The Soul and The Flesh Part XII "Wow, check it out!" Yamcha said as they filed into the room. He looked around, eyes wide, like everyone else. This was new to them; they hadn't even known this room existed.

"Neato!" Chauzu gasped.
"What is this place?" Tien asked.

"In this room the past, present, and future are mixed. You will start your time trip from here." Mr. Popo explained. "When Goku was with us, most of his training took place in this room."
"Yeah? Goku?" Yamcha gasped.

"That's right. I hope you are ready. Raimi, I need to warn you, the place you are all going to will be very disturbing, but especially for you. You will be confronted with things that will change you very quickly. If you wish to wait we will understand. Do you think you are ready?" She looked at Tien and nodded. He nodded too, backing her up.

"I think we all are. Let's do it!" Tien said, and set Chauzu down.
"Yeah." Yamcha agreed, and smiled encouragingly at Raimi as she looked at him and Kurilin. She could just feel it. Bad stuff was going to happen, and she was probably gonna be the one to suffer most.

"No thanks you guys, I'd rather not. Think I'll have a snack." Yajirobei said, and sat to the side, munching more cookies.

"Those of you who wish to go, step inside the circle please." They walked forward and waited. "Lady and Gentlemen, I can only recommend that you see with your hearts. Now close your eyes. The next time you open your eyes, you'll be in a far off place and a different time. Raimi, you especially should be careful where you are going. I wish you all luck."

Raimi felt a cool breeze wash over her skin and knew that she should open her eyes. She saw a bleak scene; a city in ruins. A tall tower was leaning dangerously, but it still had a beacon light turning at its top, possibly as a warning that had come too late to the city inhabitants. Now it illuminated the devastation around it.

"Where are we?" Chauzu asked.
"I don't know. But there's been some pretty serious fighting going on around here." Yamcha said.
"No doubt. This place is demolished." Kurilin said.
"It sounds like all the fighting has stopped though. Listen..." Tien said. He looked at Raimi's shocked, pale face, wondering what she was thinking.

Raimi felt very odd. She knew this place, felt recognition for it in her bones. She had never been here, but she knew it just the same. Just then a skeleton fell down a pile of rubble behind them, landing at their feet. The skeleton seemed to a Saiyan's, complete with his still furry tail, still dressed in the armor that hadn't been able to protect its wearer. Raimi stared at it, and felt faint.

"Look, a Saiyan!" Yamcha gasped.
"Not anymore..." Kurilin noted. Raimi stepped forward and knelt by the bones. She reached out and laid one hand on it, feeling tears drip down her cheeks.

"Raimi, you okay? What's wrong?" Yamcha asked. She bowed her head and sighed.
"Nothing." She saw a something in its hand, and retrieved it. She stood and looked at it. It was a pendant, with a strange symbol on one side, and writing on the other. She put it in her pocket. Maybe it would go back with them when they returned to their own time.

"Listen. I think I hear something." Tien said. They paused and listened.
"Yes, I hear it too, it's a person, I think..." Raimi turned and looked.

"Nah, it could have been anything." Yamcha said.
"Yeah, but it definitely was something!" Kurilin said nervously. He didn't like the look on Raimi's face. He was hoping she could give him a clue as to what was going to happen; by the expression she wore, it was going to be bad.

"Come on, let's go check this place out." Yamcha said. They prowled around, amazed at all the devastation they were seeing. They paused and looked up at a statue of a huge, handsome Saiyan wielding a sword. Water poured from his feet and down the statue pedestal. To Raimi he looked a lot like Goku. At the foot of the pedestal was a huge pile of Saiyan skeletons. Raimi stood over them, feeling more depressed by the minute. She wanted to be alone and sort out the strange feelings that these bodies caused in her. Too bad she was here for the duration, it seemed.

"Man, what a battle this must have been. Look at all these Saiyans! They must be some tough dudes..." Yamcha exclaimed.
"What's wrong with you Raimi? You seem really upset about these guys..." Kurilin said

"Of course I'm upset! Do you know where we are, and why this place is like this? Do you?" She stood and turned to face them. She looked wild, on the verge of hysteria. "The only Saiyans I've ever seen are Raditz and these dead men! It's rather disturbing to be honest!"

"Oh, what's wrong, the only good Saiyan is a dead Saiyan, from what I've heard. Why are you sad about these guys?" Tien said callously. Her eyes narrowed with cold fury.

"This is my home world, the Saiyan home world, Vegeta-sei! These bodies all over aren't the result of just one big battle. They are the result of many, little, useless battles to see which is the stronger. These men kill each other like animals, and you ask why I'm upset? These monsters are my people, my race! Just look around you, Tien. Doesn't this waste upset you, even though you're from Earth?" She turned away, and stood staring at the ruin, which she could see better than they with her Saiyan eyes. Kurilin walked up to her, and took her hand.

"Hey, it is bad, but we need to learn from this, so we can understand the Saiyans coming to Earth. They must be horrible men if they come from this place! Remember what Mr. Popo said? "You will be changed here, by this." Be strong, Raimi, we need you!" She was trembling, but nodded. He was right, they would definitely learn a lot here.

When they started walking again, they saw a huge building and entered. Raimi hung back from the others, walking slowly. She didn't listen to them talking, but she did hear Chauzu cry out in fear. Her head snapped up, and she saw two ugly Saiyans, one holding Chauzu, baking the boy with his huge Chi. Chauzu was gasping and getting weaker by the second, as steam rose from him. The others were stunned, and tried to gather their power for an attack. The one holding Chauzu tossed him over the edge, into the deep pit beneath the building.
Raimi didn't think; she just ran and jumped after him.