"Piccolo...And Yamcha…" Krillin gasped.
"We can't help them now," Tien said, "But we have to help Meys and Brussa, at least until Goku and Raditz arrive. Stay focused."
"Damn that boy…" Roshi was actually crying, "You foolish boy…"
Krillin floated over, hugging his master; Roshi didn't question it, just flying with his students and companions. That was the second student he had lost in battle with the Saiyans.
"Are we sure Roshi can handle this?" Chi Chi asked.
"We don't have a choice. We have to hold out until Goku and his brother arrive. Whatever power they learned has got to be enough."
"I hope so…" Chi Chi said, looking back at the Turtle Hermit; she had never seen Roshi like this before.
The scene they arrived at was a battle in progress. Brussa was making flying strikes at her father like a swooping magpie, keeping just out of his reach after making each strike. It was apparent that the Saiyan was holding back, not wanting to actually hurt his daughter, while Brussa was giving the fight absolutely everything she had to try and knock Nappa out.
Meys, on the other hand, was pinned down on the ground, with Vegeta pressing down on his chest.
"Ah, look, Nappa. More pests. Deal with your brat already, so we can get on with this!" Vegeta commanded, looking up at the oncoming warriors. With Vegeta distracted, Meys pulled his knife, charged it with the last of his Ki, and stabbed Vegeta in the leg, trying to hit a vein to force him to bleed out. With his weakened state, however, he missed, though he still left a nasty gash in Vegeta's leg.
The Prince let out a yelp, grasping at the injuring, and Meys, despite the beating he'd been taking, managed to push himself off the ground. He wobbled, but found his balance, holding the bloody knife in his hand.
"Would you look at that," Meys chuckled, "The Prince can bleed."
Vegeta raised a hand, and gave Meys a sneer, "Congratulations. It's the only victory you'll have. BIG BANG ATTACK!"
White light consumed Meys's figure, and when it dissipated, all that was left was Meys's charred corpse, barely recognizable as the Saiyan warrior.
"MEYS!" Brussa screamed, and she flew to him, pushing at the body, trying to find any kind of life, and in part trying to confirm that it wasn't real. The only thing still recognizable was his knife and his armored component pouch, which he kept sensitive electronics in.
Master Roshi stepped forward, "I have to say, that was a very poor decision you just made."
"Look, we really don't have time for you pitiful Earthlings. Just tell us where the Dragon Balls are, and we'll make sure your deaths are quick and painless," Vegeta said, inspecting his wound before wiping away the blood.
"You won't get your hands on them. They aren't meant for the likes of you," Roshi said, "And your kind aren't welcome on Earth."
"Oh, is the old man going to put me in my place? Come on, gramps, you're out of your league," Vegeta teased. Krillin stood next to Roshi, and, in unison, they took deep breaths.
"Uh...Vegeta? Their power levels are rising," Nappa warned.
"Raditz was right, they can hide their power levels," Vegeta chuckled, "What are they at?"
Both Roshi and Krillin achieved their Maximum Power forms. Roshi stood behind Krillin, just a bit taller, and they began to charge their respective Ki.
"Just over Six Thousand."
"Hah! Six thousand!" Vegeta snorted, "You'll be-"
"Each!" Nappa held out his hands, starting to charge his own counterattack. Vegeta shifted stances, holding out his hand, and charging. His scouter beeped, warning that their power levels were still increasing.
"KA! ME! HA! ME! HAH!" the master and the student shouted together. Krillin aimed his upward, while Roshi fired his forward, the two waves combining into a single, much more powerful blast. Nappa and Vegeta fired their attacks back at it, and the beams clashed, blue on yellow. The humans' attack was enough to push Nappa and Vegeta back, but Vegeta quickly found more reserves, and the influx of extra power was enough to overwhelm the Master-Student Kamehameha. The blast sent Krillin and Roshi reeling back, and they landed on the ground. Nappa and Vegeta were left standing, breathing heavily.
"I can't believe it...They're still alive!" Nappa laughed, "These Earthlings are something else!"
"You're right...Maybe we underestimated them," Vegeta admitted, and he turned to Tien and Chi Chi, who were standing in position, back to back.
"What about you two? What tricks do you have for us, huh?"
Chi Chi and Tien put their index and middle fingers to their respective foreheads.
"YOU KILLED MEYS!" Brussa shrieked, charging straight at Vegeta. The Prince raised his arm to block the blow, only for Meys's knife to slice through it, splattering blood all over his face. Brussa pulled it out of Vegeta's hand and stabbed again and again, putting cuts into his chest and shoulders, ending with a nasty gash across his forehead.
"NAPPA! I TOLD YOU TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR WRETCHED BRAT!" Vegeta screamed, grabbing Brussa by the arm, blasting her with Ki, and then kicking her over to Nappa, who caught his daughter, and immediately started to slam her into the ground. Vegeta turned back to the humans, and flicked the blood out of his eyes with a twitch of his head.
"I'm going to give you ONE more chance to tell us where to find the Dragon Balls before I make this PAINFUL," Vegeta growled while stepping towards Tien and Chi Chi. The two humans looked up at the sky, and nodded to each other.
Flying at supersonic speeds from high in the sky, Gine slammed into Nappa, sending the now unconscious Brussa onto the ground, and pinned Nappa into a crater.
"YOU! DO NOT! HURT! MY! CHILDREN!" Gine screamed as she pounded her fists into Nappa's face.
"What ELSE is going to get in our way today?" Vegeta demanded.
"Oh you have no idea," Chi Chi laughed. Together with Tien, she shouted, "Makankōsappō!"
Two Special Beam Cannons were fired from their fingertips, combining into one, larger blast, which caught Vegeta in the chest. He literally spun with the attack as it sent him off into the distance. When he finally landed, the attack exploded.
Chi Chi and Tien let out a combined sigh of relief. They could still sense Vegeta, but it had certainly laid the hurt on him.
"Dammit," Chi Chi groaned. Tien looked over; Gine had stepped out of the crater from where she'd literally pounded Nappa into the dirt. Blood was dripping from her fists, and she glared at the humans with the same crazed, bloodthirsty look she'd given Piccolo and Yamcha before she'd killed them, too.
"Gine," Chi Chi held out her hands, "I'm your son's wife. If you kill me, you're leaving your grandson without a mother. Do you want to do that?"
"This world has taken everything from me," Gine hissed, "If I have to take the last of my family by force, I will protect what is mine."
"You don't believe that," Tien said, "Not really. Meys and Brussa told us about you. You're angry, I get it. But if you kill us, you won't be able to look your family in the eye. Please, believe me. We don't have to fight."
"I will destroy EVERYTHING until my family is safe!" Gine screamed.
"I AM your family!" Chi Chi shouted back.
"You're just some alien," Gine held up her hand, charging Ki.
"It's okay Chi Chi," a voice called out from above, "I think we can handle things from here."
Everyone looked up; a pair of figures flew down in front of the sun, landing between Gine and her targets. Gine released her fists, her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened.
"...Raditz?" she said, "K-K...Kakarot?"
Goku grinned at her, "Hi mom. Good to finally meet you. Sorry I didn't call earlier."
Gine tackled the both of them with such force that Chi Chi thought she'd made another attack. Instead, she'd pinned her sons to the ground with a hug.
"Raditz! Kakarot! I can't believe it, you're alive! Where did-how did...What?" Gine was on the verge of hyperventilation as she grabbed at their clothes, patted their faces, and generally smeared Nappa, Piccolo, and Yamcha's blood all over them.
"That's what Yamcha was trying to tell you, Mom," Goku said, holding her at arm's length, "The Dragon Balls. My friends wished us back to life."
"...What's a Yamcha?" she asked. Goku gave her a sad smile. Gine studied it for a moment, before looking around. Nappa was still in the crater, and Meys's charred corpse had finally stopped smoking.
"...Was he...Your friend…"
"Yeah. He was. He tried to stop you from hurting anyone, including Piccolo, because it's okay. We're back now."
Gine's eyes filled with tears, and she pressed her face against her son's chest.
"Oh, Kakarot, I'm such a fool...I'm so sorry, I'm so...So sorry…" she wept, "I never meant to hurt you, I just wanted…"
Raditz laid his hand on Gine's back. She pulled her sons in for a hug.
"Well, well, isn't this touching," Vegeta sneered, floating back to them, "A big old family reunion. Do you see, Gine? This is what being a Saiyan is. You destroy your enemies, and leave nothing in your path."
Gine looked up at Vegeta, her mouth agape as she tried to focus on him, "No, Vegeta. This is what letting arrogance and rage guide you. This...This isn't me. This is…"
Gine stood up, and walked over to Brussa; she was still breathing. Gine scooped up her daughter, and walked to Nappa. The huge Saiyan let out a gurgle and a cough.
"This is a travesty, Vegeta."
"Whatever. Raditz! I command you to tell me where to find the Dragon Balls," Vegeta pointed to him. Raditz shrugged.
"How should I know where they are? I just got here," he said, "Go find them yourself."
"IMPUDENCE! Kakarot, if you want me to spare your wretched world, you'll do as I command!" Vegeta screamed. Goku glared at Vegeta.
"You're too late. The Dragon Balls were already used to bring Raditz and I back to life. They wouldn't be active for another year," Goku said.
"A YEAR?" Vegeta snarled, "Fine! We'll take over this world, and wait-"
Goku shook his head, "And even if you did wait a year, they wouldn't come back. Piccolo is dead, and so is Kami, the Guardian of Earth. Without Kami, the Dragon Balls may as well be any of the stones on the ground. They're of no use to you."
"Vegeta, give it up," Raditz said, "This errand is a wash. Enough people have been hurt. This doesn't have to go any further."
"You sound like that idiot Meys! Look where it got him! I AM YOUR PRINCE, AND YOU WILL FOLLOW MY ORDERS!" Vegeta screamed.
"There's nothing left," Raditz gestured to the battlefield. Vegeta snorted.
"You're right. This world is USELESS to me. But Namek...If your 'Guardian' is a Namekian, I'm certain THEY will know how to make more! I'll have my wish, and NOBODY, not YOU, not these PUNY EARTHLINGS, and not even FREEZA will STAND IN MY WAY!" Vegeta floated into the air, sparking with energy.
"You ready for this, Kakarot?" Raditz asked.
"Just like we practiced," Goku agreed, putting his hands into the air. Raditz started to gather power. Vegeta's scouter started to flash Raditz's power level...Three thousand...Five thousand...Seven, eight...When it reached over nine thousand, he pulled the Scouter off his face and crushed it.
"I'm done with your family's disobedience! You've turned the last of the Saiyans against me, and left us week! This is the fault of your WRETCHED MOTHER! I should have killed her the day she dared join us!" Vegeta aimed his hands at Raditz, "I'll leave this planet a wreck, with you along with it! GARLICK! GUN!"
"FULL! POWER! WEEKEND!" Raditz screamed.
The two attacks collided, with Vegeta having the immediate and clear advantage. Raditz was close to Vegeta's power, but the Prince was channeling power he didn't even realize he had. Raditz, meanwhile, was deliberately holding back.
"KAIOKEN!" Raditz shouted, and his beam jumped forward.
"Do you think tricks will be enough, Raditz? You're weak! You've always been weak! No amount of beatings will EVER make you match a TRUE! HIGH CLASS! SAIYAN WARRIOR!"
The struggle turned back to Vegeta's favor.
"KAIO! KEN! TIMES! TWO!" Raditz shouted, and he regained control of the struggle.
"HAH! IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?" Vegeta pushed harder. Raditz stepped forward, found another depth of reserves, pushing the beam back towards Vegeta.
"No! NO! NO! This isn't POSSIBLE!" Vegeta screamed as the beams engulfed him. Raditz clapped his hands together when the beams were finished, and he took a deep breath.
"Whew! Let's go make sure I didn't kill him. There's been enough death today."
"Should I keep charging this?" Goku asked.
"You should, just in case," Raditz said, flying to where Vegeta landed. Just as he looked down to the ground, Vegeta reached out from the rubble and pulled Raditz into the ground. The Prince started to pound at Raditz. While Raditz had weight, Vegeta had skill, speed, and power, and it was difficult for Raditz to move under all the rocks. Instead of trying to struggle under the debris, Raditz let out a Ki wave to blast it all away, and finally managed to start exchanging blows with Vegeta.
Even at Kaioken times Two, Raditz was struggling to keep up with Vegeta.
"Kaioken times THREE!" Raditz shouted, which finally put Vegeta on the defensive.
"Do you think this trick is going to be enough? I'm the PRINCE! My power is GREATER than you can EVER IMAGINE!" Vegeta taunted.
"I can imagine a LOT! DEVIL'S DUE!" Raditz charged a blast, channeling the power of the Kaioken into it, and fired it off into Vegeta's face. The attack shredded the flesh of Vegeta's jaw, spreading blood everywhere, and knocked him through a rock formation. Raditz's Kaioken dropped, and he fell to his knees, his muscles feeling like they were on fire.
"RADITZ!" screamed King Kai, "WHERE DID YOU LEARN THAT ATTACK?"
"Not NOW King Kai, a little busy here," Raditz said.
"Because you CERTAINLY didn't learn it from ME, and I know only a COUPLE of places you COULD have learned it and NONE of them are good, RADITZ! You will ANSWER me!" King Kai demanded. Raditz started to tune him out by reciting his mother's recipes in his head.
"Kakarot, I hope it's almost ready," Raditz shouted. Vegeta was stepping out of the cave made by the impact. The skin of his lower jaw had been burned off, his gums and teeth showing.
"You...Have made...A very, very lethal mistake," Vegeta gurgled. A white ball formed in his hand, and he threw it into the air.
"Dammit! Mother, look away!" Raditz winced, turning away from the Blutz Power Ball. Gine did so as, well, but felt Brussa squirming in her arms. Gine looked down, and gasped; Brussa was awake, and staring right at the light.
"No, Brussa, don't look! You can't control it!" Gine told her, trying to put her hand over Brussa's eyes.
"Yes I can! I can beat him!" Brussa insisted, taking off her denim jacket as hair started to grow out of her skin. Her snout extended, and her form grew larger and larger. Vegeta was a few steps ahead in the transformation process. Raditz ran to his mother, pulling her and Nappa away from the Oozaru. Tien grabbed Meys's corpse, and took cover with Chi Chi.
"You think this is going to turn out any differently just because you're Oozaru? I still have you outclassed, whelp! Oh, why am I bothering, you're just a gibbering ape!" Vegeta, now fully transformed, snarled at her. His jaw injury was there, even in the transformed state.
Brussa punched him across the face, "Don't be so sure about that, you Royal Pain!"
The two Oozaru started exchanging punches, before grappling each other on the shoulders and started to try and push each other. Vegeta was clearly the stronger, but Brussa fired a Ki blast into his face, and shoved him to the ground. She grabbed a boulder, and started to smash at his chest with it, cracking and breaking the armor where the Double Special Beam Cannon had already damaged it. With access to his chest, Brussa started to pound on Vegeta. The Prince, though, was not down nor out, and with a well-aimed punch, he sent Brussa off him, and he kicked her when she was down.
"KIENZAN!" Krillin shouted. A Destructo Disk whizzed towards Vegeta, aimed for his tail, but Vegeta managed to rotate, and the attack struck his leg, instead, leaving a bloody gash on his ankle.
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" Vegeta fired a blast at Krillin, who dodged it, dragging Roshi with him.
"I've almost got it! Brussa, keep him busy!" Goku shouted.
Brussa kicked out, striking Vegeta's fresh injury, sending him to one leg, and struck him with clasped hands. Vegeta grabbed her arm and bent it back; the crack of bone and the scream of the Oozaru could be felt and very much heard for miles around. Vegeta came down with a series of punches, Brussa screaming in pain as he struck.
"BRUSSA! NO!" Gine screamed, looking up at the Blutz ball.
"No, mother, you don't have her training!" Raditz pleaded, "Goku! It has to be now!"
"I need help if I miss to redirect it!" Goku said.
"I'm too weak from Kaioken!" Raditz said.
"I'm on it!" Tien shouted, flying to the other side of Vegeta.
"I've got Brussa!" Chi Chi said, flying to the screaming Oozaru. Even with her newfound tremendous strength, she was unable to drag her away, however.
"Now Goku!" Tien shouted, and Goku dragged his arms down.
"GNATS! You're all GNATS!" Vegeta insisted. A shine in the sky caught his attention, and he saw the great blue ball of energy. It caught him on the side, and he nearly managed to side-step it, but with a great shout, Tien pushed the Spirit Bomb straight into Vegeta. It engulfed the Power Ball, and sent Vegeta off into the distance again. It exploded, rocking the entire region with an earthquake that could be felt as far away as the Land of Korin. Gales of wind forced even Goku back a few steps, and knocked over trees for miles around.
When it was done, none of them could sense Vegeta's energy.
"Brussa? BRUSSA!" Gine ran to her daughter. Goku followed his mother with his eyes, and then realized there were two bodies laying on the ground; he felt his heart sink to his feet.
"Chi Chi?" he ran to her. As Gine cradled her daughter, Goku grabbed his wife, who was burned and scarred from the attack, "Chi Chi! No, no, no, no, this can't be happening, no…"
"Goku?" Chi Chi said weakly. She raised her hand to his face, "It's you, Goku…"
"Chi Chi, I'm so sorry...You're going to be okay…"
"I'm so glad...You're back...Gohan will be so excited…" she wheezed, and her eyes closed, breathing light and irregular.
"Bean," Brussa coughed, shoving her mother's face away from her.
"What?" Goku looked at her.
"We keep beans, one each," Brussa pointed to Chi Chi's pockets, "I'd give you mine, but…"
Brussa was naked from the transformation.
Goku frantically checked her pockets, and found the bean in a container. He put the bean in his mouth, chewed, and pressed his mouth to hers, shoving the chewed bean down her throat.
"Come on, hi Chi...Swallow it! Chi Chi, please don't leave me!" Goku pleaded. Taking the instruction, Chi Chi managed a half-hearted swallow…
Which was enough. She took a full breath, and the scars and burns started to fade away. She clutched Goku's Gi and lurched. She reached up, grabbed Goku's head, and kissed him on the lips.
"Oh, Goku, you're back! I was so worried!" Chi Chi said between kisses. She then punched him in the chest.
'WHERE WERE YOU? WE COULD HAVE DIED!" she demanded.
"Ouch, Chi Chi! You're a lot stronger now! Watch it!" Goku laughed. He bent over, and kissed her, "I got here as soon as I could. I'm sorry I had you worried."
Chi Chi wrapped her arms around Goku, "Just don't do that again, okay? I want you here, by my side, always."
Goku pressed his head against hers, "Always."
XXX
Vegeta let out a wheeze and a gurgle. He pulled his remote from his pocket, and pressed the buttons to summon his pod.
"Oh, no you don't!" a voice called out. Vegeta looked over his shoulder, and saw a fat human with black hair, holding a sword.
"What…"
"I've got you just where I want you!" he held up the sword. There was a flash of yellow light, and the human was hurled back. Vegeta snapped around to look at the source, fearing the worst.
"Sh...Shive…?" he gasped. The lanky Saiyan walked over, holding something in his hands.
"This is for your own good, Vegeta," Shive said, kneeling. He pressed something against Vegeta's face; the Prince was far too weak to struggle. Shive put cuffs over Vegeta's hands and feet, and the mask he'd placed over Vegeta's mouth and nose made sure he fell asleep immediately.
With Vegeta incapacitated, Shive attached a device to the inside of Vegeta's pod, and he stuffed the Prince inside. With his own remote, Shive's pod hovered over. Before entering it, he ran his hand over the symbol on the pod. It was surreal that he'd made it this far, but here he was, with his own Special Forces pod.
With Vegeta's pod set to follow his instructions, Shive put in the coordinates for their next destination,and they took off, unnoticed by the warriors nearby.
At Capsule Corp, however, Dr. Briefs found himself wishing his daughter was here to see the readings of two faster-than-light starships leaving Earth Orbit from nearby the battlefield.