For Chava.
- MH, October 2020.
DRAGON BALL CD CHAPTER I
The Savior of the World / The End of Planet Earth
"A beginning is a very delicate time," - Frank Herbert
AGE ? - LOCATION UNKNOWN
Smugly, he sat in front of several monitors with a huge grin across his face as the latest possibility had hit his mind. Altering history was his favorite past time, and why shouldn't it have been? On a single whim, entire alternate worlds could be created, completely unaware of just how things had been recorded in history, making their own journey, while he sat back observing and gathering data, noting how much a subtle or even a drastic change could make. Through that musclehead from the Eleventh Universe in league with the evil Kai from the Tenth? Sure, why not? Stop his uncle from joining up with that warlock? You bet! And the best part was, he wasn't alone in his views. Even the Time Patrol, sworn to protect history against exactly what he had done, had shown an interest in his work, almost begrudgingly allowing him to continue with it unmolested as long he didn't interfere directly with history as it should have been.
Ah, there he goes, away from Planet Vegeta, to safety on Earth, he thought, smiling, and too think, all it would take is one small push in the right direction...and off he'd go to his brother.
He stood up and pushed his glasses back, still smiling. "Alright, Goku," he said to himself, "Let's see how you get yourself out of this one."
AGE 755 - FREEZA PLANET 47
The four Saiyans sat around a makeshift fire, casually chewing on an unfortunate alien that had made the mistake of resisting their invasion. The oldest and largest, Nappa, frowned as his scouter began beeping.
"Huh, that's weird," Nappa said, "We're getting a message on all frequencies. Audio and visual."
The shortest of the four, yet also the strongest and their leader, Vegeta, yawned. "Is it another message from Freeza?"
"No," Nappa said.
"Then just ignore the damn thing," Vegeta replied.
"Aw, come on, Vegeta, you never want to have any fun," the youngest, Kakarot, said. Although only 19, he had shown his mettle as a warrior, even though he was technically a lower-class warrior. "Let's just take a look."
"Why bother? You're only wasting your time, Kakarot," Vegeta said, annoyed.
"Well, it's my time to waste," Kakarot said, hitting a button on his scouter.
"To any one that sees this, this is an urgent message," a female voice said. Kakarot's eyes lit up as he found himself looking at an image of a girl, not much older than him, with short blue hair and blue eyes, and a very attractive face.
"My name is Bulma Briefs, and this message is transmitting from the planet Earth. I've included a map of what we know of the galaxy to aid in any navigation you might need."
"Ha, it sounds like a distress message," Kakarot said. Curious, his brother, Raditz, the weakest of the four, with long hair and red bands around both a leg and an arm, pushed a button.
"Let's see what this is," he said. Vegeta sighed.
"You too, huh, Raditz?" Vegeta said. Raditz only gave his prince an annoyed look.
"For the past three years, our world has been ravaged by a horrible demon known only as 'Piccolo'. Each year, he vows to destroy one city as sport. Every resistance we've mounted has failed, and our strongest warriors keep falling."
"See, I told you it was a waste of time..." Vegeta said.
"Earth, huh?" Nappa said, "If I remember, that's somewhere on the schedule..."
"Forget it," Vegeta said, "It's not even worth the effort. Before our planet was destroyed, it was supposed to be conquered by an infant. That should tell you everything you need to know about it."
"Whoa!" Kakarot said, as a smile crept across his face, "Vegeta, you should see this 'Piccolo' guy. He's a damn Namekian!"
"What?" Vegeta said, "What the hell is a Namek doing off world?"
"I thought they were all nearly wiped out, their world isn't even worth conquering," Raditz added.
"This is a desperate plea. Please, if there is anybody that can assist us, the map we've provided will lead you right to our world. The planet Earth is in danger of being totally destroyed."
The video ended, and Kakarot sat, thinking.
"You know, I think I want to see just why a Namekian took over this 'Earth'. It doesn't make any damn sense if you ask me," Kakarot said.
"Forget it, Kakarot," Vegeta said, "We have work to do."
"We'll get to that world, eventually..." Raditz said, "Sending a single warrior instead of all four of us will let us get multiple jobs done. Imagine it, Prince. 'Vegeta's Vanguard', a team so elite they can conquer different worlds at the same time!"
Vegeta looked at Raditz, and then the two other Saiyans, motioning at his scouter. Each one nods and removes their device, placing them on the ground. "As if I care about some stupid glory or advancing in Freeza's ranks. After what that bastard did, why would I want to kiss his ass?"
"You still need to keep him off your back, Vegeta," Kakarot said, "Let me check it out at least. If the Namekians are taking over other worlds...maybe we can work something out."
"There's no way I'd work with them," Vegeta said, sitting back down and taking a bite. Kakarot shrugged.
"The way I see it, it's simple math, Vegeta. You're the strongest of us, but Freeza still has a power level higher than half a million. There's even rumors that that's just some ploy, and he's even stronger. That's not even counting guys like Dodoria or Zarbon. It sounds to me like we'll need all the help we can get."
"Until you're strong enough to take me on, just shut up about it, Kakarot!" Vegeta snapped, then calmly adding, "Fine, go waste your time on that damn dirt ball. Don't come crying to me if that Namekian beats the crap out of you."
Kakarot smiled and stood up, cracking his knuckles.
"He's right," Nappa said, "It's just a waste of time."
"Just get the job done," Raditz said, "This is our chance for true glory!"
"Don't worry about it," Kakarot said, heading into his pod, "It shouldn't take me too long to get there. I'll contact you once I've dealt with that Namek."
Vegeta didn't say anything, nor did Nappa, but Raditz smiled as he watched his brother's attack pod take off. Do us low level warriors proud, Kakarot.
MAY 7, AGE 756 - WEST CITY
Confidently, Dr. Gero walked through the halls of the RRCCA headquarters, formerly the headquarters of Capsule Corporation, based in West City. If we can begin mass producing these drones, maybe we'll finally have a shot against that bastard Piccolo, he thought, and if not...there's always my backup plan…
Around him, employees of Capsule Corps and various administrative staff members of the Red Ribbon Army packed in a rushed panic, the building itself to be evacuated within the coming hours and relocated to an island that was formerly used as a base by the now deceased General Blue. Stopping at the doors to the conference room, Gero took a deep breath and opened the door, and sitting inside he saw his counterpart, the young Bulma Briefs, age 23, her beauty only outshone by her vast intellect, which Gero would begrudgingly admit to only himself in private, equaled only his own.
"It's about time," Bulma said as he entered, not turning her back and she paid attention to a large screen with several live action satellite feeds going on.
"Has there been a report from Major Gold?" the doctor asked.
"A short while ago, we had reports that his unit had engaged Cymbal near the ruins of Central City," Bulma said, and continuing, added "It went as it usually did. Heavy casualties, but the Major made it out with a couple of survivors."
"A foolish undertaking," Dr. Gero said, "Attacking so close to Piccolo's palace. What did they think was going to happen?"
"They had to field test the new lasers we produced with that synthetic energy source you came up with," Bulma said, "Needless to say, it doesn't pack the same punch you promised, and now seventeen soldiers are dead because of it. I'm guessing you came here today to shill some new piece of technology?"
Gero snorted, and pulled out a small case, "As a matter of fact, I did. Observe," Gero said, walking over to Bulma and opening it. Peering in, Bulma sighed and shook her head in frustration.
"A ladybug? We gave you how much Zeni, and that's the best you came up with?" Bulma asked.
Scoffing, Gero continued, "This is no mere insect. What you're looking at is a highly sophisticated tracking drone. Who would notice a simple insect, I wonder? But it does far more than track it's target. It watches. It collects data, and is sent back to a supercomputer of my own design. At that point, predictive patterns and adaptive strategies on how to counter the target's techniques are devised. Within a few battles, we should have all the knowledge we need to defeat Piccolo's army."
"Okay, I take it back," Bulma said, sitting back down, "That's actually pretty impressive. I take it this supercomputer is what most of the funding went to?"
"Indeed," Gero replied.
"I don't suppose you'd be willing to share where this is, would you?" she asked.
"It's somewhere safe, somewhere not even Piccolo should be able to find, and even if he does, it won't matter due to my security precautions. If my estimation is correct, the power it would take to breach it is far beyond his capabilities," Gero said.
"I wish I had your confidence," Bulma said, standing and walking over to a window, "Just what have you been up to?"
"Research," Gero replied, "I've been looking for ways to improve upon current cybernetics."
"I hope so," Bulma said, "Piccolo didn't waste any time taking out General Tao."
"Tao was a victim of his own overconfidence, from all the years he spent as an assassin. He thought he was invincible," Dr. Gero said and added with a tone of pride, "With the right individual, my 'upgrades' so to speak would make one virtually unstoppable."
"As long as it doesn't end up like that one android did," Bulma says, "It was pretty convenient for us that you overlooked his sense of morality."
"I've told you, that was Dr. Flappe, not me," Gero replied, his voice showing annoyance.
Of course it was, Bulma thought, How could I forget? Dr. Gero never makes mistakes, it's always someone else. She pulled out a phone and sighed, dialing a number, smiling at the voice that answered.
"Hello, Jaco speaking!"
"Hey, Jaco!" Bulma said, a fake smile going across her face, "What's up, buddy?"
She listened to a sigh. "What do you want, Bulma?"
"Oh, it's just been a long time, thought I'd check in."
"Listen, Bulma, I'm kinda busy right now, can't go into too many details."
"Let me guess: Top secret Galactic Patrol business?"
"I just told you I can't talk about it! Besides, I find your calls to be very convenient. For the past three years you've called me up at the same time, every day, happy as can be, only to ask me to intervene with this ridiculous little 'demon problem' of yours. I've already told you, the Galactic Patrol considers this an internal matter. If this Pickle guy starts breaking any interstellar laws, then we can take him down!"
"Oh come on, Jaco, what's a small favor between friends?" Bulma asked, her hope quickly fading.
"I told you no, Bulma. Wait, hang on-wait, you mean all five of those dancing creeps are on their way?! Well where the hell is Merus?! Bulma, I gotta go. Same time next year?"
Bulma couldn't even answer before Jaco had hung up. Letting out a small, whiny moan, she pressed her head against the window, taking in the scenery of the now abandoned West City.
"Still hoping for some sort of intergalactic savior?" Gero mockingly asked her.
"I don't want to talk about it," Bulma said.
"You might not need one," a female voice said. Looking up, Bulma smiled at the young woman that entered the conference room. She stood five feet four inches, wearing the familiar red-orange gi of the Turtle School, with large, black eyes and long, dark hair.
"Chi-chi!" Bulma said with glee, running over and giving her a tearful hug, "We all thought you were dead! You flew off and that was it! How have you been?"
"Training," Chi-Chi said with an aura of confidence, "How's Gohan?"
"After Piccolo...he went to the Kame House, something about Master Roshi's will. Puar and Oolong went with him, and that was the last I saw of them. Oolong said he'd call if anything happened, but there hasn't been any updates."
"Dang," Chi-Chi said, "I was hoping he could see me now, Dad always spoke highly of him."
"Well, with that Nimbus of yours, you could just fly on over there and say 'hi' ," Bulma said.
Quietly, Dr. Gero opened the small case, and with a tiny remote, activated the drone. Observing from a small pad, he watched as the tiny drone flew and began to scan Chi-Chi. "Fascinating," he said, "According to this, your weight has increased to nearly three hundred pounds."
"What are you tryin' to say?!" Chi-Chi snapped.
"You...don't look it at all, Chi-Chi, honest!" Bulma said. Chi-Chi then stopped, catching herself, and let out a small laugh.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot...my teacher gave me these," she said, lifting her leg and setting her foot onto the conference table, with a small clang, "There's more than just the boots, see. They're weighted, and he wants me to keep them on all the time. I can only lose them if a fight gets serious."
"It's kind of like that turtle shell Roshi was always wearing," Bulma said.
"Yep!" Chi-Chi said, "Except better."
"You've got to be the strongest woman ever now!" Bulma says, "I'm sure Piccolo doesn't have a chance!"
"You bet!" Chi-Chi says, "And I'm gonna make that creep pay for everyone he's killed!
"I wonder…" Bulma says, and looking over to Dr. Gero, "Hey, do you think if someone trained in heavier gravity, the results would be the same?"
"Perhaps," Dr. Gero says, "But first there's the problem of actually surviving it. It could be doable at two or even three times Earth's gravity, but the higher it goes up, they'd eventually die from all the extra strain on their heart."
"Hmm," Bulma said, thinking, but her thought was interrupted by a repeated beep on the monitor.
"That's our Airborne Warning…?!" Gero said in surprise, as Bulma sat down at a keyboard, typing commands.
"It's not a rocket...it's a...spaceship?!" She exclaimed, her eyes starting to beam, "Spherical, pretty small, too."
"What's the trajectory?" Dr. Gero asked, as the video feed popped up. Sure enough, a spheroid craft, roughly five feet in diameter with a dryer-like window, was streaking through the sky.
"It looks like it's heading right for the outskirts of...West City!" Bulma said, the excitement in her voice rising, "And it's at a safe re-entry trajectory, too! It's not burning up at all!"
"You mean it's some kind of alien?!" Chi-Chi asked.
"Yeah, or a robot or...just yeah!" Bulma said, only to frown right at the craft made its impact, knocking out the camera feed.
In a fresh crater in a small field, the hatch on the pod opened, and slowly, the occupant stepped out, stretching happily at no longer being cramped inside.
"I can't imagine how Raditz or Nappa stand these damn things," he said to himself, cracking his neck. He stood five feet nine inches, his build slim but very muscular, with black, pointy hair and a brown tail wrapped around his waist. He wore a green scouter, with dark armor and long, dark blue pants, and a pair of white gloves, with red fabric around the wrists. This was Kakarot, the Saiyan warrior.
"Earth, huh?" he said, taking in his surroundings. Pressing a small button on the side of the scouter, he turned, taking in the readings of the area. "No wonder that Namek was able to take over, almost all the power levels are below fifty."
Scoffing, Kakarot toyed with the settings on his scouter, "Let's see, ah, there's the signal trace. Not too far away. Let's go see this 'Bulma Briefs'."
"Kakarot, you arrived?" a voice rang through the scouter. It was Raditz, his older brother.
"Yeah, Raditz. You can tell Vegeta to relax, I made it just fine," Kakarot replied, "It's a world of utter weaklings, Raditz. I'll be angry at myself if the job takes more than two days."
"I'll let him know, right now he and Nappa are talking and they want privacy. Something about Planet Arlia being added to our little list of chores."
"Arlia? Those bug guys?!" Kakarot said, "Why the hell would Freeza want us to take them out?"
"How should I know? Anyway, be quick, the sooner you're back here, the sooner Vegeta will stop complaining and the sooner he can gloat about being right."
"Right," Kakarot said, "You want to place a bet on how long it will take before he stops this time?"
"Maybe, we can talk about it on your way back. Take care, brother."
"You too, Raditz. I'll see you in about a year," Kakarot said, and turning back to his scouter, smiled as he flew into the sky.
"Try the backup cameras!" Gero shouted at Bulma, but she shook her head.
"I told you, the redundant systems got knocked out, too! Didn't you study astrophysics?! Do you have any idea just how much energy an impact like that has? It's like someone dropped a small bomb, okay?!" Bulma shouted. In the corner of her eye, she caught Chi-Chi backing away from the exterior wall, her face an obvious sign of concern. "Chi-Chi, what is it?"
"It's…." Chi-Chi said, but before the rest could come out, a small explosion rocked the room, creating a large hole, and to their surprise, seemingly floating, they saw the strange figure.
"Hello there!" he said, "You must be Bulma Briefs."
"T-that's right," Bulma said nervously as the alien entered through the hole, taking his time as he looked at the scenery.
"My name's Kakarot," he said, "I guess I'm what you would call an alien. We call ourselves Saiyans. We're warriors."
"Warriors?" Chi-Chi asked, and Kakarot nodded in response.
"That's right. Just over one year ago, I picked up a transmission she sent out," Kakarot said, pointing at Bulma, "Something about a demon, right?"
"Yes, that's it," Bulma said.
"Well, the good news is that's not a demon," Kakarot explained, "That's an alien known as a Namekian. The thing I'm wondering about is how the hell he got all the way out here."
"No, he can't be an alien!" Chi-Chi says in anger, "I know he's not!"
"Oh?" Kakarot said, smiling, and taking in the site before him. Power level of 250. She's probably the strongest Earthling there is. "What makes you so sure, woman?"
"I just know, okay?!" Chi-Chi yelled as Kakarot smirked.
"You can believe what you want, but I assure you, he's a Namekian," Kakarot said.
"Never mind her," Bulma said, "Chi-Chi can be just a little hot headed sometimes, that's all."
Standing back, thoughts raced through Dr. Gero's head. Flight, a technique previously only thought possible by those students of Tao and Shen...and some kind of armor. I don't see any weapons, it's likely he can perform some kind of energy attack similar to the ones seen by Piccolo and the students of the Crane and Turtle schools.
"How do we know we can trust you?" Dr. Gero asked. Kakarot smiled.
"I guess you really can't," Kakarot said, turning to him and pressing a button on the scouter, "But then again, I suppose if I wanted to start trouble, nobody on this planet is in a position to do anything about it. Alright, some distance to the northeast I'm picking some decent sized readings. Is that where this Namekian hangs out?"
"It's the ruins of Central City," Bulma explained, "After he destroyed it three years ago, Piccolo built a new castle there. I guess you'll know it when you see it."
Power level...260. Is this some kind of joke? The woman could handle Piccolo. A few other readings, none higher than 350. The smell of my morning farts are stronger, Kakarot thought to himself.
"Well, my little trip left me a little cranky, and there's not much room to stretch," Kakarot said, "I'm just going to go work out some of these aggressive feelings I have."
"You mean you're going to kill Piccolo?" Chi-Chi asked, and Kakarot nodded.
"I didn't come all this way for nothing," Kakarot said.
"You can't do that!" Chi-Chi protested. Kakarot stared blankly at her.
"Why?" he asked plainly.
"Why? Ya just can't kill him! Beat him up, but keep him alive!" Chi-Chi said, almost pleading. Kakarot laughed.
"Let me guess, is this some kind of weird sense of 'justice' your race has? Make him pay? Look, whatever he did to this planet's not really my concern. I have a few questions I have to ask him, first. Besides, Saiyans are more of a 'take no prisoners' type race," Kakarot said.
"Bulma, what have you done? Ya just can't let him kill Piccolo!" Chi-Chi says.
"Chi-Chi, in two days Piccolo's coming for West City. Until this guy showed up, we had no way to stop him, and he'd just do the same thing next year, and the year after that, until we're all dead!" Bulma said, "It's not just Krillin who died, you know? He killed Yamcha and Master Roshi, and Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu, too! Piccolo doesn't even care. While you've been off training for three years, we've been getting our asses handed to us day in and day out! The one person I thought I could count on in a crisis didn't even bother to help us!"
"I know that, Bulma!" Chi-Chi began, "I want payback for Krillin and all the others, too! It's all I could think about! But...but if Piccolo dies, we'll never have a shot at gettin' the Dragon Balls back!"
Kakarot's eyebrows raised slightly, Dragon Balls? He thought. "Do you mean to tell me that some dragon had his-"
"Oh, it's just a little joke between us girls!" Bulma hastily said, her eyes sending the message to Chi-Chi that she was saying too much.
"Right," Kakarot said, not fully convinced, "Now, I believe we were talking about killing this 'Piccolo'? You want him to live? Fine, I'll make a deal with you...Chi-Chi, was it?"
Chi-Chi nodded.
"You seem pretty strong, so how about this: We'll have a little match. All you have to do to win is land just a single blow, and for an added bonus, I'll only throw one punch. If you win, we do it your way. If not...well," Kakarot said.
"Why should I believe you?" Chi-Chi asked.
"The Saiyan race doesn't have much these days," Kakarot said, "But we still have our pride as warriors. If I manage to get hit by you, it's my own damn fault, and I'll have to admit your worth as a fighter and honor it."
"Fine," Chi-Chi said, assuming a fighting stance, but Bulma spoke up.
"Hold it!" Bulma said, "This building's staying intact until at least the 9th! If you two want to settle this with some dumb game, do it outside!"
Almost mockingly, Kakarot smiled at Chi-Chi, motioning towards the hole he had created, and flew out, landing in the courtyard below. Curiously, Dr. Gero watched, his mind racing with excited thoughts, until he finally spoke.
"Perhaps your little message has paid off," he said, "If he can defeat Piccolo like he boasts, then our problem is solved. And if he can't...I'm sure we'll find some of the things in that little ship he arrived on to be very useful."
"I hope you're not thinking about overpowering this guy when he's done," Bulma said.
"Don't be ridiculous," Gero said, "An alien warrior we know almost nothing about. It's curious, though, this revelation about Piccolo."
"We've been blind this entire time," Bulma said, leaving the conference room and walking down a corridor, as Gero followed, "The whole world cowered because really, just how do you stop a demon? But an alien?"
"He's not supernatural, he's just stronger than everyone else," Gero said, "By the way, you know Chi-Chi best. Why was she so insistent that Piccolo be spared? One would think after all he's done, she would have the greatest desire for vengeance."
"Who knows? But if it has something to do with the Dragon Balls...I don't think she'd just make something like that up. You'd have to be crazy to do so," Bulma said.
As they entered the courtyard, Kakarot smiled at them, "I decided to hold off until you two arrived. I figured you'd want to see this for yourselves. Now, come on, Chi-Chi. Just one hit!"
Assuming her ready stance again, Chi-Chi leaped forward with a flying punch, followed up by a flurry of blows at such speeds that neither Bulma nor Dr. Gero had ever seen before, but even more amazing was the ease in which Kakarot dodged every blow. Realizing what he was seeing before his eyes, Gero carefully opened the small container, now in his pocket, and with a hidden remote, activated the drone, being the only one aware as it assumed a safe spot to watch the battle unfold. He pulled out his pad and took a look, his eyes widening at the data being recorded, and then quickly put it back, not wanting to risk being spotted by Bulma.
"You're doing better than I thought," Kakarot said as a punch whized by his head.
"Shaddup and hold still!" Chi-Chi yelled, throwing a kick with such force that it left her unbalanced. "That's it, time out!"
"Oh?" Kakarot said, watching as Chi-Chi sat down and began fumbling with her boots, "Bulma, c'mere!"
"What?" Bulma asked, her arms going out as Chi-Chi handed her one of the boots. Bulma yelled and let go, the boot crashing into the ground, "Holy shit, Chi-Chi! Just how much does that damn thing weigh?!"
"Fifty pounds!" Chi-Chi said, kicking off her other boot, now removing her wrist bands, both of which clanged. She stood up and turned around, taking off her undershirt, which fell to the ground just as the others did, now wearing a matching plain t-shirt underneath. She then stretched out, and assuming another fighting stance, while with an aura of arrogance, Kakarot smirked, clearly amused, his smile not fading as she began another onslaught of even quicker kicks and punches.
"There you go, that's much better!" Kakarot said, still dodging with ease. Not bad, her power level went up to 280. It's still not a threat, but that's pretty clever to be training with all those weights.
Chi-Chi's frustration continued to grow, and she finally decided to try a different approach. "I've had enough of this!" she said, and moving so quick, performed an Afterimage, only to gasp as her attempted punch was grabbed in midair by the much faster Kakarot.
"That's a somewhat advanced trick," Kakarot said plainly, and looking at her right hand, grinned, bringing his own left hand up, and lightly slapping it.
"There," Kakarot said, "I win."
"What?!" Chi-Chi said in disbelief, "Whaddya mean 'you win'?!"
"I hit you, didn't I? I had only one attack, and that was it," Kakarot replied.
"That means...you're gonna kill Piccolo…" Chi-Chi said. Kakarot nodded.
"Well, this shouldn't take too long," he said, adjusting his scouter, "I'll be back."
They watched as the Saiyan flew away, Bulma in awe, while Gero quietly made calculations in his mind.
"Chi-Chi," Bulma began, "Why are you so hellbent on Piccolo living? If anybody deserved a horrible death, it's him."
Chi-Chi looked at Gero, who only stared back at her. How do I tell her if Piccolo dies, then Kami dies, too?
"Alright, hold! I think we lost him," Major Gold said, hunching over and catching his breath. Next to him, his most trusted soldier, a woman with dark blue hair and the age of twenty-three, wearing military gear and a revealing hunch, shook her head sadly. Major Gold looked at her and offered a reassuring smile, "That was a hell of a time to sneeze, Launch."
"I'm sorry, Major," she said, "It's...all my fault."
"Don't be so hard on yourself," the Major said. He was a hulking man, close to seven feet tall with short, red hair and pale blue eyes, his appearance somewhat of a mystery to both his mother and his father, Dr. Gero. He pulled a canteen and took a drink, offering it to Launch, who did likewise. "Nothing's worked on these bastards so far, it didn't surprise me now, either."
"But eight good men are dead, Major!" Launch said.
"I know," the Major said, "We can't keep losing like this. Sooner or later, they have to slip up."
"What about what Dr. Gero said? Those cybernetics?" she asked. The Major shook his head.
"I don't think so," he replied. His father had, since the outbreak of the war, been trying without relent to get his son to submit to some new kind of procedure, one that Dr. Gero had gloated would not only end the battle against Piccolo, but also guarantee that, in the aftermath and the power vacuum that was sure to follow, that the Red Ribbon Army would have pure dominance over the rest of the world. It was never the Major's idea to join up, but out of a sense of belonging, he had stayed.
"Why? I'm sure you could take them out easy!" Launch said.
"That might be true," the Major said, "But it's not the technology I have a problem with. It's the person putting it in."
"You don't trust him?" Launch asked, sitting down, with the Major following suit.
"No, I don't." And why should he? Cybernetics was hardly a new branch of research for the Red Ribbon Army, but even their most successful projects ended up being failures one way or another. Android 8 had found himself with a new sense of morality, refusing to fight against their enemies, instead being content to either be destroyed or spend his existence in some tundra defending a village of little value. The great General Tao, a martial artist assassin who ranked among the most powerful in the world (or so he had claimed), had been upgraded as well, but that quickly turned out to be a bust when Piccolo returned. Though Tao had stood his ground, he had never had a decisive victory over Piccolo or any of his minions, and Tao's 'upgrades' didn't even last a single battle. "If it was someone besides my father, sure, why not? But I don't trust the man at all. He has a tendency to make unwanted additions. For all I know he could put some kind of a bomb in me and force me to do his bidding. I'm my own man, Launch. That just doesn't sit well with me."
"You don't think he'll try to pressure anybody else with it, do you?" she asked. The Major shrugged.
"Like who? The only person left to really have a chance against Piccolo is that Chi-Chi person you're always telling me about, but you said she disappeared just after Piccolo arrived. How can you even be sure if she's still living?"
"I just know she is," Launch said. She frowned. Chi-Chi had been part of her life for only four years, but the young woman had proven herself extraordinarily strong-willed, kind, and resourceful, even giving her late employer, the fabled martial artist known only as Roshi a stern dressing down whenever the old man had crossed any lines. She watched her grow from just a tyke with a hot-head into a formidable warrior, able to fight with the best of them on even footing. And then Piccolo came along, and that was the end of it. Still, there one more… "What about Son Gohan?"
"I thought he was retired?" the Major said, "Do you really think an old man will let himself undergo any of that?"
"No, I don't," Launch said. It was true, Son Gohan was once one of the most celebrated martial artists in the world, but that was a long time ago. Only a few short years earlier, he had returned from his life as a hermit by Mt. Paozu, accompanying Bulma on her journey to gather the Dragon Balls. "Well, you always need to treat a lady nice, that's why!" he had said whenever anyone asked why he went along with it. Bulma had said she found the old man with the Four Star Dragon Ball, and together they had an adventure that ended up saving the world from a blue twerp named Pilaf and his two henchmen. That journey alone led to her own job with Master Roshi, being pulled into it one day when two kids, a boy and a girl, dragged her back to a little island. Gohan would kick in when their adventures would start to get a little out of hand, but it was Roshi's insistence that Son Gohan stay out of this one. "Someone's gotta be left to train the next generation of Turtle School fighters, and I can't think of anyone better than you, Gohan!"
Launch looked up in the sky, noticing something not too far in the distance. Shielding her eyes, she tried to make it out. "Major...just what is that?"
Major Gold stood up, pulling out a pair of binoculars and focusing on it. "It's...a man. He's flying!"
"Flying? What, by himself?" Launch asked. The Major nodded.
"Like one of Piccolo's goons. Didn't you say that Tien Shinhan guy could fly?" the Major asked.
"Yeah," Launch said, frowning again. The Major smiled. "This is like something out of a comic book, he's making good speed, too. Take cover, now."
They both did so, watching as he flew overhead, and once past, the Major took another look, letting out a small gasp. "What is it, sir?"
"It's the damnedest thing," he said, putting down the binoculars, "He had...a tail."
"A tail?!" Launch asked in shock.
"Yeah," the Major said, "And it looks like he's heading right for Piccolo's castle."
With her hair whipping in the wind, Chi-Chi gave chase to Kakarot, hoping to catch the strange alien warrior before he arrived at King Piccolo's palace.
"Come on!" Chi-Chi said, gritting her teeth, "Move it, Nimbus! Can't you go any faster!"
Responding to her commands, the Flying Nimbus picked up speed, Chi-Chi finally seeing Kakarot at the edge of her vision.
"Perfect! Keep at it, Nimbus! We've overtaking him!" Chi-Chi said, the cloud increasing and accelerating as she glimpsed the first sign of the castle up ahead.
I have to stop this guy! Chi-Chi thought, lowering her body slightly, If he kills Piccolo, then that's the end of it! No more Dragon Balls! I won't let that happen!
Kakarot stopped, floating in midair, and thought to himself as he observed the palace. I honestly thought it'd be bigger. This isn't that grand at all, Kakarot thought, looking over the palace grounds, It's style is different than what the Earthlings seem to use. This is definitely a Namekian design.
Kakarot landed and pressed a button on the side of his scouter, smiling as he read the numbers off to himself. Hmm, four power levels, 'large' by Earth standards. 180, 260, 280 and 340. This isn't even worth the effort, Kakarot thought as he held out his hand, an energy blast flying out and blowing a large hole in the side of the castle. He smiled as he walked through.
"Honey, I'm home!" Kakarot yelled, smiling. He heard three grunting voices in the distance and frowned. Surely they would send someone to investigate that? Or are they just used to constant attacks by the other Earthlings that they consider this an inconvenience?
Curiously, Kakarot moved forward, the sound of the voices growing.
"Hurry up, you idiots!" a high pitched voice rang out, "If we finish this early, one of us might get an extra bowl of gruel!"
"That's hardly a prize, sire!" A slightly deeper voice rang out.
"Shut up, Shu!" the first voice responded, "Mai, don't forget to get between the grout!"
A female's voice responded, "I thought Shu was doing the grout!"
"What?" Shu replied, "No, Emperor Pilaf said he would take care of it!"
"Why would I do that?!" Pilaf replied. At that moment Kakarot made his presence known, his frame dwarfing that of Pilaf, Shu and Mai, the three looking up, terrified at the sight in front of them.
"Uh…." Pilaf said.
"Sire, I have to use the bathroom!" Shu said. "Me, too!" Mai added.
"Not now, dammit! We...clearly have a guest!" Pilaf said nervously, "Can uh...we help you?"
Kakarot smiled, "Yeah, as a matter of fact you can. Tell me where I can find Piccolo, and I might just spare your sad, pathetic lives."
"The throne room!" All three replied at once.
"Hmm, thought so. He only has three cronies, does he?" Kakarot asked.
"Uh, Tambourine, Drum," Pilaf began, counting on his fingers, "Cymbal and Piano. So, four."
"Four?" Kakarot said, looking into the distance. One of them must be out. "And is Piccolo in the castle right now?"
"Yes, he never leaves!" Pilaf shouts, "Except every year on May 9th!"
And they have some kind of calendar. How quaint. Kakarot thought. "And what's today?" Kakarot asked.
"May 7th," Mai responded.
"So, in two days, Piccolo leaves the castle. Why that day? I hear he's destroyed a couple cities already. A guy like that can do whatever he wants," Kakarot asked.
"Well, it's the day he regained his youth," Pilaf explained, "He took over the world! Nobody could stand against him! Every year on May the 9th, Piccolo celebrates a holiday he created called 'King Piccolo Day', and he destroys a city!"
"He destroys a city?" Kakarot asks, "Why?"
"He's a demon, he doesn't need a reason!" Shu says. Kakarot chuckles.
"So I've heard," Kakarot said, "And what about you three? What's your role in all of this?"
"I, the great Emperor Pilaf, negotiated a master of a deal with his grace, King Piccolo!" Pilaf said, stopping while Kakarot only glared at him, unimpressed.
"Which is?" Kakarot asked, the annoyance in his voice growing.
"He drove a hard bargain," Pilaf begins, "I had hoped as a reward for seeing him returned to life that he would grant me half of the world. But King Piccolo drives a hard bargain, and he always has the advantage of always having better leverage."
"Better leverage? Sir, he stalled on that swamp land promise!" Shu protests.
"Yeah, and he changed that to an extra bowl of gruel, if we do well!" Mai sadly adds.
Kakarot shook his head and continued onward, confidently ignoring the dreadful decorating until he finally entered the heart of the palace; Piccolo's throne room, the king himself sitting on a thrown resembling bones, with three skulls positioned on the top of the chair's back and the front of the arm rests, the light making his dark blue gi appear a sinister black.
Oh yes, that's a Namekian. 'Demon' my ass. If they think this slug is a demon, then I'm a damn devil.
Piccolo looked over at Kakarot.
"Who the hell are you?" Piccolo asked. Kakarot gave him a once over.
"I'm just a guy with a few questions to ask you," Kakarot responded, "For starters, why don't you tell me why you're on Earth?"
"Why don't you tell me who you are? You're clearly lost," Piccolo replies.
"No, I don't think I am," Kakarot says, "You're this 'King Piccolo' I've heard so much about, aren't you?"
Piccolo stares at Kakarot, then looks over to Piano, his diminutive, pterodactyl like assistant.
"Piano, does he seem a little slow to you?" Piccolo asks.
"Of course, Piccolo," Piano says, "I don't know how anybody on this planet couldn't have heard of you by now."
"Well, I'm sorry to burst your little bubble," Kakarot replies, "But maybe it's because I'm not from this planet."
"Well, that's obvious," Piano says, "Nobody in their right mind would go out dressed like that. Oh, and how touching, you even have a monkey tail to complete the look. You're from another planet, alright."
"I suppose that's supposed to be sarcasm," Kakarot replied, "You never answered my question, either. Why are you on this world, Namekian?"
"'Namekian'?" Piccolo asked, looking over at Piano and mouthing the word. Piano only shrugged in confusion. "How bothersome to have uninvited guests," Piccolo said, pressing a button on the side of his chair, causing the roof to open up. A moment later, an odd being flew down, one Kakarot had never seen before: Almost gargoyle-like with green skin and blue pants, demonic looking wings, and strange blotches on it's skin. It's face was vaguely Namekian, with a large fin on top. Kakarot tilted his head and smirked, pressing his scouter and chuckled.
"340, huh?" Kakarot said, stepping forward.
"Tambourine," Piccolo said, "Destroy this arrogant filth that stands before me."
"Gladly," Tambourine replies as he closes in. At that moment, a being not unlike Tambourine walks in, although much larger, missing the wings and the fin on the head.
"Piccolo!" it shouts, "We have an intruder!"
Piccolo stared at him, but then motioned towards Kakarot, "I'm aware, Drum." Subtly Kakarot pressed his scouter again, and smirked.
"And 280," Kakarot said, sighing, "My patience is wearing thin, Namek. Why are you on Earth?"
"Oh, there's that word again, 'Namek'," Piano replied, "What does that mean? Is that some kind of new insult for the great King Piccolo?"
They really have no idea he's a Namekian, Kakarot thought, And Piccolo didn't even react at all. Damnit, Vegeta was right. What a waste of my time.
Kakarot held his hand out and fired off an energy blast at Piano, the creature screaming in surprise as it hits him, the sound cut off short as he's vaporized. Kakarot then looked at Piccolo, the 'demon king' now wearing a combined expression of fear and anger. Without hesitation, Kakarot moved at intense speed, appearing behind Tambourine and punching through the monster's chest. Kakarot pulled his arm out and Tambourine hit the floor, dead.
"We're halfway there," Kakarot said, looking at Piccolo, now standing, towering above the rest of the throne room.
"Drum," Piccolo said, "Deal with this intruder at once!"
Drum attacked Kakarot, although the Saiyan was much too quick, easily evading a clumsy blow and taking advantage of it by hitting a Shining Friday, the purple energy blasting Drum back. Piccolo looks down.
"Drum?!" Piccolo said, turning his attention towards Kakarot, rage building in his voice, "You murdered all of my children!"
"Relax," Kakarot said, "They were dead before they were born. Now, I'm going to ask you one. Last. Time. Why is a Namekian on this planet?"
Piccolo's response is one of rage, firing a huge blast, only for Kakarot to appear unfazed. "Fine then. I'm done being nice!" Kakarot then launched forward with a knee into Piccolo's stomach, forcing Piccolo onto the ground. The Saiyan then wrapped his arms around his neck. "This is for wasting my time!" Kakarot then began to pull away, Piccolo screaming in pain until a moment later, it stopped. Kakarot smiled as he looked into the dead eyes of Piccolo, turning his head to match Earth's late ruler. Kakarot smiled, then casually tossed the head down, landing next to its former body. I wonder how Raditz and the others are doing. He said that when they're finished, they're off to planet Arlia. If I'm fast enough, I might be able to join them.
Kakarot made his way out of the throne room and onto a balcony, overlooking the ruined Central City, and stared into the distance. He reached up and pressed his scouter, turning as he read the life signs.
There sure are a lot of them, Kakarot thought, I can see why a child would have been given this job. These poor bastards couldn't even mount a defense against that joke they called a 'demon'. They'd have no hope at all against a Saiyan.
His scouter beeped, snapping Kakarot out of his thoughts. "Oh, what's this?" Kakarot asked himself, focusing the scouter. He grinned. It's that girl. She's probably on her way to try to stop me from killing PIccolo. Well, too late. Wait...is she on a cloud? She can't even fly?!
He watched as the two signals collided, both numbers fluctuating rapidly. It doesn't matter. It's not even worth watching. One of the power levels dipped below 150. Oh, this thing has her on the ropes. It'd be pretty sad if her training failed her now. He smiled, amused at the monochrome spectacle on his scouter, but he noticed Chi-Chi's power climbing, slowly at first, until the scouter started beeping, the number rapidly increasing to over 700. Kakarot blinked at a flash of light in the distance, followed by what looked like a blue energy beam streaking into the sky like a meteor in reverse. He smiled. She can use energy attacks. That's actually pretty impressive. Kakarot smirked at the thought of this girl battling through Freeza's minions, the weakest having to resort to arm energy cannons to duplicate the abilities of their stronger counterparts. The other power level disappeared as Chi-Chi's subsided, slowly climbing up from 150. Talk about rotten luck. If I arrived a few minutes later, she might have gotten her wish. Tough break, woman.
A few moments passed before the scouter beeped once again, Chi-Chi now on the move, the signal getting stronger. A few seconds later, Kakarot could clearly see Chi-Chi approaching, watching as she descended, taking a step off the Flying Nimbus.
"Stay close, Nimbus," she said to the cloud.
"Welcome to the party," Kakarot said. Chi-Chi only stared at him and sighed.
"I'm too late, aren't I?" she asked. Kakarot nodded.
"He's in there," Kakarot said, pointing. Chi-Chi walked in, gasping for a moment in surprise at the sight of King Piccolo's decapitated head.
"He's...he's really dead!" Pilaf's voice rang out, "It's...finally over!"
Chi-Chi turned, seeing a surprised Pilaf, Mai and Shu standing in an archway. Her brow furrowed as she made her way towards them.
"And just where do you think you're goin', you blue little shit!" she yelled, blocking their path as the trio recoiled in fear.
"Please, don't!" Pilaf shouted, "I'm going to the desert! No, the arctic! I don't care, I'll go anywhere! Anywhere but here! I just want to leave this damn castle!"
Kakarot shook his head in disgust as Pilaf began sobbing.
"And why should I?!" Chi-Chi yelled, "You let Piccolo loose! He killed my friends, and then he killed Shenron!"
What the hell is a Shenron? Kakarot thought.
"I didn't know!" Pilaf yelled, "All I wanted was to take over the world!"
"...Sire?" Shu said, poking Pilaf.
"What?" Pilaf asked, his face changing as he realized what he said, "I mean...I didn't mean it like this! I just wanted a little extra muscle because you and your pals kept thwarting my plans! If I knew he'd destroy the Dragon Balls, I never would have let him out! There'd still be cities, and all I'd asked the people to do is build me a giant statue and throw a parade once in a while!"
"Let him go," Kakarot said.
"You heard what he said! This is all his fault!" Chi-Chi replied.
"Yeah, I did," Kakarot said, "And look at the little worm. He's racked with guilt. If you ask me, I'd rather be dead then have to live with that kind of guilt."
Chi-Chi looked at the three and signed, "Fine. You're lucky this guy's here, Pilaf. But I better see you three at Capsule Corp headquarters tomorrow!"
"Right!" Pilaf said, standing, "Come on you two, hustle! We have to walk the whole way!"
Kakarot watched as Pilaf and his minions scampered off. "I'm sure there's a great story for that."
"It's a long and painful one," Chi-Chi said solemnly, looking over at King Piccolo's body. She knelt down and picked up his head, looking into the glazed over eyes.
"Ya know, for three years this face has haunted me in my dreams," she said, a tear coming to her eye. "I'm sorry, Kami. I let you down."
"Who's Kami?" Kakarot asked.
"He was my last teacher," she replied, "He and Piccolo...they were once the same person. Kami had to purge the evil out of himself, so he could become Earth's Guardian. Even though Piccolo was someone else, they had the same life force."
"Fascinating," Kakarot said, "So that means when I killed Piccolo…"
"Kami died, too," Chi-Chi said, letting out a deep breath. Kakarot thought for a moment and shrugged.
"There's stories that the Namekians have strange powers," Kakarot said, "That's one reason why I came here. If they were returning to space, they would make useful allies. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. It's all going to be over soon."
"What do you mean?" Chi-Chi asked, "Piccolo's dead. It is over."
Kakarot chuckled, "He's not the only reason I came here."
A chill went through Chi-Chi's body as she looked up at Kakarot, smiling fiendishly, her eyes going wide and her jaw dropping in horror. The man before her who was seemingly Earth's savior now appeared as a demon somehow worse than Piccolo. She shook her head, holding back tears.
"Why?" she weakly asked.
"It's nothing personal. I'm just a professional doing a job, that's all," Kakarot said, stepping over and leaning on the railing, looking into the distance. "I told you, Saiyans are a warrior race. We also have a slight knack for business. It's a simple model, really. We find a habitable planet, remove the natives, and sell it to the highest bidder."
"'Remove the natives'?!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, "You're talkin' about genocide!"
"And I suppose that's never happened here?" Kakarot asked, pointing to the ruins of Central City, "I guess those buildings just sprouted out of the ground."
"We've beyond that now," Chi-Chi said, "Earth still has it's problems, but we're tryin! We're not mass murderers!"
"Like I said, it doesn't matter," Kakarot said, "By this time tomorrow, I'll be the only one to know what this planet was like."
"You don't have to do this," Chi-Chi said with a pleading tone in her voice, "Please. We just want to live."
Kakarot was silent for a moment, "So do I. But believe me, my employer is not someone you want to upset."
"Screw him!" Chi-Chi shouted.
That would be a sight to see, Kakarot thought to himself. Chi-Chi stood up and walked to the balcony. "I want a rematch."
"A rematch?" Kakarot asked, "You're actually going to try to stop me?"
"I trained to save Earth!" Chi-Chi said, "And I don't care if you're a demon or a monkey, I won't let you do it!"
"At least you Earthings have good jokes," Kakarot said, "Very well. You'll get a rematch, and I'll give you the same rules as before. One blow. We need new stakes."
"Fine," Chi-Chi said, "If I win, you leave the Earth alone!"
Kakarot nodded, "Alright."
"And…" Chi-Chi said, hesitating, "...You have to marry me!"
"What." Kakarot said, confused, "You're looking for a mate?!"
"Shut up!" Chi-Chi said, her thoughts briefly turning to her father. 'Chi-Chi, I'm proud of you, but you should be out there meeting boys, not having these crazy adventures!' 'Fine Dad, I'll tell you what. I'll marry the first boy that beats me in a fight! I don't care who he is!'
Kakarot looked her over for a moment, "You're serious, aren't you? I don't suppose I need to tell you what will happen when I win."
Chi-Chi took a battle stance, Kakarot watching and studying her, the look in her eye now changed from their early bout. It was the look of a fighter he had seen countless times before, one with the savage instinct to kill. She lunged with a speed he did not expect, engaging him with a flurry of punches and kicks, the Saiyan surprised at the effort needed to block the incoming attacks. He flipped backwards off the wall, trying to make use of the surroundings, but Chi-Chi's assault continued, relentless as he was slowly pushed back.
Where did this come from? I shouldn't be surprised, her world is at stake.
The battle continued, and much to Kakarot's surprise, her form was flawless and not showing any signs of weakness or vulnerability. He stumbled from an oncoming hook and Chi-Chi smiled, the opening now clear.
"Taiyo-Ken!" she shouted as she raised her fingers to her temple, a blinding burst of light exploding over her head. Kakarot yelled in pain as he grabbed his face, his eyes stinging. A moment later he felt the hard impact of Chi-Chi's left heel colliding with the left side of his head, the scouter shattering, bringing the Saiyan to one knee. Chi-Chi stopped, her breathing heavy, and a moment later she spoke.
"I win," she said with a smile.
"For someone so hell bent on honor, I'm amazed you would stoop to deception," Kakarot said.
"It's allowed in regulation," Chi-Chi replied, still smiling, "Now the Earth's safe."
Kakarot stood up, his face in a grimace. He then reached down, picking up the shattered remains of the scouter. "Damnit," he said. "It's safe...for now."
"You said you had honor," Chi-Chi said, "You're gonna go back on your word?"
"You don't understand," Kakarot said, approaching, "You might have won this fight. You might have even won me. I told you earlier, my employer is not a man you want to upset, Chi-Chi." He pointed up to the sky, "Up there, I'm part a team, a unit. We're the last four Saiyan survivors. I don't know, maybe a few others survived. They'll be wondering what happened when I don't report in. And believe me...they will be looking."
Chi-Chi took this in, "You make it sound like you're a slave."
"Officially I'm a low class warrior," Kakarot said, "The only thing lower than that in the Freeza Forces is a corpse. Luckily, my team can act independently as long as we get results. You may have saved this planet from me, but there are far more terrifying things to come."
"I can't believe what I'm hearin'," Chi-Chi said, "You said you're a warrior race, but you sound like you're not even gonna try!"
Kakarot took a deep breath, "I need to be alone for a while. Where can I find something you Earthlings wear? I want to see just what I've saved."
As the sun set, Launch and the Major stopped their march, sitting down as they both opened a package of field rations. Launch frowned as she read the meal description.
"Who comes up with this crap?" she asked, "They actually want us to live off hot dogs slices and lima beans?"
The Major smiled as he read his own label. Although he didn't show it, he was as equally disappointed with his meal as Launch was. The two sat quietly eating when their radio beeped. The Major reached down and grabbed it.
"This is Major Gold. I read you, headquarters."
"Major Gold, this is Doctor Briefs," Bulma's voice rang out.
The Major nodded, "Go ahead, Doctor."
"Your unit can withdraw from the field back to West City. The war is over. King Piccolo is dead."
Launch and the Major exchanged surprised looks. "Headquarters, please repeat that last transmission."
"King Piccolo is dead. Chi-Chi has confirmed it."
"Chi-Chi?!" Launch said, excited, "She's alive!"
The major held his hand up for silence, "Roger. We're...returning to base. Gold out," the Major said. His heart rate increased as he looked at the sky.
"It's...finally over?" Launch asked. The Major nodded.
"Yeah," he replied, "I guess it is."
They resumed eating in silence, the Major noticing a small smile on Launch's face as a tear streamed down. He took a satisfied breath of air, smiling as he listened to birds singing in the distance.
So this is what peace feels like, he thought.
Alone in her lab, Bulma double-checked the access codes to ensure that only those with the highest security clearance could enter. Nodding, she walked over to a wall. The room was littered with scraps and half-finished devices, none of which had quite seemed to work right, with papers with hastily written notes scattered all about. This room was more sacred to Bulma than any temple on the planet, her own private church dedicated to practical scientific progress. Pressing a hidden button, she watched as the wall separated, revealing a blue and teal set of armor. She sighed as she observed the fruits of three years of round the clock work, her own personal contribution in the war against King Piccolo. To her left, the access panel beeped, and in walked her father, whom everyone else had only called 'Dr. Briefs', the Dr. Briefs, a cigarette in his mouth. He said nothing for a moment as he looked over the suit, nodding.
"Are you considering more modifications to the Dragon Suit?" he asked her. Bulma shook her head.
"Are you kidding? I've refined the armor to the point that it can take a fifty caliber round right to the chest and it'd feel like a fly hitting the windshield," she replied. Dr. Briefs smiled.
"It's a remarkable piece of equipment you built, sweetheart," he said.
"Yeah," Bulma replied, sighing, "It might have been a suicide mission, Dad, but I was kind of looking forward to taking it out for a spin in a couple days."
"I don't blame you," Dr. Briefs said, "You've spent over three years working on this. I think it would have taken me seven."
"And now the world is at peace," Bulma said, closing the panel. She walked over to a computer and started typing. Her father walked over to the table and moved some papers out of the way, looking at a set of blueprints.
"Well, this certainly looks ambitious," he said, picking up a small note pad, his eyebrows raising as he scanned the notes, " 'Project Hope'. If I didn't know any better, I'd say these were temporal equations."
Bulma typed for a moment, "They are."
"You want to build a time machine? I guess Omori's book has left quite an impression on you," he asked her. She turned around and sighed, frowning and shaking her head.
"Dad, I built a functioning laser gun when every other girl should have been playing with dolls and having tea parties," she said, "I built a radar to track down seven artifacts that can summon a magical wish granting dragon. And now...all of this, all of this bullshit, is useless!"
Dr. Briefs put the pad down and stepped over to Bulma, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Darling, we're scientists and engineers. We can't account for miracles."
"Is that what this was, Dad? A miracle?" Bulma asked.
"In two days this city was going to be destroyed, and by some luck, your pleas for help was answered. I'd say that's a win," Dr. Briefs said. Bulma still shook her head.
"For three years I've been locked in here, searching for some way to stop that bastard," Bulma said, her voice shaky and rising, "And it's not even that he's dead now. If only I had some done something. I could have trained, Dad. If Chi-Chi can do it, I could have done it!"
Dr. Briefs took a drag on his cigarette and took it out of his mouth, his right hand hovering over a very cluttered ash trash as he looked for a spot to extinguish it. He forced it into a small corner, jamming it down, "When your sister went off on her own adventure, I can't tell you how many sleepless nights I had. Your mother, too. So, I had my own project just in case something went wrong. May I?"
Bulma pushed her chair aside as her father bent over the keyboard, entering a few commands, seemingly unaware of the smoke rising up from the ashtray. He stopped and smiled, pointing to the screen, showing an image of a large spherical craft.
"What do you think?" he asked her. Bulma looked at the screen and her jaw dropped.
"Dad, this…" Bulma said, stopping as she read the data, "This thing can exit the solar system in less than one minute! What the hell are you using for fuel?!"
"That's a good question. It's some kind of new element that…" He stopped, "Do you smell something burning?"
Bulma looked around, gasping as she saw the smoke from the ashtray, "Shit!" she said, grabbing a small bottle of water and dumping it into the ashtray, a small hiss erupting from it. She waved the smoke away and threw it into a trash bin.
"My point is," Dr. Briefs said, "It's easy to second guess ourselves, especially when the past is concerned. Growing up, we always hear stories about heroes. The thing I always wondered about was what made the hero so special? Someone had to make his magic sword, or whatever else they had. Ever since this business began with Piccolo, there's been moments where I questioned my own decisions: 'Why didn't I get into the defense sector?' Even with all these advancements, daughter, we can't avoid our destinies."
"Dad...you know I don't believe in destiny," Bulma said. Her father smiled.
"Of course you don't, you're young," he said with a smile, "Sooner or later you will.
Bulma nodded and smiled at her father, and then sighed, turning back to the computer.
Kakarot walked through the nearly abandoned streets of West City, stopping outside of a brick building, the sign outside reading "PUB", with a small, neon-it sign next to it of an overflowing beer class, complete with foam. He opened the door, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dimly lit dining room as the smell of cigar smoke and cheap beer hit him. Except for one old man, the bartender, behind the counter, the pub was completely empty, the only noise coming from a television. The bartender turned as he heard the door close.
"Holy crap, a customer!" he said as Kakarot walked up and took a seat, "What can I get for you, son?"
"I don't know, what's good here?" Kakarot asked. The bartender smiled at him.
"This pub's been here for fifteen years, so I guess all of it. At least...it would have been in two months…"
The TV showed a news broadcast, revealing footage of West City combined with various cutaways showing Earth's military engaging King Piccolo's forces.
"West City, virtually a ghost town now with over 95% of the evacuation completely, now gets a preview of it's fate in two days, a fate known all too well to the survivors of both Central and East Cities…"
"Surprise me," Kakarot said. The bartender nodded and grabbed a bottle of rum with a tiger pirate on the label, and a twelve ounce blue and yellow can, with a black arrow pointing down. He poured the contents into a glass and handed it to his customer.
"Do you have your ID?" he asked.
"What?" Kakarot asked, "No, sorry."
The bartender sighed, "You have to be twenty-one to drink. How old are you?"
"I'm...I think I'm nineteen. Maybe it's twenty, I'm not sure," Kakarot said.
"You don't know your age? Did you hit your head or something?" the bartender asked. Kakarot only stared at him. The bartender nodded, "It's okay. I've seen that look a hundred times before. If I were a betting man, I'd say you're a soldier."
"No, I'm a -' Kakarot said, but he stopped himself, "Yes, I'm a soldier."
The bartender nodded again, "I knew it. Time's the only thing that heals a stare like that. I guess you've seen a bit of action."
"You could say that," Kakarot said, "My drink?"
"Don't worry about it," the bartender said, "Carding folks is just an old habit. I never understood why the government said you can sign up to fight but have to be a certain age to drink. It's kind of arbitrary, if you ask me. Don't worry about it, I don't think King Piccolo will care."
Kakarot smiled as he took a sip, his expression changing to one of confusion as he swallowed, "Well, you're right about that."
"And that concludes our report for this evening. This is Jimmy Firecracker, KBC News, signing off."
Hours passed as Kakarot drank glass after glass, the bartender's shock at his young customer's tales only exceeded by his surprise at the feat of alcohol tolerance being displayed. A clock buzzed and the bartender looked at the time.
"Two-thirty. Last call," he said.
Kakarot said nothing as he only pointed to his glass. The bartender nodded as he refilled it.
"That Freeza guy sounds likes quite a bully," the bartender said, "Someone should put him in his place."
Kakarot laughed, "Yeah, good luck with that. When they're not kissing his ass and they know nobody's listening, that's all they talk about."
"Well, cowardice keeps you alive, at least for a while," the bartender said. "Your tab's about a hundred Zeni."
"I suppose that's money?" Kakarot asked and the bartender nodded, grinning.
"A man comes into my bar, hasn't heard of alcohol, has a tail and claims to be an alien from deep space and has a prick for a boss that nobody can fight. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you don't know what money is either. Ah, isn't that just my luck" You're probably gonna be my last customer and you can't even pay."
"No, I have money, hang on," Kakarot said, pulling out a wallet. He shook his head in confusion as he fumbled through the bills, finally just putting all of it on the bar.
"Are you crazy? This has to be at least a grand!" the bartender says. Kakarot shrugged.
"Keep it," he said, standing up and shotgunning the drink, "What's this called again?"
" 'Rum and Hetap'," the bartender replied. Kakarot nodded.
"Pretty good," Kakarot said, "Thanks."
"Hey, young man? I hope you figure out your problems at work," the bartender said, "Living in fear is no way to live at all. Just ask any Earthling."
Kakarot stopped, reflecting on this, "Right. Well, good-night."
The bartender nodded as Kakarot left, counting the huge wad of cash in front of him.
"Jeez, why do I always get the crazy ones?" he asked himself as he checked the date on the bottle of rum, indicating it was bottled within the last couple of years. He gasped as he read the proof on the bottle. "190?! He's as sober as a priest on Sunday!"
He looked back towards the swinging door and smiled. That guy is something else.
In the courtyard of the Capsule Corporation headquarters, Chi-Chi practiced her morning katas, fighting opponents that existed only in her mind as the sun rose above West City. She stopped for a moment and looked up, seeing Kakarot floating in the sky. He descended and landed next to her.
"You leave your left side open," Kakarot said, "If you keep that up, you'll end up with a broken arm, or worse."
Chi-Chi scowled at him, but nodded, "I guess you would know, huh?" She frowned as an aroma hit her nose, "Have you been drinking all night?"
Kakarot shrugged, "How can you tell?"
"You should try standin' here. It's Miller Time," she said.
"Whatever," Kakarot said, "I'm hungry, do you have any food?"
"Hey, don't 'whatever' me. I'm not gonna marry a drunk!" Chi-Chi said. Kakarot looked at her.
"Fine, it tasted like piss anyway," Kakarot replied, "Now, the food?"
"It's in the kitchen," she said as Kakarot nodded and walked into the building. Reaching the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator door and grabbed a ham hock, taking a huge bite out of it, only for his face to turn to one of revulsion. He placed it on the island counter and fired a small energy blast onto it, the hock instantly charred. He took a bite and smiled as the warm meat hit his tongue. A second later he looked up as Chi-Chi entered, standing at the door, her arms folded.
"You're probably wondering if I'm going to keep my promise," Kakarot said, adding, "Relax. Your world's safe."
"Good," Chi-Chi said, taking a seat, "I guess there's something we have to talk about. Our wedding."
"What's that, some ceremony?" Kakarot asked, his mouth still chewing. She nodded as he swallowed, "Do whatever you want."
"Well, I guess that makes that easy," she said. She watched him eat in silence, his eyes never leaving the meat in front of him, finishing up incredibly fast. He stood up and opened the fridge again, this time grabbing a full chicken.
"You're still hungry?!" she asked in an astonished tone as Kakarot's tail shut the fridge behind him.
"Saiyans eat a lot," Kakarot said as he sat the chicken down, firing a small blast from his fingers onto it, the fowl now sizzled. He tore off a piece and offered it to Chi-Chi, who only shook her head, "So, you guys really thought the end of the world was here, huh?"
"Nobody could stop Piccolo until you came along," she said.
Kakarot nodded, "I wasn't kidding yesterday when I told you they would be looking for me. I could run and take you into space with me...but they'll still come to Earth. Even if they don't find me here, just what do you think will happen to this planet?"
Chi-Chi said nothing as she watched Kakarot eat, the Saiyan quickly going through the chicken. "Alright, that should be enough for now. Where's that other woman, Bulma?" he asked.
"She left before you got back," Chi-Chi said, "She had her bags packed, too. I think she's taking a vacation."
"Damn," Kakarot said, "Then who's the smartest person here?"
"Follow me," she said, leading Kakarot to a small side lab where inside Dr. Briefs stood speaking to an exhausted Pilaf, Mai and Shu.
"This will be very difficult work, but that comes with the territory," he said, looking up. Dr. Briefs smiled at Chi-Chi while Pilaf and Shu exchanged nervous glances upon seeing her. "Chi-Chi, my, this is a surprise. Bulma said you got back last night, but you didn't come to visit."
"I'm sorry, doctor," she said, giving him a friendly peck on the cheek. He smiled as he turned his attention to Kakarot.
"And you must be the visitor from another world Bulma told me all about," Dr. Briefs said, offering his hand. Confused, Kakarot looked at it and then to Chi-Chi.
"Shake it," she whispered, sighing as she grabbed Kakarot's right hand and put it to Dr. Briefs.
"Yes, that's right," Kakarot said.
"Well, what can I do for you?" Dr. Briefs asked, "Do you need some kind of repairs done to your ship? I'm a bit of a brilliant scientist, you know."
"That won't be necessary," Kakarot said, "I've decided to stick around here for a while. But there is something you can do for me."
"I'd be happy to help out that man that took down Piccolo," Dr. Briefs said, "All you have to do is ask."
Kakarot grinned, "I need a planetary wide broadcast."
Pilaf, Shu and Mai all looked at each other, with Mai nudging Pilaf. Nervously he let out a cough.
"What is it?" Kakarot asked.
"Actually, I know how to do that," Pilaf said, "Who do you think handled all the AV for King Piccolo? It was one of the few services we could provide that his late majesty couldn't do himself. Where's your communications room?"
"It's down the hall," Dr. Briefs said.
"You better not try pushing your luck, blue man," Kakarot said as Dr. Briefs led the way, "Your news broadcasters don't know what happened yet."
"Nobody does, aside from the handful that were party to yesterday's events," Dr. Briefs says as he stops at a door, punching in a small code. Inside was a small television studio. Uninvited, Pilaf marched in and hopped into a chair, his fingers typing at rapid speed a keyboard.
"Okay! Just give me the word and you'll be broadcasting on every TV and radio signal!" Pilaf said.
"Good," Kakarot said, "Well done, imp."
"You're praisin' him?" Chi-Chi asked in disbelief.
"Why not, he did what I asked and quite efficiently, too," Kakarot replied.
"Piccolo is dead, it's a new day!" Pilaf said happily, "I'd have to be crazy to try to take over the world now!"
"You better not think about it, Pilaf," Chi-Chi said, "As long as I'm alive, you'll always be on thin ice."
"Point taken," Pilaf said, happily spinning around in the chair. Kakarot looked at the cameras.
"I'm assuming those are the transmission devices?" he asked.
"That's right," Dr. Briefs said, walking over to a podium, "Just stand where this little 'X' is, and let us know when you want to start."
Kakarot began walking, but Chi-Chi stopped him.
"What are you going to say?" she asked. Kakarot smiled at her, the look in his eye slightly unsettling her.
"I told you, they'll be looking for me. It's quite clear this planet wouldn't stand a chance. It seems to me the position of 'king' is vacant."
Chi-Chi gasped.
"You can't be serious," she said.
"And you, Chi-Chi…" Kakarot said, a smile growing on his face, "You will be a queen."
"Work your body, work your body, make sure you don't hurt nobody!" The TV yelled as Son Gohan happily danced along.
"Come on, put your hips into!" the old man yelled while on the sofa, his two companions, the pig Oolong and the cat Puar shook their heads in disbelief.
"I thought when Master Roshi died, that would be the end of it…" Oolong said, "A whole city is about to be destroyed, but Gohan needs his eye candy."
"You're the one that used a wish for a pair of panties," Puar reminded him.
"Yeah, and that wish saved the world!" Oolong said, "They didn't even put a note about it in the newspapers. How's that for gratitude?"
"Do you hear something?" Puar asked. Oolong stopped.
"Hey, turn that down!" Oolong yelled, but Gohan ignored him, "Damnit, Gohan, you're watching a video! Hit the pause button!"
"Here," Puar said, hitting the remote.
"Aww," Gohan said, "She was about to start the leg dips!" Oolong listened as the sound of rotor blades grew.
"That's a helicopter!" he said, running outside, with Puar and Gohan following him. They squinted into the overhead sun as a small, one-man helicopter approached the island with only one house on it, formerly known as Kame House, the wind picking up as it descended and landed. The door opened and Gohan smiled as Bulma stepped out, ducking as she marched forward, a pink duffle bag slung under her left arm.
"Bulma!" Gohan said, "My goodness, girl, it's been...what, almost three years now? How have you been?"
Bulma smiled at him as Puar leaped up, hugging her.
"Hey, what about me?" Oolong asked.
"I've been good, Gohan," Bulma says, "You look well."
"I like to keep in shape. Come in, come in, I was just finishing my workout," Gohan said as the four entered Kame House. Bulma looked around, smiling as the decoration was exactly as she remembered, except for one small detail sitting above the mantle of the fireplace: A small, orange ball with four stars on it.
"Is this a...Dragon Ball?" she asked, looking at it. Gohan smiled.
"No, it's just glass," Gohan said, "I had a friend make a replica for me. It just doesn't feel like home without it."
"I see," Bulma said, "Actually, I was hoping for a favor."
"Oh?" Gohan said, "Sure, whatever you need. You gave this old man the adventure of a lifetime, I'd be happy to pay you back."
Puar went over and turned off the VCR, reaching for the TV's power button as a strange pattern appeared on the screen. At the center was the logo of Capsule Corporation, with the words "Please Stand By" written below it.
"What's going on?" Puar asked.
"That's our test signal…" Bulma said, but smiling, she added, "I guess Dad's about to break the news to the world."
"News, what news?" Gohan asked, but the image on the TV switched, showing Kakarot, standing in front of the camera.
"Who's this guy?" Oolong asked.
"Am I on? Right. Attention, people of Earth. My name is Kakarot. The terror you've known as King Piccolo is dead, killed by my own hand."
Puar and Oolong looked at each other and cheered, dancing around in circles while the broadcast continued.
"I'm told that before King Piccolo arrived, your world had peace. As luck would have it, this planet is also in need of a new leader. Piccolo may be gone now, but there's things lurking beyond any of your imaginations. This is the promise I will make to all of you."
"What is he doing?!" Bulma asked in shock.
A small crowd had gathered in the communications room as Kakarot continued his speech, everyone watching intently as Chi-Chi sadly shook her head.
"You will have peace. You will have prosperity. You will all live. And in return, as your leader, I will defend this planet until my dying breath. This is the covenant that I am giving all the inhabitants of the planet Earth. You may call me an outsider. I say...I am your King! Let the sun wash away the tears and the stains of blood that Piccolo created. A new era has dawned on planet Earth. No, the planet Kakarot!"
"All hail King Kakarot!" Pilaf shouted, and the gathered crowd began shouting in response. Kakarot smiled.
"Kakarot! Kakarot! Kakarot!" the crowd shouted. Kakarot scanned his new subjects, nodding, stopping and focusing on Chi-Chi, a bewildered look on her face as their eyes met.
What have I done? Chi-Chi thought.
IN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF DRAGON BALL CD:
The years passed on Planet Kakarot, and the king kept his end of the bargain. The former Earthlings rebuilt their world, the taint that Piccolo created removed as the world began to live and grow once more. But, through the vastness of space, Kakarot's old allies grew annoyed with his absence, and Vegeta's patience was at its limit. Volunteering to investigate the disappearance of his brother, Raditz set off for planet Earth, fearful of whatever fate befell Kakarot, and fearful of whatever fate awaited him should he return to Vegeta empty handed. Little did they realize that they would soon be thrust into a battle with the very soul of the universe at stake. Join Kakarot, Chi-Chi and Bulma on their next adventure: "The Brothers Reunited / The Wrath of the Saiyans," in Chapter Two of Dragon Ball CD.
AFTER THOUGHT
Well then. I remember the moment I had the idea for this story. It was the middle of July in 2018, and I was on a lunch break, working in a hellish environment in a Florida warehouse. I think in my comments on Dragon Ball C, I mentioned that that project was born out of coping with a horrible life situation, that chapter of my life I'm happy to say is almost over. And you may be wondering why you're seeing this and not Chapter 20 of DBC.
Well, the truth is there's a couple chapters left in the Moro arc, and if I do decide to continue that story after Broly, I need to see how it'll play out. The main reason has to do with the climax, but time will tell there.
This is basically my own What-If that I came up with, something that, at least to date (October 17th, 2020) MasakoX hasn't tackled yet. We're venturing into some unknown territory with this one.
So, in this story, Fu (for those of you familiar with Dragon Ball Xenoverse and Super Dragon Ball Heroes) has created an alternate timeline for the sake of his experiments, curious to see what changes he can make. I do want to make it clear that while biologically, Kakarot and Goku are one in the same, obviously they're two very different people. And basically, everyone's history has changed, even if ever slightly.
On Earth, the only people that would have been affected, at least until the time Bulma showed up looking for the Dragon Balls would have been Grandpa Gohan and Master Roshi, the only two people even aware of Goku. Obviously Grandpa Gohan lived, not having to deal with the Oozaru Goku, and as such, Roshi never heard the tale.
And that also brings us to a slightly new character: Major Gold. For those of you that weren't aware of it, Android 16, while fully mechanical, had a physical template based on the late son of Dr. Gero and a pre-Android 21, himself a Red Ribbon soldier. We don't know much other than that, but thankfully Toriyama revealed in an interview that his name was 'Gebo', or rather, 'Gold'. I'm going with Gold because it fits in nicely with the whole naming scheme of the Red Ribbon Army. His personality is described as 'ruthless, bold and daring', though to what extent, I don't know.
But that's not to say similar events didn't play out. You could say Fu had a hand in guiding people along, For example, after meeting Bulma when she came looking for the Four-Star Dragon Ball, Gohan decided to accompany her. He did instill a bit of chivalry into Goku, and of course he would carry that forward with him. And remember, the Ox-King was once Master Roshi's would make sense that he would send Chi-Chi to him to continue her training, with herself fulfilling a role similar to Goku in this story, at least before King Piccolo returned. And if there are situations that relied specifically on Goku, not something any other character could feasibly do, then like I said, Fu had a helping hand in making it work. For all intents and purposes of this timeline, he reigns supreme. Literal divine intervention.
The most challenging part of this was coming up with a reason why Chi-Chi and Kakarot would become a couple. I knew that this had to be voluntary with no strings attached for Chi-Chi, otherwise it'd just be...weird and wrong, I guess. I really don't like the idea of the hero commiting spousal rape, whether physical or co-erced. So, Chi-Chi is stubborn enough to make such a promise to the Ox-King (whom I'm not sure is alive or dead in this timeline, probably alive) and see it through. This does raise questions about if she would have fought with Tien at the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament and lost, but it doesn't really matter because Tien 1) Would have brushed it off for his warrior monk lifestyle and 2) Is dead anyway and isn't coming back any time soon. So, over time, Chi-Chi and Kakarot's love will grow and blossom naturally. That is exactly what is happening during this upcoming time skip, so you can put those notions to rest.
I'm not sure what the rest of this story will bring. My mind is buzzing with all kinds of possibilities for this to be honest, but it won't be just a rehash with different characters. I want this to be different, and I want it to be special.
I hope you guys enjoy this ride as much as I do :) .
Also, I suggest listening to the Dragon Ball GT recap theme (English dub) while reading the opening and ending bits, you know the "Last time on Dragon Ball Z" type stuff.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please hit me up, I'm always happy to answer and discuss.
