"I can't believe you did that to Oolong!"
"He has to learn one day, I mean it's been how long now? Ten years? And he is still soooo etchi. Still, I didn't mean to hurt him THAT bad. Well, he'll be OK..." Raimi chuckled. She couldn't really blame him, their bikinis were the smallest they could find, and barely seemed adequate for a six-year-old, much less two curvy grown women. Bulma chuckled, still relishing the sight of Oolongs punishment for touching her; he hadn't dared to touch Raimi, but that hadn't saved him from Raimi's wrath!
"Raimi, is Yamcha doing well?" Pu'ar said. Raimi filled them in as best she could about how the guys were doing. She knew barely any more than they did. Then she remembered her presents for them. She went inside, and came out with a capsule in hand.
"Oh, what, how did you know you could bring things back from there?" Bulma asked. Raimi had given her the short explanation of her training and where it had taken place during lunch. Raimi now told her about the medallion she had found on her first excursion.
"It came back with me, and I realized that I could bring other things too. I felt I owed everyone something, and also that Vegeta-sei owed US. So..." She pressed the button to open the capsule, and waited as the storing gas cleared. The case was as large as a suitcase, and she opened it so the others couldn't see into it. She pulled out a long bottle shaped like a dragon and handed it to Pu'ar. The cat squealed as she took it from her, looking at its lovely dark green color.
"Your talent isn't singular to this planet. Others can do the same on other planets. This is a potion that causes you to be able to hold a transformation for up to an hour, instead of five minutes. You need a five minute recharge, but I though you might like it, and be able use it one day!" Raimi explained. Pu'ar burst into tears, and hugged Raimi gratefully. Bulma was surprised to hear of such a solution. She'd take some to her dad for reproduction; it could be useful, and profitable too. Raimi had reached into the case again.
"Here, Roshi, this is an ancient text on Martial Arts; it's written in Galactic Standard, but I can translate it for you soon enough." The book was very thick, bound in leather, and looked very old. Roshi took it, and thumbed through it, instantly impressed by the illustrations, many of which showed movements and poses he knew. He thanked her sincerely, and went into the house where he could still peek out at them to look through it. Oolong came up; hands out like a blind man's as he tried to not bump into them.
"Uh, did you get me something?" He asked sheepishly. Raimi patted his chubby shoulder.
"Of course I did, Oolong. You won't be able to see it for awhile, but here," She said sweetly, and gave him a box similar to Yamcha's holo of Bulma. "It plays a little movie of a, well, you'll see." She laughed; sure he'd know it backwards and forwards soon. He'd probably have to fight off Master Roshi for it!
"What did you get me?" Bulma asked, excited. Raimi had gotten them all things that were appropriate to their personalities. What had Raimi gotten for her?
"Bulma, this is something you won't need for a little while, but still... I got it from the Queen of Vegeta-sei. It's the wedding dress of the Queen that came before her. They were friends...she wanted me to have it, but I'm so small. It should fit you. You will get married one day, you know!" She handed her friend the box containing the dress. Bulma stared at Raimi instead and began to cry. Raimi was baffled for a moment, then realized what was wrong. Bulma had lost hope about ever getting married. Raimi had just told her she would and she was so relieved about it that she was crying for happiness. Raimi held her friend and chuckled.
"Come now Bulma, it's Ok! I swear it's true, and you'll be happy, I promise." She said softly, glad she could give her this small spot of peace in what was soon to be a nightmare of pain and death. Of everyone who had a loved one going to the field where the battle would take place, Bulma was destined to suffer most. Raimi couldn't prevent it, and might even end up a casualty herself. Like her friends and Bulma herself, she would do what she must. It was all they could do.
By the time Raimi went back to the Lookout, she and Bulma were fast friends. Pu'ar and Roshi were close to her as well, though as a woman, she couldn't get that close to Oolong; his hentai mind made it impossible. Still, she felt good about life again, and she was ready to train as well. Yamcha greeted her first, blushing as he thanked her for the Holo-box of the dancing girl. She laughed and followed him to the rest of the gang.
"Are you feeling better, Raimi?" Kami-sama asked smoothly. Raimi knew that tone. That was the tone Kakarrot used before giving her a particularly nasty task to perform. She stood straighter and nodded.
"Yes, Kami-sama, I'm feeling much better. What can I do for you?" He dipped his head, understanding that she knew what his tone meant.
"Yamcha and the others want to know what they are going to face. They want you to tell them what you can about Saiyans, and the two coming in particular." He said, his voice commanding. Raimi stared up at him, her eyes hard. She understood the order, but didn't like doing it. She wasn't sure how much was safe to tell. She turned away, and walked to the edge of the platform, looking down at Chikyu below. The men watched her, curious about what she'd say.
"Saiyans are the biggest joke the Universal Gods ever played." Raimi said softly. They looked at each other in wonder. What was she talking about? She looked up at the first stars, barely visible in the twilight.
"Saiyans are the most perfect expression of destruction ever created. We are born stronger than almost every race, and there is no limit to our power, which you will see in the years to come. Goku will...well never mind, you'll see that for yourselves.
"We heal faster than humans; we age far slower than other races, and thus have the potential to live longer as well. We are born with not only the ability to fight, but also a battle lust that cannot be denied easily. Even Goku has felt this, and only the strong human conditioning he received from Son Gohan has helped him fight it off. Do you think that Piccolo would still be alive if Goku could have killed him? Don't bet on it." She said, her voice getting colder as she remembered her own battle fury, and the sensation of Potah's neck snapping in her hands.
"But the worst thing, the thing to always remember is that Saiyans have no moral fiber. Never turn your back to a Saiyan. To do so is to be killed. They are taught that life means nothing. Not even their own lives mean anything. They live to fight, and will gladly die if doing so means they destroy their opponents; Kamikaze was a common way for weaker Saiyans to die." The men stared at the back of her head in horror. She was describing monsters, not men; they could hardly believe what she said could be true. Raimi turned around and looked at them evenly.
"We will face two of the most powerful Saiyans ever born; Nappa, Saiyan Elite, and Captain of the whole Saiyan Army. And then there's Vegeta..." She turned away again, and refused to say any more, no matter what they asked of her. She felt she had said too much already.
During the training that followed, Raimi found herself drawn to Yamcha more and more. He was so nice, and so good-looking. She had felt bad about flirting with him at first, but then remembered two things: one, he and Bulma were broken up, by Bulma's own admission, and two, She knew that Bulma and Yamcha weren't going to get married after all, despite all the years they had been together. She relaxed, and let herself enjoy his obvious appreciation of her own good looks. By the time the arrival of the Saiyans was imminent, they were fast friends, and both wanted more. By unspoken agreement, they held off for now. Yamcha wasn't sure that his feelings for Bulma were truly gone or just buried, and Raimi knew that he was destined to be gone for a while after the battle, so it was just as well.
One day, Kami-sama gathered them together, and looked at them critically. Raimi had been back for almost six months, and they all had shown remarkable improvement. Now the old god nodded, pleased with his students. They had all spent time training in the Room of Space and Time, except for Raimi who refused to return to Vegeta-sei, under any conditions. They were all much stronger, faster, and better fighters.
"There is nothing more Mr. Popo or I can teach you. You are free to leave, and prepare for the fight to come as you wish. I'm very proud of all of you." Kami said. They basked in his praise and looked at each other, pleased with themselves. Raimi's little talk about Saiyans had motivated them to work very hard, and she had worked along side them. Her dedication to defending Chikyu was inspiring.
"Hey, can I take this weighted shirt off now?" Yajirobei asked, already pulling it over his head. Kami assured him he could do as he pleased as the others decided that they would keep training, alone and in their own disciplines. They still had some time for improvement, and knew they needed all the help they could get. Later, after the men were gone, Raimi waited for Kami to seek her out. He came up to her and they stood, watching the planet below.
"I've been the Kami for a long time, but I've never felt so helpless to help my planet before. Will they win?" He asked. Raimi shook her head, and took his arm in hers.
"No, they won't Kami-san. Gohan will." Kami turned to her abruptly.
"GOHAN? Goku's son? He will beat them off?" His eyes were wide with shock. "Then what will happen to the others?" Raimi looked down and didn't answer. He lifted her chin and bent over her, reminding her of the long dead King Vegeta.
"What will happen to the others?"
"They will be granted the right to train under Kaio-sama." She whispered. He knew what she meant, and felt cold at the realization.
"And Goku?"
"Goku will survive, barely. As for myself, who knows?" She said softly. Her fear that she wasn't going to survive shadowed her eyes. Kami sighed.
"I know. King Enma knows too. You made an oath to protect Gohan, didn't you?" She nodded. "I know Piccolo will die, so that leaves only you to care for him. You are protected by your oath. Still, I wish you luck, Raimi-san. You should go now, and ready your mind for this fight. Things may not go as you think they will." Raimi frowned at this. Was that a warning? She bowed, and then hugged the old god, and was pleased when he returned the embrace. She turned and jumped off the tower, flying to the west, to Kame-sen'nin's house.
She spent five days there, relaxing with Kurilin, Roshi, and Bulma. They didn't talk about the coming battle, but lay in the sun, and ate tons of food, watching the sunsets, and telling stories about all their adventures when they were young. Sometimes she and Kurilin sparred with each other or Roshi. Finally, Raimi decided to leave, guilt about what she knew making it hard for her to meet Bulma's eyes. She told them she was going to stay by Piccolo, and warned Kurilin that the Saiyans would go there as well, so be ready. He shook her hand, and watched as she flew away.
"I hope everyone will be OK, Kurilin. I really do..." Bulma said.
"Me too, Bulma, me too." His voice implied that he didn't think they would be; Bulma shivered and prayed for the peace she knew they wouldn't find.
