Author's Note: Heh, been awhile since I've updated this. Been busy, and
what not but hey. For any of you keeping up with this story, I'll try and
update a bit more regularly. =)
Darker Essence: An Alternate Universe
Chapter Five: Aftermath
Krillin surveyed the carnage of the landscape that was decimated from the fight. What had once been a lush wilderness was now a landscape of craters, burn marks, and crumbled stone. The silence was overpowering. Goku was dead, his body having just. disappeared into nothingness, and now it seemed that Piccolo was going to destroy the world. Krillin looked at his two companions appraisingly. Bulma seemed just as shocked as him, motionless save the occasional sniffle, which couldn't be helped. Master Roshi's expression, despite being mostly hidden by his sunglasses, looked thoughtful as he leaned heavily on his staff.
"What are we going to do now?" Krillin asked, his voice wavering noticeably despite his best efforts.
"I think. I think the situation may be salvageable." Roshi said quietly.
"What do you mean salvageable?" Krillin all but blurted out, "You mean you have a plan Master Roshi?"
"Yes, perhaps. I shall have to speak with Kami." Roshi said before nodding, "Bulma, can you take us to his lookout?"
Bulma gave an affirmative, and the trio started making their way to the yellow Capsule Corp jet.
"You mean I'm going to get to go to Kami's Lookout?" Krillin asked, showing a glimmer of excitement despite the current situation.
"Yes of course." Roshi said, "You're going to be a big part of my plan."
By this time they were settled in the jet, and heading skyward to the lookout.
~~~
Piccolo smirked as he tossed the unconscious child down. He had been flying for sometime, until he had reached a remote island that he frequented as a training ground. The conditions were harsh for one who wasn't prepared, as the weather was erratic, ranging from massive thunderstorms to sunny days, the wind going from a gentle breeze to hurricane force winds in a matter of hours. Of course the humans had avoided the place altogether, which made it an even better place. "Nap time's over boy." Piccolo said with a wicked chuckle, as he kicked the young prodigy none too gently in the side. It was another kick before the boy's eyes had finally shot open and he scampered back, his eyes wide with fear.
"Mister P..Piccolo." Gohan stammered out, the fright in his voice obvious.
Rather than acknowledge the boy, Piccolo simply grabbed the hat with the four star dragonball on it, severing the orb from it before nonchalantly tossing the hat into Gohan's lap. Gohan whimpered something to the effect of that being his.
"Oh?" Piccolo said, "Anytime you want your precious dragonball back, feel free to try and take it runt."
"My daddy. he'll get you.." Gohan whined.
"Your daddy is dead, and will never come back boy." Piccolo cruelly bit out. "It's pathetic how weak you are."
Gohan, bit down on his hat, in an effort to hold back his tears, as he fearful gazed up at the green demon for several silent moments.
"I want to go home." Gohan finally said.
"You will never see your so called home or your parents again, you will address me as Master Piccolo from this moment on, any disobedience on your part will be punished promptly, do you understand?"
Gohan just nodded before saying letting out a whimper that sounded like a yes. Piccolo snarled, before backhanding the child sending him to the ground.
"'Yes Master Piccolo' is the proper answer." Piccolo said in a threatening tone.
"Y..yes M..master Piccolo" Gohan finally stammered out before several fresh tears ran down his cheeks. They would not be the last.
~~~
Bulma had just landed the CC jet on the lookout. Krillin had to give the bulky plane credit; there were few jets that could reach the lookout. The entire trip had been filled with silence; Master Roshi had not offered any more details about his plan, despite Krillin's polite inquiries. The trio exited the plane, and were greeted by a corpulent gypsy looking fellow. Remembering Goku's stories about his training up here, he assumed this must be Mister Popo. This thought was confirmed when Roshi greeted him by name.
"Yes good afternoon Master Roshi, Kami has been expecting you." Mr. Popo had said. That was all that was said as Popo led them to the edge of the lookout where Kami was standing, gazing down at the clouds and beyond them the surface of the Earth. The green guardian stared down at the planet for several long moments before finally turning to the small crowd before him.
"This has been a most grave day." Kami had said, "If only Goku had listened to me at the Budokai then this might have been avoided."
"Kami. I need the denshi jar." Roshi said plainly, "I believe it's our best chance to defeat Piccolo"
The elder guardian regarded Roshi quietly before shaking his head.
"No, Piccolo is far too strong to be sealed within the denshi jar. Do you not recall our last two attempts to use the Mafuba to seal the Demon King?" Kami reminded him, "When you tried sealing the elder Piccolo Diamiou, who was many times weaker than his spawn is now, he was able to escape the winds, and you died. And when I tried sealing Piccolo during the last tournament, Piccolo easily escaped, and furthermore managed to turn reverse the attack, nearly sealing me in the jar. Piccolo's probably expecting it, he knows of it, he can counter it. Attempting it again would simply be a waste."
Krillin shuddered at that. Kami himself losing hope? Were things that bad? Krillin remembered seeing the Mafuba during the last Tenkaichi Budokai, an attack that nearly destroyed the stadium and still Piccolo easily managed to turn it against Kami.
"Well. we could get the dragonballs, wish back Goku." Bulma suggested "After all, you two said Goku was winning most of the fight, and that Piccolo stabbed Goku in the back."
"Bulma, Piccolo has one of the dragonballs. He's not likely to give it up without a fight." Roshi said, "A fight, at this point, we would not be able to win."
"There is only one way to stop the demon that I created." Kami stated, before glancing at the three humans before him, meeting each of their gazes, "Piccolo and I share the same life force. To kill him is to kill me. To kill me. would kill him. I, who am responsible for this great evil, must die."
~~~
Will Gohan manage to cope under his new master? Will Goku be wished back? Will Kami kill himself to stop Piccolo? Find out next time. =)
Darker Essence: An Alternate Universe
Chapter Five: Aftermath
Krillin surveyed the carnage of the landscape that was decimated from the fight. What had once been a lush wilderness was now a landscape of craters, burn marks, and crumbled stone. The silence was overpowering. Goku was dead, his body having just. disappeared into nothingness, and now it seemed that Piccolo was going to destroy the world. Krillin looked at his two companions appraisingly. Bulma seemed just as shocked as him, motionless save the occasional sniffle, which couldn't be helped. Master Roshi's expression, despite being mostly hidden by his sunglasses, looked thoughtful as he leaned heavily on his staff.
"What are we going to do now?" Krillin asked, his voice wavering noticeably despite his best efforts.
"I think. I think the situation may be salvageable." Roshi said quietly.
"What do you mean salvageable?" Krillin all but blurted out, "You mean you have a plan Master Roshi?"
"Yes, perhaps. I shall have to speak with Kami." Roshi said before nodding, "Bulma, can you take us to his lookout?"
Bulma gave an affirmative, and the trio started making their way to the yellow Capsule Corp jet.
"You mean I'm going to get to go to Kami's Lookout?" Krillin asked, showing a glimmer of excitement despite the current situation.
"Yes of course." Roshi said, "You're going to be a big part of my plan."
By this time they were settled in the jet, and heading skyward to the lookout.
~~~
Piccolo smirked as he tossed the unconscious child down. He had been flying for sometime, until he had reached a remote island that he frequented as a training ground. The conditions were harsh for one who wasn't prepared, as the weather was erratic, ranging from massive thunderstorms to sunny days, the wind going from a gentle breeze to hurricane force winds in a matter of hours. Of course the humans had avoided the place altogether, which made it an even better place. "Nap time's over boy." Piccolo said with a wicked chuckle, as he kicked the young prodigy none too gently in the side. It was another kick before the boy's eyes had finally shot open and he scampered back, his eyes wide with fear.
"Mister P..Piccolo." Gohan stammered out, the fright in his voice obvious.
Rather than acknowledge the boy, Piccolo simply grabbed the hat with the four star dragonball on it, severing the orb from it before nonchalantly tossing the hat into Gohan's lap. Gohan whimpered something to the effect of that being his.
"Oh?" Piccolo said, "Anytime you want your precious dragonball back, feel free to try and take it runt."
"My daddy. he'll get you.." Gohan whined.
"Your daddy is dead, and will never come back boy." Piccolo cruelly bit out. "It's pathetic how weak you are."
Gohan, bit down on his hat, in an effort to hold back his tears, as he fearful gazed up at the green demon for several silent moments.
"I want to go home." Gohan finally said.
"You will never see your so called home or your parents again, you will address me as Master Piccolo from this moment on, any disobedience on your part will be punished promptly, do you understand?"
Gohan just nodded before saying letting out a whimper that sounded like a yes. Piccolo snarled, before backhanding the child sending him to the ground.
"'Yes Master Piccolo' is the proper answer." Piccolo said in a threatening tone.
"Y..yes M..master Piccolo" Gohan finally stammered out before several fresh tears ran down his cheeks. They would not be the last.
~~~
Bulma had just landed the CC jet on the lookout. Krillin had to give the bulky plane credit; there were few jets that could reach the lookout. The entire trip had been filled with silence; Master Roshi had not offered any more details about his plan, despite Krillin's polite inquiries. The trio exited the plane, and were greeted by a corpulent gypsy looking fellow. Remembering Goku's stories about his training up here, he assumed this must be Mister Popo. This thought was confirmed when Roshi greeted him by name.
"Yes good afternoon Master Roshi, Kami has been expecting you." Mr. Popo had said. That was all that was said as Popo led them to the edge of the lookout where Kami was standing, gazing down at the clouds and beyond them the surface of the Earth. The green guardian stared down at the planet for several long moments before finally turning to the small crowd before him.
"This has been a most grave day." Kami had said, "If only Goku had listened to me at the Budokai then this might have been avoided."
"Kami. I need the denshi jar." Roshi said plainly, "I believe it's our best chance to defeat Piccolo"
The elder guardian regarded Roshi quietly before shaking his head.
"No, Piccolo is far too strong to be sealed within the denshi jar. Do you not recall our last two attempts to use the Mafuba to seal the Demon King?" Kami reminded him, "When you tried sealing the elder Piccolo Diamiou, who was many times weaker than his spawn is now, he was able to escape the winds, and you died. And when I tried sealing Piccolo during the last tournament, Piccolo easily escaped, and furthermore managed to turn reverse the attack, nearly sealing me in the jar. Piccolo's probably expecting it, he knows of it, he can counter it. Attempting it again would simply be a waste."
Krillin shuddered at that. Kami himself losing hope? Were things that bad? Krillin remembered seeing the Mafuba during the last Tenkaichi Budokai, an attack that nearly destroyed the stadium and still Piccolo easily managed to turn it against Kami.
"Well. we could get the dragonballs, wish back Goku." Bulma suggested "After all, you two said Goku was winning most of the fight, and that Piccolo stabbed Goku in the back."
"Bulma, Piccolo has one of the dragonballs. He's not likely to give it up without a fight." Roshi said, "A fight, at this point, we would not be able to win."
"There is only one way to stop the demon that I created." Kami stated, before glancing at the three humans before him, meeting each of their gazes, "Piccolo and I share the same life force. To kill him is to kill me. To kill me. would kill him. I, who am responsible for this great evil, must die."
~~~
Will Gohan manage to cope under his new master? Will Goku be wished back? Will Kami kill himself to stop Piccolo? Find out next time. =)