Chapter 024 - Joining Forces
It had been four days now since they'd left Bulma. The trio were sat around eating some food.
Corset looked rather concerned as she ate her apple; Krillin knew what she was thinking.
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure your mum's fine."
"I hope so..." Corset mumbled.
"How much further is it to the Great Elder's place, Krillin?" Gohan asked. "It's been four days now."
"It's not much further," Krillin replied concerned, "but I don't know if at the rate we're going whether the Great Elder will survive for much longer... We've gotta take the chance! I'm sure if we go at it at full speed now, not even Vegeta would be able to sense us at this distance." He swallowed his mouthful and zipped his rucksack closed, slipping it onto his back and getting to his feet. "Alright you two, let's get to the Great Elder's place."
"We should be ok and anyway, my dad's meant to be getting here soon," Gohan nodded in agreement, rising off the ground.
The three fighters took off into the sky.
Krillin smiled feeling rather relieved to feel the wind striking him so hard; at least they'd be able to travel at a pace he was far more comfortable with. "At this rate we'll be there in an hour."
It had been almost an hour now and both Gohan and Corset were feeling drained from flying so fast for so long.
Krillin looked over his shoulder," Hang in there just a little longer you guys, we're almost there!"
Corset noticed something interesting in the distance. "Hey, what's that over there?" She pointed towarda a large tower of rock rising over the horizon.
Krillin spotted what Corset was referring to and smiled in relief, "That's the Great Elder's place, on top of that mountain."
Fear grasped onto Krillin as a familiar energy signal appeared, the short fighter quickly halting. "T-There's a ki coming from behind us!" He hollered.
Both Gohan and Corset stopped and turned back, both immediately picking up on the same energy.
"Shit, it can't be!" Krillin gulped. "It's Vegeta!"
"W-What'll we do?" Corset squawked. "We were so close!"
Krillin's head spun around to the two, a fierce and determined look on his face, "You two continue to fly to the Great Elder's place and get him to raise your power levels. I'll try and stall Vegeta."
"B-But Krillin-" Gohan stammered.
"Just get going!" Krillin barked.
"We'll try. Be careful, Krillin," Corset nodded, grabbing Gohan by the hand momentarily and flying off towards the large mountain. The duo were there within seconds and landed on the tall pile of rocks.
"Wow, this place is pretty high up," Gohan gawked. "... So, is the Great Elder really here?"
"I hope so," Corset shrugged her shoulders.
The sound of footsteps caught both their attention, each fighter putting their guard up unsure of what or who was coming for them...
Corset's eyes widened in disbelief and shock.
There was a tall Namekian before them; he wore a dark blue sleeveless jacket and white trousers. The serious look was uncanny.
"He looks just like Mr Piccolo!" Corset gawked.
"Is he the Great Elder?" Gohan asked, equally as stunned. "I can't believe he looks so much like Piccolo!"
"The Great Elder will see you both now, please follow me," The Namekian turned his back to the children and walked into the strange house. Corset and Gohan did as they were told and followed him inside.
Corset looked around; the room they were in was dark; only natural light came through the door and small windows.
"This way," The Namekian levitated up through a hole in the ceiling. Both children followed his lead, shocked at what they saw when they reached the next level.
"Welcome, Earthling children."
In the centre of what lay before them was the biggest, plumpest and oldest Namekian either of them had seen! Dende stood to his left, the other Namekian beside him.
"The man you see before you is the Great Elder," The pseudo-Piccolo declared.
"Wow... you're huge!" Corset exclaimed.
"So is it true you can unlock our power?" Gohan asked.
"We don't have much time. If one of you would be so kind as to step forward," The large Namekian asked, raising one huge hand off his chair.
Gohan stepped forward and stood beside the Namekian's chair, the Great Elder placing his hand gently on his head. He gave a small gasp as if he were shocked; Corset finding she couldn't look away. Just what was he going to do to Gohan's head?
"What a tremendous power; you're not an Earthling are you?" The Great Elder asked.
"Um... could you please hurry, sir?" Gohan quivered.
Corset could sense her father was very close to them and glanced back behind her. "I hope Krillin's alright."
The other Namekian spoke out, "He's here. Are the boy's intentions pure?"
The Great Elder nodded.
Corset smiled in relief; whatever they meant by that, at least Gohan had been given the thumbs up.
Curiously she watched as Gohan's power was unleashed, shocked by the massive jump in his ki! Within a couple of seconds the Great Elder had removed his hand. In a burst of light the boy's ki skyrocketed as the Great Elder opened what felt like a new well of power inside of him.
"W-Wow..." Corset was in awe by how much Gohan's ki had increased and was a little scared. Was this process going to do the same to her?
The Great Elder sighed and took a small breather.
"... Wow... this is my... my power?" Gohan looked at his hands.
"Yeah..." Corset squeaked impressed. "It's huge, Gohan! I bet you're as strong as my dad or your dad or even Piccolo was!"
"Other child, please come over to where the other one was," The Great Elder interrupted.
Gohan took a few steps back as Corset stood where he'd been. "... I'm gonna try and help Krillin with Vegeta," he decided. "We'll try to stall him long enough for you to come out!"
"Ok," Corset nodded nervously. "Be careful!"
"Good luck, Gohan," Dende called.
"Bye, Dende. Bye, Corset. Thank you very much for the power up Mr Great Elder." Gohan waved as he jumped down the hole and back outside to join Krillin and face Vegeta.
Corset flinched as she felt something big land softly on her head.
"... Amazing... What an impressive power you have for someone of your age." The Great Elder's voice sounded much deeper and scarier closer up. "You're just like that boy. There is something deep within you and your intentions are pure..."
"Um... Great Elder, sir... Is this gonna hurt?" Corset gulped nervous.
The elder did not respond, instead he focused on drawing her sleeping power out...
Corset felt odd. She felt as if something was reaching into her, some strange force was diving deeper and deeper into her. After a couple of seconds, the feeling stopped and felt as if it had erupted, exploding outwards and filling her entire body. At that same instant she suddenly felt more energetic, more powerful, more alive. She struggled to control the feeling, almost overwhelmed by the sudden surge of ki she felt flowing through her veins. Her heart pounded in her ribcage.
It was incredible!
The Great Elder removed his hand from her head.
"... So, do you feel any different?" Dende asked.
Bewildered Corset looked at the miniature Namekian speechless and stunned.
"This... is me? ... It's... incredible..." she spluttered, the realisation that the extreme amount of ki she could feel inside of her was hers. "It's amazing...Wow! This is so cool!" She cheered. "Thank you Mr Great Elder sir, thank you so much!"
"Dende," The Great Elder mumbled, "Tell everyone there is a great and unknown power heading towards our planet."
"What?" Corset gasped, trying to sense the energy.
"Y-Yes sir!" Dende nodded rushing out of the room.
Corset attuned her senses to the best of her ability, searching through a pool of large powers incredibly close to her, the gigantic power in the distance... There was very little energy around them... Where was it? She tried to search deeper, trying to extend the length of which she was sensing...
There!
The sudden appearance of it sent shivers of fear through her small body. They had to be kidding! It was tremendously powerful – no one in their group could fight that!
She had to warn the others. She had to warn them about the terrifying power she could sense. Corset jumped through the hole in the floor, landed on her feet and burst out of the door beside Dende. "K-Krillin!" She cried, almost surprised to see him, Gohan and Vegeta immediately outside the door.
"Yeah, we know," Krillin nodded.
"Shit! It is! Freeza's called the Ginyu Force!" Vegeta spat. Within a flash the Saiyan'd grabbed Gohan by the scruff of his shirt and held him up in the air. "You! No more time for games! I need you to tell me where you hid the last Dragonball!"
"I don't have it!" Gohan croaked defiantly.
"Tell me! I'll spare you and your friends but I need to make that wish now!" Vegeta bellowed. "If we don't hurry we'll all be dead!"
"What do you think we are – stupid?" Krillin snapped. "You put him down right now!"
Vegeta turned and chucked Gohan down to the ground, "Listen you idiot, there are five members of the Ginyu Force, each as powerful as I am – maybe even more powerful. They'll be here in a few moments with scouters. If we don't hurry they'll find your Dragonball and kill us all!"
'S-Stronger than daddy?' Corset gulped nervously. She was no match for her father and these guys coming were even stronger than him? Corset felt so helpless and small; she'd just had her power increased to a whole new level just moments ago – she'd almost felt invincible – yet now she felt insignificant and useless. How were they gonna be able to bring the others back to life?
"It can't be!" Krillin stammered.
"Can't you feel their power?" Vegeta snapped. "None of us are strong enough to face that! We have one choice and that's to make me immortal!"
"What the Saiyan says may be true," Nail butted in. "I do sense five evil powers..."
Corset watched as the adults continued to bicker, Krillin now suggesting they made Gohan immortal whilst Vegeta argued he had to be the one as he had the most experience. This didn't matter to her right now; she couldn't ignore just how much stronger the fighters approaching were! She wasn't sure how immortality would help but she'd rather it was Gohan than her father. At least Gohan was a good guy!
"... No. I can't... Not after everything we've fought for... It would mean our entire search would be for nothing!" Krillin shouted.
"You would still have two more wishes," Nail pointed out.
Gohan, Corset and Krillin all looked up at the tall Namekian in disbelief. Had they heard that correctly?
"Three?" Gohan repeated. "You mean we can have more than one wish?"
"Three wishes?" Krillin mumbled in awe.
"Hurry up!" Vegeta snapped irately. "It'll be your fault if we run out of time!" He grabbed Krillin's shirt holding him on the balls of his feet. "The Ginyu Force will be here any minute now – we have to use the Dragonballs now before it's too late!"
"You're not the one calling the shots here Vegeta!" Krillin retaliated, grabbing Vegeta's fist. "Nail, are you absolutely sure we can get three wishes?"
"Yes," Nail nodded.
Krillin stared at the Saiyan for a moment, Corset watching cautiously in case her father tried anything.
"... Let's go then."
Corset blinked surprised as Krillin was lowered to the ground.
"You try anything funny and the deal's off – got it? Now follow me." Krillin warned, taking to the sky. Vegeta closely followed him.
'We're leaving? Why?' Without a word Corset took off alongside Gohan, unsure of what the group of them were now doing.
The tall mountain disappeared quickly over the horizon behind them, Corset not finding it as difficult to keep up with everyone else. Her thoughts were racing with information, unsure of what to focus on. She felt strangely giddy and happy that her father was working alongside them, it was something she'd found herself daydreaming about a lot recently, especially when she'd found out he too was on the planet. To be able to fight alongside him rather than against him was too good to be true! Yet knowing they were about to make him immortal both excited and worried her at the same time. She was glad that by doing this he wouldn't be killed – she didn't want her father to die no matter how he treated all her friends – yet she also knew he did not share this same view and was concerned he may turn his back on them once these men were dealt with. The fighters coming towards the planet clearly would hold the advantage against them if this wish was not made. She couldn't believe she was being pitted against such strong people! It made butterflies fly about in her stomach and she felt a little sick...
The flight was fast yet Corset found she wasn't growing tired. She wondered if it had anything to do with the Great Elder releasing whatever power she'd had within her.
"They've already landed on the planet! How much further do we have to go?"
Corset glanced up towards her father and Krillin, heart beginning to pound. There it was again; the feeling they were being chased.
"There!" The short fighter cried, bolting down for the ground. The others followed him down – Corset included. The girl only had a short time to wave to her mother before taking off after her friends again. She could have sworn she'd heard her mother yelling at them as they left. Now she felt a scared; surely her mother would be angry at her later!
Another couple of minutes passed; this time it was Vegeta who lead the group. Krillin held the Dragonball closely in his hands as they sliced the skies, desperate to get the Dragonballs gathered together to make their wishes.
"We have to go faster!" Vegeta yelled.
Corset could sense them now; they were somewhere on the planet and getting closer to them! She began to grow nervous and anxious; would they make it in time?
As if on cue, Vegeta descended down to a relatively large island. Corset followed the boys and landed beside Krillin – Krillin held out one arm. "Stay here."
Confused, Corset watched as Vegeta rushed towards the other Dragonballs before them; he'd apparently tried to hide them.
The Saiyan turned, smile dropping when he realised what was going on.
"What are you waiting for?" He spat.
Krillin stepped forward, "... This doesn't feel like a good idea," he muttered, holding the Dragonball closer to his chest.
"This isn't a game; we don't have time for this! Give me that ball before I lose my patience! You ignorant bastard, you'll kill us all!" Vegeta bellowed, marching quickly towards the trio and raising one arm-
In a flash, five men had appeared behind the Saiyan. Their sudden appearance had caught Corset completely by surprise. She hadn't even sensed them coming!
She looked them over. One; tall and with a strange blob of red hair on his unusually long head; two, a short stumpy green, four-eyed guy; three, a medium-sized alien with purple skin and horns on his head; four, a red-skinned, white haired fighter; and five, the tallest blue alien Corset'd even seen... and the only one she'd ever seen!
"Hello Vegeta," The purple guy smiled. "It's been a long time."
"T-They moved so fast! I couldn't even sense them approaching!" Krillin shivered.
"We've come to collect you and the Dragonballs, Vegeta," The purple man declared.
Corset's eyes darted over to the Dragonballs Krillin and her father had; would these guys try to steal them from them? She didn't like the looks of them and the feel of their power but she didn't want them to take the Dragonballs away! Her eyes fell on the short green one... A shudder rushed through her body as a lump tried to force its way up her throat.
"Hey Captain, there are five more of those things behind us," the red man reported.
Corset trembled at the sight of the five aliens before her. Each fighter was so strong and looked just as scary! The short green one scared her the most and not because of his strength. He looked like a deformed toad with an extra pair of eyes, the mere sight of him grossing her out. He looked too repugnant and toad-like for Corset's liking!
"Do you think I'll just hand them over to you, Ginyu?" Vegeta bellowed making Corset jump out of her skin.
"Hey, keep your head Corset," Krillin whispered in a hushed voice. "These guys might try something funny at any moment."
"R-Right, sorry," Corset gulped, body shaking nervously.
"No, I think I'll have to beat you to an inch of your life first," the horned man replied coolly. "Why don't you just give them up and come with us back to Lord Freeza."
'Lord Freeza?' Corset raised an eyebrow. 'So they're with that guy from earlier!'
"... You can find living beings with those scouters but not these, right?" Vegeta smirked.
"Yeah, what about it?" Ginyu asked.
Vegeta jumped and turned, tossing the Dragonball he held far off into the distance, Corset shocked by the sudden move. She turned to watch the ball fly away yet for some bizarre reason she couldn't see it at all!