Back again, with another chapter to satisfy your curiosity. Ah, who am I kidding? This one is for my few reviewers. You know who you are – especially the certain someone who never did follow through with their threat. And I'm glad that you all like how I'm writing this. It was such fun typing this chapter up!
This chapter is part of the fight scene…that's your warning.
Disclaimer: The day I own DBZ will be the day that the Saiyans aren't the ones coming to the rescue. Obviously this never happens, so forget about it.
Chapter Twelve
Kadrin again gave his chilling laugh as he saw how heavily Piccolo was breathing. "I already told you, Namek, that your strength is failing. You're not even a match for me any more. You'll falter sooner or later, and that will be your end." Then the man disappeared, only to reappear inches from Piccolo's face. The startled Namek was unable to block the blow to his face, and like Nail had done so long ago, he fell over and clutched at his face. He did not cry out this time, though…he had done so only once this fight, and he was determined not to give the hybrid the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He managed to roll out of the way to avoid a kick that would have sent him into the next mountain range over.
Piccolo got to his feet quickly enough, only to be knocked right back down by a hard blow to his ribs. He felt something crack, and the air was forced out of his lungs. He moved quickly enough to avoid a ki-powered kick that would have driven him into the ground, launching himself into the air with his hands and feet. Kadrin followed him up and threw his body into the Namek, his greater mass knocking him to the ground. Piccolo felt his right shoulder pop out of its socket under the force of the impact. He grimaced and tried pushing himself up off the ground, but he wasn't able to stand fast enough to avoid Kadrin's next series of attacks.
When the hybrid stopped a few minutes later to observe the damage he had inflicted, Piccolo fell heavily to the ground. Damn, he cursed silently; both of his eyes were beginning to swell up, and he could barely see. Come on, Goku, come to one of your famous rescues. Any time now would be good. He unsuccessfully tried to pick himself back up, grunting as he reconnected with the ground.
"I told you that you were not as tough as you thought you were. And when I am finished with you, your little friend over there is next." Kadrin glared down at Piccolo and held both hands out in front of him, charging up a ki blast that would be sure to obliterate both Piccolo and half of the surrounding landscape. "You should have joined us when I gave you the chance, evil Namek-spawn," he said coldly.
The disoriented warrior felt his stomach sink. This blast would finish him for sure, and he had no way of deflecting it. He tried moving his arms in a futile attempt to crawl out of the way, but his muscles had quit responding a long time ago. As Piccolo tried to reconcile his fate, he finally noticed how badly injured he was. It felt as if his body was on fire, and he couldn't even lift his head to see the full extent of his injuries. Any second now he was expecting the familiar, searing heat of a strong ki attack, awaiting the agony of flesh melting away from bone. "I would never…join you, freak," he growled, defiant to the last. "I'd rather die…than team up with…trash like you."
"That can be arranged," the hybrid said coldly. "Perhaps I can bring you with me in pieces. You never know…I've never tasted Namek before. Ah, well, it was fun while it lasted. Farewell." Kadrin aimed the ki ball directly at Piccolo, and then he loosed the stored energy. And he watched in astonishment as it shot away from its intended target, stopped by another ki ball. "What the – " The hybrid was unable to finish his sentence when a fist connected with his mouth and knocked him away from the prone Namek. He caught himself before he went very far and landed in a crouch, rubbing his jaw. "You'll pay for that, Kakarot," he growled, glaring up at the supposedly unconscious fighter.
"It…took you long…enough, Goku," Piccolo panted, turning his head towards the equally exhausted Saiyan. "All afternoon." An interesting feeling, it was, staring Death in the eye and watching it blink. He never did get used to the sensation, as unnerving as it was to even the most experienced of warriors, but now was not the time for such thoughts. Piccolo knew the fight was not over, not until Kadrin was dead and gone.
The man spared a glance at his fighting partner, his own chest heaving from his mighty blow. "What happened to you?" Goku asked, horrified. His ally looked as though he had gotten into a fight with a cuisinart!
"I was holding down the – urgh!" The green man grunted as he was kicked away by Kadrin, who had sufficiently recovered from Goku's attack to counter with one of his own. He rolled about ten paces away, curling defensively and holding his stomach.
"That one has yet to scream, Kakarot," Kadrin said casually, ignoring the look of anger on Goku's face as he swiped one arm across his forehead. "A tough one, the Namek is. If I didn't know any better, I would say he was more than a Namek." At this, Piccolo had to chuckle silently. If only he knew, he thought. Perhaps he would be quicker in getting rid of me.
"I'll tell you what, Kakarot," he continued. "As pathetic as you are, and as much as you deserve death, I will let you live. You're a decent fighter, I'll give you that much credit. In a few years you might even be able to fight at my level. I'll come back for you then, to settle this little score. All you have to do is kill the Namek. He's nothing but a waste." The hybrid laughed as he watched the look on Goku's face change from anger to pure rage. He seemed not to know how dangerous of a situation he had entered, and he continued laughing as Goku's ki spiked dramatically. He barely even registered the instant when Goku ascended into his Super Saiyan form.
Until Goku elbowed him in the ribs, knocking him back.
Piccolo was astonished at the abrupt transformation Goku had undergone. So this is what a Super Saiyan is, he thought as he watched the Saiyan pull his arm back for another punch. Goku's now-golden hair had taken on a gravity-defying position, and his green eyes blazed with anger. He would have resembled an angel were it not for his apparent rage and his wounds. The strike was true, and Kadrin went tumbling head-over-heels into one of the columns of rock. The force of the blow was enough to push him through the other side.
The full-blooded Saiyan hovered a handspan above the ground. His ki crackled around him; the rage in his eyes spelled death to the man who had dared to suggest he kill his ally and (dare he think it) friend. Something had changed in their "relationship" in the year between the fight with Vegeta and the fight with Frieza; he didn't realize it at first, but Piccolo hadn't seemed as hell-bent on killing him as he was before. The battle on Namek confirmed it. Piccolo wasn't so much an enemy as a rival, and perhaps even a friend…though he would rather die before admitting it to anyone. Goku watched as Kadrin pulled himself from the rubble. He gave him little chance to recoup, flying in as soon as he could see his face.
Goku was able to get in a few hits before Kadrin reached out and caught his extended arm mid-swing. "Come now," the hybrid spat as he swiped at a trickle of blood coming from his nose. "Do you really think we were not prepared to fight other warriors of this caliber?" Then, before Goku's astonished eyes, the hybrid began to fight back, and on equal ground. It was all he could do to avoid his ki-charged blows, and he was rapidly put on the defensive.
Piccolo's eyes widened. How can this possibly be? The lab mutt is beating the strongest of the universe's most feared warrior race! He growled as he watched Goku drop to his hands and sweep Kadrin's feet out from under him. The hybrid recovered swiftly and flew in low to the ground, head-butting his opponent. There is no way that Goku can keep this up for much longer. He's in terrible shape, and that form he's holding is taking too much out of him. He doesn't stand a chance.
Piccolo forced himself up to his hands and knees as Goku dropped out of his Super Saiyan form. With a considerable effort he pushed himself into a half-crouching, half-kneeling position. He then winced as he stood up, hunching over to ease the pain in his abdomen. He took a few seconds to catch his breath.
Kadrin glanced over and spotted Piccolo as he stood. "Well, Kakarot," he said, "it looks like the green man still wants to play. Which one of us should finish him off?"
"Leave him out of this, Kadrin!" Goku yelled as he flew at the other warrior, his right foot leading. The hybrid nimbly dodged the kick. "Your fight is with me!"
"So it is," the other man retorted as he returned the kick with one of his own, nailing Goku in the gut and sending him sprawling. "You should still consider my offer, traitor."
"Does he make such offers to everything he fights?" Piccolo wondered, squinting as the two men kicked up a cloud of dust in his direction.
It would have been obvious to any observer that Goku was fighting a losing battle. Piccolo could see that, and he knew he had to do something. "How did I get myself drawn into this?" he panted harshly. There's no way Goku can defeat him now. He didn't have enough time to regain his strength after stasis, and he doesn't stand a chance. "Feh. Leave it to the one who was supposed to destroy him to save his hide." Piccolo straightened up completely, sharply catching his breath as his right shoulder shifted. The arm was all but useless, he decided, but he could deal with that later. He then raised the first two fingers of his left hand up to his forehead and began charging his signature ki attack.
Goku winced as he felt the skin on his back abrade as he skidded along the ground, hearing the cloth of his gi shredding against the rocks. He reached his hands behind his head and used his momentum to flip himself back over. The Saiyan then dug his heels into the earth and launched himself forward again, hoping to catch Kadrin unaware. His plan backfired, however, when the hybrid appeared above him and elbowed him in the back and knocked him to the ground.
"This is your last chance, Kakarot," Kadrin hissed as he landed, watching as the Saiyan stood up slowly. "Dispose of the Namek, and I will let you go free."
Goku simply smirked at him. "My name is no longer Kakarot," he declared defiantly. "I am Son Goku, and my place is here, on Earth. I don't deal with men who make offers to save their own hides, and I will not kill anyone on this planet because of the likes of you." The man dropped into a defensive stance, even though he was fatigued enough to visibly tremble.
"Fine," Kadrin said with a sneer. "Have it your way. You will be the first to die, then," he added coldly. He started to concentrate his ki into his hands when an unexpected voice spoke up from directly behind him. The menacing tone was enough to send a slight chill down his spine, though he ignored it.
"I don't think so, hybrid," Piccolo growled. "On this planet, we stand by our allies, our friends. If you take on one of us, you fight us all."
Friends? Goku felt his jaw drop and quickly closed his mouth. Friends? He's calling us his friends? Is he serious?
"Is that so, Namek?" Kadrin spat, turning his attention to Piccolo and noting with some interest that two of the fingers on his left hand were sparking with ki. "What do you plan on doing about it?" Surely this attack is nothing, he mused. Is he going to spark me to death? The Namek is spent…he's bluffing. He's just trying to buy himself some time.
"This." Goku caught the quick flash of movement as Piccolo raised his left hand again to his forehead and leapt out of the way. "Makkankosappo!" he roared as he pointed his hand at the hybrid. Then he forced the gathered ki out of his fingertips and into Kadrin. The hybrid realized too late that he would not be able to stop or avoid the attack. It was at point-blank range, and there was nowhere to run. His eyes widened in fear; he had greatly underestimated the Namek, and he would pay dearly for his mistake. There was some resistance as the beam collided with his hastily-constructed ki shield, but it quickly crumbled under the sheer force of the attack.
Goku watched in horror as the spiraling ki drilled through the body of the hybrid. He had seen the attack enough to know that the ki shouldn't have been that particular shade of red. Even more startling was the complete lack of emotion on Piccolo's face. Sure, he reasoned, Piccolo always hid his feelings, but not like this. Not in this kind of situation. He should at least be smirking, or frowning, or something! It was almost as if something had snapped deep inside the Namek, like it had when Goku had broken through the barrier and become a Super Saiyan.
For his part, Piccolo realized he had sustained the ki blast longer than he had meant to, drawing all of his remaining ki into the attack. In fact, he had held onto the blast longer than he ever had before, and he kept channeling more ki from only Kami-knows-where into it until he felt Goku's hand on his shoulder.
"Piccolo," the Saiyan said softly, "he's gone. Kadrin is dead. You can stop now."
The green man released his blast and whirled upon Goku, who jumped slightly at the movement. "Do not tell me what to do," he hissed. "I can take care…of…myself…" Piccolo's voice trailed off slowly as he began to sway on his feet. Before Goku could move a muscle, his eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled, pitching him forward into the charred earth where the Saiyan hybrid had stood only moments before. He had finally succumbed to unconsciousness, and Goku was left standing above him, at a loss for what to do.
The man scratched the side of his head in confusion. "Great," he said to himself. "Now what am I supposed to do?" He took one long look at his Namekian ally and shrugged helplessly. "I have to get him some help, but there's almost no way I can get him out of here. He was supposed to be the one to do that – I can't call Tien and Gohan." Goku ceased his mumbling as he knelt down next to Piccolo and checked for a pulse. "At least he's still alive. I can't put him on the Flying Nimbus, I can't fly him out of here myself, I can't call for help or leave him here to get someone, and he sure isn't going to be much help!"
Goku rocked back on his heels and rested his chin in one hand. "There has to be something I can do – yeowch!" He yelped as the abrasions on his back burned with the sudden movement. Then the light bulb went on inside his head. "I've got it!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers. He jumped up in excitement and promptly yelped again. He was in no condition to be leaping about like a mad scientist who has just created life in an inanimate object – and he used that to his advantage.
"They must have been keeping up with the battle by tracking our ki, and they must have sensed what happened with Piccolo. If they think both of us are down…" Goku didn't need to finish his statement. With a yell he began to charge his ki as much and as quickly as he could. The air was soon filled with lancing, crackling ki and several handfuls of rock, all of which danced around the Saiyan. Just as suddenly as he had gathered it, though, he let it go…as a Kamehameha wave, aimed at the hybrids' space ship. The metal construct was not built to withstand such assault, and it was disintegrated in seconds. Then again, Goku was in no condition to handle a large amount of ki, either.
"Good," Goku panted, exhausted. "Now…they'll come…for us…" Then he, too, collapsed.
The remainder of the Earth's defenders were seated uneasily at the Son's table – who could relax with such a battle raging mere miles away? – eating dinner, when the enormous fluctuation in ki registered in their minds. Gohan's eyes widened as he felt his father's ki spike drastically before dropping down to an almost imperceptible level. "Oh… something's happened to my dad!" he shouted, leaping into the air and upsetting the dinner table.
"Gohan, what are you doing?" Chi-Chi exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "What's going on?"
Krillin grabbed the boy's leg as he began to fly for the window and forcibly pulled him back. "Gohan, don't go out there! You told me they'd call for you if they needed help!"
Gohan ignored the stern look on his sparring partner's face. "Krillin, what if that was the call? What if Piccolo wasn't able to call Tien?" He glanced over at the triclops, who was now frowning. "Krillin, I can't just leave him out there! Something must have happened, and he needs us!"
The man exchanged a helpless glance with Tien. Then he released Gohan's leg and dropped his head to the table with an audible thunk. "Go on, kid, and hurry back. We'll be watching for you." The boy flew out the window silently, causing his mother to roll her eyes.
Tien stood up as well. "I'm going with him. I won't be getting in the way. No offense to you guys, of course," he added, nodding to Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Krillin. Then he turned around and followed Gohan out the window.
Yamcha watched as both warriors sped away through the night, their ki trails bright against the darkening sky. He sighed when they passed out of his range of vision and returned to drinking his tea. I hope they find both Goku and Piccolo in one piece, he thought. And I hope, for their sakes, that whatever was out there with those two is no longer alive. Neither of them would stand a chance against something that could fell a Saiyan and a demon.
* * * * *
Ahh, another chapter done, and I have no idea how many more to go. It is such fun typing this up. I appreciate your time.
This is not the end of the story…it is merely the calm before the storm.
~Dreamwraith