Before I begin this chapter, I want to dedicate the first scene(yes, first scene; once you read, you'll understand.) to American Vigor. His writing of Honor Trip has been awe-inspiring, and was a big help in inspiring Sins of the Father. His retirement from writing will leave a very big hole in the Dragon Ball Z fanfiction community. I appreciate all the time and energy he's put into Honor Trip, and while it's sad to see him go, I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors.
Please read the author's commentary for notice about SotF's new update schedule!
Namek Saga – Part 2: Breaking Point
"Tien's back?!" Chiaotzu cried out, elated by the prospect of seeing his best friend again. While he wouldn't want to admit it to anyone, he was very worried that his best friend had somehow been lost to him forever while in the dimension of the dead. "Where is he?"
Yamcha, still fairly close in proximity to the elder Guardian, was stunned by the revelation. "T-Tien?"
Suddenly, Kami dematerialized into the tranquil air of the Lookout, causing the pale imp to turn his head. "Where did he—"
"Looking for me?"
There was no mistaking it; even with his back turned, he knew the sound of his best friend's voice. "Tien!" For the first time in a year, the former Crane student felt a sense of confidence—with Tien around, the former emperor felt the embers of hope rekindle in his persona. "I missed you!"
The tall triclops patted Chiaotzu's head slowly before smiling. "Don't worry, Chiaotzu. Everything will be fine. With these powers, I feel incredible. King Kai taught me something that's known as the Kaioken…"
While the elder Namekian had remained silent, he hadn't done so because he was bothered by Tien's presence. No, if anything, he was overjoyed at his return. However, something felt off…
He wouldn't voice the vibrant energy levels he was sensing; for an instant, he felt Son Goku alive and well on Earth again—that certainly didn't add up. Suddenly, Tien's energy signal seemed to appear in two distinctly different areas. One by one, they appeared. Yamcha, Gohan, Krillin… each of the familiar energy signals popped up one after another.
Oddly enough, it seemed that someone, somewhere, had learned how to replicate the Z-Fighters' power signals precisely. What mostly intrigued the Guardian of Earth about this occurrence was his inability to trace the energy signature. He could sense it—the energy signals were recognizable, there was no doubt about that—but he couldn't pinpoint their precise locations.
That can't be, Kami reproached himself. My abilities just must've decayed over the years, I suppose. He'd be lying if he told himself he had a long life ahead of him. Unfortunately, Kami's lifespan was slowly ticking away… he'd be able to live for at least another decade, though that wasn't what worried him.
Gohan—that's what worried him. The boy was already quite hurt by the loss of his father, if he lost Piccolo, someone who he redeemed and trusted with an intensity never seen before in a child, in all honesty...
Kami wouldn't know what Gohan would do.
Would he potentially snap with a dam of hidden emotions, much like how he'd demonstrated with the battle against Raditz? Would he lose his mental sanity and slaughter everyone, like the Saiyan in his father once pushed him to do before his first case of memory loss? He didn't know how Son Gohan would react, but the outcome was a given—it wouldn't bode well for Planet Earth if the sensitive son of Goku were to lose Piccolo.
Of course, there was an alternate method to solving this problem, as there was to the dilemma of the Saiyans potentially returning…but Kami wouldn't even dare risk the possibility of that being running rampant. His body was frail; he couldn't serve as a base for the re-merging of Katas' son—nor did he trust Piccolo to be the base. However, now more than ever, Kami recognized that the Earth needed powerful protectors…
On the contrary, it didn't mean he trusted Piccolo enough to contemplate the idea. While he'd made a substantial change from the being he used to be, Piccolo still bared his fangs at those who weren't the son of his former rival. When it came to Piccolo, Kami was simply relieved that he was willing to defend the planet and wasn't making any attempts on taking the planet for himself… at the moment.
The main concern with the possible fusion was the power increase that would come in addition with the prospect of joining bodies. At a time, there was a point where Kami could suppress the evil inside of his body to an extent; this would mean that he would be the dominant mind in the fusion. Now, if they were to equally join their spirits together, there would be no doubt that Piccolo would be the dominant mind in said fusion. With the malicious tendencies that Piccolo had exhibited over the past year, Kami was more than hesitant to even remotely consider the prospect.
This is unnerving, but we'd do best to focus on the immediate threat of Piccolo... thought Kami, still submersed in his conscious.
"Kami?"
Startled, Kami's head shot in the direction of the voice, coming face to face with a bewildered Tien. "What is the matter, Tien?!"
It isn't like Kami to zone off like that… thought Tien with skepticism."Are you okay, Kami?"
"Yes…" The Guardian bowed his head, embarrassed. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. How did you fare in your training?"
Internally, the scarred warrior was somewhat perturbed by the fact he'd have to repeat himself. However. Tien wouldn't have had such a drastic increase in power if not for the man before him, so he didn't mind voicing everything once more. In a way, he felt indebted to Kami; he had granted him the ability to protect the Earth in Goku's absence. "It was amazing, Kami. Regardless of how long and dwindling Snake Way was, the training King Kai gave me was well worth it. Under his teachings, I learned many new techniques that'll help me out. In fact… you guys want to see what I'm capable of?"
"Sure, why not? Maybe then I'll see just how hard I'll have to train to become the strongest human on Earth again!" Everyone laughed at the redeemed bandit's comment, amused by Yamcha's jokes and antics.
However, while he was known for cracking such jokes in the past, this time Yamcha was truly bothered by the lack of seriousness his comrades treated him with. Just because his name was Yamcha didn't mean he was open to being belittled by his friends whenever they so wished. He'd even spent time away from his girlfriend, Bulma Briefs, just to fully devote himself to training for future threats. Of course, he was notorious for cheating on Bulma quite the number of times, but he felt that they were making progress with their relationship—the human had even mulled over the prospect of popping the question to her before his defeat at the hands of Piccolo. From then on, the former bandit was truly a changed man; he devoted his soul to training every night and day for the past nine months. The least his friends could do was acknowledge this and respect him for it, like they did with Tien.
Tien suddenly closed his eyes; even his third eye had been shut from the intensity of the power he was planning to unleash. Suddenly, a majestic, pale blue aura began to surround the triclops; tiles began to rise from their rooted place in the infrastructure. The best part of it all to Tien—he hadn't even begun powering up yet.
It's time to show them all… what I can really do! "Hyaaaaahhhh!" Suddenly, his already bright and exuberant aura seemed to double in both power and width, nearly submersing the adjacent Kami and Chiaotzu in the maelstrom of energy.
"W-what power…" Popo gaped, nearly losing his balance on the temple above the Earth.
I-It's unreal! Yamcha voiced internally, having to elevate his left arm and force his eyes shut to shield himself from the brute power being displayed.
"T-Tien!" Chiaotzu yelled out over the intensity of Tien's majestic aura, barely managing to stay aloft in the atmosphere.
Ironically enough, it was the man who had to guard himself the most who was most proud of the power being displayed before him. King Kai… the legends are true. Thank you for everything…
"Shyaaaaahhhhh!" Tien forcefully yelled out before cloaking his aura, showcasing his complete power with a confident smile. "With this power… I can do anything." And that's not even my limit, if I count the Kaioken…
"Well…" Yamcha muttered, bowing his head. "You may have to put that power to the test sooner than you thought, Tien…"
"W-Why?" Tien swiveled around on his heel, coming eye-to-eye with the former bandit. "Did someone attack Earth while I was away?"
"No… but it's something we need to handle now." Yamcha turned his head, ashamed of the words he was about to utter. "Krillin gave Piccolo custody of Gohan a year ago, he's been training Gohan ever since. Everything was just fine until nine months ago… Gohan became a large ape and thrashed all around the wastelands. Together, Piccolo, Krillin, and I were able to subdue him… however, when I was knocked out, Piccolo capitalized on his opportunity and killed Krillin. He then knocked me out shortly after I woke up and took off with Gohan." Internally, he was still seething with anger over his defeat; he was furious that he wasn't able to stand up and protect his planet.
"W-What?!" Tien gaped. "He…killed…Krillin…?" He knew that Krillin had already been slain by a fighter before; Tambourine, King Piccolo's spawn from the depths of hell. The Earthling wistfully recalled that even with the unrivaled powers of the Dragon Balls, the mystical dragon wouldn't be able to resurrect the fallen fighter yet a second time.
"I couldn't stop him… even after that fight, broken and battered, he still beat me…" the human recollected, scowling.
"Hey…" Tien laid a firm hand on Yamcha's shoulder, causing the former bandit to look up. "It's okay now. I'm back, and I'm more powerful than ever. I'll put an end to this and save Gohan."
To this, Yamcha gave a wistful smile. "I'm sure you can."
The triclops turned to look at Chiaotzu. "I'm sorry to have to leave just after I came back, but this is important—it's my first real test as Earth's hero."
"T-Tien…" Chiaotzu whimpered. "Please don't die…"
"Don't worry about me," Tien assured the pale imp, patting his head. "I'm not going to lose. This power… it's invigorating."
And with those heroic words, Tien brazenly turned his back and began his walk forward towards the lush green plants Popo had so diligently grown for the Lookout's scintillating appearance. He reached his palm out and touched the jagged bark, closing his eyes as if he was speaking telepathically to the palm tree. I won't take energy from you if I don't need it, Mother Nature. But if I do… please assist me…
Opening his eyes, he ignited his blue aura, looking over his shoulder at the band of Z-Fighters. "Yamcha… I want you to come with me."
"Really, Tien?!" Yamcha was elated at the prospect of getting his revenge against Piccolo. "You mean it?!"
"Yes." The human's gaze was unwavering, focused. Tien was starting to get into his fighting mindset, that, begrudgingly, he had to thank the Crane School for. "I'll need you for backup in case Piccolo gets desperate enough."
And with that, Yamcha's emotions plummeted down the drain yet again. Is that all he sees me as; backup to him? He may have beaten me once in the World Tournament, but that doesn't solidify his superiority over me!
Unable to sense his friend's angst, Tien lifted his body into the air—it felt much more exhilarating than in the Other World, where air seemed to have dissipated into the non-existent space above him. He couldn't touch; he couldn't feel—of course, he could survive due to the drastic difference in the dimensional planes—it all felt so different to him… so artificial. Here, however, the triclops could feel the gentle breeze flow through the atmosphere as his body defied gravity. "Let's hurry. I don't want Piccolo thinking that he can hide from me. If he senses my power now, he'll try to get away. I need to take care of him as soon as possible."
Planet Zark was home to a very peaceful populace. Rarely did anyone fight, and if someone acted out against society, they were quickly and swiftly reprimanded. In fact, to neighboring planets, Zark was known as the Peaceful Planet. The term utopia was also used to describe this nation of tranquility and harmony, growing more and more prosperous each day. The Zarkians always took in refugees and stowaways, and it only served to strength their community.
With such trust and friendship, it was unlikely that the Zarkians would ever have reason to fear. That is… until he arrived…
Goku stood on the edge of a cliff, silent as the winds tussled his hair lightly. "Another day, another slaughter…"
Truer words couldn't have been spoken. Ever since that fateful day about a year ago, with the incident on Planet Zirbank, with… him… Frieza took every opportunity to send Goku on "cleansing" missions. His killer instinct had been awakened on that mission, and the Arcosian seemed to pounce on the opportunity, sending the Earth-raised Saiyan off-ship whenever possible. To say his power had grown substantially would be an understatement; he felt at least twice stronger than Zarbon and Dodoria had been a year ago. Of course, with the new training regime instilled in the Planet Trade Organization, Frieza's two lackeys unfortunately still outclassed him by quite a mile.
His Prince had previously told him that it would be a long time away until the day arose for the rebellion—Frieza's henchmen had grown a lot more powerful than expected. That wasn't even accounting for the possibility of Frieza improving over the nine months of the program being instilled.
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Goku howled to the desolate civilization, slamming his fist through a nearby rock. "Everything…everyone… they're all going to die because of my inability to stop Frieza!"
"Aren't they dead already?"
Goku froze, stunned and stupefied by the voice inside his head. There was no way he was going mental, was there? The voice, if it had to be compared to anything, sounded exactly like his—but it sounded lighter, cheerier, more…friendly than the rough and hardened voice of the Saiyan warrior he'd become.
"What are you?" The Saiyan growled, eyes darting in all directions to find the source of the other voice. However, when his scouter tried to pick up an energy signal, all he could find was his own, clocking in at a powerful fifty-eight thousand.
"You say that everyone's doomed because you can't save them from Frieza… but aren't you only speeding up their deaths by slaughtering them yourself?"
"Some people have to die if it means growing powerful enough to win," retorted Goku. He didn't understand; who was this? Was Frieza playing mind games with him?
"You've fallen from what you used to be! Come on; think it through! What're you gaining from all this?!"
"Shut…up…" the Saiyan snarled, clutching his head. "Have you lived in Frieza's captivity?! Have you had to slaughter a specific quota just to be able to live through a single day?!"
"You're no person!"
"I'm not a person…" Goku closed his fists, his body shaking with anger and rage. "I am a beast! I am mighty, and they are NOT! That's why they die, while I thrive! And I thrive… because I AM A SAIYAN!" As if to defend his proclamation, his aura burst to life in a brilliant sea-blue aura.
In the swirling vortex of azure energy, the armoured fighter felt calm and tranquil; the voice had faded out of his mind. While he knew he'd have to return to Frieza's starship soon, for the moment, Goku was content to just sit down on the cliff and take a breather.
"Slacking, Saiyan?"
The Saiyan only had a moment's notice to look up before a large wave of energy rocketed down on the cliff he was standing, vaporizing the mountain of rock where it stood.
Unfortunately for the blaster, Goku had been able to bring two fingers to his forehead just in time to utilize Instant Transmission.
"Fool… he never saw it coming."
A hand was laid on the alien's shoulder, pulling him back into a muscled kneecap against his spine. "What's the big idea here?"
"How… the hell… did you survive?!" The alien growled, trying to escape from Goku's grasp—however, the Earth-raised Saiyan wasn't in the mood for games. He had a limited amount of time before he had to report back to Frieza, and he wanted to make the most of it.
"I've picked up a few tricks… but the better question is who are you?" Goku hooked his right arm around the alien's neck before wrapping his left around the alien's mid-section. "Perhaps I should warn you; I'm not really in a mood to drag things out… speak now…" He grinned madly, preparing an energy ball in his left palm, pressing it against his captive's ribcage. "…Or forever hold your silence."
The alien was beginning to sweat bullets; he didn't know what he could do. He's far too strong for me… even Captain Ginyu's tactic didn't work… the only option is… "I SUBMIT!"
A light chuckle ran through the fallen planet's atmosphere. "Good." Goku dispelled his energy back into his body before using his grip on the fighter to hurl him towards the ground.
However, Goku gave the alien no reprieve; he teleported down to the ground and caught him with a brutal punch to the side of the alien's head, driving the alien further into the dirty, dried soil of Planet Zark.
"Get up! Fight me!" Goku crossed his arms in a stance that was reminiscent of the Saiyan Prince. "I don't have all day!"
The alien supported himself by laying a firm yellow hand on the dusty ground, the deep red sky around them setting the perfect stage for a battle.
As he stood, he was revealed to wear armour akin to that of the Ginyu Force; shoulder guards, the Ginyu insignia, the whole works. His dazzlingly bright yellow skin was a contrast to his deep black bodysuit, and his eyes—a haunting red—seemed to stare directly into Goku's soul.
"My name is Swis... and I am a potential Ginyu Force candidate!"
Goku's eyes widened at the brazen claim; stupefied and shocked. So… even Ginyu fears our power… more members… "Wait! You're not a Ginyu yet?"
"That's right, Saiyan." Swis cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders backwards in order to loosen up for the fight. "If I kill you, I earn my place in the illustrious Ginyu Force!"
A smirk instantly lit up the Earth-raised Saiyan's features as he stared at the yellow alien before him. "About that… I don't think you're going to be making the cut."
"Oh?" Swis raised an eyebrow. "Surely you don't think I'm weak enough to lose to a monkey like you."
"Of course a monkey like me couldn't kill you…" Goku prepped himself for battle, bending his knees and tucking his left arm backwards. "But a Saiyan like me can slaughter you!"
With that, the fighter dashed forward and caught his opponent with a perfectly placed punch to the cheek, following it up with a series of blows that repeatedly struck Swis's head, neck and solar plexus.
Suddenly, to break the pattern, Goku stopped his rapid assault long enough to fool his opponent into deeming him an easy target. As such, he easily evaded the poorly executed punch and lodged his fist directly in Swis's stomach, doubling over the yellow creature and making him spew up a fresh stream of crimson blood.
Goku then grinned sadistically and lifted his kneecap upwards to snap Swis's head back, snapping his head back and leaving him open for a well-timed drop-kick to the ribcage, sending the potential recruit flying into a fallen civilization.
Smoke began to erupt from the life-devoid settlement, and Goku began to grow skeptical of his foe's tactical ability. "I'm not going to let you escape!" He declared with a shout, forming a large sphere of blue energy in his right palm, tilting his body as to gain greater momentum from the blast.
Through the cloud of smoke, Swis was still not visible—but the Saiyan knew he'd have to try.
"DIE!" He bellowed, firing the sphere out of his palm and firing a rapid stream of smaller blasts after it. They all fell from the sky like meteorites, repeatedly colliding with the ground in an attempt to bomb out Swis once and for all.
"You're… not…" Goku had to shut his eyes from the magnitude of power he was releasing. "…Going to live!"
A speck of yellow light rocketed out of the decimated village, and Goku only had time to raise his left arm to cover his face as a knee directly connected with it, shockwaves reverberating around the desolate planet as the fighters struggled—Goku to keep Swis' leg from breaking his arm; Swis to break through Goku's defenses.
Both fighters struggled, sparks of energy beginning to crackle around them. However, though Goku was clearly the stronger of the two, both seemed to be at an impasse.
"Wh-Why don't you just give up…?" Swis growled, trying with all his might to push his leg forward. Regardless of their power difference, Swis knew he could deal heavy damage if he connected this one blow.
"I'll never submit to someone like you… I owe it to my brother… my Prince… and EVERY SINGLE SAIYAN FRIEZA EVER SLAUGHTERED!"
Using that extra motivation, Goku flared his aura and parried Swis' leg away, punching him directly on his solar plexus. Once, twice, thrice, and a final roundhouse kick sent the Ginyu Force recruit spiraling downwards towards the ground; the collision was signified with a dust cloud rising over the ground and into the atmosphere.
Goku confidently grinned, dashing downwards and curving in flight to race directly above the ground; dust and soil being torn apart as he charged towards his fallen prey.
Swis had just stood, dazed and confused—until he saw Goku fly directly in front of him with his arm outstretched. The alien tried to connect with a feeble punch, but the Saiyan had evaded it, instead aiming for the soldier's legs with a chop block, the impact knocked the alien off-balance.
The armoured Saiyan then paused in his tracks, turning around to see Swis' body in mid-air from the sweep. As if in slow-motion, Goku malevolently grinned and placed his hand on his opponent's abdomen, piercing a hole through his body and dropping him to the ground.
Goku, ever so cautious, looked down at Swis' fallen body. Lifeless eyes, check. No heartbeat, check. Still movement, check. That cleared it; Swis had perished.
"That's what happens when you tangle with a Saiyan…" Goku grinned, vaporizing the soldier with a wave of his hand.
"H-Help…"
If not for his enhanced Saiyan hearing, Goku might've missed out on the joy of another kill. "A survivor? Well, colour me surprised; I thought I did a pretty damn thorough job."
"P-Please… I'm not going to make it much longer…"
This caused Goku to turn around and walk towards the sound of the voice, genuinely surprised. From the pitch of the voice, he could assume that it was a Zarkian child.
When he finally arrived at the source of the voice, he wasn't surprised—but amused. The boy who had so desperately cried for help was impaled on a blade; it was driven at least halfway through his body.
"P-Please sir… help me…"
Goku bent down to meet the boy at eye level, eyes twinkling with absolute destruction. It would've sufficed to call Goku an absolute madman right now. His Saiyan blood was hungering for another kill, not sated by the foe he'd slain only a moment ago. "Do you know why I was sent here, kid?"
"N-No…" the boy's vision was beginning to falter; the red sky began to appear a deep black to him.
"I was sent to slaughter you. Your friends, your family… your whole race was to fall to my power."
"W-Why are y-you doing this?" the boy began to mutter out, head drooping downwards to fall into unconscious. However, Goku would have none of that; he put his finger on the boy's chin and lifted it back up to meet his gaze of death.
"Because I have to avenge my own race." Goku wasn't liking where this was leading—wasn't he the one supposed to be striking fear into the boy before he sped up his death? Instead, ironically enough, he seemed to be feeling worse and worse with each syllable he spoke.
"You-You don't have to hurt everyone… " the boy choked out, his pale red skin withering away with each word. "You could ju-"
ZZZZZZZZZZZINGGG!
Goku fired a small beam that punctured the boy's lung, killing him outright. "You don't know me, you weakling… stay out of my sight. People like you make me sick; you believe that everything can be changed by "just believing," don't you?" Many people would've found it quite odd that Goku was talking to a corpse, but the Saiyan was simply that far gone when it came to matters like this. "I'll tell you something… believing does nothing in this universe. It's strength or death…"
To vent his anger and frustration, Goku spun around and fired an energy blast into the air; he shortly fired another blast after it for a collision, watching solemnly as they lit up the magma-red sky.
As he stared at the center of the explosion, watching shards of energy fall from the collision, Goku's mien exuded a voice of determination and concentration. "That'll be you one day, Frieza… I swear it..."
Tien's blood-red aura burst to life as he dashed through the skies with blinding speed. Internally, the human was preparing himself; psyching himself up for the battle to come. While he wouldn't be testing his strength against a Saiyan space pirate, he truly felt honored he could defend his homeworld from a threat that the former savior of the planet didn't finish off. Even if it was by correcting the one apparent wrong Son Goku had made, Tien knew he could finally start his journey of repaying the Earth-raised Saiyan for all he'd done.
"Tien!" Yamcha yelled over the high-velocity air currents Tien's Kaioken was generating, eyes squinting from having to put out so much power to keep up with the triclops. "What're you planning to do to Piccolo?! Remember that if he dies, Kami dies too; we won't have the Dragon Balls!"
The human's Kaioken aura died out, and he paused in his tracks, pivoting around to come face-to-face with Yamcha. "I'm sorry; was I flying too fast for you to keep up with?"
Yamcha's throat felt like it closed up on him; he was truly at a loss for words. No matter how much he tried, nobody took him seriously. "N-No…" he muttered. "I-It's fine. C'mon, let's keep moving."
The human was somewhat skeptical of his comrade, but he didn't press his opinion—he had much more to worry about than that. "All right. Let's keep going."
During the rest of the flight, Tien still kept up his Kaioken aura, however, it was quite apparent to both the fighters that the human was suppressing his overall speed. Neither of them had any words to exchange to the other as they dashed along the skyline, illuminating the dusk light in the early night with contrasting auras of a fiery red and a sea blue.
Both mentor and student were mutely meditating by the riverside, stilling any excess thoughts in their minds. Around this time of day, the Namekian always made his student clear his mind before their evening spar, followed by dinner and sleep—at least for the hybrid. The Namekian would stay up during the night to ensure that his pupil received only the most tranquil sleep; he knew that such a delicate soul required such care. Even the roughest and most barbaric animals cowered in fear at the mere glance of Piccolo. His steely gaze, his willingness to kill—as he'd demonstrated the first time the animals so recklessly charged Gohan in his rest—and even the smallest inhale of the organism's scent could send any carnivore running for the hills.
It was a quiet life, and quite a pleasant life. He wouldn't dare admit it, but the son of the Demon King would be perfectly content if life always remained this way.
He opened an eye to watch his pupil's concentration—focused and unwavering, as per usual. The kid certainly didn't fail to meet his quota; he worked far too hard to impress his mentor.
A year ago, Piccolo would've bared his fangs at such a determination and slaughtered the boy mercilessly. However, with everything they'd went through, the Namekian could only smirk and ruffle the boy's hair.
Aside from the obvious genetic traits Son Gohan had inherited, he was in every way Goku's son. The abiding courage that was so frequently displayed to the aloof, naïve side that was presented in times of joy and exultance only proved this theory.
Faintly, Piccolo wondered whether or not to call him Goku's son any longer. While Goku's psychological traits still shone prominently in Gohan's demeanor, the quiet, more reserved side of Son Gohan seemed to emerge during these moments of solace and harmony; the teachings of Piccolo himself brought these emotions to the half-Saiyan.
They both truly enjoyed these moments, and neither would trade them for any material possession their minds could conjure up.
"Gohan." The Namekian stood, putting his hand on the child's shoulder. "It's time for our evening spar. Let's get a move on before the sun sets."
"O-Okay!" the boy exclaimed eagerly, hopping upwards and leaping into a fighting stance—his right arm was pulled backwards, his left moved in front of his chest.
Swift and controlled… the Namekian thought proudly. "Perfect. Let's begin."
"HOLD IT!"
Piccolo heard the voice boom throughout the atmosphere, which caused a chill to run down his spine. He's back...
"Gohan…I want you to run." The Namekian's eyes never once met Gohan's fearful orbs of oynx; he knew he wouldn't be able to assure the boy's safety if he didn't. "Run now."
"But Mr. Piccolo-"
"RUN NOW!" Piccolo shouted, firing two symmetrical energy waves into the sky, frightening young Gohan to the point where he indeed scampered off behind a rock formation—he couldn't bear to leave his best friend completely.
Piccolo's gaze remained hardened, resolute. "You're finally back, aren't you, Tien?"
Out of the smoke dashed the two humans, landing side-by-side—Tien quickly prevented Yamcha from blindingly attacking Piccolo by placing a hand out in front of Yamcha's abdomen. "You have Goku's son… give him back."
"Heh!" The Namekian threw off his turban, cracking his knuckles loudly. "You don't even know his name, do you?"
Ignoring the Namekian's taunt, Tien dropped into his fighting stance—left arm raised up, his right reared backwards—and prepared for battle. "Maybe I don't, but it's for a far more noble cause than someone like you would ever recognize."
It was then that Piccolo recognized the scar-faced bandit's presence, yet his eyes never darted to acknowledge him. Yamcha is much more of an easy target to pick off when he's reckless... I'll have to take advantage of that if I have any chance of overpowering them both.
Tien's gaze became much more feral in the span of a second. "I guess a heartless demon like you wouldn't understand the meaning of such honor! Today, I finish what Goku started!"
The Namekian, in response, flared his aura—he was already at full power due to his previous meditation. "If you think you can, try it! However… perhaps we should raise the stakes."
Exhaling, the shirtless fighter narrowed his eyes; just what did Piccolo have up his sleeve now? Regardless of whatever he proposed, Tien resolved to viciously pound him into the ground for all he'd done.
"If you win… you can take Gohan and leave. However… if I win, and I defeat you in one-on-one combat… you leave Gohan and I alone for a life of solitude." His cape was now discarded, falling to the ground with an audible THUD.
"You're crazy if you think Tien would ever accept those odds!" Yamcha hollered. "At least he has reason!"
Without looking at Yamcha, for fear of disapproval, Tien curtly nodded. "Challenge accepted."
"WHAT?!" Yamcha shrieked, truly crestfallen at the new attitude of his friend—or at least, whom used to be his friend. Ever since his return, Yamcha could tell that Tien had changed. Whether it was in determination, explicit arrogance, or just sheer stupidity, he didn't know. However, he did know that this wasn't the same Tien he'd last seen six years ago.
"Yamcha… don't worry about me. I'm more than confident in my ability to take down this monster," Tien chided. "King Kai's training, the run down Snake Way; all of it changes you… I have the key to power never seen before for an Earthling, and it will never be matched. I'm going to win here… and I'll continue to strive to be unmatched, for Kami's sake… for Earth's sake… for every man, woman, and child." Suddenly, the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and Tien welcomed his very first challenge as Earth's protector. "YOU HEAR ME, PICCOLO?! I WILL NOT LOSE HERE!"
With a shout, the human dashed forward, causing Piccolo to leap into the air in an attempt to force his opponent to expend more energy. Of course, this didn't falter Tien's resolve; he changed course by leaping off of the ground and firing an invisible kiai wave into the air, which—thanks to his extraordinary ki manipulation abilities—acted as a rope that ensnared his opponent's moccasin like a hog.
Gripping the rope, Tien retracted the rope and pulled himself towards Piccolo, using this kiai rope as a means of springboard, as evidenced when he leapt off of it and caught Piccolo's ribcage with a brutal fist.
Doubling over, Piccolo clutched Tien's shoulder and returned the favor, however, he had enough durability to ignore the pain and follow it up with a knee to the face before continuing his assault with a series of swift punches and kicks; nearly all of the blows he dished out connected with the triclops' arms and legs with unrelenting brutality.
Finally, to end his assault, Piccolo rushed forward with a single-legged dropkick, but fell prey to a vicious right hook that sent him careening to the left and near a mountain of rock; Tien raced in hot pursuit of his fallen opponent. However, Piccolo was able to manipulate his surroundings to his advantage by stabilizing himself in mid-air, performing a full three-sixty rotation in mid-air, swerving out of the way of the human's charge.
Following Piccolo's lead, Tien halted his momentum by kicking off the mountain and charging back to the battle with a headbutt to the solar plexus—as a result, the green fighter began to pitch forward, somewhat dazed. Tien then capitalized on his opportunity by summoning his aura and dashing out of the way of the Namekian's fall and upwards, waiting until Piccolo began freefalling towards the ground to summon his power; he then dashed downwards and caught the fighter with a forearm to the spine. As a result, Piccolo found himself spiraling earthward, with no way to stop his fall.
Already, Tien planned to end the fight, as evidenced by his landing on the ground and lazily holding a hand towards the dusk sky, planning to break Piccolo's spine by having him make a nasty collision with his hand—which he'd supplied with a lingering burst of Kaioken power.
Alas, it was not to be; Piccolo had broken out of his stupor and used his extending ligament ability to grip onto Tien's outstretched palm to yank himself downwards—from there, he used his grip on Tien's hand as momentum to pull himself around the human's body, aiming for his exposed stomach with a dropkick.
The collision sent Tien barreling backwards, though Piccolo never once let go of the warrior's hand; he retracted his arm, rearing back his right hand for a heavy blow that would surely knock out the human warrior who claimed to see a new light.
BOOOM! They re-engaged, and as expected, Piccolo's brutal fist connected perfectly with Tien's skull, laying him out flat on the cold wastelands.
The light was fading. Tien felt like he'd had a bone break with that last attack, and he realized that he'd let his overconfidence and pride in his new ability take over his conscious. Of course, Tien knew that his actions were nothing if not for glory and righteousness, but now more than ever, he condemned himself for his failure. As it stood now, he wasn't even sure if he could access his Kaioken; he truly felt that out of it.
He saw an indigo pant leg in front of him, and feebly gripped it, trying to return the fight to his foe in any way he could. However, determination and willpower never won battles alone, and he definitely knew that was going to be the case with this fight as well.
He tried to summon up the energy to fight, but it seemed locked within him for some peculiar reason; it was almost like his body was giving out on him… or rather, afraid of demonstrating this new power.
Why?! He asked himself, his mind racing with ideas of how to escape his predicament. He couldn't fail here—he wouldn't fail here. Everyone was counting on him to win against Piccolo…
"N-No…" Suddenly feeling somewhat invigorated, Tien used Piccolo's pant leg to try to push himself upwards. Unfortunately for the determined human, Piccolo flared his aura and shoved his palm in the shirtless warrior's face.
"Stay down." Piccolo leered, the mystic-blue aura outlining his figure, giving him more of a demonic expression.
Silently, Tien pleaded for a second opportunity; begged for another chance with his power. His head was still throbbing from the intensity of the Namekian's fist, but he could feel it within him—that fresh Kaioken reservoir of energy, just waiting to be tapped into.
This time, he gripped it with all he had.
"KAIOKEN!" Tien shouted, the magma-red aura illuminating the near-nighttime skyline. The absolute shock from his foe regaining such power so quickly would prove to be Piccolo's unraveling; he was sent flying upwards by a mighty uppercut to the chin.
Capitalizing on his second chance, the human dashed forward and upwards with the vigor of a thousand warriors, repeatedly smashing his energy-enhanced fists against Piccolo's ribcage. With each and every blow delivered, Piccolo felt more and more air escape his lungs.
Tien wasn't keen on ending his assault simply because of Piccolo's injuries, however; he continued to press his attack with a roundhouse kick to the Namekian's arm, before smashing him downwards with a spin-punch. Yet again, he didn't let up, continuing his assault on the Namekian by giving him a swift kick to the arm, causing Piccolo to stumble backwards.
Finally giving Piccolo a moment's reprieve, Tien leapt backwards and paused for a moment to dig his foot into the earthy soil below him. Then, using this momentum, Tien flung himself forwards like a catapult and avoided a poorly-executed punch from Piccolo, rather opting to dash around the fatigued Namekian and ram him from behind; the attack sent the reformed fighter into a mountain of rock.
Tien landed neatly on the earthy landscape, cautiously eyeing the pillar of dust that had arisen from the Namekian's fall. He wouldn't trust that he was down for the count; not just yet.
He was right to have doubt.
"Grraaaahhh!" A sphere of ki rocketed out of the weakened warrior's palm, which Tien calmly deflected, taking to the air. If Piccolo can't see me through the debris, then he'll end up expending all his energy—I'll take advantage and knock him out in one fell swoop!
Of course, Tien couldn't have predicted that Piccolo had acquired the ability to sense energy; his mind was running a mile a minute due to the stress of both the fight and maintaining the arduous Kaioken technique. Due to this, he had to cross his arms when he saw a particularly lethal energy blast head his way, taking the precisely-aimed sphere with its full pressure.
Piccolo, seeing his opening, took to the skies and broke through Tien's defenses with a well-placed knee to the solar plexus, shortly after punching Tien directly in his exposed face. As a result, blood began to freshly spew out of the spiritually-enlightened fighter's mouth—yet Piccolo didn't stop his ruthless assault at the sight of blood. No, if anything, it fueled his desire to keep on fighting… for his right to keep Gohan with him.
Fueling his power with this thought, Piccolo delivered a vicious backhand that sent the human spinning to the left. From there, he dashed forward with a mighty shout and swung for Tien's mid-section from above—however, the human brought his knees up and lodged his feet firmly within Piccolo's stomach, sending the Namekian backwards in a series of spirals.
Both fighters quickly performed a back-flip to regain control of their equilibriums before rocketing back to meet each other head-on in an exchange of fast and furious blows. The night sky began to BOOM with fear as nature watched the two titans battle, each getting in powerful blows that would be sure to sting even after the battle was over. However, Tien's Kaioken ability would prove to be superior when he was able to swiftly attack Piccolo's skull with a devastating forearm, followed up by an inverted sweep that sent Piccolo higher in the atmosphere, nearly breaking through to the mesosphere—as a result, the Namekian's breathing grew more shallow and staccato.
Piccolo, quickly darting in both directions, fired a plethora of spheres that shot out from either of his palms, racing in different directions.
"I'm up here!" Tien shouted, re-appearing above Piccolo and slamming his conjoined fists down hard on Piccolo's foramen magnum, causing him to freefall downwards until he nearly hit the ground. Tien was about to give chase when he realized that Piccolo had a devilish smirk on.
"What're you up to?!" shouted the human, putting his hands in a triangular-like fashion. However, the fatigue began to catch up with him, and he completely disregarded his question, opting to end the fight now before Piccolo could capitalize on his potential opportunity. "Whatever you've got planned, say good-bye; I'm ending this right now!" A distinct sound could be heard as energy began to pack itself together in the void between the fighter's palms, the end appearing to be near. "It's time I repaid Goku for all he's done! Tri-Beam… H—"
It was then that Tien caught onto Piccolo's ploy, and it was then that Tien realized that this day spelt doom for him.
"Hahahahaha!" Piccolo laughed menacingly, raising his arms above his head. "You were foolish… that moment before you knocked me down, I set up a trap!" Indeed, Tien was surrounded by many spheres of light that acted as stars in the black of night.
"D-DAMN IT!" Tien relinquished his hold on the Tri-Beam's energy, re-absorbing it back into his body as he violently flared his aura. "I was such a fool… why didn't I just fire it?!"
"Feel free to reflect on that when you meet King Kai again!" He grinned. "Now… die!"
Piccolo swiftly moved his palms together, and Tien coiled his arms in the best defensive manner he could, focusing all his strength into his muscles. He didn't know if there was any way to over-saturate his defenses, but he would at least give it his dying effort.
"HYYAAAAAAHHHH!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Piccolo saw the fighter rush towards him; there was nothing he could do. "N-No!"
BRRRRRRGGGGHHH!
Yamcha's fist made firm contact with Piccolo's cheekbone, barely saving Tien from complete and utter annihilation; sending his would-be executer flying backwards. Time seemed to stop for a brief moment as Piccolo registered the shock of being hit by someone at what was his one chance of prevailing.
Not wasting a moment, Yamcha cupped his hands and brought them to his left hip, charging a brilliant pulsing blue beam of light that flared over the skyline of darkness. "KAMEHAMEHA!"
All right! It feels awesome to crank out a chapter of this length, and I hope you weren't disappointed with the wait I unfortunately had to put you all through for it to happen. SotF's next update WILL be next Monday; it's mostly written out already. That was why I took the week off, I'm now able to write a chapter and then be nearly finished for next week. This should ensure weekly updates from now on. Enjoy the weekly updates, and my improved writing ability!
You'll notice that it's Sunday today; well, I figured that I owed it to my readers who have so diligently waited to update this a day early.
I'm very excited to be releasing Chapter 12 next week—it'll be very eventful, as this chapter was. This chapter was extremely fun to write, and I hope it was a pleasure to read. I'm really looking forward to the reviews this chapter, so I would really appreciate you commenting! Thanks again!
There's only one comment that I feel I need to address about this chapter: Tien's Kaioken-enhanced punch. Prepare for an explanation.
In the canonical series, when Goku raises his hand up and "catches" Nappa(breaking his back), I personally doubt that he would be able to cause so much damage with that attack. Of course, he'd just drilled Nappa in the back previously with both his fists, but I believe that Nappa would be able to continue battling Goku even after that, but there is a factor we need to consider; Goku may have been supplying his base with bursts of Kaioken. If you're interested, I have canon Goku at 8,000, and canon Nappa at 6,000. Why? Well, that'll be supplied in the official Sins of the Father power level chapter! It won't be for a bit, but it is in my plans.
Regardless, I personally feel that Goku used a bit of Kaioken power when he mortally wounded Nappa. Why did I want to address this? You'll understand when it happens, but something important has to do with this concept!
Piccolo: 6,500
Tien: 6,500
Tien(Kaioken, 50% boost): 9,750
Goku: 58,000
Yamcha: ?
Gohan: ?
Swis: 40,000
Q: Its still an interesting take that's for sure, although these huge gaps in power have me worried for the good guys.
A: That's an excellent point! The Saiyans far outclass the Earthlings(and hybrid and Namekian, respectively) but they'll have their ways of keeping up.
Q: Dodoria took Vegeta by surprise during their brief fight, which is understandable, but I would think Vegeta would still manage to curbstomp Dodoria regardless when they start fighting for real. In canon, the difference is like 24,000-22,000 (Vegeta is the first, Dodoria the second) and Vegeta dominates him there, but here it's 36,000 to 31,000, which is a MUCH bigger margin. I mean I don't know...something about that seems odd, maybe I'm just not getting it though.
A: That's an excellent question, but one that can easily be answered. Vegeta wasn't fully recovered when he briefly fought Dodoria, so he wasn't really at a "weakened" level. I probably should've given a number for his weakened power level, but I find it's far too difficult to confirm numbers for weakened states and attacks. There'll always be someone who disagrees with a weakened power level, and that's why I refrain from posting them.
Q: Vegito would be a nice early addition... *sighs* I'll never get a Vegito vs Freiza will I?
A: Not in this fanfiction. Vegito would far outclass Frieza even if Goku and Vegeta fused in the Saiyan Saga, though I wouldn't be able to give you a perfectly accuarate number for that early Vegito. At worst, probably like 247 million in base.
Q: Dodoria 31k? What the hell? Oh... it's cause of Frieza's new PTO training program eh?
A: Pretty much. In fact, he's about near Zarbon's level(at that time). Their power levels after the nine month time-skip will not be revealed any time soon, however—but do note that Zarbon has drastically improved as well.
Q: For me, Turles was far from even a moderately liked character from his movie appearance, but I really like what you've done with his character. He's menacing, under-handed, and an overall jerk AND I love every second of it. My only qualm with your chapter is when Frieza thinks that Vegeta could possibly outrank his first form. Vegeta never stated that he was stronger than Cui's 27000, so how did Frieza know how strong Vegeta had gotten? Unless I'm missing something.
A: I'm glad you enjoy my Turles. He's a character I wanted to take from nothing and mold into a real character that could fit into a story.
Frieza could easily infer that Vegeta had far surpassed Cui by the way he spoke to him even after Cui revealed his new power level. He also knew that the Great Ape transformation is a 10x multiplier, so he just connected the dots.
Q: Wasn't Chapter 10 meant to be "The Death of Son Goku"?
A: It was, but I decided that it'd be best to shelf it and publish it at a later date for a more significant meaning.
Q: I also wonder if Tien knows anything that has taken place during his time away and if he's aware of what Piccolo has done or not (it would depend on if he met up with Krillin in other world or not or if King Kai had noticed what was going on and informed him as it'd be a shame that Piccolo becomes the what they believe to be the enemy because he's covering for Gohan).
A: As you can tell by Tien's actions this chapter, he did not meet Krillin in Otherworld. Also, I know you're hoping to see more of Gohan due to other comments in your review, and rest assured he'll be receiving a big role in this Saga. He may have been slighted for these past few chapters, but it was necessary to flesh out the plot. Gohan and Goku will become a lot more relevant in future chapters.
Q: I'm kinda bummed that Vegeta lost his tail, but I understand where you're going from, I suppose. Thing is, I don't think Frieza would feel threatened by a Great Ape, considering that he'd be larger and easier to hit. To your argument, Vegeta(if he'd grown to say, 60,000) would max out over Frieza's first form. I wonder how you view Frieza's transformations in terms of increase, though I guess that'll be revealed eventually.
A: Exactly, MV. You've hit the nail right on the head. As for how I view the Arcosian transformations, that'll be revealed once Frieza becomes a more prominent character—and trust me, he WILL be focused on a lot more in future chapters.
Q: Good chapter, and I have to admit I was surprised by Cui and Dodoria being as strong as they were. I notice that you haven't given us Frieza's power level, which interests me. I wonder how strong he has become.
A: I look forward to revealing that answer!
Q: I'm surprised that Tien and Piccolo are on equal footing, though it makes sense. Unfortunately for Piccolo, I believe that Tien has full mastery of AT LEAST Kaioken x2, which would put him at 13,000 at worst.
A: This chapter isn't really an exact representation of where Tien lies on the Kaioken mastery scale, but we know he at least has the ability to ascend to Kaioken x2, as proved in Chapter VI. Whether he has full mastery over both levels(and possibly Kaioken x3) remains to be seen!
Q: Something I want to comment on is your pacing. Quite frankly, I think it's great and leaves a lot for us to dissect each chapter. Personal preference would be 6-7K in content, but I recognize that you have to work your way up(as stated in your A/N of the new Chapter 1). This is a realistic and believable fanfiction, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's in the top 5 current stories(along with Break Through the Limit, Bringer of Death, Honor Trip, and Dragonball Legends).
A: Thanks for your compliments! Yes, I realized that with the weekly update schedule, I wouldn't be able to churn out extensive chapters like I want to. That's why I've taken the week off to write both this chapter AND write a lot of the next chapter in advance; that way I can stay ahead of the game and write extensive chapters. I apologise profusely for missing last week's update, but this ensures you'll see a chapter every Monday.
Q: Additionally, I was perplexed when perusing the sections detailing Turles's behavior on Planet Trawlfa. Is it not within PTO territory? Would it not have some sort of military garrison or prescence to deter wanton lawbreaking such as Turles exhibits? Even if it were exlcluded from the PTO, logically, it would have to possess some sort of law-enforcement, yet there is a noticeable lack of it.
A: Well, I was going for the effect of "brains, but no brawn," but looking back on it, you're most likely correct; there should've been an elite fighter or a garrison of soldiers to assist them.
Q: Are you going to keep posting the power levels? Good job by the way!
A: As stated before, I'll be posting all power levels of significance throughout the story. If I hold back any power levels in a chapter, they are spoiler content or simply haven't been introduced yet.
Q: Also, an issue I feel needs adressing, is the fact the two self-proclaimed main characters of this story, Goku and Gohan, have in fact received very little screentime in these past few chapters.
A: That's definitely true, and as you can see, I'm doing my best to rectify that. I felt it was essential that I focused on the other characters first in order to be able to allow them to revolve more around Goku and Gohan. Trust me, they'll be receiving large roles from here on out, and that is a promise.
Q: Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Goku need to be able to sense ki to use IT? You said he's pretty much forgotten that with the rest of his techniques, so I'm not exactly sure.
A: Excellent question! Quite honestly, I was going to supply this information in the author's commentary of this chapter(I admit to forgetting to address this back in Chapter 8, when it was introduced), but Goku—while definitely not as adept as he was with his memory—is able to sense energy levels. Of course, he mostly relies on his scouter, but he does have somewhat of an ability to do so.
Q: I wonder how much quicker Gohan will gain in power with him having major reasons to train that he didn't exactly have in cannon. Hes always had the power in him, I wonder if he will be able to control it better and not just have quick bursts of anger push his power to higher levels.
A: When we focus in on Gohan a little more(which will be quite soon), I assure you we'll be seeing whether or not he can control his substantial amount of power.
Q: My biggest question is does Krillin know that it was Gohan who killed him or does he not know. And undoubtedly the truth will eventually come out yes?
A: Good question! As of now, I haven't made reference to it, but yes, Krillin clearly knows that it was Gohan who killed him. Piccolo was fully conscious during the battle, and it was obvious that he'd fallen.
Q: Great work as usual man. I am so happy that Kuririn is still in this. I can't wait for the results of Yamcha and Chiaotzu's training. I feel sorry that Piccolo is about to die. I certainly hope that this story ends up over 70 chapters long. It is also my wish that eventually the Super Saiyan God Forme will be implemented fir Vegeta. I'm curious as to if Turles (or Turtles as I say) will plant a Tree of Might on Namek. I can't wait for Cooler's appearance as he is my favorite villain. I'd like some DB fanfiction advice as well. I'd like to know HOW to plan it. Should I like use boxes and list possible wanted outcomes for events or what? I wanna be a great fanfiction writer too so... oh, and one last thing, I love how DK Piccolo mentioned Goten. I also wonder if he or Trunks will be born.
A: Well, to address your first comment, this story will be on-going for quite a long while. It's not an exaggeration to say that I'll most likely cross the 70 chapter mark with relative ease—it all depends on multiple factors, such as chapter length, extra plots, so on and so forth.
Your second comment: What I do is I create a document(or send an email to myself) and write out exactly what I want to happen in my stories. It's like what I did with my other story Guardian, I wrote up a full e-mail of my plans of the Saiyan Saga. I'm totally not trying to advertise Guardian or anything, by the way. Totally not.
Super Saiyan God... I can almost guarantee you won't be seeing it in this story. Bills may or may not appear in SotF, but I promise there'll be no mention of SSJG unless I find a totally different way of incorporating it.
Thanks for your continued readership, and rest assured that you will be seeing an update next Monday—it's almost finished already. You can see my profile for details of my schedule, and it's been magnificent so far. Hope to see you on the next Sins of the Father!