Dragon Ball Next Generation
The Grey Saga
Part 2: The Sacrifice
Chapter 3
I stood at the edge of Heaven, looking downward. It was so high... my head began to spin. My stomach twisted its self into a knot. I was going to attempt to jump out there. Well, I thought, at least I'll have a while to fall.
"Need help?" I heard a voice ask innocently behind me. Kargo.
"By help, do you mean throwing me off the edge... again?" I asked, not looking behind me. I heard him grunt.
"Fine, but don't expect me to catch you this time." He said. I could hear his footsteps as he walked away. Probably to join Dende and Mr. Popo, watching me in some undisclosed location, waiting to see if I failed.
I sighed and began to concentrate. I tried to clear out my mind, to put the anxiety of almost literally jumping off the edge out of my mind. I tried to feel my ki, tried to bring it out. I began to mouth out the Kamehamehe, trying to remember what it felt like. I could feel it, and slowly, it was coming. I "pushed" it downward. I felt my feet slowly leave the ground, my heels first, and slowly, my toes as well. Inwardly, I smiled. After two grueling weeks of meditation and excising, I was finally controlling my ki!
Too late, I felt another presence behind me. Each person's ki has it's own "finger print", and with training, you can feel it and use it to identify who that person is. That, and the sheer amount of ki the presence was emitting, there was no mistaking who was behind me. Kargo. Shit.
I managed to let out a quick yell of protest as I felt his powerful arms lift me up.
"This is the best way to learn." He said, and then sent me hurtling downward. I screamed as I tumbled, my ki forgotten, the only thing on my mind was my inevitable doom. Damn Kargo. What does he think he's doing? My ki began to rise with my anger. I'll show him... I swear before I die, I'll put him in his place.
"DAMN YOU!" I screamed, as my ki suddenly exploded. By the time I realized what had happened, I was suspended in the air, a white aura of ki rolling around my body. My amazement disappeared as I grinned.
I flew back to Heaven, spotted Kargo, and landed a few feet in front of him, doing a little flip for effect. He looked at me and my grin faded.
"It's about time." He stated, and then walked off. I wanted to fly up to him, and pummel him. I wanted him to look at me in amazement, rather then boredom and apathy. I wanted his respect. Apparently, my thoughts were not well concealed.
"Don't worry about Kargo, that's just his way." Dende said, coming up to me. I turned to face the god.
"Can't you do anything? I mean, he's your son." Dende shook his head.
"I can, but I won't. Kargo is a warrior, and I'm a healer. He knows how to bring out the best in you, even if it is a little extreme. I promise he won't do anything that would seriously hurt you. We need everyone for the invasion, and Kargo knows it." He explained. "Perhaps he spent too much time with Vegeta." He said, almost to himself.
"Kargo knew Vegeta!" I exclaimed. "But, didn't Vegeta die around a hundred years ago?" Dende nodded again.
"Yes. Living here gives you a somewhat longer lifespan. I myself have lived over 5 generations of my people." He said. He sounded a little resentful.
***
I went through more training like that. I meditated with Dende, learning to feel and control my ki to a greater extent. Mr. Popo instructed me in more advanced melee techniques, and I learned to limit my movement, and control the energy I used when I moved.
Then, Kargo would take time out of his training to train/pummel me. With him, I mastered the Air Dance Technique to the extent that it was almost second nature. Fighting in the air is very different and much more complicated then fighting in the ground. You must always keep your mind on your ki, or else you fall. Momentum is used differently to fly and maneuver, and stopping yourself before you hit the ground after being hit is difficult. But I learned.
I always dreaded training with Kargo. But, at the same time, I cherished his training far more then anyone else's. With Kargo, I broke through pain barriers, and pushed myself harder then I though I could possible could. Perhaps my Saiya-jin blood was being fulfilled by always being pushed, and overcoming obstacles. Kargo was powerful, and he knew what I needed, even though I hated him for it then.
***
I limped back to my room. I had just finished a severe beating from Kargo, and I was looking forward to some quite meditation. I sat down cross-legged on the floor, as Dende did. I closed my eyes, and tried to quiet my mind.
Meditation can be very different depending on what you want to do. You can "train" while meditating, to a certain extent. You mainly focus on you ki, and do exercises with it. That could range from moving objects, to focusing your ki and holding it for a certain time. While your muscles don't benefit form it, you can gain further mastery over your ki, and thus become stronger. You can use meditation to calm yourself, or to forget about how much pain you happen to be in at the moment. I chose the latter.
I emptied my mind, letting the pain and fatigue I felt drift past me. I focused on nothing, my mind was almost blank. My breathing slowed, coming to a rhythmic pace a little slower then normal.
I had no idea how long I stayed like that. If you do it right, time seems to slip by. You just don't concentrate on it. Suddenly, I saw something growing in my mind. It was a dim light. Curious, I let it continue, instead of stopping it.
The ball of light grew in my mind. The bigger and brighter it grew, the more I felt drawn to it. The light wasn't comforting, nor was it frightening. But all the same, I desired it. To see it wasn't enough. I needed to feel it, to have it bath me in it's light. It grew and grew in my mind, until the once dull light seemed as bright as the sun. It just wasn't enough. I felt a desire stronger then anything I had ever felt. I had to have it bless me with it's light... it's power.
"I KNEED IT!" I screamed, coming back to reality. I realized I could still feel it, still feel that blessed light. Only, it wasn't in my mind any longer, it was... outside! My pain and fatigue forgotten, I leapt up and sprinted out the door of my room. I pushed past Mr. Popo without even apologizing. I could feel it! It was close!
I arrived outside to see Dende and Kargo already out there. Both were looking up.
There it was! The ball of light I had seen in my mind was above me! I felt almost like laughing.
"What is that father?" I heard Kargo ask.
"It's... wonderful." I stated, more to myself then to Kargo. Both father and son turned, perhaps surprised by my presence, or perhaps by my behavior. I walked forward, brushing past them. The ball seemed to grow bigger as I neared it, as if accepting me. It's light seemed to sink into my skin, giving me power. I was about to start laughing, when suddenly I felt an immense feeling in my back. It wasn't pain, but more like something was growing... trying to get out. Then my world turned dark.
***
I awoke to find myself on my bed. I tried to sit up, but my head swam when I did. I laid back and tried to remember what happened. I could remember meditating, and then seeing a ball of light... but everything after that was a blank.
I heard footsteps outside. Dende, Mr. Popo, and Kargo entered without knocking. I was shocked by Kargo's appearance. His clothes were badly torn, and he was covered with burn marks and bruises.
"What happened? Was there a fight? What was that ball of light? How long was I unconscious?" I asked the questions in rapid order, finding that my strength was returning. Kargo scowled at me.
"Oh yes, there was a fight..." he said, then trailed off, as if leaving me to fill in the pieces. I gave him a blank look.
"Celic, do you remember anything?" Dende asked.
"I remember seeing a ball of light, that's it." I said.
"Do you know that you created it?" He asked.
"I did!" I could remember seeing it in my mind, but... I would have remembered making something like that. I told Dende so.
"Celic, that ball of light is a technique that the Saiya-jin used. Piccolo told me about it, before he died in the second destruction of Earth..." He trailed off, having remembered a memory he hadn't wanted to bring up. "That ball emits light similar to a full moon. Any Saiya-jin with a tail would transform into a giant ape, called Oorazu, upon seeing it." He explained.
"But, I don't have a tail." I said. All three gave me a look that said they knew better. I felt my heart sink. I pulled up the blanket and looked under.
"Holy shit!" I screamed, and jumped out of the bed. A long, furry, monkey- like tail followed me. I stared at it for a moment, completely unbelieving of what I was seeing. I had a... tail. It was absurd. Suddenly, I realized that I wasn't wearing any clothes, and quickly jumped back into the bed, covering myself with the blanket. If the others were embarrassed, they didn't show it.
"So, how did I turn back?" I asked, after regaining my composure.
"Kargo destroyed the ball of light." Dende explained. I turned to Kargo, looking at his wounds.
"But, you're so powerful, that shouldn't have been a problem for you." I stated. Kargo growled.
"It wouldn't..." he said, then turned to his father "if you hadn't stopped me from cutting off his tail!" He said, then stormed out of the room.
"You caught Kargo off guard with an attack, and I guess he's upset about it." Mr. Popo said.
"But, an attack from me shouldn't have been any problem for Kargo." I said.
"Ordinarily, no. But, in the transformed state, a Saiya-jin's power increases tenfold." Dende explained.
"Why didn't you let Kargo cut off my tail." I said. I would have considered it a favor.
"Your tail is a link to your Saiya-jin heretage." He said. "It gives you a connecting to your ancestors."
"So, you mean, it makes me more like Goku, right?" I said. "I am getting tired of everyone constantly comparing me to my ancestors. I'm my own person, not some reincarnation of some dead warrior." Dende's face fell.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I think it's important that you keep the tail. You have Earth to remind you of your human heretage, and you could easily forget what you are. That would be like forgetting who you are, but it's your choice." With that, he pointed his finger at me. A light shot out and wrapped around me, and when it disappeared, I had a new set of clothing, complete with a hole for my new tail.
"Excuse me," he said, "I should probably see if Kargo want's me to heal him." And then he left, leaving me feeling both angry and guilty. I struggled to get out of bed; the new clothes seemed twice as heavy. I decided to got outside and work off some frustration.
As soon as I walked outside, my heart sank. Trees were uprooted and scattered around the place. Half of the roof was torn out, or crumbling as I watched. There were huge footprints embedded in the tile. My guilt doubled as I looked around.
I knew the trees were a heavy loss to Dende. They were native to Namek, and reminded Dende of the planet he once called home. I knew that, for all the love he had of Earth, he got homesick for Namek. Perhaps that's why he named his son after his brother.
I could feel Dende's ki as he healed Kargo, and I turned and walked toward it, intent on apologizing to both of them. When I reached them, Dende was just about to leave, and Kargo had begun to meditate. Both turned to me.
"I... I'm really sorry... about the damage, and hurting you..." I said, and trailed off as Kargo shot a menacing glare at me, his ki growing steadily. Dende seemed in a better mood.
"I don't blame you. Without proper training, Saiya-jin have no control once they transform." He said. His voice sounded sincere. "And don't worry about the damage. This place has a spell cast on it, and it will regenerate its self. In a few weeks, it will be as good as new." I thanked him and left. Despite what the said, I would feel better if I did everything I could to repair the damage. I decided to start with the trees.
***
Never had I been so scared. Well, that's not true. I was plenty scared in Satan City. I guess, I was apprehensive. You don't need the truth, I told myself, you've gone on so far without it. Why now? I couldn't answer myself; I just knew I needed it. I needed the truth.
It had been almost three months since the Oorazu incident. True to Dende's word, Heaven was in perfect shape a couple of weeks afterward. I hadn't transformed since then, both afraid of what I might do, and still a little guilty. My relationship with Kargo had been strained for a while, but we had resumed our old "friendship" a while back.
All in all, I realized Kargo wasn't all that bad. Sure, he was tough, and loved to beat the shit out of me, but it was because he knew I would get stronger from it. I realized that he, just as I, was scared of the threat coming to Earth. Because of that, we shared a bond. The bond that only two warriors can have. We weren't rivals, but we weren't really friends. But, lucky for me, as time had passed, it leaned more toward the latter. Yet, he wasn't as wise as Dende, which was why I was going to see him.
I found him standing on the edge as he almost always when he wasn't training me or drinking (Nameks don't eat, they get all their nutrients from water). Being Kami, he could see anywhere on Earth from that vantage point. Or, at least I hoped so.
Butterflies flew around in my stomach as I neared him. I need the truth, I need the truth, I need the truth. I kept repeating it to myself, over and over, with each step. As long as each step had a purpose, I could continue walking.
"Dende?" I asked, drawing his attention.
"Oh, Celic, what do you need?" He asked. I took a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak.
"I... I want to know about my parents." I blurted. Dende didn't look all that surprised.
"Yes, I can tell you about your parents. I've followed all the lives of the descendents of my friends very closely. But, are you sure you want to know? Sometimes the truth can be hard. Why do you want to know?" he asked.
"I... I've been an orphan my whole life." I said, even though I was still asking myself the same question. "I've never really thought about my family before, because I've never had one. Others at the orphanage, they knew their parents, for a while at least. They know where they came from, who, and why. I guess I just want that."
"Very well." He sighed, and began. "First of all, I want you to know that your parents were close, that you were not the product of rape or prostitution." I hadn't really considered that, but I suppose it had been a possibility. "Your father and mother met when they were young, and began dating almost immediately. Your father worked in construction, and your mother worked as a secretary for a loans company, both in Satan City. Things went well, for a while.
"For almost a year, they stayed together. They even considered marriage for a while. But when your father realized that your mother was pregnant, he realized that his feelings for your mother were not as genuine as he thought. He ran left your mother, not wanting to bear the responsibility of fatherhood. After that, things went downhill for her.
"Almost a month later, she got fired from her job. Jobs are scarce in Satan City, and no one wanted to hire a pregnant woman. She had already been late with her rent, and soon she was kicked out of her home.
"She was forced to live on the streets. She begged where she could, and many people showed pity, which is usually a rare thing in Satan City. She was able to sustain herself, as well as you. But, she never had money for proper health care, and the regular checkups that most women receive when pregnant, she did without.
"When she was in her last month of pregnancy, she tripped and fell down a whole flight of steps. She developed a hemorrhage, internal bleeding, in her womb. By the time she walked to the hospital, she was ready to spontaneously abort her baby. Luckily, you were born without complications, strong even at birth. But your mother was not so fortunate. She died of blood loss."
I absorbed all Dende had said. My whole life, my parents had just been people. They could have been someone I met while walking down the street. They had just been ordinary people to me, no more significant then anyone else.
But... my mother was dead. What should I feel? Should I grief? Should I be happy that she didn't willingly abandon me? Dende's voice broke my thoughts.
"When your mother came into the hospital, she was just another woman off the streets to them. She carried no ID, and never told the doctors her name. She only said one thing, constantly. 'Name him Celic'. That was all she would say. She knew you were a boy, without the normal ultrasound. She wanted your name to be Celic. A Saiya-jin name. Somehow, I think she knew. She knew what you would become, and what you were, somehow. She knew, you were destined to be a Saiya-jin warrior, you were destined to be one of the Z senshi."
The Grey Saga
Part 2: The Sacrifice
Chapter 3
I stood at the edge of Heaven, looking downward. It was so high... my head began to spin. My stomach twisted its self into a knot. I was going to attempt to jump out there. Well, I thought, at least I'll have a while to fall.
"Need help?" I heard a voice ask innocently behind me. Kargo.
"By help, do you mean throwing me off the edge... again?" I asked, not looking behind me. I heard him grunt.
"Fine, but don't expect me to catch you this time." He said. I could hear his footsteps as he walked away. Probably to join Dende and Mr. Popo, watching me in some undisclosed location, waiting to see if I failed.
I sighed and began to concentrate. I tried to clear out my mind, to put the anxiety of almost literally jumping off the edge out of my mind. I tried to feel my ki, tried to bring it out. I began to mouth out the Kamehamehe, trying to remember what it felt like. I could feel it, and slowly, it was coming. I "pushed" it downward. I felt my feet slowly leave the ground, my heels first, and slowly, my toes as well. Inwardly, I smiled. After two grueling weeks of meditation and excising, I was finally controlling my ki!
Too late, I felt another presence behind me. Each person's ki has it's own "finger print", and with training, you can feel it and use it to identify who that person is. That, and the sheer amount of ki the presence was emitting, there was no mistaking who was behind me. Kargo. Shit.
I managed to let out a quick yell of protest as I felt his powerful arms lift me up.
"This is the best way to learn." He said, and then sent me hurtling downward. I screamed as I tumbled, my ki forgotten, the only thing on my mind was my inevitable doom. Damn Kargo. What does he think he's doing? My ki began to rise with my anger. I'll show him... I swear before I die, I'll put him in his place.
"DAMN YOU!" I screamed, as my ki suddenly exploded. By the time I realized what had happened, I was suspended in the air, a white aura of ki rolling around my body. My amazement disappeared as I grinned.
I flew back to Heaven, spotted Kargo, and landed a few feet in front of him, doing a little flip for effect. He looked at me and my grin faded.
"It's about time." He stated, and then walked off. I wanted to fly up to him, and pummel him. I wanted him to look at me in amazement, rather then boredom and apathy. I wanted his respect. Apparently, my thoughts were not well concealed.
"Don't worry about Kargo, that's just his way." Dende said, coming up to me. I turned to face the god.
"Can't you do anything? I mean, he's your son." Dende shook his head.
"I can, but I won't. Kargo is a warrior, and I'm a healer. He knows how to bring out the best in you, even if it is a little extreme. I promise he won't do anything that would seriously hurt you. We need everyone for the invasion, and Kargo knows it." He explained. "Perhaps he spent too much time with Vegeta." He said, almost to himself.
"Kargo knew Vegeta!" I exclaimed. "But, didn't Vegeta die around a hundred years ago?" Dende nodded again.
"Yes. Living here gives you a somewhat longer lifespan. I myself have lived over 5 generations of my people." He said. He sounded a little resentful.
***
I went through more training like that. I meditated with Dende, learning to feel and control my ki to a greater extent. Mr. Popo instructed me in more advanced melee techniques, and I learned to limit my movement, and control the energy I used when I moved.
Then, Kargo would take time out of his training to train/pummel me. With him, I mastered the Air Dance Technique to the extent that it was almost second nature. Fighting in the air is very different and much more complicated then fighting in the ground. You must always keep your mind on your ki, or else you fall. Momentum is used differently to fly and maneuver, and stopping yourself before you hit the ground after being hit is difficult. But I learned.
I always dreaded training with Kargo. But, at the same time, I cherished his training far more then anyone else's. With Kargo, I broke through pain barriers, and pushed myself harder then I though I could possible could. Perhaps my Saiya-jin blood was being fulfilled by always being pushed, and overcoming obstacles. Kargo was powerful, and he knew what I needed, even though I hated him for it then.
***
I limped back to my room. I had just finished a severe beating from Kargo, and I was looking forward to some quite meditation. I sat down cross-legged on the floor, as Dende did. I closed my eyes, and tried to quiet my mind.
Meditation can be very different depending on what you want to do. You can "train" while meditating, to a certain extent. You mainly focus on you ki, and do exercises with it. That could range from moving objects, to focusing your ki and holding it for a certain time. While your muscles don't benefit form it, you can gain further mastery over your ki, and thus become stronger. You can use meditation to calm yourself, or to forget about how much pain you happen to be in at the moment. I chose the latter.
I emptied my mind, letting the pain and fatigue I felt drift past me. I focused on nothing, my mind was almost blank. My breathing slowed, coming to a rhythmic pace a little slower then normal.
I had no idea how long I stayed like that. If you do it right, time seems to slip by. You just don't concentrate on it. Suddenly, I saw something growing in my mind. It was a dim light. Curious, I let it continue, instead of stopping it.
The ball of light grew in my mind. The bigger and brighter it grew, the more I felt drawn to it. The light wasn't comforting, nor was it frightening. But all the same, I desired it. To see it wasn't enough. I needed to feel it, to have it bath me in it's light. It grew and grew in my mind, until the once dull light seemed as bright as the sun. It just wasn't enough. I felt a desire stronger then anything I had ever felt. I had to have it bless me with it's light... it's power.
"I KNEED IT!" I screamed, coming back to reality. I realized I could still feel it, still feel that blessed light. Only, it wasn't in my mind any longer, it was... outside! My pain and fatigue forgotten, I leapt up and sprinted out the door of my room. I pushed past Mr. Popo without even apologizing. I could feel it! It was close!
I arrived outside to see Dende and Kargo already out there. Both were looking up.
There it was! The ball of light I had seen in my mind was above me! I felt almost like laughing.
"What is that father?" I heard Kargo ask.
"It's... wonderful." I stated, more to myself then to Kargo. Both father and son turned, perhaps surprised by my presence, or perhaps by my behavior. I walked forward, brushing past them. The ball seemed to grow bigger as I neared it, as if accepting me. It's light seemed to sink into my skin, giving me power. I was about to start laughing, when suddenly I felt an immense feeling in my back. It wasn't pain, but more like something was growing... trying to get out. Then my world turned dark.
***
I awoke to find myself on my bed. I tried to sit up, but my head swam when I did. I laid back and tried to remember what happened. I could remember meditating, and then seeing a ball of light... but everything after that was a blank.
I heard footsteps outside. Dende, Mr. Popo, and Kargo entered without knocking. I was shocked by Kargo's appearance. His clothes were badly torn, and he was covered with burn marks and bruises.
"What happened? Was there a fight? What was that ball of light? How long was I unconscious?" I asked the questions in rapid order, finding that my strength was returning. Kargo scowled at me.
"Oh yes, there was a fight..." he said, then trailed off, as if leaving me to fill in the pieces. I gave him a blank look.
"Celic, do you remember anything?" Dende asked.
"I remember seeing a ball of light, that's it." I said.
"Do you know that you created it?" He asked.
"I did!" I could remember seeing it in my mind, but... I would have remembered making something like that. I told Dende so.
"Celic, that ball of light is a technique that the Saiya-jin used. Piccolo told me about it, before he died in the second destruction of Earth..." He trailed off, having remembered a memory he hadn't wanted to bring up. "That ball emits light similar to a full moon. Any Saiya-jin with a tail would transform into a giant ape, called Oorazu, upon seeing it." He explained.
"But, I don't have a tail." I said. All three gave me a look that said they knew better. I felt my heart sink. I pulled up the blanket and looked under.
"Holy shit!" I screamed, and jumped out of the bed. A long, furry, monkey- like tail followed me. I stared at it for a moment, completely unbelieving of what I was seeing. I had a... tail. It was absurd. Suddenly, I realized that I wasn't wearing any clothes, and quickly jumped back into the bed, covering myself with the blanket. If the others were embarrassed, they didn't show it.
"So, how did I turn back?" I asked, after regaining my composure.
"Kargo destroyed the ball of light." Dende explained. I turned to Kargo, looking at his wounds.
"But, you're so powerful, that shouldn't have been a problem for you." I stated. Kargo growled.
"It wouldn't..." he said, then turned to his father "if you hadn't stopped me from cutting off his tail!" He said, then stormed out of the room.
"You caught Kargo off guard with an attack, and I guess he's upset about it." Mr. Popo said.
"But, an attack from me shouldn't have been any problem for Kargo." I said.
"Ordinarily, no. But, in the transformed state, a Saiya-jin's power increases tenfold." Dende explained.
"Why didn't you let Kargo cut off my tail." I said. I would have considered it a favor.
"Your tail is a link to your Saiya-jin heretage." He said. "It gives you a connecting to your ancestors."
"So, you mean, it makes me more like Goku, right?" I said. "I am getting tired of everyone constantly comparing me to my ancestors. I'm my own person, not some reincarnation of some dead warrior." Dende's face fell.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I think it's important that you keep the tail. You have Earth to remind you of your human heretage, and you could easily forget what you are. That would be like forgetting who you are, but it's your choice." With that, he pointed his finger at me. A light shot out and wrapped around me, and when it disappeared, I had a new set of clothing, complete with a hole for my new tail.
"Excuse me," he said, "I should probably see if Kargo want's me to heal him." And then he left, leaving me feeling both angry and guilty. I struggled to get out of bed; the new clothes seemed twice as heavy. I decided to got outside and work off some frustration.
As soon as I walked outside, my heart sank. Trees were uprooted and scattered around the place. Half of the roof was torn out, or crumbling as I watched. There were huge footprints embedded in the tile. My guilt doubled as I looked around.
I knew the trees were a heavy loss to Dende. They were native to Namek, and reminded Dende of the planet he once called home. I knew that, for all the love he had of Earth, he got homesick for Namek. Perhaps that's why he named his son after his brother.
I could feel Dende's ki as he healed Kargo, and I turned and walked toward it, intent on apologizing to both of them. When I reached them, Dende was just about to leave, and Kargo had begun to meditate. Both turned to me.
"I... I'm really sorry... about the damage, and hurting you..." I said, and trailed off as Kargo shot a menacing glare at me, his ki growing steadily. Dende seemed in a better mood.
"I don't blame you. Without proper training, Saiya-jin have no control once they transform." He said. His voice sounded sincere. "And don't worry about the damage. This place has a spell cast on it, and it will regenerate its self. In a few weeks, it will be as good as new." I thanked him and left. Despite what the said, I would feel better if I did everything I could to repair the damage. I decided to start with the trees.
***
Never had I been so scared. Well, that's not true. I was plenty scared in Satan City. I guess, I was apprehensive. You don't need the truth, I told myself, you've gone on so far without it. Why now? I couldn't answer myself; I just knew I needed it. I needed the truth.
It had been almost three months since the Oorazu incident. True to Dende's word, Heaven was in perfect shape a couple of weeks afterward. I hadn't transformed since then, both afraid of what I might do, and still a little guilty. My relationship with Kargo had been strained for a while, but we had resumed our old "friendship" a while back.
All in all, I realized Kargo wasn't all that bad. Sure, he was tough, and loved to beat the shit out of me, but it was because he knew I would get stronger from it. I realized that he, just as I, was scared of the threat coming to Earth. Because of that, we shared a bond. The bond that only two warriors can have. We weren't rivals, but we weren't really friends. But, lucky for me, as time had passed, it leaned more toward the latter. Yet, he wasn't as wise as Dende, which was why I was going to see him.
I found him standing on the edge as he almost always when he wasn't training me or drinking (Nameks don't eat, they get all their nutrients from water). Being Kami, he could see anywhere on Earth from that vantage point. Or, at least I hoped so.
Butterflies flew around in my stomach as I neared him. I need the truth, I need the truth, I need the truth. I kept repeating it to myself, over and over, with each step. As long as each step had a purpose, I could continue walking.
"Dende?" I asked, drawing his attention.
"Oh, Celic, what do you need?" He asked. I took a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak.
"I... I want to know about my parents." I blurted. Dende didn't look all that surprised.
"Yes, I can tell you about your parents. I've followed all the lives of the descendents of my friends very closely. But, are you sure you want to know? Sometimes the truth can be hard. Why do you want to know?" he asked.
"I... I've been an orphan my whole life." I said, even though I was still asking myself the same question. "I've never really thought about my family before, because I've never had one. Others at the orphanage, they knew their parents, for a while at least. They know where they came from, who, and why. I guess I just want that."
"Very well." He sighed, and began. "First of all, I want you to know that your parents were close, that you were not the product of rape or prostitution." I hadn't really considered that, but I suppose it had been a possibility. "Your father and mother met when they were young, and began dating almost immediately. Your father worked in construction, and your mother worked as a secretary for a loans company, both in Satan City. Things went well, for a while.
"For almost a year, they stayed together. They even considered marriage for a while. But when your father realized that your mother was pregnant, he realized that his feelings for your mother were not as genuine as he thought. He ran left your mother, not wanting to bear the responsibility of fatherhood. After that, things went downhill for her.
"Almost a month later, she got fired from her job. Jobs are scarce in Satan City, and no one wanted to hire a pregnant woman. She had already been late with her rent, and soon she was kicked out of her home.
"She was forced to live on the streets. She begged where she could, and many people showed pity, which is usually a rare thing in Satan City. She was able to sustain herself, as well as you. But, she never had money for proper health care, and the regular checkups that most women receive when pregnant, she did without.
"When she was in her last month of pregnancy, she tripped and fell down a whole flight of steps. She developed a hemorrhage, internal bleeding, in her womb. By the time she walked to the hospital, she was ready to spontaneously abort her baby. Luckily, you were born without complications, strong even at birth. But your mother was not so fortunate. She died of blood loss."
I absorbed all Dende had said. My whole life, my parents had just been people. They could have been someone I met while walking down the street. They had just been ordinary people to me, no more significant then anyone else.
But... my mother was dead. What should I feel? Should I grief? Should I be happy that she didn't willingly abandon me? Dende's voice broke my thoughts.
"When your mother came into the hospital, she was just another woman off the streets to them. She carried no ID, and never told the doctors her name. She only said one thing, constantly. 'Name him Celic'. That was all she would say. She knew you were a boy, without the normal ultrasound. She wanted your name to be Celic. A Saiya-jin name. Somehow, I think she knew. She knew what you would become, and what you were, somehow. She knew, you were destined to be a Saiya-jin warrior, you were destined to be one of the Z senshi."