Tainted Soul

Tainted Soul

Chapter 5: Chaos Descending

By Cremrock

Son Gohan idly picked at a fingernail as the capsule jet, piloted by Kuririn, meandered it's way towards the Tenkai. Sunlight sparkled off of it's brilliant chrome-plated siding, even as the faint blue flame emitted from the vehicle's backside showed a firm indication that the engine was working smoothly. Gohan sighed and watched the puffy clouds go by. It was a brilliant jet, yes, and one that many people could scarcely dream of owning. But it sure wasn't nearly as enjoyable; or fast; as flying was. Gohan sighed again, and Kuririn glanced back at him, echoing the thought Gohan had been having the entire trip.

"It's too slow for you too, right Gohan?"

The child nodded, wishing more than ever at that moment that he could feel the wind rushing through his hair, propelling himself through the air with his own power. Kuririn shrugged and glanced back towards the front, even though there wasn't really anything to glance at. He had set the vehicle to autopilot, and the technology was so sophisticated that it could probably fly itself the whole way. Silence reigned for a few moments, before Kuririn spoke again, having observed the child the whole time.

"You're worried about Piccolo, aren't you?" Gohan didn't respond, merely sighing and looking out the window. Finally partially to be polite, and partially because he was grateful his friend had asked, he nodded, worry etched in his face.

"Piccolo-san is good at hiding his emotions… He told me to try it sometime. How could you tell?"

Kuririn smiled slightly, not wanting Gohan to get the impression that he wasn't worrying about Piccolo himself. "Because that's the exact same look that I get whenever I'm wishing I was strong enough to help Goku." Kuririn placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "It hurts, either not being able to help, whether you don't have the power, or you just don't know where they are. But everything'll turn out okay, you see? What you have to do is just be ready for that time when you can help."

Gohan glanced away from Kuririn's eyes, then looked up slightly and nodded.

"You're right… Arigatou, Kuririn!" The child did not sound fully convinced, but Kuririn decided he would let Gohan dwell on it for a bit. It might just keep him from worrying. He sighed under his breath. And if it didn't, then he could always try again.

He allowed his mind to drift, longing for the sensation to feel the wind rushing past him, rather then having the capsule car continue at it's damningly slow pace compared to their flight.

The "voyage" continued…

---

A faint wind whistled around the Lookout, sounding for all the world like the sigh of a saddened child. On top of the lookout, the only person currently with any semblance of consciousness stood, even as the wind whistled past his ears, driving his state of despair down even lower.

He glanced back where Kami lay, face furrowed in the unmistakable language of pain, though physical or mental, Popo couldn't tell. Around him, the faint wind continued, and he sighed sadly, wondering in the same moment if the planet that Kami was the guardian of could feel his pain and was mourning in much the same way he was.

He glanced at Kami again, and walked over to check his temperature, which was well over the normal temperature for a Nameksei-jin. Popo grimaced. Whatever pain Kami was experiencing, it was beginning to have an affect on his body as well as his mind. That was when he heard the sound. It began as a slight rumbling, although the shaking Popo was experiencing was more of a reaction to the sound rather then an actual physical affect. It slowly began growing louder and louder, as a gust of wind began to tug at Popo's baggy pants, swirling them around his legs as a rush of heated air streamed across his back. Following this, with a faint sound eerily reminiscent of a loud exhalation of breath, the noise diminished until it was nothing more than a faint hum.

That was when Popo turned around, only to find that the Lookout had suddenly gained a new addition, and more importantly, two new visitors, whom he recognized instantly. Both were staring at him, until Popo realized, they weren't staring at him, they were staring behind him. He sighed, low enough that they would not be able to hear, knowing exactly what would happen in a mere sec-

"Mr. Popo! What's happened? Is Kami-sama all right?" Gohan said; no, it was more like a wail. The child, garments flapping in the breeze created by the speed of his own dash, cleared the distance between the capsule jet and where Popo was standing in mere seconds, despite nearly stumbling on his way out the jet. Through this all, his eyes were perpetually focused on one thing; Kami. The focus did not last for long, of course, as tears began to fill the young demi-Saiya-jin's eyes. Gohan glanced up at Mr. Popo furtively, but his voice seemed to have departed; Kuririn asked the question that he knew Gohan wanted to ask.

"Is he… alive?"

Popo nodded solemnly, but Kuririn knew, from the look in the dark skinned servant's eyes, that things were far from all right. Gohan looked up at Mr. Popo, eyes still abrim with tears, but at least he was trying to control himself now. It was selfish, but Gohan tried to stop crying. Mr. Popo nodded to Gohan, understanding what he had feared. For if Kami was dead, then Piccolo was dead as well, accounting back to the time Kami had cast off his evil, which had become Piccolo Diamaou.

Gohan shuddered, trying to regain control of his feelings as he had been forced to so often before. Kuririn was perfectly in command of his emotions though, and didn't see it necessary for Gohan to have to ask the next question, as well.

"Mr. Popo, is Kami okay? What's going on?" Kuririn queried. Mr. Popo glanced mournfully at Kami. He knew as Kuririn had known earlier that Gohan had not been crying necessarily for Kami, but for fear that Piccolo had died, but he found himself wrestling with his own wish to burst into wails and sobs, pausing to collect himself before beginning.

His voice was barely audible; a far cry from his normal voice, and the answer the man gave chilled Kuririn with its simplicity.

"Chaos. After several centuries of peace, in a limited form, chaos has come. Again."

---

As if struck by a thunderbolt, three eyes suddenly snapped open, as it's owner jolted up in the bed and glanced all around, even as Bulma and Chaotzu leapt away from him in shock and surprise.

It wasn't the light shining brightly down upon his face, noticeable even to someone whose eyes were closed. It hadn't been the tiny hands of his best friend clasped over his chest, praying to a currently mind-dead Kami for the safe recovery and healing, that flush of awareness that would prove the life-sign monitors; Which, although bleeping strongly, could always be faulty.

It wasn't even the slight pinch of a robot arm injecting a syringe into the man's, nor Bulma's silent, stubborn hope that he would wake up soon.

No, the man known as Tenshinhan awoke because he was frightened, and though his entire body ached, his emotions, his heart, his soul even, told him that he had to wake up, wake up, or be extinguished. Glancing around at his friends and inhaling slowly, he saw that they hadn't noticed it yet. Or felt it. That much was clear from the joy in his best friend's eyes and pale, clownish face.

A primal fear rose up in him, and rather than acknowledge Bulma and Chaotzu, he glanced aside at the other bed, where Yamucha lay. That was when his instincts stopped taking over, his body and mind's reaction to the power he had felt giving way to his normal stoics and rationality upon spotting the thing he might need the most, an ally. Or rather, an ally that could fight. A moment later he sunk back down, wincing and clutching his abdomen, having been able to ignore the stabbing pain in his moment of adrenaline induced panic.

"Ten? What's wrong?" Chaotzu pleaded, looking worriedly at him, even as Bulma offered him a glass filled with water.

"Can't you feel it?" He grumbled sharply, his voice far more pain, and perhaps ever a hint of anger, filled. That was when Chaozu's eyes shot open, even as the small man began to tremble, whether from fear or a sheer overwhelming of senses, Bulma could not tell.

"My… my God!"

That was when everything went insane, as Yamucha jolted upright with the same look of panic that had previously enveloped Tenshinhan and was now enveloping he and Chaozu. Then, he began thrashing wildly and babbling nonsense, his long black hair billowing in waves around him. He was quite obviously in far greater pain, both physical and nervous, than Tenshinhan had been in.

"Darkness! Th-th-the darkness! That incredible wave of power! Can't you feel it? Power! Pain! The darkness!" Yamucha didn't get in another word, because Tenshinhan, fighting his own pain, grabbed the man by the shoulders, and slapped him across the face, causing him to shriek in pain, even as Bulma gawked at them, alarmed by this strange behavior.

"Dammit Tenshinhan, be more gentle! His whole face was burnt, remember?!"

This had of course been forgotten, as all Tenshinhan could think about at the moment was snapping his friend out of his lunacy, both so that he would not injure himself further, and because, to combat this oncoming rush of power, he would need an ally. Chaozu had already been overwhelmed and had sunk to the floor, unconscious.

"Tenshinhan! Yamucha?! What is it! What's wrong?" Bulma found she had regained her composure, and not being able to sense ki, had no idea why they were acting the way they were.

Both Yamucha and Tenshinhan spun around to glare at Bulma, wide eyed, however, it was Tenshinhan who first spoke, taking charge immediately. There was no time for pain now, there was only time for action, and both Yamucha and Tenshinhan knew this.

"Bulma! Take Chaozu and get out of here now! Go somewhere hidden!" Bulma frowned, picking up Chaozu, and responding with that stubborn glare they all knew so well.

"Why? What's going on? You haven't told me anything yet!"

Tenshinhan cursed inwardly. He hadn't told her anything because there wasn't any time, and because he didn't know anything, except that there was a decidedly evil and powerful ki heading straight for them. Fortunately, Yamucha came to his rescue.

"Bulma, hon… Just go down to the emergency underground shelter, lock yourself in, and summon all the security you can. I promise you I'll tell you everything when everything's okay…" Yamucha said, his voice gentle, but still edged with the tang of the pain of his previous wounds.

Bulma glared, trying to decide whether to stay and demand another explanation or not. A tense moment later, she nodded.

"But don't you go and forget to tell me, got it? You did the same damn thing when you came back to life, an-" Tenshinhan cut her off.

"Damn it Bulma, it's getting closer every second! GO NOW!" Bulma stopped dead in her tracks, glanced down at Chaozu, and looked up. Tenshinhan rarely ever swore, which meant… she spun around and broke off into a dead sprint down the corridor leading away from the medical lab.

Yamucha glanced at his friend, who was grimacing, even as he tensed, ready to call forth whatever ki he could muster. A moment later, he arced his hands upwards, and blasted a hole through the ceiling, flying as well as he could with his broken ribs, and landing on the roof. A second later, Yamucha too, sprung up through the hole and landed next to his friend, both of them gasping for air and wondering just how much of a fight they might be able to put up against this unseen threat.

Yamucha leaned down and rested his blackened left arm across his knees, the bandages around his head already dabbed with fresh blood, even as he glanced at his friend with his one good eye, the other bound tightly, having been tended to after his ordeal in the gravity chamber. "What do we do now, Tenshinhan?"

His friend's response was delivered as if it were an arrow, straight and piercing, even as he began to unwrap the restricting bandages that laced around his back and right arm. "We wait."

They were waiting for chaos to descend.

---

Unaware of the events that were rapidly transpiring on the Earth below them, Gohan and Kuririn stared at Popo in surprise. Kuririn broke the silence first.

"Chaos? Whatever do you mean?" The word chaos hadn't spooked Kuririn. After all, they had dealt with "chaotic" situations before. It was the sense of resignation in Popo's voice already. Popo normally wasn't one to quit, unless… Ah, he understood now. The man's faith in Kami was a belief that no matter what was wrong, he would see to fixing it, that there was always a chance when Kami was around. However, now…

Gohan sat in silence, wanting clearly to question Popo about Piccolo's whereabouts, but knowing they had to know what was going on. Popo glanced at them and sat down, sighing all the while, even as Kuririn regarded him with a questioning look.

"In order to best explain what I mean, I must first tell you of an event that happened to Kami and I in the past." He explained. Kuririn glanced down at the tiled floor, and sat down beside Gohan. Whatever the story was, and whatever the source of this "chaos" was, he knew better than to waste energy by standing.

Popo regarded them. "You do find it easier if you see something with your eyes as well, right? It will save time that way. In that case, close them and clear your mind…" His voice trailed off. Kuririn and Gohan glanced at each other, shrugged, and closed their eyes. They saw nothing at first, until they gradually became aware that they were floating next to each other, standing against a dark, seemingly endless area around them. Yet, they were seeing each other, as well as Mr. Popo, before them, each of them fully illuminated, as if by brilliant sunlight on a cloudless day. Of course, both Kuririn and Gohan, experienced as they were, knew they were really still within their own minds.

A moment later, the blackened void exploded into a bright burst of orange ground, blue water, and lush green vegetation, as they suddenly realized they were standing on Chikyuu-sei.

"Five-hundred years ago, Kami and I were forced to deal with a threat that threatened the very existence of Chikyuu-sei. A great cataclysm, perhaps influenced by magic, perhaps not, shook the afterlife; or more specifically, the gates to hell."

The landscape changed, and Kuririn and Gohan were afforded a view of a very large, suit clad red man wrestling with a gate, which shook and trembled. Kuririn recognized him at once, of course.

"That's Enma-sama, he's the king and judge of all the souls when they die." He whispered to Gohan, as Popo prepared to tell and show the next leg of the tale.

"How do you know that?" Gohan whispered back. Kuririn's eyes narrowed in slight annoyance and pain, as previous painful memories reawoke.

"I've met him twice, remember?" Gohan winced, having momentarily forgotten that his friend had died not once, but twice before. With a commodity such as the Dragonballs on hand, it was chilling to think that many of his friends had passed beyond this frame of existence before…

He rubbed Kuririn's shoulder, which he could still feel and move in the physical realm, proof that they had best be careful with their movements, or they might find themselves suddenly snapped out of the illusion and hurtling towards Chikyuu, far below the Lookout. "Sorry Kuririn-san…" He sighed. Kuririn didn't get the opportunity to inform his friend that it was all right, because a moment later, the image was changing, and both Kuririn and Gohan watched, fascinated.

Enma's knees buckled, and a moment later he fell to the ground as the gate swung slightly open. He managed to hold onto it with one hand and keep it from bursting, even as his demonic attendants tried to assist him, but as Kuririn and Gohan observed, a handful of souls escaped before Enma managed to slam the gate shut and resume his struggle.

"These souls that escaped, fled to the nearest exit possible, for they knew Enma could soon secure the gate, and then bring them back. Their hiding place was here, on Chikyuu-sei."

The three were now standing on the same plain that their view had begun, with a twist, as they watched several long, wispy streaks flying through the air at high speeds in all directions, obviously the souls that had escaped.

"Being evil, and wishing for insurance that they would not be found and captured, they entered the minds of several humans that commanded formidable power. Once there, they very quickly turned them and took over their body's, defeating and binding both their minds and spirits before using their victims' body to inflict horrible deeds." Kuririn and Gohan watched as one such wisp entered a young man meditating in an ornate temple, as his attendants watched on. A moment later, the man leapt to his feet, eyes wide in anger and insanity, attacking the attendant nearest to him and dispatching him effortlessly before throwing another one of his attendants through a wall with inhuman strength, and dashing out into the wilderness.

"Not content with merely remaining in hiding, the humans possessed by these evil spirits began to wreak havoc, and it soon became clear to Kami that we had to intervene. Indeed, it was not long after we had decided upon this course of action when Enma-sama informed us that the souls had to be returned to the Afterlife soon, and if not, then he would be forced to seal the gate without them. They would forever be able to remain in our world. Because of this, there was another threat."

The view ended for a moment, spiraling again into the black void that Gohan and Kuririn had first discovered themselves seeing. Then, they saw before them a green glowing orb, with several orbs circling it in the same pattern, rapidly changing hues from virtually every color imaginable on the visual spectrum. Popo began speaking again, even as a slight "Ahhhhhhhh!" of astonishment escaped from Gohan's lips.

"Let this orb be a representative of Chikyuu-sei. The smaller orbs surrounding it represent the natural flow of ki that we all possess. This if a model of when everything is running smoothly, life is balanced, and the balance is not interrupted by the appearance of variable souls, which by themselves, would have no ki, not being what we would refer to as "alive". Now, watch what happens when an unexpected variable occurs. This has only been recorded as happening when magic is at work, or in the case Kami-sama and I experienced several years ago, when the souls had escaped to our world."

The large green orb shook slightly, and rumbled, before ballooning even larger, enveloping some of the orbs representing ki, sending them shaking and flying around, before contracting again. Then it rumbled again, and stretched out, elongating and again making contact with some of the ki orbs.

"That's it!" Kuririn suddenly shouted, as the image rapidly faded before them, the monk's shout startling Mr. Popo out of his concentration. Gohan turned and glanced at Kuririn, confusion etched onto his chibi-face.

"What's "it", Kuririn-san?" He asked plaintively. Kuririn smiled.

"That's what happened to us, don't you see? You told me you had lost control of your ki while you were flying. I lost it during the accident with the gravity chamber, and we had both lost it when we were trying to get back into the chamber to help Tenshinhan and Yamucha!" He pounded a fist into his hand. "It all fits!"

Gohan eyed Kuririn warily. "So you're saying whatever Popo-san just showed us is what's happening to us? What does that mean? Have souls escaped from the afterlife again, or is magic at work here?" Popo nodded.

"Magic could be at work here as well, but Kami and I only detected the escape of one soul to our world, which puzzled us. After all, it's not like Enma-sama to let a soul escape, and almost certainly, if there was a way to escape from the underworld, surely more than one soul would have escaped." Popo sighed. "It's all a mess, whatever it is."

Kuririn's eyes narrowed. With Son Goku not around, and with Kami-sama out, he was really the only person who could make a decision and lead, at this point, given Yamucha's and Tenshinhan's conditions. "So, what do we have to do to fix this? Do we know where this "Soul" is hiding, or whose it might be?" Popo glanced at Gohan meaningfully for a moment, which unnerved him. Finally, he decided it would be best to explain the method first, rather than shocking the child.

"There are two ways that the soul may be expelled rightfully back to the underworld. The first, and most simple method, is to kill the body. The problem is, that this will end the life of the victim as well, and their soul too will have to enter the Afterlife, where it will be judged in the normal way souls are judged. Of course, the evil soul will not be judged and will be pulled back to the Underworld, where it will usually be sentenced to eternal torment, while waiting to be completely cleansed." Kuririn nodded, hopeful that he wouldn't have to kill whatever innocent was likely being controlled by this soul.

"And the other method? It's not really fair to kill someone just because they were possessed… even if we could resurrect them with the Dragonballs later…" His voice trailed off as he pondered this, before quickly shaking it from his mind. "No, that'll only be the desperate option. No need to use the Dragonballs any more than necessary, and if whomever has been corrupted by this soul has died before, then…"

Gohan knew what Kuririn was thinking, and shared it in silent agreement. He nodded to Mr. Popo. "Yes Popo-san, tell us! What's the other option?"

Popo sighed. "The other option is more complex, but…. It has already failed. If one enters the mind of the victim, they can aid the victim's mind, body, and soul in fighting to regain control, and force the evil soul out, but in this case… I don't think it can be done."

"Why not?" Kuririn asked, narrowing his eyes. That was when Popo finally lost it. He had been trying very hard to be brave, but as he had been continuing, his friends had failed to notice his clenched fist, the sweat droplets coming down his forehead, or his trembling lip. He wailed, before letting loose with his reason, spinning around and dropping down to his knees next to the fallen Kami.

"Because Kami-sama has already attempted to do so, and failed!" He shrieked, tearing his vest in despair and helplessness. Gohan and Kuririn both felt terrible instantly, having realized that they truly had failed to acknowledge the grief Mr. Popo must have been feeling.

Tears welled up in the small man's eyes, even as he attempted to continue. "He… he… entered the mind of the one possessed, and must have b-b-b-been de… de… deafea…" Popo broke off from his attempt, overwhelmed by his emotions. Kuririn and Gohan both felt for the man, because Kami was the cornerstone of his life, his duty, everything. Thought not as intensely saddened, Gohan knew the type of grief that he was experiencing, for he had felt it when they had learned of Son Goku's supposed death, before Dende had piped up and informed them that Porunga could resurrect someone more than once.

Kuririn moved to put his arm on Popo's shoulder, trying to comfort him. "C'mon, Mr. Popo! I understand how you feel… but we haven't lost yet! Kami isn't dead… I'm sure that wherever he is, somewhere, somehow, he can hear you and he's proud of you…" The soothing words had little effect on the man, which surprised Kuririn and Gohan.

"Popo-san, c'mon… it can't be that bad… We're here for you…" Gohan stammered. Though normally positive, the child was still concerned about Piccolo's absence, but hadn't seen fit to ask Popo if he knew anything yet. It simply wouldn't be polite, and this was not the time to discuss Kami's counterpart.

"You… you… you don't understand!" Popo wailed. "Kami-sama attempted to do battle in the mind of the one possessed, and… he told me… he… told me that if he was… defeated and rendered like this… that I should… should… kill him f-f-for the good of the Earth! Because if not… then… then… he will take complete control of the one whose body and soul Kami was aiding, and commit horrible deeds once more!" Kuririn raised an eyebrow and scratched above his mouth, quirking his head at Popo.

"Kill Kami? To prevent an evil from being unleashed upon the Earth? Then that means… that means… the person who's been possessed is…" His eyes widened as the horrible fact dawned on him, and he immediately glanced to the left, where he knew Gohan was standing.

The look of utter disbelief, shock, dread, and fear etched into his companion's face said more then enough. Gohan was an intelligent child. Though Popo's words were filled with confusion, given the man's mental state and his normal backward way of talking, the same words kept repeating in his thoughts over and over.

"If killing Kami can save the Earth and keep the one being possessed from being unleashed, than that means… that means… No…"

"…Pic… Pic… PICCOLO-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

---

Piccolo approached the city, grinning maliciously even as he continued towards his targets, sensing their weak, pathetic ki's with… he hesitated, suddenly, closed his eyes, and concentrated on their ki's again.

"What is this? They're much more powerful then I once knew…" Piccolo spoke aloud, frowning.

"My only frame of reference is when that three-eyed fool was easily defeated by one of my children… I should have expected them to grow more powerful, but not this much, it's more then I could imagine…" A moment later, that thought dawned on him again, as he smiled, sifting through his son's memories. And a moment after that, he knew he had nothing to fear if he was careful. After all, he had also become more powerful than he could ever have imagined.

"Still, it would be best to be cautious…" The grin that had originally blossomed on Piccolo's face returned rapidly, and this time it was even more sinister, as he gripped his cape and began to tear it into shreds.

---

"Nani?" Tenshinhan shouted abruptly, eyes widening in surprise from the focused position they had been in before. Yamucha glanced at him, his voice weak, but the surge of adrenaline that continued to run through their bodies powering him.

"Tenshinhan? What is it?" Yamucha regarded his friend warily.

The larger man frowned, and shook his head. "The evil ki that was coming here, it suddenly… vanished. Stay on your guard, I don't know who or what it is, but perhaps it can mask itself as well as we can. It's almost as if…" Tenshinhan stopped in mid sentence, eyes narrowing as he focused on a black dot high in the sky, slowly growing larger as it plummeted towards them. "What the…?"

"Piccolo?!" Yamucha and Tenshinhan shouted, recognizing the falling figure crashing to the ground before them. He hit the ground hard with a thud, and rolled forward, face up, even as Yamucha and Tenshinhan sprinted towards him, shocked.

Piccolo's face was a mask of pain, smeared with purple blood from unseen wounds, his cape and gi marked with numerous tears and slits in them, even as he seemed to open one eye weakly, focusing on the two of them.

"Yamucha… Tenshin…han… it's… it's up there…" Piccolo raised one clawed, bloodstained hand, and pointed at a spot far in the sky behind them. Both of them spun around immediately, eyes searching as Piccolo seemed to lapse into unconsciousness.

"Where is he, Tenshinhan? I don't see him!" Yamucha yelled, his voice tense, and Tenshinhan nodded his frustration. In their search, they failed to notice Piccolo beginning to silently rise to his feet behind them…

---

Popo sighed wistfully, the wind billowing around him and seeming to agree with him. Kuririn stood in shocked silence, mind already circling with what Kami had entailed. Gohan had maintained enough of his composure to stare at Popo accusingly, his cheeks still stained with tears. Unexpectedly, he asked the question Kuririn had only been preparing to ask.

"Where is Piccolo now?" Gohan asked, sternly. To a child, even one as mature as he, the path was straight and narrow, and in his heightened state of emotional distress, he was going to be brief and to the point.

"What?" Popo asked.

Gohan glared, wishing he could ease his words or his feelings, but he didn't care about being gentle right now. Sadness had been replaced with rage, and determination. Rage that Kami would intone that he be killed, and thus unfairly end the life of his beloved Piccolo, and determination that Popo and Kami were wrong, that there was another way besides death, and besides the way in which Kami had failed. "I'm going to go talk to Piccolo-san, right now."

Kuririn glanced at him, eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you sure that's wise, Gohan? Piccolo's power and body under the command of someone else… You're… none of us is strong enough to really engage him direc-."

"Right now, Kuririn-san." Kuririn was impressed that in his anger, Gohan still could maintain respect for others. It was a rare trait, he thought, and one worthy of an honorable warrior. "There must be another way, and I'm going to find it, talk with Piccolo-san… Now… where is he?"

Popo gulped, taken aback by the fierceness in the child's tone. Finally, he nodded meekly. "I'm sure I'll be able to see him from the edge." The man walked to the edge, and gazed down intently. A moment later he gasped, in shock or surprise, Gohan and Kuririn were not sure.

"What is it, Popo-san? Where is he?" Gohan snapped, voice more fearful than anger-filled, now.

"He's in the main city…" Popo said, dreadfully.

Kuririn read into his tone immediately, his mouth dropping in shock. "The city?! But that's where Bulma and the others are!" And in that dawning, horror-filled moment, he realized what he hadn't been doing. With the speed and ability of one trained as he, he sensed for ki's at once. Not surprisingly, he felt three ki's much larger then normal humans, two of them pulsing now and again, growing weaker. He turned to shout an instruction to Gohan, but the child had already vanished over the edge.

"Kuso!" He snarled, before vaulting off the edge himself. Behind him, Popo stared at the city, still alarmed, and for good reason. The chaos was descending…

---

Underneath the Tenkai, Karin tended his garden, delicately plucking a fifth senzu bean from the tree, and placing it in the small leather bag on the table behind him. He reached around and began to delicately pluck a sixth senzu when he felt a rush of air behind him, the proximity and speed so close that he lost his balance and toppled over, the senzu flying from his hand in one direction, the staff he supported himself with flying in the other.

He twitched a whisker and frowned, shaking his head. The winds were often peculiar at this time of year, even so high, but that had been the first time he had ever experienced anything like that. He chuckled for a moment.

"How invigorating for something new to happen around here," He mumbled, before turning around to check on the table and his bag of senzu. The bag was gone, having disappeared as if it had grown wings and flown off. Then, eyes catching movement, he peered at the table. It shook, ever so slightly, as if something had impacted upon it, and then, stopped moving.

"Curious…" He muttered, before shrugging his white shoulders, and turning around to assess his tree for damage.

---

As he hurtled through the air, Tenshinhan was aware of two things, two intimately close things. The first was that he had suddenly taken a massive, painful uppercut or similar blow to his back. The second awareness was a thought, purely tactical. "Whoever or whatever hit me, he either wants to toy with us, or wishes to capture us…" Tenshinhan knew this, because there was no way an opponent with the power and skill to hit him the way he did would miss or screw-up such an effortless chance at a simple strike to the back of the neck or head and end this battle before it had begun. A moment later he noticed the skyscraper looming up in front of him, and his eyes widened.

Quickly, he managed to focus his ki, and in one rapid burst, propelled himself to narrowly arc over the building. An instant later, he regained his composure in full and spinning around, eyes intently searching for whoever had struck him.

He was still searching when Yamucha appeared at his side, already breathing heavily, from the shock of the blow or from the exhaustion of his previous injuries, Tenshinhan couldn't tell.

The man narrowed his one good eye and voiced the same thought Tenshinhan had. "Did Piccolo hit us?!" Tenshinhan was about to reply when another voice entered the fray, coming from above them.

"Yes, he DID!" Piccolo exclaimed maniacally, already in mid-drop, his long legs angled perfectly to strike Tenshinhan and Yamucha in their chests, before they could do anything but balk in surprise. Both cried out in pain as they hurtled towards the ground; Tenshinhan's scream was louder. Being kicked in a spot where you already had broken ribs had that affect.

The two of them regained their control and brought their arms up in their own respective styles, expecting a counter-attack, but they received none.

Tenshinhan glared up at him, assessing their situation; They were too weak to put up a prolonged fight, and already badly injured. Perhaps they could reason with him. "Piccolo, why are you doing this?" Piccolo glared at them, his evil grin disappearing.

"Don't insult me with that name, it no longer has meaning for me after the disrespect and weakness stamped all over it! Now, you may only call me Diamaou." (That's Demon King for all you dub watchers, Piccolo's father and indeed he himself often were referred to as Piccolo Diamaou… All right, history lesson over… ) Piccolo sneered down at them. And then, he began to laugh, at both their wretchedness, weakness, and of course, his favorite reason. He saw fear in their eyes.

Tenshinhan's eyes widened. He had heard that laugh long ago, back when…

"Why have you betrayed us, Piccolo? What's wrong with you?!" Yamucha shrieked.

"Yamucha, don't, that's not really Pic-" Tenshinhan was cut off in mid-sentence as Piccolo swooped down past him, smashing Yamucha across the face and sending him flying into a nearby building.

"I am NOT PICCOLO!" Piccolo shrieked. "If you dare say that again, your life's extinguishing will be even more painful, understand? I'll tear you limb from li-…" Piccolo stopped talking abruptly as a large chunk of the building collapsed and hurtled towards the sidewalk far below.

Down on the sidewalk, young Katie Klementine, scarcely older then the age of 5, waved to her mother happily, as her mother motioned for her to cross the street again. She had recently learned the proper way of looking both ways to cross the street, and had been quite eager to show off her new found skills. A moment later, her mother's smile vanished and changed to an open mouth, accompanied with a scream. The child noticed the curious shadow accompanying her, and stared up to see the large chunk of concrete rapidly descending… A split-second later, her scream rivaled her mother's on levels of fear and helplessness…

---

Tenshinhan gaped as the block fell, in his position he was neither quick enough to reach the girl, or strong enough to blast it to smithereens. He could only watch, praying to Kami, as…

Piccolo screamed and barreled towards the ground, tattered cape and turban trailing behind him, having already been thrown off to add to his desperate speed…

---

Katie closed her eyes tight, unable to watch the crushing block that was about to become her death, tears streaming down her face…

And jostled by a slight impact she felt in her side before feeling a rush of air accompanying her… Tentatively she opened her eyes, and found her staring into the face of a gently smiling… monster.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" She shrieked, realizing she was not only being held by this monster but flying through the air, wind rushing through her long, auburn hair. A moment later she found herself thrust into her mother's grateful arms.

Katie's mother didn't know what to make of this tall, leering, green man, but he had saved her daughter the only joy in her life, and that was enough for her. "Sankyuu!" She exclaimed!

Piccolo nodded once, still smiling gently… And then his eyes rolled up his head before returning, and his evil grin followed this return. He spoke sharply, and his tone chilled the woman and her child to the bone. "I was careless to let you take control like that, you fool. These cattle aren't worth our concern, I'll show you how to deal with them!" And then, he raised his arm as purple light began to encircle it. Katie and her mother gasped in shock as they began to feel the wash of noticeable heat emanating from where a ball of vicious looking purple hues was forming in the stranger's hand.

"Now die, fools!" Piccolo exclaimed, even as the mother and her child screamed and squeezed their eyes shut, clutching each other… but they felt no heat, only hearing a loud, "OOOOOF!" As their eyes flew open to catch the sight of a young, battered man with a scarred face tackling their rescuer/antagonizer. The man swung his head around at them.

"Get out of here, NOW! Run as fast as you can!" Yamucha exclaimed, even as Piccolo threw him off of his chest and vaulted after him, snarling in defiance and rage.

He was about to strike when he sensed a ki near him, and spun in mid-flight and dived away as Tenshinhan hurtled past him, the bald man's kick missing him by mere inches. Quickly, Piccolo grabbed it before Tenshinhan could recover, and began to swing him around his body, again and again, before letting go and sending his attacker smashing into a building and collapsing it as the man impacted...

Piccolo smiled cruelly, noting that Tenshinhan was not rising from the dust and shattered rubble. He was still alive, of course, he could sense that, but from the extreme weakness of the ki he felt, Tenshinhan would not be breathing much longer, even without further assistance from his capable, death-dealing hands.

He felt Yamucha's ki hurtling rapidly back at his exposed neck, and brought a forearm up with blinding speed, blocking the open-handed chop before grabbing the man's arm with his free hand and swinging Yamucha around into his grasp, arms around the struggling warrior's neck and chest.

Piccolo leaned in close, whispering victoriously in Yamucha's ear, even as Yamucha closed his eyes in resignation, knowing that with any moment, Piccolo would snap his neck. "You and your friend were fools for trying to resist me… But believe me, your friends will soon join you in hell…"

"Piccolo… don't do this…" Yamucha managed to choke. And then, surprisingly, Piccolo obeyed, releasing Yamucha from his grasp. "W…what?" He gazed into Piccolo's maliciously grinning face, accompanied with cruel eyes.

"I told you not to call me that… I did say I was going to tear you limb from limb if you called me that again…" He began to laugh cruelly, even as he grabbed Yamucha's right arm before Yamucha could react and pull it away. Yamucha screamed, as Piccolo began to pull. "Don't worry, I'll do it slow, that way you'll feel every tendon, joint, muscle, and bone yielding to the unending pressure and pai-…"

"PICCOLO!" The shout rang out from overhead, but it wasn't Tenshinhan, of course, he was still lying unconscious in the collapsed building. Piccolo glanced up, surprised, at the new silhouette, which had appeared against the sun. Yes, this was the one he had been seeking most of all… He released Yamucha, even as the man grunted out the newcomer's name as he eased himself towards the ground, cradling his broken arm.

"Gohan!"

Indeed it was Gohan, staring down at Piccolo with a look of fear, sadness, and ferocity all rolled up into one, the child's hair swaying gently in the wind. He felt another ki behind and below him next to Tenshinhan's, and glanced over his shoulder.

"Kuririn, that pathetic excuse for a Tenkaichi-budokai finalist, if I'm not mistaken… I thought Tambourine had killed him long ago…" Nonetheless, sifting through Piccolo's memories, Diamaou knew the man was something to be feared, albeit not too terribly more powerful than Yamucha and Tenshinhan. The monk had been trying to be discreet, but Piccolo knew what he had been doing. He glanced up at Gohan and smiled cruelly.

"Your friend can give Tenshinhan and Yamucha all the senzu they want… in the end, they'll die anyway. I'll kill you all." Piccolo challenged.

"This is all I need to do… just twist the whip, make him desperate for resolution…" He lunged at Gohan suddenly and gripped him between his arms as the child made little attempt to maneuver away.

"Piccolo-san? What are you doing?" Gohan stammered, even as Piccolo grinned evilly, at him. "I need him smashed, confused, his mind and spirit in emotional turmoil…" A moment later Piccolo's face suddenly softened slightly, as his body was stuck with a quick shaking, before his eyes vanished for a moment and returned.

Still in his grip, Gohan could only stare into Piccolo's tortured, pain-filled eyes. And as the adage went, Gohan was suddenly staring into the windows of the soul. Not the soul that had come to possess his mentor's body, but the rightful soul that inhabited it, the real Piccolo, the living Piccolo that he knew so well. "Go…han? Help… me…" Piccolo managed to croak, even as Gohan blinked, tears streaming down his face. The look of pain and suffering in his mentor's eyes had been that great.

"Piccolo…? What can I do to… he- PICCOLO-SAN!" Gohan's plea turned back into a shriek as Piccolo's body wracked with a quick convulsion, before his eyes turned back into the cruel harsh ones that had been there a moment before. Quite cruelly, and knowing the turmoil he was causing, Piccolo smiled.

"Gohan! Defend yourself, you know he's not what he seems!" Kuririn shouted, muscles tensed and ready to leap to his friend's aid if he refused or failed to obey. Piccolo glared down at him, and released Gohan, who could only continue to stare at his master and try to rein in his fear and sorrow.

"It will be difficult for the final step here… I'm sure they'll be perfectly willing to go and die where there are less… distractions…" Piccolo laughed harshly, eyes wavering to Kuririn, and the now recovered Tenshinhan and Yamucha, before glancing back up at the torn Gohan, who was plainly unsure whether to attack or not. Piccolo spread his arms open, gesturing around himself at the buildings around, and smirking before locking his gaze on Kuririn, Tenshinhan, and Yamucha.

"You care for all these weaklings around here, do you not? Perhaps we should do battle elsewhere… say… over there?" Piccolo extended one arm to the east, where far off in the distance loomed a mountain range, untouched by civilization.

Kuririn knew an opportunity to turn what could be a complete loss into a partial one, and nodded almost immediately.

Piccolo turned, and was flying off towards the mountains without granting a reply, and by unspoken agreement, Kuririn, Yamucha, and Tenshinhan followed, as Gohan trailed behind, sobbing bitterly.

"Piccolo-san… No…"

And in his throbbing heart, against the storm clouds that darkened the distant valley that they were fast approaching, Son Gohan contemplated if he would have to fight the only other man that had truly meant anything in life besides his father.

---

Well, there we have it, chapter five. I'll readily admit that I was ready to continue on with this chapter and make it even longer… But I figure, I've left everyone who's taken an interest in this story hanging long enough. To add to the fun… Well, let's just say that my comp nearly crashing inspired me to get this done and post it. Really, I offer my assurances that I'll get the story finished, but I am currently doing all the Senior year in High school stuff of applying to colleges, finding a nice part-time job, getting my rear kicked during football practices (looooooooooong story), etc. etc. So although this story isn't the highest thing on my list of priorities right now, I thank you all for your patience. It could still be awhile before this story is finally done… ^^;;;; But I'll do my best to try and make sure there's not a three month gap between this chapter and the next one like last time… :-D