Karin Tower

Bulma lay on the tiled floor, gasping for breath as a pudgy blue cat casually jostled an ornate flask around. The lavender-haired genius was furious, but was also woefully out of breath. She considered asking about a Senzu, but after Yajirobe made them scarce like the fat bastard he is, she seconded against it. Besides, 10 days worth of calories in one sitting could end up going to her thighs!

"No it wouldn't,~" Karin nonchalantly commented aloud, startling Bulma.

"Could you please stop peeping in my head?!" Bulma exclaimed, clutching her head as if that would stop the mind reading. "Some people value their privacy, you know!"

"Sorry," Karin chuckled. He then tilted his head up, something catching his attention. "Ah, they're back!"

"Wait. Gokū and Caulifla are back?" Bulma asked, finally recomposed as she propped herself up. "How can you tell?"

"I'll explain in due time, lass," Karin responded, earning a small pout from Bulma. "To give you a layman's explanation for the time being, it's a technique Muten Rōshi also knew, though his refinement of it was not as sharp as mine."

As Karin finished his explanation, the familiar whir of Kinto'un and the streaking contrail left behind signalled their arrival. Gokū hopped off the cloud, holding Nyoibō triumphantly, while Caulifla had a big grin on her face.

"We got it!" Gokū declared as he presented the red staff to Karin. "We kinda got a bit sidetracked along the way, but we're here now!"

"Sidetracked, you say?" Karin perked up, wondering what could have possibly sidetracked these two from such an important task. He discretely peered into their minds and discovered the answer, nodding in understanding. 'I'll refrain from bringing it up for their sakes.' "Well alright then. Follow me to the roof."

"Uh, you wouldn't happen to have a ladder, would ya?" Yajirobe inquired.

"Oh stop being such a big baby," Karin chastised. "Bulma's already climbed up top."

"Wait Wha-?!" Yajirobe stammered to see no Bulma anywhere, only for her to pop her head out from the edge of the ceiling and give a silly face. "Very funny…"

"Alright, topside it is!" Caulifla declared as she and Gokū leapt off the railing, much to Yajirobe's horror, only to see the two float up and above the roof.

"Ooh! Most impressive!" Karin hummed with intrigue. "Those two figured out bukujutsu all on their own."

The blue cat soon began to float under his own power and proceeded to trot up onto the roof where everyone else was, leaving Yajirobe to grumble to himself.

"Buncha showoffs, the lot of 'em..." Yajirobe muttered as he climbed one of the columns of the gazebo.

Gokū and Caulifla stood at the center of the roof where a prominent extrusion was placed at the top. Gokū climbed the shape and found a slot in the very center, perfect to put Nyoibō into.

"So, I'm guessing we just put it in here?" Gokū guessed, to which Karin nodded. The Saiyan boy complied and aligned the staff with the hole.

"Step number 2 would be to have it extend until we reach the top, I guess," Caulifla shrugged.

"Correct, but first I need to give you two something," Karin explained. As if from nowhere - probably tucked under his fur - the cat pulled out two little bells, each dangling from a string, ringing as they moved. "These tokens will be proof of your qualification to meet God."

"Or it's to get rid of an old cat toy to make room for a scra-OUCH!" Yajirobe began to jeer up until Karin himself smacked the rotund ronin with the flat of his staff. "It's just a joke, damnit!"

"You really need to learn respect, Yajirobe," Karin sternly scolded, pointing his staff at the ronin before turning his attention back to the Saiyan duo. "In any case, I wish you two luck."

"Uh, speaking of respect," Bulma spoke up. "Shouldn't they get a change of clothes at least? Gokū's shirt is practically a toga at this point, and Caulifla's not doing any better."

"It'll be fine," Karin dismissed. "They'd probably end up ripped up all over again."

"I'm sorry?" Caulifla exclaimed. "Does God not take kindly to visitors? How tough is he, anyways?"

"Oh no no, he's a proper gentleman," Karin answered. "There's a test, but nothing life-threatening."

"Well that's reassuring," Yajirobe sarcastically remarked.

"In any case, don't be discouraged!" Karin said again to the Saiyan duo.

"Uh, thanks for the vote of confidence?" Caulifla half-heartedly thanked, wondering why Karin would say that. She then gripped onto Nyoibō and turned to face Gokū. "After you.~"

"Alright," Gokū nodded. "Extend!"

With that, the magical red staff began to shoot skywards, carrying Gokū and Caulifla along for the ride. It took only seconds, but the duo were now out of sight.

"Sheesh," Yajirobe sighed. "Those two will tackle anything."

"Their courage does seem to have no limits," Karin nodded. "Though even they might be stunned to see the face of God."

"Why's that?" Bulma asked, tilting her head to the side. "He's not more like a Lovecraftian God, is he?"

"Oh no, he's not scary, especially not to that extent," Karin chuckled. "However, they'll recognize his face..."

No clouds could be seen for miles as Nyoibō shot skyward. The sky turned an ever deeper shade of blue as the altitude increased. The higher the staff went up, the thinner the atmosphere became. This did not bother the Saiyan duo as they were traveling with aid instead of their own power.

"So Gokū," Caulifla spoke up in an effort to pass the time during their journey. "How do you suppose God will fix all this?"

"Beats me," Gokū shrugged. "Best I got is that he can maybe revive Shenlong. As for how that works, I got no clue."

"Well, we'll find out when we get there," Caulifla sighed as she looked up, and noticed a small dot fast approaching. "Whiiiiich could be in a few minutes! I think I see it!"

"Huh?" Gokū looked up and saw a massive floating object in the sky, easily dwarfing Karin's gazebo atop his tower. "I see it too!"

As the object came into view, it was a large, ornate urn-like shape with various trims and patterns along the side. Nyoibō's extension soon began to slow down as it approached the very bottom of the structure. At the point was a hole similar to the one that was atop Karin's tower, and with a gentle swish, the red staff slotted itself inside.

"Looks like we're here!" Gokū cheered. "Though how do we get to the other side?"

"We could float up," Caulifla shrugged, but then saw something that made her smile. "Or, we could use that ladder."

"Well, that's convenient," Gokū chuckled, seeing the ladder in question. "Let's get climbing!"

The two Saiyans grabbed onto the ladder by swinging up to it and using their tails to get a grip. Once they held on, they began climbing. It did not take long for the horizontal climb to be more vertical, and the two reached the brim of the structure.

Gokū was the first to step up, and was greeted with a wide open slate of bright white marble tiles that was almost blinding to look at. At the far end of the plateau was a large ornate palace lined with various well-trimmed plants, to say nothing of the craftsmanship of the building itself. A few rows of palm trees decorated the mostly empty space of the surface, and the air was calm and quiet, almost disturbingly so. Caulifla soon climbed up and was greeted with the same splendor of the place, and could not help but gasp in amazement. The two were snapped from their reverie when they saw a figure standing before them. He was a rotund man with skin that was pitch black, white pants, and a red vest, complete with a turban on top. To the uninformed, he looked like a genie. His expression was blank as could be, but possessed a simple smile.

"Uh, hello," Gokū greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Hello," The man greeted in kind.

"Not to assume, but are you God?" Caulifla asked, a mild hesitation in her voice.

"No," The man answered. "I am Mr. Popo. I serve as Kami's attendant, and you two are the incredible mortals that have defeated Piccolo Daimao."

"You knew about that?!" Gokū exclaimed, but then recomposed himself once he remembered how Karin said he could observe the world below. That must go extra here.

"Kami has informed me of this," The man now known as Mr. Popo answered.

"Kami?" Caulifla echoed. "Isn't that just the same thing as God, but translated?"

"It is," Mr. Popo answered. "Despite his title, he chooses to use the translation for conversation."

"Ah," Caulifa nodded.

"I'm guessing he lives in that building over there?" Gokū asked, pointing to the ornate palace in the background.

"That depends," Mr. Popo retorted. "Did you bring marks of Karin's approval?"

"Oh, right!" Gokū nodded as he fished out the bell he was given, Caulifla doing the same. He gave it a light jingle just for good measure. "Mark of Karin's approval present."

"Ah, yes indeed," Mr. Popo nodded, seeing the two bells. "I will now test you two."

"Right, Master Karin mentioned a test," Caulifla nodded. "And that is…?"

"You two will fight Mr. Popo," The genie in question stated, pointing a finger to himself. "If you win, you will meet Kami."

"Oh cool!" Gokū exclaimed. "Well within our wheelhouse! Let's get going!"

"This should be delightful," Mr. Popo smiled as the two squared up. In an instant, the two Saiyans vanished. "Oh dear. They're gone." The genie exclaimed with mock surprise. He then brought up his fists, and they made contact, the left hitting Gokū square in the face, the other hitting Caulifla right in the stomach.

"OW!" Gokū whined as he held his face. "That smarts!"

"Always… The stomach punches… that suck…!" Caulifla croaked as she clutched her midsection.

"Lucky me," Mr. Popo smiled.

"Yeah, 'Luck,'" Caulifla groaned with sarcasm as she stood back up.

"Well if it's really luck, why don't we press it?!" Gokū declared as he charged in, Caulifla doing the same. The two were each met with another fist to the face.

"OW! DAMN You hit hard!" Caulifla exclaimed as she tried to recover from that punch to the face.

"Hm. Lucky me again," Mr. Popo declared. "Or, maybe you're not as strong as you claim. Did you two really defeat Piccolo Daimao?"

"Oh, so that's how it is…?" Gokū chuckled mirthlessly. "Consider my buttons pushed!"

The Saiyan duo charged in once again, this time with a flying kick. Their target then vanished right before their attacks could hit home. As they skidded to a halt, the bells they were carrying rang, and Mr. Popo delivered two more hits that sent them flying. The two were surprised by this, but then saw their trajectory was going right for the palm trees, and they adjusted their center of mass so that they could grab the trunk and spin around, launching back towards Mr. Popo, their bells ringing the entire way. The genie blocked both attacks once more, but then grabbed their limbs and tossed them aside. When they recomposed themselves, they just saw Mr. Popo, with his ever blank expression.

"Rrrrrrgh…!" Caulifla snarled, a faint yellow shimmer forming in her eyes. "Hold still damnit!"

"Okay," Mr. Popo plainly responded. This only served to agitate the Saiyan couple even further as they charged forward. The genie man did as he said he would, and did not move from his spot, and proceeded to block and parry every attack that the tag-teaming duo dished out. "You are switching up your strategy, but the outcome is the same."

"THAT'S IT!" Gokū roared as the orange aura of the Ikari state flared to life around him, as well as Caulifla, and the two charged forth to deliver a devastating knife-hand strike. Mr. Popo saw this coming, and jumped out of the way just in time, causing the two to stumble forward with surprise, their auras dissipating and their eyes returning to their base onyx hue. "W-What the…?"

Gokū and Caulifla looked up to see Mr. Popo floating above them. "It seems you two do possess incredible power," Mr. Popo explained. "However, power alone will not help you pass this test. You lack the finesse and temperament to use it well."

"Temperament?!" Caulifla furiously exclaimed. "What does that have to do with anything?!"

"Everything," Mr. Popo answered flatly. "You probably didn't notice, but as you were fighting Piccolo Daimao, his frustration and anger were slowly getting the better of him, forcing him to make rash decisions and unfocused attacks."

"And now the tables are turned on us," Gokū summarized, realizing what Mr. Popo was talking about.

"Correct," Mr. Popo nodded. "Defeating Piccolo Daimao does not make you the strongest in the world. In your reverie of victory, you forgot how there will always be someone stronger to challenge, and strength alone will not help you succeed in this test."

"I… see," Caulifla sighed, now feeling a bit ashamed of herself for not getting the picture, Gokū feeling the same. "I knew we weren't the strongest overall, but I guess we still have some ways to go here on Earth."

"Hm?" Mr. Popo hummed with curiosity, causing the Saiyan couple to flinch, Caulifla specifically hastily covering her mouth as if to take back what she had just said. The genie man could not help but chuckle at this sight. "Do not worry. Mr. Popo knew of your origins for some time now. However, since you did not pass my test, go home."

"We can't do that!" Gokū defiantly responded. "We need to revive Shenlong to bring back everyone killed by Piccolo! Or at the very least, get their souls out of Limbo!"

"What he said!" Caulifla added with renewed vigor. "None of our friends, or all the other people he and his goons killed deserve that fate! We're not going home until we meet God!"

"And if we're not strong enough, we'll train here!" Gokū declared, before sheepishly chuckling and giving his trademark headscratch. "Well, if that's alright with you, that is. Hehe."

"Hm," Mr Popo hummed. "You might be wasting your time, but you may proceed."

"Thanks!" Both Saiyans cheered as they began to run laps along the border of the palace, the bells they were carrying ringing with every step. The two were fired up and excited at the prospect of stronger opponents. That fire was quenched after a few minutes as they paused, gasping for breath.

"Okay, Wow... That was... a dumb idea," Caulifla wheezed in between massive gulps of air.

"Yeah," Gokū panted as he laid on his back, gasping profusely. "Same rule as... Master Karin's place... but the dial... turned up a bit..."

"Indeed," Mr. Popo confirmed as he casually walked over towards the exhausted teenagers. "With the air being so thin up here, wasted movement will cost you your stamina."

"Wasted movement…" Caulifla sighed as she pushed herself up, hearing the gentle jingle of the bell Karin had given her. Then it hit her. "Ooooooooh…!"

"What is it?" Gokū sighed as he got up as well.

"That's why Master Karin gave us these bells!" Caulifla exclaimed, taking rigid, deliberate steps that had caused the bell she was carrying ro ring with each one. Gokū immediately caught on after that demonstration, and grinned widely.

"Aha!" Gokū exclaimed. "That's how you've been able to get the jump on us, isn't it?"

"Partly," Mr. Popo elaborated, leaving the two mildly perplexed, but nonetheless excited. "It is important to be quiet as the sky, so that you may be aware of your surroundings, down to the gentle flaps of a butterfly. It is also important to strike quicker than lightning, so as to keep your opponent surprised."

"Quiet as the sky…" Caulifla muttered.

"I can barely sense any ki from you," Gokū gasped.

"And now, quicker than lightning," Mr. Popo announced. He then vanished and reappeared behind the duo, followed by clapping his hands, causing them to jump back in surprise.

"Whoa!" Caulifla exclaimed. "How'd you get behind us?!"

"Mr. Popo has ways," The genie chuckled. "I even know you two reflexively wrapped your tails around your waists."

"W-What the-?!" Gokū stammered as he saw his tail was indeed wrapped around his waist, same with Caulifla's. "Do you have eyes in the back of your head, or something?!"

"No," Mr. Popo answered flatly. "You didn't see me move because you relied mostly on your eyes, and I was able to tell what you were doing by feeling for your presence."

"Whoa…!" Caulifla gasped in amazement at this genie's technique. "I guess we still have a long way to go, especially after everything you've told us."

"Mr. Popo has learned much from Kami," the man responded with a smile. "Shocked?"

"More than shocked!" Gokū cheered. "Absolutely thrilled! The fact that there's someone in the world like that is awesome! And that's just on Earth!"

"No kidding!" Caulifla exclaimed with glee. "If God, Or Kami, whichever works best, is that skilled, who knows what else might be out there?!"

"You two are very cheerful," Mr. Popo chuckled, finding their excitement to be quite infectious. "Do you still want to try my test? It may take years to finally defeat me."

"Absolutely!" The Saiyan couple declared.

"I like those two."

The reverie of the two teenagers was broken by a new voice, old and sagely, and caught them by surprise. The voice came from the only building atop this place, and Gokū and Caulifla were quick to put two and two together.

"Was that God?" Gokū asked, his excitement welling up.

"Indeed," The voice confirmed. "I will meet with you two now."

"YAY!" The two cheered in excitement.

Mr. Popo simply chuckled and ushered them towards the entrance of the palace. Gokū's excitement was palpable, while Caulifla's was practically radiating off of her, and she was bouncing up and down as she advanced forth. Mr. Popo paused and held up a hand as if to signal the two now hyper-energetic Saiyans to wait. Out from the main chamber was a tall and old figure. Upon seeing his face, all of the excitement from before faded into absolute shock. Standing before them was the spitting image of Piccolo Daimao, but lacking the eternal youth he was granted. His robe was bright white and his cloak a deep blue, a somewhat inversion of the late Demon King's previous garb. The only other differences were a wooden staff similar to Karin's, and the kanji reading "神" instead.

"PICCOLO?!" Caulifla shouted, rage consuming her as she rushed forward, primed to strike.

Gokū, meanwhile, noticed something different and while still shocked, did not charge forth. This instance bore no clear malice, and he was old as the demon was before Shenlong was killed. The Saiyan boy reacted quickly and tackled Caulifla out of her charge.

"Kakarrot, what are you doing?!" Caulifla shouted at her boyfriend.

"Hang on a sec!" Gokū pleaded as he pinned down his girlfriend. "I don't think that's Piccolo!"

Caulifla calmed down for a moment and began to analyze the situation. She gave the Daimao Double another, more thorough examination and now saw what Gokū was talking about. The grinning and sadistic malice and evil that rolled off the late Piccolo cemented all assurances of who he was, but this being possessed none of that. While still wearing a stern expression, he was far more gentle.

"Karin didn't warn you, did he?" The supposed God of Earth spoke on a calm, yet offput tone. "His pension for pranks knows no bounds, apparently."

"This is Kami," Mr. Popo introduced. "He is God."

"Thank you, Mr. Popo," Kami politely nodded before returning his attention to the Saiyans before him. "A long, long time ago, Piccolo and I were once a single being. A great martial artist in his own right. Like you two, I have heard of God, and came here."

Kami took a moment to pause and began to pace, lost in thoughts before resuming. "Unfortunately, Gods of the mortal world are bound to the same erosion of time as mortals, and will eventually grow old and die. I sought to be the previous god's successor. Despite all of my efforts, I was deemed unworthy, for he saw what I could not."

Kami gave another pause to allow the information to sink in before resuming. "He sensed a blemish of evil in my soul. Through much rigorous training of my own spirit, I was able to expel it from my being. That evil, sadly took manifest, and became the Demon King you have slain."

The green god sighed and hung his head morosely. "In the end, I was able to succeed for the title of God, all the while my evil half was let loose upon the world. You two, however, have finally defeated this counterpart, and as thanks, I will gladly hear you out, on three conditions."

"I'm all ears," Caulifla agreed, Gokū nodding along.

"First, I would ask that you continue training here under the tutelage of Mr. Popo and myself," Kami requested, earning excited nods from the two Saiyans. 'Well, we know the answer to that one then.' "Second, and you may not agree with this one, but your tails will need to be removed."

The excited fervor the duo possessed crashed hard at that request.

"This is about our Oozaru forms and the full moon, isn't it?" Caulifla grumbled, not happy at the conclusions she was drawing.

"Absolutely not," Gokū refused. "We've been training to keep control of ourselves in that state, and we'll also train to control the Ikari State."

"I figured as such," Kami sighed, but smiled regardless. "As for my third condition, and I don't expect a solid answer for this, but, do you know of any other species across the stars?"

"Whuh?" The tailed teenagers muttered, unsure of the question the god before him was asking.

"Perhaps I should explain," Kami began. "I already know you two come from another world amongst the stars, which is why there are only two, for lack of a better term, 'humans with monkey tails.' Barring Piccolo, I have never seen another like myself in my entire life. Being the only one of my kind did leave me to wonder if my origins weren't indigenous to this world."

"Um, I couldn't answer that if I tried," Gokū responded honestly with a shrug. "Caulifla and I were sent here when we were very little, and I barely have any memory of where I came from."

"Yeah," Caulifla nodded along. "Someone did come by, but if we knew your question, we would've asked."

"I see," Kami sighed. "I thank you for your honesty though, and I shall abide by your request."

"Really?!" Caulifla brightened up immediately.

"Yes, indeed," Kami nodded with a warm smile. "I, myself, cannot resurrect others, but considering that I created Shenlong, I can resurrect him, and he, in turn, will address your wish."

"Thank you very much!" Gokū cheered with excitement.

"However," Kami sternly spoke, interrupting the cheering duo. "Once I have done this, I will not hear of it again. The world below cannot be dependent upon my actions. Mortals must find a way to persevere without aid. You two have proven worthy of one such miracle at this time. Mr. Popo, please bring Shenlong forth."

"Right away," Mr. Popo bowed as he retreated into the palace. Minutes past and the genie emerged with a small platter with a glass dome on top. Inside was a small clay figure of a serpentine dragon, but broken apart. "Here he is."

"Oh dear," Kami sighed, looking at this sculpture of his creation in such disarray. "Piccolo Daimao was not merciful in the slightest. Can you mend him?"

"With ease, sir," Mr. Popo nodded as he removed the lid and proceeded to set down the plate. He then pulled out a set of sculptor's tools along with some clay to mend the damage with. With that, the genie sat down and began to quickly, yet skillfully, reassemble the dragon.

"Huh," Caulifla hummed. "So this sculpture is Shenlong?"

"Mr. Popo sculpted Shenlong, while Kami breathed life into him," The genie explained, Caulifla understanding the process from an overall view.

"Truth be told, I considered Leaving Shenlong as is," Kami explained sullenly. "When I first created the Dragon Balls, I did so to give the world below a sense of hope, as well as satisfy a deep yearning I could not explain. Unfortunately, all who tried to gather them did so to sate their own greed."

Kami's somber expression then returned to a smile as he looked at Gokū and Caulifla. "You two, however, are quite different. I mulled it over a great deal, but as long as there are people like you, the Dragon Balls should exist."

"All done!" Mr. Popo announced as he placed the glass lid over the newly repaired Shenlong sculpture.

"Thank you, Mr. Popo," Kami nodded. "Now, everyone, please stand back."

Everyone complied with the deity's request and stepped away from the platter. Kami held up one finger and began to focus. The tip of his finger soon began to glow with a warm golden light, until he aimed it at the platter. When it made contact, it did not shatter, but instead filled the lid with a bright yellow light, obscuring the sculpture within. The light then shot forth through the handle of the lid and skyward, surprising both Gokū and Caulifla at the sight. The sphere then arced over and flew over the side of the sanctuary.

"W-Where's he going?!" Gokū exclaimed, wondering why the Dragon flew off.

"He is returning to the Dragon Balls," Kami explained. "Typically, they would be inactive until next year, but I'm making this one exception, and he will grant your wish immediately.

"Whoa!" Caulifla gasped in amazement. "Can I go down and watch?!"

"I recall you two promising to stay and train here," Kami reminded the two, earning a sheepish nod from both. "You will not be stuck up here forever though. Only for 3 years time until the next Tenka'ichi Budōkai. You will see your friends then."

"The Tenka'ichi Budōkai?" The two saiyans echoed. The promise of entering the prestigious competition got them excited, but Caulifla especially couldn't help but wonder why.

"Why specifically for that competition?" Caulifla asked. "Will you be doing like Muten Rōshi did and use it as a test for what we learned?"

"Mmmm, Yes and no," Kami answered with slight hesitation before returning stern again. "Another will be attending that tournament, seeking to end you. Piccolo Daimao."

"W-What?!" Gokū stammered, remembering clear as day what he did. "I ran a hole through his ribcage! How-"

"Though the Piccolo you know is gone," Kami cut off, beginning to explain. "Right before his death, he spat out one last spawn. Unmutated compared the others you have encountered, and granted all of the strength and knowledge of his father. It may as well be a reincarnation or clone, for lack of a better term."

"So that's what I saw fly out of him before he exploded…" Caulifla surmised. "I didn't think much of it back then, but…"

"Be that as it may, he cannot come here," Kami explained. "Even now I can sense his incarnation training. Mr. Popo and I cannot intervene, as I have stated before."

"That's fine," Gokū nodded, Caulifla doing the same. "If we can get even stronger, then we will get stronger, and put it to the test!"

"Yeah!" Caulifla cheered. "I'm looking forward to settling scores."

Kame House

Seven spheres were splayed across the small shoreline of the late Muten Rōshi's island escape. Moments ago, they were little more than stone, but after a bright light descended from the heavens, they gleamed with new life, the stars floating within glass amber. Everyone was stunned at this development. Before anyone could bother reciting the incantation, the Dragon Balls began to pulse with a golden light, until a lightning bolt shot out, coiling about and taking volume until Shenlong's serpentine body appeared, a fierce gust of wind signifying his arrival.

"He's… He's back…!" Tenshinhan gasped, in awe of the sight of the dragon god for the second time. "Son Gokū and Caulifla… They did it!"

"Indeed," Shenlong spoke, his voice as booming as ever. "Son Gokū and Caulifla have requested God's intervention, thus I was revived."

"Hold up!" Yamcha exclaimed in disbelief. "God?! So, what they were yammering about after they left-"

"The two are now training in Heaven for the next Tenka'ichi Budōkai," Shenlong cut off, much to Yamcha's dismay. "They will answer any questions you have then. As for the wish, I already know it. I shall resurrect all who have been slain by Piccolo Daimao and his spawn…"

With a bright glow of his red eyes, the dragon's power began to get to work. The freezer capsules of Kuririn, Muten Rōshi, and Lunch were laid out and open. Suddenly, all three awoke with surprise. Slowly, they stood up, adjusting their balance.

"I'm… alive…?" Kuririn gasped as he looked himself over, and gently rubbed his neck, feeling it was as it should be. "I'm alive!"

"Hoo boy," Lunch sighed, still feeling a bit dizzy. "Being dead isn't an experience I want to go through again."

"No kidding," Rōshi agreed with a nod. "I thought I would see the afterlife, but it was just… void."

"A design in Piccolo Daimao's magic," Shenlong explained. "Those slain by the Demon King and his minions have been damned to not pass on, forever stuck in Limbo. I have also broken this curse in addition to their resurrection. With that, your wish is granted. Farewell..."

With that, Shenlong vanished, and the Dragon Balls rose up into the air, before scattering once more. The night sky returned to daytime as everyone stood in awe at what had happened.

"Whoa…!" Lunch gasped in amazement. "I thought Shenlong was killed by Piccolo."

"If Shenlong was correct, then we have to thank Son Gokū and Caulifla," Tenshinhan surmised.

"Where are they, anyway?" Muten Rōshi asked, now wearing his trademark sunglasses.

"Well, that's the weird part," Yamcha began. "Shenlong said they were training in Heaven."

"I'm sorry?!" Rōshi sputtered, flabbergasted at what his student had said. "Those two truly are something else then!"

"Wait," Tenshinhan spoke up, making sure he understood the situation properly. "When they came to pick up Nyoibō, they said they were going to go see God. Does that mean…?"

"Those two are being trained by God himself," Rōshi finished before chuckling to himself. "Those two continue raising the bar, don't they?"

"N-No kidding," Kuririn stammered, hardly believing the situation, but at the same time, buying every bit of it. "Gokū and Caulifla training with God… Who'da thought...?"

"I don't know about you guys," Tenshinhan began with a determined smirk. "But the whole idea has me excited! I'll have to train more intensely if I plan to legitimately defeat them one day! Once I'm all recovered, I'm heading to Karin Sanctuary!"

"Now we're talking!" Yamcha cheered. "Soon as my leg's back in order, count me in!"

"Same here!" Kuririn added, now super excited as well. "If those two could do Karin's training like Rōshi did, we can too!"

"Don't think you boys can leave me in the dust!" Lunch declared with a challenging smirk. "I'm joining in too, so that I can enter as well!"

"The more, the merrier," Tenshinhan welcomed with a smile, a look that made the green-haired woman blush ever so slightly, but she quickly pushed it down. This did not go unnoticed by Yamcha and Kuririn.

"Hehehehe! Looks like someone's got a crush on the triclops!~" Yamcha snickered. Now this turned both Lunch and Tenshinhan's faces beet red, as they began to sputter retorts of defiance.

"I-I do not!" Lunch shouted, her face still resembling a strawberry, especially with her green hair.

"G-Get your head out of the gutter, for crying out loud!" Tenshinhan stammered, now sweating profusely. All yamcha did was smirk at this development.

'If only Bulma were here, she'd get a kick out of this.~'

Diablo Desert

Chi-Chi was panting heavily as a puddle of her own sweat pooled underneath her. She sat underneath a rocky outcropping in an effort to catch some shade and cool off. She had been fighting against the intense desert heat in an effort to better improve her resilience.

"Okay… Break time's over," Chi-Chi sighed as she pushed herself up. "Now to run some drills."

She soon began jogging across the sandy expanse until something caught her attention. The sky, clear and bright as day, suddenly turned dark.

"That can't be…" Chi-Chi thought aloud. "It was just a few days ago!"

As quick as the artificial dusk came, it vanished, leaving Chi-Chi even more perplexed than when she began. She was snapped from her musings and back to reality when a quick whistle and gust of wind flew past her, prompting her to quickly duck out of the way. The small object then impacted into the sand behind her.

"What the Hell…?" Chi-Chi muttered, having missed a ballistic object that almost hit her forehead. Not that it would have done any damage to her, given her current strength, but it still would have been annoying.

She looked over at the object and was surprised to see what it was. A bright white stone that had the same diameter as one of the seven Dragon Balls. No one would throw such a perfectly smooth stone at a random passerby, much less at mach 2. Chi-Chi couldn't tell which of the set it was, but it definitely was one of the now scattered Dragon Balls. She picked up the stone sphere and smirked devilishly, her plans of attack now formulating for the next Tenka'ichi Budōkai.

"'Don't think I can't grow my own tail,' eh?" Chi-Chi chuckled evilly. "You're gonna be in for a surprise, you thistle-headed bitch…"

"So you have a vendetta as well?"

Chi-Chi was startled by a new voice that approached behind her. Immediately she raised her guard and settled into an aggressive stance that was trademarked by the Crane School. When she saw the stalker, she was surprised to see it was a green boy with pointed ears and two antennae on his forehead. On the front of his tunic was the demon kanji of Piccolo Daimao.

"Who are you?" Chi-Chi demanded in a threatening tone. The reincarnated demon simply smirked.

"For now, call me Ma Junior," Piccolo answered, rolling with the alias. "Shot in the dark, is this 'Thistle-headed bitch's' name Caulifla?"

"What's it to you?" Chi-Chi countered, only following this kid's story with a grain of salt.

"I want revenge against her and Son Gokū," Ma Junior explained, smirking. "Have you heard of Piccolo Daimao?"

"A great terror spoken of in children's stories, only to be sealed away," Chi-Chi recited in a deadpan manner. "Get to the point."

"Those two rats killed him… My previous life…" Ma Junior stated, venom dripping from every word. "I'll help you gather the Dragon Balls when they're active again so that you can contest against Caulifla."

"What's the catch?" Chi-Chi questioned, not skipping a beat. "I'm not gonna be fleeced by some Martian-looking twerp. Besides, you'll have to get in line for revenge."

"Watch what you say," Ma Junior growled dangerously, enough so that Chi-Chi flinched at how such a small figure could be so imposing. "I am the Demon King reborn, and I have the power to end you with ease. In 3 years time, I will regain my adult form, but I must train to have the power to crush those insolent pests. That's where you come in."

Chi-Chi relaxed her stance ever so slightly, understanding what this little green demon was getting at. "So we train for the next Tenka'ichi Budōkai?" She asked, making sure she understood correctly.

"Exactly," the reincarnation grinned. "I know those two will be there, and I want to end them in the ring."

"Now you're speaking my language," Chi-Chi smirked. "I'll play along, but only on the condition that I fight Caulifla. Son Gokū will be yours to tear apart."

"Fair enough," Ma Junior shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm certain even you as a Saiyan could defeat one of them."

"A Saiyan?" Chi-Chi echoed.

"I've uncovered many secrets, and I'm willing to share, but do we have an agreement?"

Chi-Chi paused to mull it over for a moment. She then grinned maliciously and nodded. "It's a deal."

With that, Piccolo grinned even deeper. Chi-Chi's qipao began to shimmer, much to the princess's surprise. The colors began to shift from that of the Crane School to something else. She was now adorned in a deep blue gi with a red long-sleeved undershirt. Gone was the Crane kanji that was on her previous outfit, which was now replaced by a small badge around the lower left abdomen, emblazoned with the kanji '火山'. On her back was another emblem, urrounded by a pointed circle with the kanji '魔'. A massive weight then fell upon her shoulders, literally, as a white cloak with very pronounced shoulders and collar appeared as if from nowhere. It took her a second to readjust to the new weight, but she looked at herself and smiled.

"Not bad," Chi-Chi hummed, looking at her new attire. "Well, if nothing else, let's get started."

A/N: Timeskip Timeskip Laaa-de-daaa-de-daaaa!~ Not much more to say, other than the fact that it's gonna be one Hell of a 23rd tournament when it finally rolls around. And since we're now on the timeskip, you know what that means! Carrots & Cauliflowers Kai Abridged 2! Electric Boogaloo! *(Apologies in advance to everyone who hated the previous gag chapter)* I need to put together a bunch of jokes for that one. Also, Chi-Chi teaming up with Piccolo Jr. That's gonna be a fun ordeal. Hopefully this was a good read. :)