Previously on Supplement DB:
After a hot day, another DragonBall has been added to the collection. Now four of the seven have been collected. But for some reason, no-one has wondered what will happen when all of them are together. According to the note there will be something to say to release Shenron, but what? That hasn't been mentioned yet.
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Supplement DB, Part V – The Phantom Menaces
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Tenchi, Aki and the girls were outside the next day. It was a cooler day, which meant it was a very pleasant temperature to be in. Everyone was enjoying themselves. Sasami and Ryo-Ohki were running around playing, Mihoshi and Washu were relaxing on deckchairs, Ryoko and Ayeka were actually getting along nicely. Maybe it was something in the air, or the food, but they weren't fighting. Maybe it was because it was just a perfect day, and they didn't want to waste it by fighting. Or maybe it was because of what Tenchi and Aki were doing nearby.
The two brothers were sat upright, legs crossed and hands resting on their knees. They were meditating. It was an old habit of Aki's that he had just restarted for no particular reason, and Tenchi thought it would be nice. So they sat there, focussing themselves and increasing their strength. It was always good to have a lot of strength.
Ryo-Ohki jumped onto Tenchi's head and lay down, planning to go to sleep. Sasami came running up, whispering to the cabbit to get off. Tenchi didn't notice. He was too deep in concentration to notice. He was busy exploring the natural energy around him, sensing its every fold and raise.
Sasami sat down next to Tenchi. She assumed his position and tried to meditate, but gave up after a few seconds. She just wasn't disciplined enough. She decided to ask Tenchi for help.
"Tenchi?" she asked. "Can you teach me how to meditate? I want to learn what you have, but I can't. Can you teach me?"
Tenchi opened his eyes. He blinked a few times and looked at Sasami.
"Yes, Sasami?" he asked.
"Oh, sorry if I interrupted anything," Sasami said. "I was just wondering if you could teach me how to become a Super Saiyan."
Tenchi chuckled slightly. "Sasami, I don't think you should be thinking about becoming a Super Saiyan. Different people have different capabilities. Aki and I just happen to have more of them."
"So you mean you won't teach me?" Sasami said disappointed.
"No, that's not it," Tenchi replied. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't be wanting to become a Super Saiyan. It takes a very special person to become even a regular Saiyan."
"Do you think I could be one?" Sasami asked hopefully.
"I don't know," Tenchi replied after a while. "Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on your inner strength, and I can sense you have quite a bit of hidden powers, Sasami."
"Really? So, will you teach me?"
"Sure. But the first thing to do is to teach you how to control your energy, before you can fly or anything else. Controlling your energy is vital."
"What do I do?"
Tenchi resumed his stance. "Sit like this," he said. "Now, hold your hands in front of you like this." He demonstrated, bringing his hands loosely together, as if holding an invisible object about the size of a DragonBall. "Now is the important bit. You must become absolutely calm. When you do, you should be able to feel a warmth inside yourself. Then try to move this warmth to between your hands. Try and keep it in one place. It's something I call Zero-Point Energy. Just try to sense it first, and then later you can try moving it. Here, watch me. I'll do it as slowly as I can."
Tenchi brought his hands together like before and concentrated. A white glow appeared on the palms of his hands. The glow faded, and as it did, a tiny dot of white light appeared between his hands. He looked at Sasami.
"This is Zero-Point Energy," he explained. "This is what you should be aiming to do. But don't worry if you can't get it soon. It normally takes a few months to manage this, if a person really works at it, and knows what they're doing. Remember, the key is calmness."
Aki opened his eyes. He was finished.
"You're awake, I see," Tenchi said. "Here, come over here."
He took him over to a tree, away from Sasami. She was trying to make herself calm.
"So what's Sasami doing?" Aki asked.
"I'm going to teach her how to fly and everything," Tenchi replied. "She's trying Zero-Point Energy at the moment."
"Zero-Point? What's that?"
"Maybe you call it something else. It's this." Tenchi did it again, only much faster. It took just under half a second.
"You mean the Spirit Focus," Aki said.
"Well, whatever you call it, she's trying it at the moment," Tenchi replied.
He was about to say something else, but he stopped himself. He waved a hand to his right.
"What're you doing?" Aki asked.
Tenchi paused, as if listening to something. He shook his head. "Nothing. I just thought something was there, but there isn't."
They walked back to where Ryoko and Ayeka were, as they didn't want to disturb Sasami.
Tenchi stopped halfway across the garden and spun quickly, grabbing something behind him. The something appeared.
It was pale green-brown, about the size of a child. It was some sort of monster, bald and with no distinguishing features or clothing. It had nothing to cover up.
"What are you?" Tenchi demanded. "Why are you here?"
"Go back," the little monster said.
"What?"
"Go back to the beginning," it said. It struggled free of Tenchi's grip and hopped away. "We don't need you any more," it said. "Go away. Go away and never come back."
Aki had walked up to Tenchi, transformed into his Super Saiyan form.
"Who's 'we'?" he asked.
"We work for the master," the monster said. "We've come to make you go away."
The monster vanished and reappeared behind Tenchi. It threw a powerful punch into his back, sending him hurtling forwards. He regained his control and landed on his feet, now also a Super Saiyan.
"You just messed with the wrong people," Aki said coldly. He moved like lightning, hitting the monster directly in the face. It staggered back and disappeared. Aki was suddenly hit in the face by something he couldn't see. He yelled and clutched at his face.
Tenchi flew to Aki, catching him as he fell backwards.
"Tenchi, what are those things?" Ayeka asked.
"Ayeka, set up your forcefield. Don't let those things near you," Tenchi ordered. Ayeka didn't object. Tenchi moved quickly to where Mihoshi was sunbathing. Washu was sitting next to her, reading a book.
"Washu, set up a barrier for you two now," Tenchi ordered.
"But why?" Washu asked.
"Just do it. It's vital. Let nothing in."
Tenchi moved to Sasami. She had stopped meditating and was standing up, watching Aki get up.
"Sasami, go to Ayeka now. Get under her forcefield."
"Tenchi, behind you!" Sasami shouted.
Tenchi turned round, but nothing was there. He was promptly proven wrong when something hit his stomach.
"Sasami, go," Tenchi gasped as he folded over.
Aki appeared behind Sasami and grabbed her. He flew her over to Ayeka, who lowered her forcefield just enough to let Sasami in.
"Hey, I can fight," Ryoko protested. "Why do I have to stay here?"
"Can you sense these things at all?" Aki asked.
Ryoko slowly shook her head.
"I can hardly do so," Aki replied. "What makes you think you'll do any good? You'd just be a target. Besides, no offence, but you're just not as str..."
Aki was thrown back, and bounced off the forcefield, landing on the ground next to it.
Tenchi got up and powered himself to Hyper Saiyan. The aura around him threw back three vague shapes, only visible for a second as they came near him. Tenchi flew over to Aki and helped him up. Aki also powered up to a Hyper Saiyan.
"Stop hiding," Tenchi called. "You're no match against two Ascended Super Saiyans."
The garden was suddenly filled with little green-brown monsters, perhaps twenty in all. They were all looking at the two brothers, some muttering to themselves or each other in their strange tone.
"Oh dear," Tenchi said.
"That being an understatement," Aki replied.
"Let's go."
They flew forwards, forming energy attacks in their hands. Tenchi threw his at a small group of three to his left, while Aki swept his round in an arc, hoping to get at least five around him.
Both their attacks missed. The monsters were too fast, and moved out of the way.
"Blades," Tenchi said, and Aki agreed. They both formed an energy blade in their hand, much like Ryoko's technique. They began to slash at their enemies.
A couple of them fell to the floor, each sliced in half. Ryoko quickly blocked Sasami's view of them with her hand.
Tenchi threw his blade at another monster, slicing a hole through its head. He started to power up his aura, while Aki continued to slash.
Tenchi gave a powerful burst of energy to his aura, making it expand outwards and engulfing several of the nearer monsters, before collapsing back in to its normal size. He swept his foot across the ground, leaving a glowing beam. He kicked the beam towards another of the creatures, slicing it through. Tenchi formed another energy blade and continued to cut.
Aki regressed his sword and formed a flat disc with it. He threw it at a creature, decapitating it and another one behind it, before swinging it round towards Tenchi.
Tenchi caught the Destructo-Disc and reformed it into a small ball. He thrust it forwards and split it into several beams, each directed towards a monster. Most of them were hit, and collapsed.
Only three were left now. Because they now had room to move, they disappeared. The two Saiyans powered up their auras and knocked another monster each. They rebounded and landed on the ground. The Super Saiyans blasted them. Now only the original one was left.
"Go back," it said, cowering away from them. "Go back to the beginning."
Aki leapt forwards and cast an energy flame at it. Its head burned off, and the body collapsed.
"Nice one, Tenchi," Tenchi said, not without sarcasm. "Now there's nothing left we can get information from."
"So? It's probably that wizard anyway. He found out about you not being dead and sent these things to kill you."
"You're probably right. Still, it would have been nice to find out from one of them, wouldn't it?"
"Forget about it. Let's clean up."
They each levitated some of the bodies into the air and clumped them together. Tenchi formed a Masenko Blast and destroyed them. Aki shot an energy flame at the rest, destroying those. They powered down.
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"Yeah, they probably were sent by the wizard who put a spell on me," Tenchi said.
The others had grouped together, concerned about the two brothers. They were fine, though. All that was hurt was some of the garden.
Ryoko walked up to Aki, summoning her energy sword. She held it to his neck, frowning at him, ready to slice his head off.
"Um, Ryoko?" Aki said hesitantly. "What're you doing?"
"You tried to kill Tenchi," Ryoko said coldly, glaring at the clone.
"I did?" Aki was surprised.
"You did?" So was Tenchi.
"You threw your energy disc at him, remember?" Ryoko said. "You got a couple of those monsters, but then made it go towards Tenchi. If he hadn't caught it, he would be dead."
"Ryoko?" Tenchi said. "Aki didn't try to kill me for the very reason that I did catch his Destructo-Disc."
"My Disc is unstoppable unless I let someone catch it," Aki said, his voice wavering due to the energy sword heating his throat. "I was talking with Tenchi telepathically. I told him he could catch it and use it to our advantage. And he did, remember?"
"Ryoko, let go of him," Tenchi said.
Ryoko removed her sword and dissipated it.
"Tenchi, are you sure?" she asked.
"Very sure, Ryoko," Tenchi replied. "Aki doesn't want to kill me. He's changed. I should think you'd have noticed that over the past few months."
"Ryoko, please stop fighting," Sasami said, grabbing her arm. "Aki's on our side now."
"And the wizard is on the other side," Washu said. "You really need to get those DragonBalls grouped, Tenchi. You need to become God again as soon as possible."
"Yes," Ayeka agreed. "This wizard is probably going to keep sending us things to kill you, until one of you is dead."
"Let's just hope it's him," Tenchi replied. "For reality's sake."
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No rest for Tenchi. Another DragonBall had just appeared, with an existence of about an hour. Tenchi instantly translocated to the top of a tall mountain, where he found the one-star DragonBall, resting quite nicely in a snowdrift. He brought it back and added it to the collection. It was the Wind DragonBall, as the single star had lines coming out of it on one side, to represent the wind.
He had just sat down after retrieving the Ball, when the Dragon Radar started beeping. The sixth ball had appeared.
"Go away," Tenchi moaned. "I've just got back. Gimme a break."
The beeping continued relentlessly. Tenchi reached over and picked up the Radar, and then hurriedly stood up and used the instant translocation technique, as the newly appeared Ball would disappear in twelve seconds.
He reappeared five inches above molten lava. He quickly flew up to escape at least some of the heat, and raised a bubble of cool air around him.
Five seconds.
He looked around anxiously for the DragonBall. It was somewhere in this volcano.
Four seconds.
Still looking. He sincerely hoped it wasn't beneath the lava. He had no doubt it could survive, but he wouldn't be able to get to it in time.
Three seconds.
Tenchi moved. A glint of light caught his eye.
Two seconds.
It was the DragonBall. Tenchi quickly rushed down to grab it.
One second.
Tenchi reached out and grabbed it.
But he didn't. His hand passed straight through the space the DragonBall had been. The Ball faded and continued on its journey through the dimensions.
Tenchi couldn't believe he had missed it. He was only a fraction of a second too late.
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Tenchi flew back home, annoyed that he hadn't retrieved the Ball. He arrived home and told everyone the bad news. They were upset and sorry about it, but none more so than Tenchi. Now he knew he wasn't going to become God again for at least eight months.
C'est la vie, apparently.
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Tenchi was sitting on the sofa, thoroughly annoyed. Mihoshi, Aki and Ayeka were with him, all quiet. They were all thinking of the implications. There was now a whole eight months when Tenchi would be quite vulnerable to the wizard's attacks. There would doubtless be some more threats to appear between now and then.
"Cheer up, Tenchi," Mihoshi said brightly. "You weren't this angry before, when you thought you'd missed the other DragonBall, but it turned out Ryo-Ohki had it."
"But it was hot," Tenchi said. "My brain must have been fried. Becoming God again is the most important thing to me right now, and now I can't do that for ages. I can't believe I missed it, by a whole second."
"Look, just cheer up," Ayeka said. "What's happened just is. Don't be annoyed by something you can't change."
"It's not just that, Ayeka," Tenchi replied. "I feel so helpless now. Without my fourth form evolution, I feel... small. Like I can't do anything."
Aki stood up and walked over to Tenchi, before hitting him on the head. The others gasped, as Tenchi slowly keeled over, his head landing in Ayeka's lap. Tenchi sat back up and looked at him, a completely confused look on his face.
"What was that for?" he asked.
Aki sighed and sat down on the table in front of him. "Tenchi, who are you?" he asked.
"What kind of question is that?" Mihoshi asked.
"I'm Tenchi," he said. "What do you mean?"
Aki sighed again. "All those years ago, when you came up with your Masked Man stuff. The whole world knew you."
"Tokemi came up with that," Tenchi said.
"Actually, I did," Washu said, walking in from her lab. She sat down on the other sofa and sank slowly into the cushions. "I created those rings. Surely you don't think Tokemi made them?"
"Well..."
"I also made those nanobots she injected you with," Washu continued. Actually, those nanobots didn't exist any more, because they were destroyed during Tenchi's first evolution.
"Can we?" Aki said. "Tenchi, everyone knew you. You were, and still are the strongest man on the planet, even back when you were twelve."
"Point?" Tenchi asked.
"And later, some months ago, when you fought me. You somehow managed to evolve to that robot form and kill me."
"You killed yourself, remember?" Tenchi said. "I don't want to be responsible for any more deaths. Just keep that clear."
"Okay, so I killed myself," Aki said. "Then later, you fought K'oko. Against every odd you evolved beyond that to your bionetic form. Then you were the most powerful being in existence, apart from K'oko himself, and the goddesses."
"So?" Mihoshi asked.
"So, Tenchi's being a complete baka," Aki said. "He's complaining for absolutely no reason. He is without a doubt the strongest being in at least this galaxy, even now. Where's the down side in being stronger than anything that wizard can throw at you?"
"But he could put another spell on me," Tenchi said.
"Could, should, would," Aki said. "Look, if anything, he'll be going after us lot next. Since we saved you from Sel, that wizard is probably going to try and get rid of us lot before he takes care of you. And I don't plan on being anyone's breakfast."
"Yes, because you're dead," Tenchi said. "He can't do anything to affect you."
"Kami, Tenchi!" Aki exclaimed. "Just give it a rest! Do you really think any of us care that you're not God any more? Even at all? Look, maybe this'll do you some good. It'll show you not to rely too much on God, and instead you should trust in your friends."
"Tenchi, he's right," Ayeka said. "We all love you, and I know we shall all defend and protect you with every bit of energy we have."
"Um, except me," Washu said. They all looked at her. "Hey, I have an obligation to the Multiverse not to get killed. Remember, I'm one of the Trinity? Without me, then no life, then nothing ever?"
"You've got a point," Tenchi said. "If you die, that instantly cancels everything."
"Hey, the rest of us will protect you as much as we can," Mihoshi said.
"Hear that?" Aki asked. "You know you're far stronger than all of them, even now. Are you just going to lie down and play helpless puppy? That's pathetic. No, it's worse. It's just sad."
"Maybe you're right," Tenchi said slowly.
Aki rolled his eyes. "Washu's always right, and she'll tell you I'm right, right?"
Washu nodded. "Just snap out of it. It's very unattractive, this moping. Try to remember being the strong Tenchi you once were, facing danger with no concern for your safety. You were better then."
Tenchi blinked, as if suddenly becoming aware of his surroundings. "You know what? You're right," he said. "I don't know why I was acting like that. Sorry. So I missed one DragonBall. So what? It'll come back, and I fully intend to be there to pick it up."
"There you are, Tenchi," Aki said.
"Welcome back, Tenchi," Ayeka said, hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Aki," Tenchi said.
Aki just stood up, rolling his eyes, and went to the kitchen, leaving Tenchi with three beautiful women.
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In the next episode of Supplement DB:
Time shares come back, and a DragonBall comes and goes. At the door appears a blast from the past, or is that future? It's the first episode dealing with the complexities of time, "God II". Tenchi learns something terrible, which would destroy his destiny, and this fabled wizard is finally found. Now from this point on things get a little bit confusing.