Chapter 2: Controlled Burn
Greetings #Dragonball fans and welcome to part 2 of Ariel Shalom's suggested What If: Goku was Like The Hulk where we follow the last son of Vegeta, the planet, not the king, or his child, as he comes to terms with what his rage can mean, not just for him but for those close to him.
#DragonballZ #WhatIf #Hulk #Marvel #ScratchyAudio
In the 1st part we saw Goku's departure from his home world intersecting with an ancient beam of gamma and Blutz waves. There was little to no changes initially, but as the mutation grew, so did the line of fur, leading from his now jet black tail to his similarly coloured hair.
His more traditional Lunar Ozaru still ended up crushing his grandpa Gohan though, before his meeting with Bulma and heading off on the quest to collect the eponymous Dragon Balls. The first major change, other than Grandpa Gohan's hut being a rough collection of sticks, came in Mushroom City. Bulma was turned into a carrot by Monster Carrot and Goku was told to stand still and take his beating.
This did not go over too well with Goku's anger bubbling up and him ultimately going ape, despite the lack of a full moon. The massive dark furred beast then crushed various parts of the city followed by the pewny rabbit man himself, unfortunately before said monster man could undo the curse, or spell of whatever it is.
If Monster Carrot could undo it that easily, why did he and his men care so much about them being turned into carrots by touching him? He can just snap his fingers and turn them back. Midas Touch, eat your heart out.
After calming down, Yamcha, not having to face his nemesis, a pretty girl, in the form of Bulma, came along with them to Pilaf's castle and Puar ultimately managed to make the wish to turn Carrot Bulma back into Normal Bulma again. The girl got an eye full of her apparent saviour, Yamcha and they then blew Goku's mind by telling the boy that he was the raging monster that roamed Mount Paozu and likely killed his Grandpa. I'm sure Bulma was just staring in disbelief at all that exposition.
The realization pushed Goku's over the edge again, but this time the ape had none of that focused rage it had in Mushroom City. This was a wild, rampaging beast, fueled as much by the full moon, as the anger and grief.
After removing his tail, things went back to normal, right up to his match with Giran, yes Giran, not Jiren, because apparently I can't speak right. Finding himself stuck in the Gum, Goku's tail grew back, right on schedule, and while Giran threw in the towel, his next opponent got off a lot better. Nam still struck Goku from above but this time Goku had friends on hand to distract him from both the pain and the growing rumbles. And distract him they did. So much so that the desperate Nam took full advantage of the moment to knock Goku out of the ring.
With Roshi easily securing the win in the form of Jackie Chun, he then took Goku to meet the ancient cat hermit, who is a literal cat this time, unlike the turtle and crane hermits. Maybe he would know what could be done about the rage fueled beast within. We left off with Goku and Roshi heading up to meet Kami while Krillin and Yamcha got to meet Korin way ahead of schedule. Bulma's there too by the way, having climbed the tower using her own unique abilities to warn of Mercenary Tao's arrival.
Recompence
Far above Yamcha's and Krillin's attempts to chase the slippery little pussy cat, Goku and Roshi finally reach the top of the power pole and make their way up the ladder to Kami's lookout. They both collapse for a while and Roshi breaks out the last of the senzu they'd received from Korin. Good thing there's still an entire barrel of them since Yajirobe hasn't arrived on the scene just yet.
When they try to meet Kami, they are of course met instead by the enigmatic Mr Popo and they make their introductions. I'm sure we can still insert that comedic moment where they both assume that Popo is Kami, until Kami himself steps out. This time around Goku has no adverse reaction though as he's never encountered King Piccolo but Roshi is left kind of staring at the old Namekian. Old but never forgotten memory comes back to him and he starts to freak out a bit. He had been there when his master had fought and sealed the mighty King Piccolo away, and this Kami, is the spitting image of that deranged would-be demonic ruler of the world.
Kami gets to do some early exposition about his own past sins and that reminds Roshi of the reason for their visit. It seems Kami is not the only one who possesses or rather possessed an inner demon. This strange tailed boy, Goku, has some anger management issues. Not that he gets angry easily, because he's Goku, but when he does, it all goes thoroughly pear shaped. Or maybe banana shaped, 'cuz, giant monkey?
Kami had actually seen something strange happening just over a year ago when Shenron was last summoned and had also been vaguely aware of the monster of Mount Paozu. But he was not aware that it was actually this seemingly good natured little boy. He directs Mr Popo to take young Goku under his wing and work on managing the self, while he in turn takes Roshi aside and they discuss the events of the past 300 years.
Kami is of course grateful to Roshi and his master, Mutaito for, well, cleaning up his mess. It had always weighed heavy on his conscience to see King Piccolo's reign and to be able to do so little about it, directly. Watching Mutaito invent and use the Mafuba had almost broken him but the sacrifice hadn't been in vain.
A year into Goku's training under Mr Popo and Roshi's under the Guardian's, it's Kami's turn to weigh in on the boy's education. Goku has come a long way under Popo's guidance but is still clearly holding back. He's actively avoiding getting too stressed out or excited, which Popo has been trying to work around.
Seeking more drastic results but not wanting to risk the Lookout or the grounds below, Kami has only one option that they can try and he takes both Goku and Roshi into a very special room for a day. Roshi is by no means a fan of the room of Spirit and Time but with the extended use of his Max Power mode, he can just about handle the 10Gs. Goku struggles for a while as well but his Saiyan origins surface rapidly and he is soon revelling in his native gravity for the first time in his many years on Earth.
After Roshi and Kami have acclimated to the gravity as well, Kami heads to the door and calls out to Mr Popo to come and get what he needs. What he needs turns out to be a hair from Goku's head. Popo heads out and then returns with an odd looking fellow in tow. The boy walks straight past everyone and out into the depths of what we're just going to call the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Popo leaves, closing the door and Kami tells Goku to follow the strange little boy out into the white to spar.
This isn't the usual doll though. Not only has it inherited this version of Goku's power, but under Kami's insistence Popo has crafted it to be a mean little bugger. It pokes and prods and wordlessly goads Goku towards his anger and finally, with only an hour of life remaining in the construct, Goku gives in.
When the doll's life energy runs out, one of the two massive black furred beasts keels over and shrinks back to normal size. It's helmet now smashed after it too grew to a great ape, Goku, still in his Rage Ozaru sees, for a moment at least, that it is him, and he does not LIKE, he does not like at all! Luckily the foyer is well out of sight so the Ozaru's uncontained rage and mouth beam does not trap them inside as it vapourizes the already rapidly decaying figurine.
After raging himself dry at the endless white void, he collapses and drops back to regular sized, unconscious Goku. Max Power Roshi approaches and scoops up the slumbering boy and takes him back to the foyer to rest. A week later, Kami again opens the door again and calls his faithful assistant, Mr Popo and they go through the same rigamarole. Each new doll is of course based on the current version of Goku, physically and mentally and each new doll finds it easier to summon forth the raging monster within as Goku acclimates to the routine and the lack of danger to others.
Pewny Pai
Their year up, the three of them exit the chamber only to hear shouting outside. Nearly a million zeni and 4 capsule planes later, Mercenary Tao has finally managed to reach the Lookout proper where he immediately set about demanding the 4 star ball. It's the second to last of the 7 that his paymaster, the Red Ribbon Army's Commander Red, has been after for a while now. The ball not forthcoming, Tao, understandably gets a bit angry and starts in on Popo, only to hit the plants as Popo effortlessly moves out of the way.
If this were his TFS incarnation, we would certainly get the classic "Clean that up." quote from Popo, but alas, or fortunately? this is not. Instead, Roshi steps up to divert Tao's attention. Of course Tao knows of Roshi, his elder brother's nemesis of a sort. What he's not expecting is Roshi's smooth transition to OP mode and the Kamehameha that would have done way more than the requisite clothes shredding that Goku's originally did. Well, if it had hit. Fortunately Tao was just able to dodge. His trademark, the meticulously braided pony tail however is a left a smouldering mess.
Now furious, at their defiance Tao replies with a Dodon-pa that hits the bulked up Roshi square on, much to the irritation of Goku. Mr Popo and Kami share a glance and a nod as Goku tells Tao that he'll pay for hurting his Master Roshi. Tao's smirk turns to confusion as Goku calmly removes his Gi. He's going to fight naked?
Fortunately for the lookout, Tao is no match for Goku. While he may be an accomplished martial artist and assassin with a relatively high power level, he has never fought on the lookout. The air is thin up there and he was already growing weary. Oh yeah, he also doesn't get to face the boy Goku, per say.
Also fortunately for the lookout, Roshi is not dead. Injured slightly? Sure, but very much alive. He picks himself up from the rubble of Kami's pantry just in time to see the black furred Ozaru Goku pulling a Puny God ragdoll routine on Tao, before flinging him into the air and mouth blasing the guy to oblivion.
The massive beast then teeters at the edge of the lookout for a moment and roars, before turning back to Kami, Popo and Roshi. As he walks towards them, he staggers a bit as he shrinks back down and Kami flings the discarded Gi back at Goku with the end of his cane.
"Very good, Goku!" Kami says before glancing back over to the edge of the lookout. "Oh, it would seem that you have some visitors."
Red Rebound
There, staring slack jawed are 2 figures. Yamcha and Krillin. They had seen Tao's previous attempt and had started climbing a week ago after finally beating that darned cat that had purposefully, and maybe falsely filled them with a sense of urgency. Nothing like a little motivation to get the blood pumping, eh?
After Goku has finished getting dressed, he and Roshi bid Kami and Popo farewell and make their way to the edge.
"Where's Bulma?" Goku asks, peering down the ladder.
"Oh," Yamcha says, looking a bit downcast. "She got bored and said she had to go back to finish school."
As they file into Tao's discarded plane that conveniently survived Goku's mini rampage, Goku asks about the Mercenary and they relay what Bulma had overheard Tao saying just over a year ago, followed by Roshi expounding on Tao and Shen a bit.
According to Bulma, the Red Ribbon Army is after the balls so they need to be very careful. Or maybe not. Bulma mentioned that one of the balls had disappeared so maybe there was no need. She wasn't entirely certain how to hide a ball but she'd had some ideas. Goku then mentions that he no longer has his 4 star ball as he has left that in the care of the Guardian of Earth, Kami, for safekeeping.
Besides, the only reason Tao was able to make it to the lookout was because Kami was, well, occupied, training Goku. The answer for whether they should do anything about the Red Ribbon Army, comes pretty quickly in the form of most of that Army marching on the Land of Korin. They may not be able to pinpoint the ball but they've known it's been somewhere nearby for over a year now. Tao had likely told them of the tower and they had decided to make a final push for power. Or well, not power per say. More like an extra 5cm for Commander Red or was it being godzilla sized or something?
Whatever it is, their army is rolling up on the tower even now, and Bora for one is throwing a minor fit. But that's ok. Not only is Goku kinda OP at point, having been training under Mr Popo and at 10Gs for another year, as has Roshi. But let's not forget Krillin and Yamcha's attempts to chase down Korin. The Red Ribbon Army didn't stand a chance against the cannon, post Korin Goku, so here? Well, let's just say that Muscle Tower will be abandoned pretty soon after when the pay dries up. I hope Eighter will be ok.
Ladened Crane
The next World Martial Arts Tournament is a bit one sided as well.
Roshi still joins as Chun but with their much improved skill and senses, he's not fooling anyone. Well not anyone who wears the Turtle Hermit's Gi. Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu are still in attendance but they never met Goku on the road here since Goku has spent his time meditating on Kami's training.
Tien still assumes they're all worthless, right up until Yamcha absolutely wrecks him. Much like Krillin will do to Chiaotzu, Yamcha, despite Tien's ability to reflect the Kamehameha, physically launches the triclops from the arena harder than his sky dancing can counteract. Man-Wolf is also missing in action cuz the moon's still around.
Chiaotzu's Dodon-pa does not go unnoticed however and gets a comment from Goku to Chun about how that was Tao's attack. Tao, who has been missing for 2 years after taking a job with the now defunct Red Ribbon Army? When Chun breaks that news that Tao is likely no longer of this world, the already defeated Tien storms off and confers with Shen.
Yamcha then loses outright to Chun, and Krillin loses to Goku. With no Fortune Teller Baba Tournament under their belt, the only contestant that knows about Goku's tail as a weak spot is Yamcha, but Chun had beat him out with little difficulty.
When they leave the arena, with the consistently pint sized Goku barely managing a win in his rematch against Chun, they are accosted by the Crane Hermit, Tien and Chiaotzu as they attempt to enter the restaurant.
After ignoring them for about 30 minutes, Goku is left staring down at the remains of his 5th course, now scattered across the floor and slowly turns to Tien, who had kicked the table in frustration when they had ignored his and his master's accusations.
End Chapter 2
And so, as Roshi asks Goku for the damages, and Goku stares at Tien while tossing over the entirety of the winnings to his master, we will bring past 2 to a close.
I think it's safe to say that Tenshinhan has bitten off more than he can chew as he faces down the man that apparently killed his idol, Tao PaiPai.
Will the original Turned Good but wholly underutilized side character survive Goku's impending fury or can the situation be defused in time?
What has come of Pilaf? Without the Fortune Teller Baba Saga to prompt him, has he found King Piccolo or is he still chasing the 5 balls that, last checked, were well out of his reach?
Find out next time on Dragonball, What If: Goku Was Like The Hulk.