Yamcha had seen some fights go on for a while, with lots of yelling, beams, and power-ups, but this had been the longest he'd ever watched. Meys and Piccolo were equals in tenacity and endurance. They'd fought well into dawn. Now, they'd drained through most of their reserves, used all their tricks, and put more craters into the area than there were on the moon. At this point, they were essentially giving each other a break to recharge and go back at it. If Yamcha saw fit, he could end the fight at any time by interfering.
"This is ridiculous," Yamcha said to himself, "Why should we be risking Piccolo and Kami like this? He's almost done for."
Piccolo and Meys charged at each other, punching one another in the face and sending each other back flying again.
"I don't think this could be more absurd."
He sensed a number of powers approaching, and looked up, seeing the others flying in. Roshi and Tien landed next to him.
"Thank goodness. Piccolo has the Saiyan beaten. This fight's done if one of us goes in. Otherwise, they're just going to kill each other," Yamcha said.
"Chi Chi's got it handled. Hopefully, we've solved our Saiyan problem," Krillin said, grinning.
Chi Chi landed next to Piccolo, and hopped off the Nimbus with Gohan, "Are you okay, Piccolo?"
"I'm...I'm at my limit...I don't know where he got this power, but...At least Goku had the courtesy to defeat me, this guy just won't go down," Piccolo admitted.
"Thank you for not killing him," Chi Chi said. Piccolo let out a chuckle.
"Wasn't for lack of trying, I assure you. What's the plan?" Piccolo asked.
"I spoke with the girl. I told her we'll bring back both Goku and Raditz if they promise not to hurt the Earth or its people," Chi Chi said, "That's why we brought her along."
"She's going to talk him down?" Piccolo wiped blood away from his eyes, looking at Meys across the field.
"Mm hmm," Chi Chi said, also looking at them, "For once, we might have a peaceful solution."
They watched as Brussa punched Meys in the face, knocking him out.
"Well, mostly."
XXX
Meys woke with a groan. His everything hurt, but particularly where he'd been punched in the face. He let out a wheeze and a cough, and pushed himself up. He was on a bed, wrapped in bandages. Through the window, he could see Brussa fighting with the bald human in the yard.
He looked at his wrists and his legs; he wasn't restrained. He could easily destroy any barriers the humans may have built. Meys looked around the room; his knife was on the stand next to him. The door opened, and a blonde human let out a startled yelp.
"Oh, you're awake, Mr. Meys! You should really lie down, though, you're really hurt!" she set down a tray with bandages and food on the stand next to him.
"Thank you, ma'am," he said, eating the food.
"My, you're just like Goku, aren't you? I'll let the others know you're awake."
"Am I a prisoner?" he asked.
"Oh, heavens, no, you're our guest! Bulma's been bringing lots of guests lately, it's nice to have things nice and lively here for a change! Briefs can get so lost in his own head sometimes, I love him to bits!" she said.
"Of course," Meys said, "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name?"
"I'm so sorry, you must be so confused! I'm Panchy."
"Thank you, Miss Panchy."
"You're welcome, Mister Meys," Panchy said, giving a bit of a laugh, "Oh, Bulma! Your friend is awake. I like this one, he's polite."
She said something else that Meys didn't hear, but another woman let out a groan of "Mommmm!"
A blue-haired woman entered Meys's room, "Oh, wow, you went through that fast."
Meys picked up the tray and tried to hand it to her. He paused, and said, "If there's any more, I'd like some."
"Yeah, I figured. Mom?"
"Already on it, sweetie!"
"Are you Bulma, then?" Meys asked.
"Uh huh. You're at my place in West City. It was a little touch and go for a little while, but you'll pull through with a little rest. But, from what I remember from Goku, you won't, so who knows how long it'll be," Bulma said.
"Thank you for taking care of me. I don't know what got into Brussa, but you have my vow, I will protect your world from King Piccolo," Meys vowed, "Next time, I'll be better prepared."
"King Piccolo? Where did this come from?" Bulma said with a chuckle.
"I met a human in a village. He told me about your King Piccolo, and how he fought his monsters. When I told him about our attack on your city when we fought him...The way he talked to me...He said I wasn't any different from those monsters he'd fought," Meys said, "I realize that my people have a monster like that, and it turned out poorly for us. And then I thought…How many people was I a Freeza to? A King Piccolo? I won't do that anymore. That's why I decided, I'll defeat King Piccolo, and free your world from his tyranny. Then, I will never hurt another world again."
Bulma sat on a chair, and nodded, "That was a while ago, Meys. That was Piccolo's father. This Piccolo, all he's done is train and be grumpy. In fact, he's downstairs."
"He's what?" Meys stood up.
"Hold on, you're practically naked!" Bulma shoved him back on the bed, "Jeez, do none of you Saiyans have any modesty at all?"
"We...Don't stand on a lot of formality," Meys admitted, wrapping the bedsheet around his legs, "What do you mean he's downstairs?"
"Like I said, near as I can tell, Piccolo's not evil, he's just really grumpy. Goku defeated him about five years ago, so he's mad about that. But since then, he hasn't hurt anyone that didn't have it coming," Bulma said, jabbing her finger in one of Meys's bruises.
"OW! Back off, Earthling!"
"He only fought Raditz because he threatened the planet. He's been training with our best warriors to stop you. At least Brussa has more sense than you or her brothers, and she listened when Ci Chi talked," Bulma said.
"So she isn't fighting the short one?" Meys pointed to the window.
"No. At first she insisted on staying with you, but she got bored and demanded to start training, so they've been at it for a couple of hours. She's definitely Goku's sister. Food, friends, and fighting," Bulma chuckled, "In that order."
"She gets that from their mother," Meys said.
"Their mother? That means Goku's mother is alive?" Bulma asked. Meys nodded.
"She's the one who's kept our unit together. Kept us from tearing each other apart. Kept us sane. She's kind, patient, wise...And she's an amazing cook," Meys explained. Bulma rolled her eyes.
"I'll bet. The others are out back. C'mon, I'll introduce you. But, first, get dressed," Bulma said, pulling out some shirts and pants from the dresser, "I'll give you some privacy."
Meys put on the clothes, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of cargo pants, and a pair of boots. The boots weren't made of the same flexible, elastic armor material of his normal combat boots, meaning he couldn't flex his feet the same way he was used to. But damn if it wasn't fluffy and comfortable, like having pillows on his feet. Finally, he put his knife on the belt. A feeling of relief struck him, knowing it was still there.
"This planet's greatest danger is making you soft," Meys muttered, "I'll have to be wary."
He tied the boot's cables together in the best knots he knew, and followed Bulma outside, accepting another tray of food from Panchy along the way. The different humans he and Brussa had fought were here, sparring with each other. Meys munched on a sweet and juicy piece of fruit. The core and stem were a bit tough to chew through, but the rest of it was crunchy and delicious.
"This world is a garden," Meys said, looking around.
"It's just West City. It's stinky and loud, but it's home."
"This is a city on Earth?"
"Yup! Biggest in the world!"
"But there's so much green…I'd seen your forests, of course, but..."
"MEYS!" Brussa shouted. She cold-clocked Krillin, sending him to the ground, and declared, "There, I win."
Her victory asserted, Brussa landed in front of Meys, scowling. Meys offered her a piece of fruit. Without losing her gaze, she snatched the fruit from his hand, and threw it in her mouth.
"You're a big lummox, you know that?" Brussa said, chewing on the apple.
"Her mother may be patient and kind, but her father, General Nappa, does not suffer fools," Meys said to Bulma, "How am I a lummox?"
"The Dragon Balls! You didn't bother doing ANY research on them when we arrived! Neither did Raditz, for that matter! They don't work without the Namekian!" Brussa said.
"Wait, what?"
"Yeah! If you'd killed Piccolo, we'd lose our chance to bring back Raditz! AND Kakarot!" Brussa said, spitting out the bits of the apple she didn't like, "No wonder we got our tails handed to us! We don't know anything about this place!"
Meys took a deep breath, "I'm sorry."
"Well, now we know more. Mission's not over. We get the Dragon Balls, get Raditz and Kakarot back, then wait for mom, dad, and Vegeta," Brussa said.
"Vegeta…" Meys muttered, and he shook his head, "This isn't over."
"What's not over? You'd better shave that caterpillar before he gets here, or he'll cut your face off this time," Brussa warned.
"Wait, I thought she was the little girl?" Krillin asked, "Why's she lecturing him like he's the kid?"
"Maybe it's a Saiyan thing? Maybe the women are in charge?" Yamcha asked.
"Hmm, I can get that," Krillin shrugged.
Meys raised his voice, "Listen to me! All of you! Even if we bring back Kakarot and Raditz, your world will still be in danger. There are four more Saiyans. Shive should be here any day, he's already late. He'll listen to us, and if he doesn't, we can force him. Gine will only want her sons back. When we bring them back, she won't have any reason to fight you.
"But General Nappa and Prince Vegeta are not like the rest of us. They are High-born warriors, arrogant to an extreme. They won't be pleased to make the trip here and get nothing. Prince Vegeta will want your world to bow to his will. I am not going to destroy worlds any more. I'm done working for that tyrant Lord Freeza."
"What are you talking about, Meys? We'll be a unit again, we'll be safe! We can keep working, and getting stronger!" Brussa said, "Why would you betray us when we need you the most?"
"My pride won't take it any longer, Brussa."
"We are your pride!"
"We need more, Brussa. More than just survival. Killing the weak, it's beneath a real warrior. Only the strong are worth fighting, and only the wicked are worth destroying. I won't do it anymore. No matter what happens, I'm staying. And Vegeta won't accept that. But I'm going to fight for my right to do that."
"You're just going to get yourself killed!" Brussa hissed.
"Vegeta will fight to take over this planet anyway! Do you think Kakarot is going to accept that? Do you think your mother will let Vegeta have her sons kill each other again? Brussa, it's time we stood up to Prince Vegeta, because if we don't, his arrogance will get all of us killed. It'll kill your brothers, again. It'll kill me," Meys said, and then gestured to Gohan, "It'll get him killed. If you side with him, you'll just end up fighting your own family. What will be left, if we don't get stronger, and fight him? If we don't fight Freeza? We haven't been 'preparing' for the last twenty years. We've just been drowning. It's time we swam."
Brussa held her arms, not looking at Meys, "I just...Want my family back…"
Meys knelt to stand at her level, "I don't want to lose them, either, Brussa. That's why I need your help. I'm going to fight alongside Kakarot when Vegeta gets here. If you stand with me, so will Raditz. So will your mother. Do you think your father would fight his mate and his daughter? She means too much to him. You mean too much to him. I've been with you since the day you were born, Brussa. In that time, I have never stopped fighting for you. But I haven't made the galaxy a better place for you. I'm going to do that, starting now."
Brussa took a couple steps back, and turned away from him, thinking. Her tail twitched back and forth as she thought deeply.
"I'm gonna wipe that smug sneer of his face with my fists!" Brussa declared, punching her fists together.
"That's what I like to hear!" Meys cheered.
"So, this Vegeta," another voice called out. Meys and Brussa turned, and saw Piccolo standing in the door, "Just how tough is he?"
"He's the strongest of all of us," Brussa said, "My dad's a General, and even he's not half as strong as Vegeta."
"If you were to combine all the power of Raditz, Brussa, myself, Chive, Gine, and Kakarot together, that warrior would still not be as powerful as Vegeta," Meys admitted, "General Nappa might not want to fight his family, but that doesn't mean he'd be on our side. He'll still put Raditz and Kakarot in their place, and he'd waste the rest of you, even me, without thinking too hard about it."
"What about if you add the rest of us?" Tien asked. Meys shook his head.
"I'm afraid, as you are now, he'd still be able to defeat you. Maybe, if all of us worked together and we had General Nappa on our side, we could defeat Vegeta. But with Kakarot already falling behind, and Raditz being dead and not training, the odds aren't looking good for us," Meys explained.
"Well, it's a good thing Goku isn't idle on the other side," Roshi spoke up.
"How can he not be idle? He's dead," Brussa said. Roshi chuckled.
"Silly girl, there's more to existence than this world. What do you think happens when you die?"
"I am a warrior, not a 'silly' girl!" Brussa snarled at him.
"Goku is training, too, in the Otherworld. From what I've been told, it's the greatest training a mortal like us could receive, short of getting the direct blessings of the Gods themselves," Roshi explained, "Beyond the instruction we've received from Kami, beyond the training we're putting ourselves through. Goku's always been the strongest of us. Whatever he learns up there, it's bound to be far and beyond anything we can imagine."
There was a moment of silence as everyone let that prospect sink in. The thought of the blessings and knowledge of the heavens themselves being brought to the mortal warrior, by none other than Goku, their greatest warrior, a Saiyan warrior of the blood of Bardock, was an astounding prospect.
Brussa broke the silence, "Pff. Like I'm gonna let Kakarot surpass me. We'll just have to figure out how to replicate it here on Earth, and then push ourselves even harder. You puny Earthlings better not hold back!"
"Like I'm gonna let a twerp like you off that easy!" Yamcha teased.
"Don't think I won't add to your collection of scars!"
