Bulma was desperately rocking Trunks who was crying and being fussy. Bulma knew he would be. Somehow, he could sense when she wasn't going to be around for a while. Panty would just have to take care of him while she and Yamcha went to the Tournament.
Bulma was split on this. A three-year-old is not the wisest this to take on such a trip and she definitely needed a break from the loveable little 'pain in her ass'.
She loved him but he was constant to say the least. He was stubborn like her and well thievish like his father had been. He already showed his love of fighting in the realms of both vocal and physical.
Swords and guns everything were swords and guns too him. Worse yet he was smart enough to get into things. Yes, he was definitely her son quick with his mouth and easily able to figure out any puzzle. She knew for the love of Kami; she needed a break.
She had packed all of her things and thrill thought came to her mind she hadn't seen any of her friends in years. Chi-Chi and all the other would be there. She knew about them but as always Trunks, lately everything had related back to him.
She was practically skipping as she went down the gravity room. Yamcha had practical begged her to make it so he could keep up with the others. He had got up to ten times and not much farther than that. She found him taking a nap. He might have said that he was determined but in practice he was still quite lazy. She was bizarrely on split on this too.
Part of her liked that Yamcha constantly used her and Trunks as a reason to get out of training for days at a time. But the other half was frustrated that he never put his all into anything not her the training maybe Trunks but still he just seemed to lack drive and well some pride for that matter.
She entered the chamber and went over to her sleeping husband. She kicked his bed then said, "Wake Up!"
"I'm up." He looks at Bulma curiously and asked. "What's up babe?"
"It's tournament time sleeping beauty."
Yamcha jumped up and processed to flex with a smile on his face saying, "Finally I feel like I've been waiting forever for this." He grabbed his arm. "Wait until I show them how strong I've become."
Bulma rolled her eyes thinking 'He's always so confident but can never backing it up'.
"Let's just see if you can make it past the first round this time."
Yamcha sighed looking defeated "Okay. What did I do this time?"
Bulma also sighed "Nothing it's just dealing with Trunks. I just need a vacation."
Yamcha smiled at her "Yeah I suppose so. Alright let's get Puar and head out. "
They left the house and headed to the airport taking the private jet to head for the Tournament.
Krillin had gone back to Roshi's after his training with Korin. He had trained the hardest he could. There was no way that he was going to let himself be one shoted again like he had been with Tambourine.
He had of course had a lot of time to think about things. Seeing Tien and Launch fawn over each other had made him realize something in himself.
What he felt about Chi-Chi. When he had first meet her, he was of course irritated with her. He had wanted to be Roshi's only student and the monks had made it clear at his temple that girls were not allowed only to be compounded by the fact she beat him.
By the time the world Tournament came around however that was gone. He had stopped being angry about her beating.
Sure, he wanted to catch up to her only to find she was now league above him each time, but it didn't sting. What did hurt was seeing that monster hurt her at the Tournament. What did hurt was not being able to see her all these years.
All he knew was that even though he knew he wasn't going to win. It was going to be worth the trip just to see her again. He didn't know how to classify all of this, but he did know one thing he needed to try and talk to her. He already had thanked her for saving his life but now he knew he had to say more.
"Hey Mr. Broody, are you going to help me finish packing or are you just going to stare some more off into oblivion?"
Krillin looked back at Roshi from off into the far blue distance. He had grown taller since most of his friends had seen him but not that tall. He just knew that the other were all going to still tower over him.
"Yeah, I guess. You know if you didn't insist on bring your 'entire collection' we wouldn't have so many bags to bring. We'd go from ten bags to three."
Oolong injected "Shut up Master knows what he's doing bring his collection."
Roshi laughed at that "Hah you think that this is my 'entire collection'."
Krillin sighed and thought about how irritating living with these two had been for the last couple of years but it was better than crashing with Yamcha and Bulma like they had offered. It was a matter of perspective but perve beats baby in his book.
The group got the rest of the bags into the sea plane and they were soon off.
Chi-Chi had gathered up what little things she had and prepared herself. She had grown into an adult since she had first come here. She had known a little bit from what Bulma had told her, but the rest Kami had filled in on what that meant. She had wanted to grow her hair out long, but she realized it was a better idea to cut it, so she had.
The worst thing about it is that when cut her hair irritatingly decided to freak out and spike up. Not to a super degree but enough to give her reminders of who awaited her down there on the planet below her.
Her daydreams were getting worse all the time. Her girlish dreams of just kissing him had long since been replaced by far more graphic dreams about him. She always tried to shake them off, but they were like the monster himself deceptively sweet at first until they became far more like what she would expect from him. It was like they were from him, but she knew they weren't.
'What does that say of me if I still want that asshole?' She thought. There was no answer just more wondering. 'What am I going to do?'
Kami had stepped into her room and she looked and smiled at him. "So, have you decided to come to the Tournament?"
"No. 'This' old body couldn't take it I don't think. Besides Earth has its champion I see her here before me."
She hugged him and he cringed. He pulled her of himself and said, "What have I told you about that sort of thing?"
"Sorry. Forgot. It's just…well I'll miss you and Poppo."
"Yeah. I will too, but you can visit anytime. Now go save the world."
She nodded in agreement as she grabbed her weighted orange and blue gi and was soon gone. Leaving Kami alone there in the room.
"I might not be able to stop Kakarrot but my other half I can. I know you care about me a lot but it's already a rigged fight against him alone. I'm done but at least I will have given the Earth a fighting chance. Piccolo I'm coming for you."
Launch was stomping her feet. Tien said it would be wise for all of them to have breakfast before they left but where was Chiaotzu? Tien had already made it clear that well it was best that either he or Chiaotzu did all the cooking.
She stormed out of the cabin that they had made for themselves in the mountains and in Blonde form came upon them quickly. On the top of a hill they were waited her three favorite men. Tien, Chiaotzu and of course Kunlun in his little basinet.
Now far less annoyed she came over to the nice picnic. Her boy burped and smiled at her. As her green hair flowed in the wind. It had only been a while since she had gain control of both world as it were. It was still a nice change to things to not worry about her entire world changing the moment she sensed. Not that it had completely gone away after all she just now switched between light green and dark green it just didn't do anything. She was also glad that her son when he came out also had green hair of what two strains he had.
"Figured you'd like to eat with a view."
"It is quite the view."
She came over and sat down next to her son. Tien handed her a small glass of wine and she chugged it in one gulp.
"Aw. I can't believe I just spent nine months without the good stuff." She looked at her kid. "I hope you get the sacrifices I've already made for you."
The three eyed baby blinked it was like he was trying to understand but couldn't. He yawned then his hands reached out to her. She smiled put the glass down and grabbed hold of him.
"Well I guess that's it for the wine for the day. You better hurry up and start eating solids."
"He's not even a month old."
"So?" The two chuckled as she brought him to her bosom. "You know you owe me both of you."
"Yes, I know. I'll get you an expensive meal if I win against Chi-Chi."
"Not if when. I'd do it myself but thanks to this milk sucking poop factory " She said in baby talk. "I'm going to be a little indisposed." Kunlun giggled while suckling. She asked him. "Oh, you think this is funny huh?" Baby didn't response. "That what I thought."
The mood soured though as a new thought came to Launch's mind.
"What are you going to do when you have to face him?"
Tien looked up into the sky as the silence seemed to become more deafening. He had a far away look in his eyes.
"I don't know honestly. I'll have to find out when I see him. He's a danger to the entire world yet he is still in a way my brother. I'll have to see what Chi-Chi wants to do then go from there."
"That's not much of an answer."
"I know but that's all I can say."
"Just remember that I'd ready to jump in if you need me. No way am I just going to watch as the world go into the shitter without a damn good fight first."
The four had a nice chuckle as they ate and were soon off for the Tournament.
Mai walked into his house and cringed at the smell of the place. Her friend had only gone downhill since she had last seen him. The Major was living in filth. The place smelled like booze and decaying trash.
Worse yet he kept going on missions. If he had a good work ethnic before now it was a compulsion.
He had kept asking for the most dangerous missions. The shrink said he was now self-destructive and nothing she had seen of him disproved the theory. Her friend was in a bad place she could see that. Hopefully, he won't be too mad that she recommended that they place him on leave.
He was sleep with a bottle in his hand on a bed which the sheet that were once white now yellow tinted. It was disgusting to say the least but there was no fucking way in hell she was ever going to judge him. She thought 'It would miracle if I would look this good after all of this.'
His unshaven face was on pillow which was clearly on a revolver. She hoped there was a bullet in that gun with his name on it, but she would lying if she knew there wasn't one. She lightly shook him, and he awoke. He was groggy barely able to keep his eyes open. She knew he had to be hung over or still drunk.
"Who is it?"
"Major it's me."
"Oh Mai." He closed his eyes again.
"Major I thought you should know the Tournament begins tomorrow."
His eyes slammed back open and he went to sit up. He looked beyond miserable to her. His gaunt features more prominent now. He just wasn't eating enough by the looks of it.
"We have confirmation that he'll be attending."
"Titan actual doesn't stand a chance. It would be a stupid idea for you to try it."
"The new tech could…"
Bill shook his head 'no'. "He knows. He has it on his end. Best you'd do. Is give him that accuse to begin his assault on the planet. The Tournament is his red-letter day. The victory at which he will probably use as a signal to take over the world."
"How can you be sure?"
"I've spent every second of ever day thinking about it. The Tournament is going to host everyone on this planet that might stand a chance of resisting his take over. Beating them means he can uncontested take the Palace and the world with it."
"I guess you have been thinking it through."
"Best we can do is play support for those guys and gals when needed."
He got up from the bed wobbling and barefoot.
"What are you doing?"
"Going to take a cold shower and throw up then I'll be joining you after a quick shave. They all aren't going to die in vain not on my watch."
Mai looked him deep in his eyes "This isn't going to be you last mission."
"I can't make that promise."
"The hell you can't. I'm not taking you along if this is you committing suicide."
Bill tried to look away but instead she grabbed him by the face and again looked him dead on in the eyes. He sighed and said "This isn't about dying this is about living. I won't just lay back and watch all of this shit that about to go down without fight. She deserves better than that. They all do."
She nodded in agreement "Alright. Are you going to need some help?"
In a dark room a light came on highlight a palm haired figure standing in the middle on of stage. He was a tall and well build monster. He was shirtless only wearing a sort of stole draped over his chest hung around his neck.
The stole had on it the handled trident symbol running down it black with the symbols in white. The scars on his chest and arms were quite visible. His red tinted sunglasses gleamed in the flood light. Above him was a giant portrait of himself in shadow wearing armor smiling.
Kakarrot with his hand stretched out as to also hug someone "My children our time has come today. Many of you seem to think that this is all the beginning of the end, but this is not that. This is the end of the beginning. You have all done me proud these last years. Our black flag is on the rising and their white flag have been rising and flailing in the wind. What I have seen is the triumph of our will. The will of what mankind should be. Not what they have tried to force you to be. Homo Superior that is what you and I are going to be again. You were warrior's before you let them clip you my children. Make no mistake you could fly before them. What separates me from you is that I have more of the pure blood of the ancient race of super men. The inferiors took that from you by interbreeding with them and their filth. But now is the time of the fight back. They exterminated my people because our blood was becoming closer to perfection and they will do the same to you when you try it. But you have something on your side now… me. You have me. My people had not the need for gods but the one and only true god of this universe War. I have heard your cries out there from the black void and have come. To see the strong triumph over the inferior. I have taken the form of Kakarrot Gero but I am all men as I am no man and so who I am is quite simple. I am Ares god of war or Mars if you would prefer. I came here to ignite in you all the blood that is your purpose. Homo Superior was a race of men that had spiky blonde hair, blue eyes and a thirst for battle and mayhem. The false gods feared them and tricked them to pollute their blood. We are going the start the roll back on this process. Starting with the Earth ending with the universe. The time of my ascension has come my children. They called you bigots before me. They will soon call you master because threw me you are all going to fly. Be ready for the call. You will know it when you see it. Valhalla awaits all of you my brave warriors who die for me."
The crowd of officers he had been speaking to then all cheered and heiled. He drank in for a time and then taking a bow like an actor would heading to the backstage. There he was getting back into his suit as Teal came in.
Teal looked miffed as he said to the monster. "The plane is ready to carry you and the others to tournament Lord Commander."
"You hear their cheers Teal? They drink my blood and believe they are but my children." He chuckled at that. "They lap in all up like the hunger wolfs that they are. This will only be a taste of the blood I plan to feed them. The blood of worlds is waiting for them and by drinking it they will be forever tied to me. I will change all natures of this small world and they will never forget me." He sighed. "Why are you angry?"
"I kind of wanted to see you my lord in action and the looks on their faces."
"I need Green and the young devil. I need you elsewhere when the time is right. Don't worry there will be plenty of chances to see the slaughter and that least in this way. You'll be able to get in on the fun yourself once our purge of this planet begins. We have a shit ton of people that we need a killing and you're just the man for the job."
"I suppose so, but I want the recording of what happens."
"Don't worry there will be plenty of cameras. Take care of my old friend in the basement while I'm gone." He said with a chuckle.
Kakarrot was soon off and Teal bid as he was instructed. In one of the subbasements of the headquarter he went to the chained up Eight. Ki blocking chain on him giving him a glow. Torches used to light the room. The massive steel door the entire place made to look positively medieval.
Teal tapped on the door and said to him "Rise and shine buttercup. You get to watch our Lord take on the world tomorrow."
Eight not bothering to look "Your Lord Commander is nothing but a monster."
"Do I look like a man who gives a Fuck?"