Chapter 4: To Summon a Dragon

Krillin stomach was full of butterflies. He wasn't sure if it was the cold, arrogant posture Vegeta had as he leaned against the ship's wall or the hard, fierce face Piccolo wore as he stared into the mid-air monitor, tapping keys and muttering in Namek. Or maybe it was that he was worried at why Piccolo had brought him to the control room. Probably all three, he thought.

"Namek, do you know where the Dragonballs are yet?" Vegeta snapped, clearly annoyed. Piccolo didn't reply, but he seemed to type faster and mutter a bit more loudly, as if to point out just how much he was ignoring him.

"Lay off, Vegeta. He said he was almost done. A few minutes won't matter." Krillin said.

"Lay off? You want me to lay off!? Every second we waste here is a step closer Freeza comes to getting all the Dragonballs! He already has four! And you want me to lay off!" Vegeta shouted, then spat and closed his eyes as if it took a great deal of effort not to blow up this ship and everyone in it.

"You can shut up now. I've found them." Piccolo said, "Actually, I had already found them, I just had to create a map you could read."

"Why would I need the map? You will take me there."

"No, I won't. I'll be busy getting my own dragonball. We have to split up."

"Wha--Why?" Krillin asked.

"That way, our chances of getting at least one dragonball are that much better. Catch." Piccolo said, before tossing what looked like a wristwatch without the dial. Krillin wondered silently at the fact that Nameks had developed Velcro, the put it in place on his wrist.

"What is this piece of Namek trash?" Vegeta said, holding it with a clenched fist.

"A map. Voice command is Piccolo to open, Daiomo to close. Now, I suggest you get going. Frieza IisI getting closer with each hour we waste hear." And with that said, Piccolo marched briskly out of the room and presumably out of the ship.

"Blast!" Vegeta muttered as he zipped over the watery landscape, "Blast that bloody earthling to the depths of HFIL!" He was still trying to get the move right. At first, he had thought of forgetting about it, moving on to a more useful technique like the Namek's regeneration--But then he had seen that Krillin laughing from the ship! Now he had to master it, if only so he could chop off that earthling's head when the whole ordeal was over.

He put his burnt finger in his mouth as he checked the map, then spit it out--a Saijya-jin does not feel pain! They are above it; even the pain from a squeezed tail was nothing! Unconsciously, he felt around his waist for his tail, his hand only touching his beat up armor. He could still feel where it was, like it was still wrapped around him or flicking gracefully in the wind, but still there was nothing. He was beginning to think it wouldn't grow back.

"Curse every Earthling in this or any other galaxy!!!" He yelled, then bit his lip when he realized they only lived on Earth. He looked down at the map, still open even after his monologue, the icon that was him steadily moving over the green grid; the icon that represented the dragonball staying perfectly still.

He looked ahead to see if there were any buildings visible yet. However, the only thing he saw was a giant stone pillar. He was about to go straight through it, letting off a little steam by leveling a mountain, when he realized this is where the dragonball was. He smiled that little half smile as he spiraled up the pillar. Maybe there would be Nameks up there. And maybe they would resist.

"Guru! Wake up, Guru! There is a stranger outside!" Nail said, gently shaking his master's giant arm.

"A visitor? How delightful...Well, have you not let him in?"

"Guru, he is here for the Dragonball. I think he is one of Frieza's men!"

"Now Nail, you must first answer my question. Then I will here what you have to say. Have you let him in?"

"N-no"

"Well, let him in! And don't worry. I'm sure you will protect me."

Nail was about to reply; in fact the words were nearly out of his mouth. However, they went back down in a gasp as a hole was formed in the ceiling. Along with the debris, a lone warrior fell to the floor.

"Ah, there it is. Now, Namek, fetch me that ball and I might spare your life."

"Do you have need of my dragonball?" Guru asked, staring with his ancient eyes into Vegeta. His voice was the embodiment of naiveté. Has his brain gone soft over the years? Nail thought.

"That doesn't concern you, old man. Now hand it over!" The warrior formed blue energy in the palm of his hand.

"Nail." Guru said, and instantly the Namek was in action. Kicking the back of his hand with a pointed boot, he forced the energy to dissipate. He caught the punch that was thrown at him with his left, then plowed his arm into the warrior's neck with his right, extending it until he heard a satisfying thud against the wall. No one was to mess with his master.

Pain flared in his arm as the warrior hammered his elbow into it, making nail let go and his arm contract. The warrior wasted no time, delivering a blow straight to his mouth. Nail tasted some blood, but he didn't give it any thought.

The warrior jumped back, folding his arms across his chest, "Namek, do you know your dealing with the Prince of the Saijya-jins? There is no way you could win."

"I am Nail. I have been instructed in the way of the warrior since birth. If you continue to try and take the dragonball, or threaten my master Guru, I will kill you."

The warrior unfolded his arms and held a finger in what Nail didn't think was a sign of respect, "Stupid Namek, thinking you can beat a Saijya-jin." The warrior disappeared. Nail shot up into the air on reflex, but the warrior had simply vanished. Nail didn't like this.

"Heh, doesn't even know about phasing; how pathetic." He heard, only a split-second before an elbow rammed into his back. However, he was able to untense his torso so that the blow merely stretched. Still, it felt like a heart was being ripped out. For the first time, Nail wondered if he was strong enough to win. He pushed the tendril of fear back down, then faced the smirking warrior.

Opening his mouth, he focused his ki into a mouth blast. It ripped through his throat a seared his tongue, throat, and the roof of his mouth. He clenched his fists so hard purple blood started coming out. Now he knew why Guru hadn't wanted him to use this technique; one mistake and he fry his skull!

He watched through watering eyes as the blast seemed to float toward the warrior. He saw the warrior's eyes dilated as the blast grew near, trying to evade. However, they both knew this one would connect, and for the microsecond before impact, their eyes met.

Nail could only see hatred.

The moment ended with a white explosion so loud he thought his ears would bleed. After it died down, Nail looked at the warrior, then let out a sigh of relief. The warrior was down, but he was not dead. His blast has seared straight through the warriors armor, and the skin was over his chest was bleeding, but he could see that he was breathing.

"Quickly, bring him to me!" Guru said, so impatient he had a small fit for coughing, "Before he dies. Come on!"

Nail tried to answer, but his throat was completely dry and burned on top of that. Regenerating all the time, he picked the warrior up and placed him in Guru's lap. Nail found he could smirk as he looked at the warrior, now looking like merely a hatchling beside his master.

Guru placed his hands on the warrior's chest, and Nail could see the flows, week but intricate, as they gently wound up the warriors wounds. At one point, they flickered; nearly losing coherence before the master gained control.

"There...Now please, Nail. Remove him; he should be waking soon." Guru said, his strong, deep voice now weak and very tired.

"Of course." Nail said as he complied.

***

Vegeta woke up, carefully keeping his breath moving in the rhythms of sleep. He beat me, he thought, How could a Namek beat a Saijya-jin? How could I now be at the mercy of a Namek!

It made no sense. The Saijya-jins were the strongest race! Even Kakkarot had bested the Namek Piccolo, and he wasn't even in the royal bloodline!

"Master Guru, the warrior has awakened." The small Namek said to the fat one.

"Yes. I know. Now then, do you want to explain why you wish for immortality?" The Namek said, and faced with that knowing, penetrating gaze, the hairs on Vegeta's neck rose.