Chapter 14: Poppies and Hermits

The strong current carried them swiftly past many a town and soon they were approaching a fork in the river.

"The mouth of the Emerald River!" Yamcha exclaimed "Just get us to the other side and we'll walk from there."

This was easier said than done, the Emerald River was both wide and deep meaning the poles didn't touch bottom. Finally they resorted to paddling with their hands and, after a few close calls where it looked like they were going to tip over, they were safely on the shore.

"We…we…made it" Goku panted "Emerald City here we come…after a take a short rest."

The others nodded. Everyone except for 16 was sitting on the grass with their eyes drooping heavily. "What is the matter with all of you?"

"I don't know" Dorothy yawned "I'm really tired all of a sudden." In her lap, Toto had already dropped off and his mistress looked like she was about to do the same.

"But why? Surely paddling across the river wasn't that exhausting."

"It shouldn't have been" Gohan mumbled "Just give me a minute and I'll…be…fi…" He collapsed onto his back and was instantly asleep. Dorothy did the same to 16's astonishment. "Goku, Yamcha what is going on?"

"Beats (yawn) me. I'm not (yawn) smart re…mem…ber…" He was out like a light and Yamcha had curled up near him and begun to snore.

"I…I…I do not understand! What could be causing this..." he caught sight of the ring of flowers around his own neck "Could it be the flowers?"

As he said it, the flowers on his friends began to grow at an alarming rate and the resulting vines began to tie them up. The vines on Dorothy seemed unable to touch her shoes but the rest of her was still being bound (albeit slightly looser than the others).

16 ripped the wreath from his own neck and hurled it into the river. He began tearing at his comrades' constraints but to no avail as they grew back faster than he could cut them. He briefly considered burning the sinister plants with an energy blast but realized that would harm or even kill his friends.

"Help!" he shouted "Somebody help me!" He dared not leave his friends but he knew he couldn't solve this on his own. "Please somebody help!"

"Alright I'm coming, stop shouting!" 16 looked up and saw a bald old man wearing sunglasses floating towards him on the back of a sea turtle. The turtle pulled up to the shore and the old man stepped off. "Oh my, this is a pickle."

"Can you help them? They are my friends."

"Just give me a bit of quiet, I'm thinking." He had removed his sunglasses and was peering at the flowers carefully. "Poppies"

"What sir?"

"These are a special breed of poppies found only in the West. I believe Bulma created them herself. Thankfully I have something that should help."

He dug in his bag for a few minutes before extracted a jar of fine powder. He sprinkled it liberally over the tangled flowers which began to shrivel and wither. 16 and the kind stranger pulled the blackened vines off of the sleeping people.

"There that should do it. Just give them a minute to wake up and they'll be right as rain. Now why weren't you affected by the flower's scent?"

"I suppose it is because I am an android and I can not smell flowers. They are pretty however."

"But deadly. Anyway my name is Roshi; what should I call you my fine mechanical gentleman?"

"I am Android 16 but they simply call me 16. That will do."

"Well 16 your friends seem to be waking up."

"Uh what happened?" Gohan asked sleepily.

16 and Roshi explained together and the introductions were made. "It's a very good thing I was passing by because you guys were about to enter stage two, where the vines strangle you. Maybe not you my dear because of those shoes, but you would have been in a deep coma and ripe for the kidnapping."

"How do you know so much about it sir?" she asked.

"I've lived a long life and traveled a lot. My sister, Baba, and I have cooked up quite a few antidotes for Bulma and Launch's vile creations."

Dorothy said "The Witch of the North is your sister!"

"The precise reason I live in the south. Turtle Lake is so named because my turtles and I make its central island our home. I was on my way there when I heard your friend calling for help. He really cares about you guys judging by the way he was screaming." He had been rummaging in his bag and finally pulled out a flask of tea and some nutrient bars. "Eat up guys, you need to get your energy back."

Everyone graciously accepted their food and allowed Roshi to keep talking "Seems you've made rather a bad enemy of the Witch of the West. Her scouts find you even when your off the beaten track. Seems you all need to get the Emerald City ASAP."

"How did all of this happen?" Gohan inquired "I mean a witch ruling each providence? There is one for the South as well right?"

"Well technically there is a Witch of the South but she's not the ruler. As for the other three, my sister came into power because she made a name for herself during the Sayian scuffle before they were subdued by Bulma. They were left without a leader and the people liked her. Launch spirited her sister away but I'm 99% certain she's Bulma's prisoner. And she's the one shrouded in mystery. It's said that her powers are the result of her own genetic experiments. She gained great powers in exchange for a mysterious weakness."

Goku said "Interesting. Well thank you a bunch Old Timer but we need to get going like you said."

The others tried to apologize for his rudeness but Roshi just laughed "Old Timer, eh. I like your spunk, my boy. Well safe journeys all. Glad I could be off assistance."