortunately, this isn't anything like eight years ago. For one, we have a much larger group now than we did before; all those years ago, it was just me, Krillin, and Yajirobe on the run. But now… things are different. And we've had to accommodate for that.
The forest in which I'm speeding through now looks incredibly similar to one of the last stretches of my trip back to Kame House with Yajirobe and Krillin. For whatever reason, I'm reminded of their collective fright of Piccolo and just what kind of power he held… and I even remember the worry that came with each battle we had with these demonic monsters.
But today, things are different.
None of them are afraid anymore.
I think we all knew that death was a possibility every time we stuck our necks out there in an attempt to face the demonic authority. We were lucky not to have lost anyone, but every time we made our stand against Piccolo and his minions, everyone had a fear of being another point on the demons' kill list.
But we've gotten over such fears, I think. There's no point in worrying about today if it's not going to lead to a greater tomorrow. We'll still fight with everything we have, of course… but in the end, should we die, we'll all know that we gave everything we had to free the future.
Except for one of us… and I admit, this was selfish on my end... I had to convince Chiaotzu to stay back. While we both know that, in the event we all fall to Piccolo's might, Chiaotzu wouldn't be able to make a difference… he is still my friend. And I'm not going to throw him into a battle he's clearly not ready for. There's no reason for someone else to die if we fail… and I refuse to let something like that happen.
Whether or not we take down Piccolo today, I know that I can make that demon king a promise—I'm not going down without making him beat every last breath out of this body.
Bulma
I'm a scientist. I may have had to be a fighter recently, but deep down, in my heart, I'm still that little girl that always was fascinated by technology. And statistics? That's just part of the job description. Working with numbers has always been a speciality of mine, and unfortunately, that's led to me realizing something:
Death... has become extremely standard over the years, and somewhere along the lines, I grew desensitized to just what it meant for other people. And sadly enough, that's what death became to everyone else too. It was just a number. Piccolo thought the same way when he decided to make that lottery system. Depending on what number he chose, thousands and thousands of lives were taken because of it. It's… sickening.
Maybe I'll just be another number to him… but just trying to stop him from adding more numbers to his sick and twisted experiment is better than anything else I can do right now.
Launch
That rotten bastard's gonna hafta get what's comin' to him! This little piece of crap's been runnin' amok for too damn long now, and it's about time someone shoves a boot up his ass and shows him what he's been doin' to other people!
It's gonna be rough and brutal, I know that for sure. Those little green gremlins of his pack some rough punches, and every damn time one of those gets me in the jaw, I know it's gonna be stingin' for weeks.
But I'd rather it be stingin' than feelin' nothing at all, ya know? I don't really care about the crap the others are spoutin' about livin' or dyin'; I wanna win and make that sick green punk know that I kicked his ass. There ain't nothin' else that'll make me happy, and even if I die…
...Well then, green man, I'm gonna find some way to come back and kill you. This ain't ever gonna be over until you lay deader than a doornail, an' I don't give a damn what I gotta do to make that happen.
Yamcha
Master Gohan… Master Roshi… all those fighters from the World Tournaments we took part in… they all fell to Piccolo's scheming. But from there, it didn't stop. He decided to become the monarch of the planet, acting as if he were the people of Earth's judge, jury, and executioner.
It's bad enough that he had the power to beat us and carry out his plans. But where I draw the line is when Piccolo decided that he could not only beat us, but then go on to rule our people and have them live how he wanted to. He took everything – everything – that humanity had and re-molded it to fit his image.
It's a slap in the face to everything that my master stood for.
It's a slap in the face to every single thing the human race accomplished.
But most of all, it's a slap in the face to the Earth itself.
Piccolo decided that it'd be okay if he took everything our people stood for and razed it down to the ground… and now I've decided to do the same thing.
I can't make a promise that I'm gonna be able to beat Piccolo; I'm not the strongest of us… but I swear that I'm going to take apart every single thing that he's created in his image. Payback is coming for you, Piccolo.
One way or the other.
Yajirobe
Yeah, I'm not exactly as pumped up about this as everyone else is. So what? Sue me. I'm doin' this 'cause I don't wanna die, and I ain't afraid of tellin' anybody that. This is just how stuff went down, an' I got lucky as all hell that I lived for eight years under this Earth. Problem is, it sure ain't gonna last forever—there's only so many provinces in the world, an' eight of 'em were decimated by Piccolo. No matter how far I run or how good I try an' hide… someday I'm not gonna be able to protect myself from 'em.
I'm not sayin' that I'm doin' this cause I don't wanna live a life under Piccolo or somethin' heroic like that. Everyone else feels that way; I'm different. Always have been, always will be. Nothin' is gonna change that. There's just more of a chance at killin' that bastard if we all work together, and I'm willin' to at least try and rid the Earth of somethin' like him if there's an actual chance to it.
I had some pretty good grub before we left today… sadly it wasn't made by Chi-Chi, whose food's the best I've had in the last eight years, but I figured there wasn't no point in dyin' on an empty stomach. If I lose today, I'll at least know that my last meal filled me up real good. And if we win? Ain't nothin' gonna stop me from eatin' my fill an' more some.
These kind of things ain't possible with someone like Piccolo on the loose. And while I don't want the last thing I see on this planet bein' some ugly lil' demon punk killin' me, I do want the other side of the coin…
I want my life back again.
No, not the one where I train my ass off to fight some gremlins and be forced to live on an island for eight years of my life. That one… kinda blows. Everyone's nice there, but it's like prison—everythin' you do has to move on a schedule, and if you don't manage to keep up with it all, you find yourself in some pretty hot water.
I wanna go back to the life where I could do what I wanna do… and when I wanna do it. I wanna be able to wake up in the mornin' and do what makes me happy. An' while I'm not a rocket scientist or whatever it is that Bulma is, I know that everyone else feels that same way.
So I'm gonna fight to get it.
Krillin
If I'm gonna be honest… I'm definitely scared. This isn't just your average, run-of-the-mill bad guy; this is Piccolo, the demon king. The same guy who required a mystical containment wave to seal him up the first time 'cause his power was unmatched by anyone on the planet. So many years later, even after my master improved leaps and bounds since that day, we're in the same boat. Except we don't have that same luxury—the knowledge of the Evil Containment Wave died with Master Roshi, and it'll never be repeated again. Even the one person who could possibly mimic it in Tien wouldn't have enough time to set it up; this is gonna be a free-for-all. It's not like this is like eight years ago, back when everyone was ganging up on Piccolo… this is going to be an all-out brawl.
Which is really freaky... even to a superhuman like me. Even as I'm running across this riverside that'll eventually lead me to Central City, I don't really know who's gonna be able to pull out a win. We totally have a numbers advantage on them, but Piccolo… he's like five demons in one.
But, honestly, that's not even the worst part to me. What's scaring me the most is that there's so many ways this battle can play out. If Piccolo decides to charge in with his demons, it'll be an absolute slaughterfest. While we'd still have the numbers game on our side, he'd rip through us like a lion on its food.
Another way this thing could go down is us getting the opportunity to storm the castle. That'd be hit or miss 'cause of the fact that there're some humans working there for him… I'd rather not have anybody be caught in the crossfire of this battle. Killing someone is something I still haven't wrapped my mind over yet, and while I know in my heart that ending these monsters' lives is something that's necessary, I don't think I could ever forgive myself if a human died by my hand.
I look at the Crosstransceiver that Bulma gave me and everyone else before we left. It's about and around four-thirty AM, which means that we've got about fifteen minutes before we all arrive from different corners of the city. From there, we're supposed to wait about five minutes to find out the deal with the castle before attacking. It seems redundant considering we can sense their power levels, but I don't want to risk a single thing right now.
Almost as if I'm doubting the time, I look up and see the pitch-black sky. It really is the dead of night… just like we planned. There's gonna be no turning back when I make it there… and yet I'm not even slowing down at all.
I guess a part of me isn't afraid after all. It's the part of me that still feels my master's voice in my head as he fell to the ground, telling me to never lose hope.
Well, guess what, Master Roshi?
I never did.
And I'm not gonna start right now.
Chi-Chi
That last fight… didn't really go well. Oboe – if that's even his name; my brain was kinda knocked for a loop after everything my body had to take – didn't just have me on the ropes. He had me in the palm of his hand, and if it weren't for Bulma's insanely lucky timing, I'd be dead. That's not a possibility; that's what would've happened. And unfortunately, I'm still not fully rested up from that little run-in, which means that everyone else had to think of some way I could pitch in despite not being fully healed.
And, as luck would have it, Bulma really came through for us again. I don't know what I'm gonna do, but if we all survive this fight, I'll have to repay her for all of this. It feels weird to artificially fly—this suit doesn't force me to use any of my power whatsoever, but I guess that's a good thing considering my current state. A part of me feels bad that Bulma's going to be going into that fight without the one thing that would give her power and durability a boost, but that really speaks to what she's willing to do for this plan to work… and again, I really appreciate that. She knows she's the weak link of the team without this power suit, but she's still willing to go through with it if it means us winning.
The one thing that I don't really like about the current situation is how both the plan and Bulma's life hinge on me… or, rather, everyone's lives. If I'm not able to carry out my role in all this, our chances of winning decrease significantly. I'm the only person who can really carry out this mission, too—my power isn't anywhere near where it has to be to take on one of those demons. Normally, I'm the strongest girl we have, but Oboe really did a number on me.
I get snapped out of my thoughts by the sight of my destination appearing before my eyes. It's there, just as Krillin said that Master Roshi had told him. I don't really know how sociable this guy will be, but there's no way he'll deny helping us in a case like this.
At least… I hope.
Kami
You've all fought incredibly well. Though your prayers and desires haven't been achieved yet, I can say with certainty that you've fought well. I haven't been with you in body, but in mind we are one. I want to see the end of Piccolo's reign just as much as you do, and even though his death won't necessarily work out for my life… I'm more than happy to depart from this world knowing that it has been liberated.
That's not to say that this will be an easy battle. Far from it, in fact. My personal assistant, Mr. Popo, only knows how much I long for it to be. The fact of the matter is, Piccolo is no easy threat, and his track record most certainly proves that as fact. He's the most powerful and malicious essence that the Earth has ever known, and having his flock of demons at his side doesn't help at all. There have been multiple times when I've written off overthrowing him as something impossible for humanity to handle, but your resilience and willpower keep astounding me at every turn.
A part of me is overjoyed by that. It's the same part of me that locks away that irrational sense of hope from the rest of my pessimistic outlook. Your current assortment of fighters only contain four properly-trained warriors; the other three were only trained in the ways of martial arts out of necessity. If these circumstances hadn't arisen, it's likely that these three would've never attained the heights of power they have. Considering these makeshift fighters make up almost half of your team, logic would suggest that it's impossible for you to prevail.
That irrational and optimistic side of me, locked deep within my subconscious, disagrees. There have been records of history where good triumphs over evil despite facing a significant disadvantage, and I can only pray to the beings even higher above myself that we will have the same result today.
I will be watching over you with bated breath as you attempt to achieve it.
Krillin sprang up onto a hillside, his feet lightly tapping against the earthy soil of a hill that overlooked Central City. The castle was in sight; more specifically, the ex-monk was overlooking the direct front of the royal palace. 'Well… this is it… the final preparations for what'll be our absolute last stand. We gotta make sure everything goes down right.'
He made sure to properly position himself that he'd be out of sight to anyone looking from the castle by dropping down to his stomach before he looked toward his left arm. Said arm had a silvery-colored wristwatch with a screen that was approximately two inches long and two buttons on its right side—one to control the volume, the other being its actual on and off switch.
Krillin pressed the second one before waiting with bated breath as to what would happen next. Having only just turned it on for a flickering moment to check the time before promptly shutting it off afterward – he didn't want to tamper with the battery life considering Bulma had strictly warned him that this was one out of six prototypes that she'd gotten from her dad – Krillin had no idea what to expect.
But he wouldn't have to wait long. The Capsule Corp logo came onto the screen with a white screen behind it, and after approximately fifteen additional seconds of waiting, Krillin saw himself taken directly to an application that was labeled "Crosstransceiver." A blue screen flashed across the wristwatch before multiple icons lined up on his screen in a vertical fashion. The names "Tien," "Yamcha," "Launch," "Bulma," and "Yajirobe" were present. It wasn't long before another pop-up forced its way onto the screen, which read 'Bulma wants to invite you into a group chat!' The ex-monk clicked on that one with his left index finger, which took him to a screen where all of their names were put together.
"I think that's everyone," a feminine voice spoke. Judging by the sound of it, it was undeniably Bulma. "Krillin, you there?"
Raising his watch near his mouth, Krillin replied, "Yup, mine seems to work just fine."
"All right then," Bulma affirmed, most likely grinning at her family's intellect. Despite her being humbled greatly over the past few years, Krillin knew she still had her pride when it came to technology. "It's four-forty-seven right now, so even though it's not specifically what we planned, things are still going smoothly for the moment."
"So what's everyone's look of the situation?" asked a deeper, more masculine voice that likely belonged to Yamcha. "I'm overlooking the left side of the castle, and I don't really see anything out of the ordinary."
"No demons spotted on my end from the back entrance," reported Tien.
Bulma exhaled loudly, enough so that the Crosstransceiver picked it up without a hitch. "Well, there's nothing from the east side where Launch and I met up. So I guess that just leaves you, Krillin. Any sightings for you?"
Krillin took a moment to thoroughly examine his view of the castle, but unfortunately there wasn't anything noteworthy. "Afraid not, Bulma. What do you think we should do now, guys?"
"If ya ask me, there's nothin' left to do but march in there an' kick his ass," spouted Launch, whose voice was so loud it not only streamed through her Crosstransciver but Bulma's as well. "Waitin' around won't accomplish much, an' it's not like we can really let any humans know we're gonna light some stuff up."
"I hate to admit it, but Launch might be right on that," opined Tien. "Everyone is going to be anticipating another normal day of life… they have no idea what we're about to do. We could be risking a bunch of human lives, but I don't see any alternative."
"But… aren't you guys forgetting that these are human lives we're dealing with here? I don't want to have to end any more lives than I have to… especially those of a human being," Krillin opined.
A brief pause came through the Crosstransceiver before Bulma cleared her throat awkwardly. "I, uh… I don't really like it either… but at the same time, I don't see any other way."
"But why lower ourselves to Piccolo's standards?!" Krillin practically had to internally clamp his throat to keep from shouting. "It's just wrong to do this, guys, and I want no part of it! Even if the Dragon Balls were still around, it's just not fair to have people die to accomplish our goals!"
"Krillin… you're a good man," Yamcha said after another pause filled their chatlink, "but if this helps bring Piccolo closer to death, then we have to flush this place out. I would rather know I was responsible for the lives of a few people than the remainder of the Earth's population."
"Yamcha…" Tears began to well up in the bald fighter's eyes, just threatening to leak out of his irises. "Didn't Gohan teach you better than that? Didn't he teach you to always save a life before taking a life?!"
"With all due respect to my master, not even he would think that way in a time like this," Yamcha harshly remarked, sending a pang of sorrow through Krillin's heart. "Listen, man, I know you don't like it… but these are some damn dark times, and I'll be damned if we pass up a potentially successful plan and risk millions of others for the sake of just one person. In another situation… maybe we could've afforded it. But not right now."
"I think that most of us are in agreement that this is the best course of action," Tien slowly spoke. "I think it's just a matter of who's going to fire the first shot."
"Allow us," Launch said. Though he couldn't check for certain if she had it, Krillin could practically see the gleam in her eyes at causing destruction. "If Bulma an' I combine our powers and fire off a large blast at the castle, it'll do more damage than any one of you on your own."
"Works for me," Yamcha affirmed.
"Then let's get going," Tien confirmed.
"...Wait."
Everyone paused at hearing Krillin's voice stream through their connection again, giving him the floor. Out of shock or interest, he didn't know. But he was certainly going to make the most of it.
"I, uh… I know this is hard. I really do. But… you guys… if we're going to have to take a few lives, then just promise me that you'll do your best to avoid killing anyone else who doesn't deserve it. That's… that's all I need."
Everyone seemed to be mulling it over before Yamcha spoke. "I can try to avoid them. But if I get a clear shot at one of them and someone runs in the way, I don't want to be faulted for taking an opportunity to rid the Earth of those bastards."
"I've repented for my ways long ago," Tien bluntly said. "I won't be taking any lives that I don't have to."'
"Ditto," chimed in Bulma, though she quickly added in afterward, "'Cept for the reforming part, at least."
"Mmm-hmm," lazily grumbled Launch. "Same here as Yamcha; I'm takin' anything I can do to kill those green punks."
A bright smile came to Krillin's face despite the situation. "Guys… thanks. Now… let's do this! For everyone on Earth!"
Though nobody said anything after that, it was clear that all of them shared that same sentiment.
A few moments passed in silence as everyone shut off their Crosstransceivers, anticipating the beginning of the absolute final battle for Earth's control. The rebellion would pose one last challenge to the demonic authority, and it was left up to skill, power, and synergy to determine the outcome.
All was quiet for a few moments.
And then the blast heard 'round the world was fired.
Welcome, readers, to the first double-digit chapter of Turbulence! I can say without question that this is undeniably my favorite chapter so far, and I get the feeling that it may be one of your favorites too. Not only did the plot progress a lot(something of which I felt was incredibly awkward in recent chapters due to there being a multi-chapter fight happening on Namek), but I also gave my writing style a very nice overhaul. I re-read some of the fics that got me going on this site(which you can find on my favorites list) and decided that I wasn't all too happy with my current style, and so I reworked it to an extent. I feel that everything is a lot smoother and a lot more powerful now, and while I can't speak for you guys, I honestly really found myself sucked into this chapter's tone. It was just a magical feeling, and it's one I hope every writer can accomplish with their work, as that's why I believe we write FanFiction in the first place.
This chapter was longer than I'd intended it to be for a multitude of reasons(yet still a short chapter by my new standards… somehow), but most notably, I tried to play around with a few styles. A first person narrative isn't something that I'm going to use very often in the future, but if I feel the need arises or I think it could be a nice game-changer, I may test the waters with it a little more. I did it in this chapter to try and breathe a little additional diversity into the characters before the fight begins(as well as the story), and I really like what I have down.
Transitioning onward to the plot, I have a few things I need to describe here before we get to the review replies(and of course, you can find EVERY review reply on Rott's Reviews, as well as additional content, powered by Blogger):
- First off, the Crosstransceiver. That is a direct inspiration from Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version, and I would be lying if I said otherwise. It's sort of an Apple Watch-esque product(I would assume that everyone developed smartphones by now if there are flying cars), and it's one that will be mentioned here and there in the future. At the moment, though, I felt it would be best utilized here to create a new sort of feel for the last scene(and if anyone's asking why Chi-Chi didn't have one on her way to get food, I point to the fact that Bulma only got them from her father when she received her mecha suit). After all, my goal of this story is to create a new DBZ atmosphere, and while I will lean on the source material for transformations and characters and all the like, this is ultimately my story, and it will indeed have creations of my own to further steer this story in that direction. Sorry if this comes off as selfish to you, but while I do want to share this story with those who wish to read it, I do also want to see this out for myself.
- Next off is Articuno's ship. The password is probably something that made you cringe, but again, this is another example of me taking my story in the direction I want it to go(no longer am I going to be the author who apologizes if someone isn't a fan of something; from here on out, I'm confident in my ideas and happy with them as an author). In this particular example, I have to credit Ryu no Ohi(aka Roketto) for partial inspiration with this. I helped her work on her newest special that details how the Arcosians met the Saiyans, and in doing so, I realized that there is a lot of untapped potential in this race and that I wanted to capitalize on it with my own character. While I obviously don't plan to go into their biology or anything of the sort, I figure a few sprinkles of culture won't really hurt all that much. This is also why I slapped some names onto the Namekian villages(which are all direct puns off snails in different languages); I really want to breathe some life into these cultures and not just have them be… there. The appeal of going to a new planet diminishes significantly if I can't adequately describe at least some things about it, in my eyes.
- Thirdly, let me just thank you for the wait you've endured with this story. I honestly and truly cannot thank you enough for waiting for me to hit my stride as an author, and I really hope that the wait is starting to pay off. I hope that you're here because you're interested in the story that I want to tell, and if you are, then be prepared for some truly amazing things that are still in store.
- Lastly, if I didn't drive this home yet, this is the tenth chapter of the story. I did say I promised a present. You know what that means?
Nothing… for the moment. I hadn't realized that we were nearing the one year anniversary special of this story, and I was going to write something up for it now, but as I got into it, I realized there was no better place for it to occur than on November 4th, 2014, the one-year anniversary of this story. You can guarantee that no matter when Chapter 11 goes up, this special will be uploaded then. It may take priority over Chapter 11 in terms of being written and uploaded(although I still have a scene done for 11 already), but it's one that can still work no matter where it is placed. I hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am.
-kideaxl: I truly enjoy the developments you are making in Namek. Honestly, it's Goku's journey I'm really interested, even the just talking part. It gives a chance to really see the different culture and environment Goku has been placed in. The earth parts tend to drag on for me, and unfortunately, I find my self skimming over them. I supposed DBZ has ruined my appreciation for the more minor characters. Anyway I can't wait to see how the battle against Freeza will turn out.
While I appreciate that you're really liking Namek so far(and your review was part of the reason I decided to buckle down and really sprinkle some culture into my story), the Demon Saga is sort of going to be taking center stage for this final fight. That's just how things will work with these two radically different plots, but rest assured that Namek's plot will eventually get the same treatment soon enough.
As for the battle with Frieza… yeah, we're definitely a fair ways away from that. It's not that I don't want to write it(you should seriously see how eager I am to write the entirety of the story), but more that there's so much to do before Frieza enters the fray. Hopefully you stick around to see how that happens down the line!
-ShMikeX: I think I asked this once before, but does Raditz (and the other Saiyans) believe Kakarot to be on Earth? Or Namek? How far are we away from the reunion?
Also, is Dr Gero somewhere currently building androids that may end up being used against Piccolo?
Lastly, are you planning on using movie characters (Cooler, Turles)?
I don't technically consider this a spoiler because this is a logical deduction, but since Kakarot's pod was pre-programmed to head to Earth, that's where the Saiyans will assume he's gone. The records would state as such, and even if they didn't... I'm not too convinced it would be difficult for someone to overlook that, if only because, well, he was specified to be a weak Saiyan and as such wouldn't be a powerful warrior in their eyes going forward.
Dr. Gero is... somewhere. That's all I can say for the moment. He's definitely in the story without question, and his part's not even been fully revealed yet... but let's just say that he won't necessarily be taking the same approach he did in canon. These are a different set of circumstances than in Earth, and we'll see if that benefits or hinders his work going forward.
As for movie characters: this is something I can properly answer without fear of spoilers. I will definitively say that you will see most, if not all, of the movie characters in Turbulence - some will have bigger roles than others, without question, but they will indeed play their parts within the story. I'll also have my fair share of original villains thrown in here and there when needed, if that helps any.
-Somebody: I am interested in how the development of your characters is going so far. But I have seen one thing you said in your past review responses, and that is that you don't want to make Kakarot to much over-powered.
Now call me crazy, but people on Earth are still battling King Piccolo, right?!
This means that their powers are still not on par with 23rd Budokai canon Goku or Piccolo jr, or am I wrong?
I am assuming this since, unlike Piccolo Jr, King Piccolo is not a type to train. And Earth warriors still can't match King Piccolo's power.
Now, Kakarot has surpassed Nail, who is well over Zarbon and Dodoria in terms of power and equal to Recoome of the Ginyu force. Now I know i am about to go power-level scaling here, but this feat of surpassing Nail would put Kakarot's power level over 50 000. That is 3 times the power of canon prince Vegeta from Saiyan saga.
Now to get back to Earth. Earthling fighters can't still defeat King Piccolo, and King Piccolo is barely 300 in terms of power-level, at least in canon. Also, in canon, Raditz alone was around 1400, and Nappa was around 6000.
So to make my point here...Earthling fighters are still not even above 200 in terms of power level, and Kakarot is already above 50 000. Kakarot is a God compared to them.
Anyway, this is a real nice story, with the complaint that you should have made Kakarot weaker, maybe on par with canon Vegeta from saiyan saga.
Sorry for including such a lengthy review, but this is something I feel is extremely prudent to reply to. When I said that I didn't want to make Kakarot overpowered, I more meant that I didn't want to see him curbstomping every threat that he faces. As far as I'm concerned, the Namek plot and the Earth plot are kind of two separate stories in their own right; they're just being told from within the same narrative. They'll cross at some point, but for now, I'm not really looking to draw comparisons between the two. As such, I don't see Kakarot as overpowered because he's training with a much more powerful figure than he'd ever gotten to in canon(i.e. Nail) and is a Saiyan to boot. To me, this kind of power progression honestly feels natural.
I will admit that the Earthling side of power levels is admittedly more murky, and honestly, I'm not about to ride the power level train with them until a little bit later(and I've specified when in chapter 1's new A/N, I believe). But overall, what I wanted to say here is that while Kakarot may be able to literally hand everyone on Earth a silver platter with their hides on it, he's not necessarily overpowered for his particular plot. That's all I have to say on the matter.