A/N: I think many of you will enjoy parts of this. :) My personal favorite part is when they first get to the top of Korins Tower and the events leading to Vegeta taking the 'test'. XD Oh, and feel free to make guesses as to 'Saiya's' identity! Leave a review please!
Chapter Eight - Cats, Kais, Demons, and Time Travelers
The small collection of warriors descended to the street outside Roshi's house to find the old man and Yamcha waiting for them. "We saw what happened on TV." Roshi said softly, his sunglasses gleaming in the light. "I assume they offered to meet you somewhere?"
"Yeah." Goku said scratching the back of his head. "How'd you know that? They told us to ask you where Korin's tower is."
"I know two of those people. I don't know who the short one was though." Roshi sighed deeply. "And so the torch is passed to the next generation." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device. "Here, follow the indicator on this, it will lead you to Korin's tower. Fly to the top and talk to Korin, he'll give you some advice and tell you where to go from there."
Tien took the device giving Roshi an odd look. /I wonder if they're the ones he talked about years ago.../ he thought as he glanced at the device in his hand. "Come on Yamcha, you're coming with us." Tien ordered as he turned about. Yamcha nodded and they all took off. Tien in the lead followed by Vegeta, Goku, Brolly, Krillin, and Yamcha at the back.
It took them almost two hours before Goku even spied anything that looked like a tower. They were in the middle of nowhere, the forest was thick below them, and a large white structure reached up into the clouds. "Wow... I guess that's it! Amazing, how tall is it?" Goku wondered looking up.
"What I want to know is how it's still standing... and why I've never heard of it before." Krillin said.
Vegeta merely grunted and started flying higher before they even reached the tower. The others took this as a signal to do this same. Several moments later they broke through the cloud layers and spied the top of the tower. Floating into the large bubble they touched down gently, breathing heavily in the thin air.
"Welcome." Came a voice from below them. They turned and saw a set of stairs leading down. A moment later a furry white cat emerged holding a staff.
"Wait a minute, you're Korin?" Vegeta asked a bit miffed as he zipped up his jacket to cut the chill.
"I am Master Korin to you young man." the cat replied hotly. "The current generation... no manners."
"B... but you're a cat!" Yamcha cried.
Korin turned his small black eyes toward him. "Your point?" he asked arching an eyebrow. "If you don't like that you can always head back down." Yamcha shut up at that point. "Good. I know talking cats aren't the normal on this planet. Of course, I'm not from around here." he grinned. "I'm from a bit higher up than that."
"You mean... you're a Kai?" Tien asked curiously.
Korin chuckled. "Not quite my friend. No, I'm merely a mid-way point between here and the next level. You must get past me to see this planet's guardian. Whether you ever meet any Kai's or not is up to him."
"Get past you?" Vegeta asked smugly. "You mean we have to fight a cat to go on?" he laughed at his and shook his head.
Korin turned to glare at Vegeta and his eyes sparked. Suddenly the arrogant teen was pitched backward violently and knocked free of the tower completely. It took him a moment to regain his composure and land again, looking none to happy as he did. "Why you! That was a lucky... no, that was a cheap shot!" he roared.
Korin grinned, his teeth gleaming in the sun. "Alright then, you're first." he said turning. "Hit me with your best punch. If I'm knocked backward, even a little, you can move on. Otherwise you'll only be wasting Kami's time and will remain here to train until you can move me."
"Gladly." Vegeta snorted slipping into combat position. He glared down at Korin but the cat didn't bother to even blink. "That's it!" he cried charging across the open space. He cocked back his fist and swung with all his might slamming it square into Korin's face. The cat didn't budge. "W-what!" Vegeta cried in shock taking a few steps back.
"Hey, can I go next?" Goku asked working out the kinks in his right arm.
"Sure, go ahead." Korin said turning toward him. Vegeta looked toward him frowning.
Goku stretched a moment before getting ready. "Alright, here I go!" he cried launching forward. He swung his fist with all his force and smashed it into Korin's face. The cat slid backward only a foot and then stopped. Goku was grinning madly and pumping his fist in the air.
"Well done Goku, well done." Korin said. "I see your training with Master Roshi is paying off... thank-fully his habits haven't rubbed off on you yet."
"You know Master Roshi?" Goku asked surprised.
Korin chuckled again. "Of course I know him. He spent a month here training in order to get up to Kami. I know him quite well, to well if you ask me."
Krillin laughed as he cracked his shoulders. "Alright, my turn!" he declared. Korin turned his way and waited. The short teen waited a moment before launching in as well. His fist connected with a loud crack and Korin moved only an inch. However, it was enough. "Yes! I did it!" he cheered.
"Indeed." Korin said nodding at him. "That was impressive, I'd not expected you to be able to move me. Alright, who's up next?"
"I'll go." Yamcha said walking forward. He waited a moment, full distance across the room, and then grinned. "Here we go, my strongest punch! Wolf Fang Fist!" He launched in at Korin as fast as he could, swung his fist as hard as he could, hit Korin with his full force... and failed to move him. "Aw man..." he said slumping his shoulders.
Brolly stepped forward. "My turn." He waited a moment as he gauged Korin's abilities. And then he attacked. His fist smacked into Korin's face and knocked the cat back a few inches. Farther than Krillin had but no quite as far as Goku had. Vegeta glared at them and crossed his arms. He didn't much like being put in the same 'league' as Yamcha.
Tien stepped forward at last and Korin actually seemed to brace himself this time. Only Tien and Goku noticed this, the later grinning lightly as he watched Tien start his attack. The Triclopses fist smashed into Korin's face and the cat was launched backward, off of the tower. Korin pulled himself to a stop in the air and smiled as everyone stared at the grinning Tien in complete shock.
Korin floated back over to them slowly and landed. "My word Tien, you've improved since the last time I watched you fight. Though it has been over ten years. Alright, you've all taken the test. Those who have passed need only to leave my tower and fly straight up. It will take a few moments but you'll see Kami's eventually." he turned toward Yamcha and Vegeta. "You two have some work to do before you go up."
Tien and the others nodded and floated out of the tower. Vegeta watched them go up for a second before grunting and launching after them. Korin smirked as he watched him go. The others passed through a wispy gold cloud like area a moment before Vegeta reached it. Unlike them he slammed into it head first. "Ow! What the hell is that?"
"That is Kami's barrier!" Korin called up to him. "Only those who've moved me can go beyond it." Vegeta looked down and glared at him again.
******
Tien, Krillin, Goku, and Brolly all landed on Kami's lookout and looked about. None of them were quite sure what they'd find as they looked about the palace like area. Across the way they saw the three cloaked figures standing outside a small building, standing half-way between the figures and the new arrivals was a short, pudgy, and pitch black man wearing a turban.
The taller of the cloaked figures walked forward to stand beside the short man. He looked up at the taller form who seemed to nod. The short man walked forward and greeted the four warriors. "Welcome, my name is Mr. Popo, I am the keeper of the Shrine."
"Hello." Tien said bowing. The others followed suit, all of them suddenly realizing it was easier to breathe here than it had been below. Tien glanced past him at the cloaked figure.
"In a moment." Mr. Popo said seemingly reading his thoughts. "First, there is another test. This is merely to see your skill." Popo lifted into the air and drifted back to where the figure still stood. There he floated in place. "You must now hit me with a KI blast, you only have three shots each. Krillin shall go first, and then Brolly, Goku, and finally Tien."
"Just a basic blast?" Krillin asked. Popo nodded. Taking a deep breath Krillin raised his arm and fired a small white KI ball... which dissipated into nothing after only a few feet. "What... what happened?"
"It is harder to use KI here than down on the Earth." Popo explained. "Your skill and heart, among other things, will determine if the attack will work or fail, and how it will appear. Try again."
Krillin nodded and focused harder this time. Again he fired a KI blast, this one a bit larger, much brighter, and it lasted longer before burning out. Krillin stiffened up a bit as he readied the next blast. The energy puffed out just as it left his hand this time. "Huh?"
Popo shook his head. "You were to tense, and you're out of tries now. Okay Brolly, your turn."
Brolly's first try was an very light blue that seemed to just fade into nothing after only a few feet. His second attempt was a golden orb that looked like a perfect circle and glowed brightly. It zipped across the open lookout and came very close to hitting Popo before suddenly vanishing. "Not quite." Popo said. "Once more." Brolly nodded and fired again. Another golden orb shot forth and this time it hit Popo's suddenly outstretched hand. "Very well done. Okay Goku, give it a try."
Goku took a deep breath and raised his arm as well. Relaxing and focusing at the same time he fired his KI blast. It was a bright red color and shot forward with amazing speed. However, it stopped suddenly and exploded half-way across the distance. "Again." Popo ordered. Goku's next blast was even bigger looking, brighter, and faster. It slammed into Popo's outstretched arm in a blinding flash and vanished. "Impressive. You may be the one... Anyway, you've passed. Tien?"
Tien raised his arm and, unlike the others, only used a single finger to charge his blast. He focused carefully and intently for over a minute before launching his attack. To the other three it seemed that a line of golden light suddenly appeared between Tien's finger and Popo's hand for a moment, before vanishing. "Amazing." Popo said looking across at Tien. "You've got complete mastery of you KI. That is an impressive feat."
Popo turned and looked at the others behind him. "Krillin's KI skills need work. Brolly needs mental training. Tien is ready to see Kami. Goku... appears to be ready for the Room of Spirit and Time."
The tall cloaked figure nodded. "Good." he said in a deep voice. "Kara, you can work with Krillin. I'll take Brolly through the mental training." The second tallest figure nodded as a new form emerged from the palace. He was an aged looking man with green skin and antenna. "Kami." the tall man said with a nod.
"We have little time Piccolo, our young friend has warned us of this already." Kami said. "I want you all to begin your training right away."
Piccolo reached a green hand up and removed the hood of his cloak revealing a face much like that of Kami's, only less wrinkled. With a nod across the way the other two followed suit. The female was revealed to have dark red skin, shimmering blue eyes, and wild dark purple hair.
The shortest of the three also removed his hood to reveal a boy about ten years old. He had dark black eyes and pitch black hair. He also looked kind of familiar but the four of them weren't quite sure why. Piccolo looked at him, "Saiya, I want you to train with Mr. Popo for a while. Try and perfect that technique of yours while we work with the others." /And hopefully we'll be able to prevent the future you came back from.../
The boy, apparently named Saiya, nodded. He lifted into the air and flew off to another spot where he began to train. The four warriors were a bit surprised that someone so young could manipulate their KI. Their attention was re-directed when Piccolo grunted. With that Tien went over to Kami, Krillin went over to Kara, and Piccolo told both Brolly and Goku to follow him.
Piccolo led the two of them through several halls to a set of large doors where he stopped. "Goku, on the other side of these doors is what is known as the Room of Spirit and Time. It is a dimension outside of this one, a time beyond ours. In here you can live an entire year in a single day, without aging. The gravity is ten times that of Earth, the temperature fluctuates constantly, and you'll meet a man named King Kai.
"King Kai is one of the lower Kais, he is directly above Kami. Normally he dosen't enter the Room of Spirit and Time but with the Demons threatening again he has agreed to help us. You will spend the next 24 hours training with him, a year shall pass to you." With that Piccolo opened the door and Goku went in.
The large green man then led Brolly down the hall even further to small room with no windows. The two entered and Piccolo pulled the door shut, for a moment there was no light and then, suddenly, a small glowing ball of light appeared high above them. "And now, we begin your training." he said with a motion.
******
Krillin watched the others all disappear inside the palace leaving only him, Kara, Saiya, and Popo outside. Popo was helping Saiya to gain better control of his KI and train in general. The short human turned to the young woman before him and shook his head. "This is so weird..." Krillin said. "Fighting Demons, a talking cat, those other two were green, and you..."
"Kami is from a race of peaceful Demons. That may seem odd but there are a few of such races, just as there are races of Kais that were geared more towards violence and war." Kara explained.
"Like the Sai-jins?" Krillin asked, remembering Tien's story.
Kara nodded. "Very much like them."
"What about you?" he asked.
"Me? I am a Kai. I'm not as high up on the scale as King Kai, whom Goku will train with, but Otherworld is where I was born. However, I've lived in this world since before Majin Buu, we Kais have eternal youth." she smiled. "You mortals, especially you Humans, intrigue me greatly."
Chapter Eight - Cats, Kais, Demons, and Time Travelers
The small collection of warriors descended to the street outside Roshi's house to find the old man and Yamcha waiting for them. "We saw what happened on TV." Roshi said softly, his sunglasses gleaming in the light. "I assume they offered to meet you somewhere?"
"Yeah." Goku said scratching the back of his head. "How'd you know that? They told us to ask you where Korin's tower is."
"I know two of those people. I don't know who the short one was though." Roshi sighed deeply. "And so the torch is passed to the next generation." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device. "Here, follow the indicator on this, it will lead you to Korin's tower. Fly to the top and talk to Korin, he'll give you some advice and tell you where to go from there."
Tien took the device giving Roshi an odd look. /I wonder if they're the ones he talked about years ago.../ he thought as he glanced at the device in his hand. "Come on Yamcha, you're coming with us." Tien ordered as he turned about. Yamcha nodded and they all took off. Tien in the lead followed by Vegeta, Goku, Brolly, Krillin, and Yamcha at the back.
It took them almost two hours before Goku even spied anything that looked like a tower. They were in the middle of nowhere, the forest was thick below them, and a large white structure reached up into the clouds. "Wow... I guess that's it! Amazing, how tall is it?" Goku wondered looking up.
"What I want to know is how it's still standing... and why I've never heard of it before." Krillin said.
Vegeta merely grunted and started flying higher before they even reached the tower. The others took this as a signal to do this same. Several moments later they broke through the cloud layers and spied the top of the tower. Floating into the large bubble they touched down gently, breathing heavily in the thin air.
"Welcome." Came a voice from below them. They turned and saw a set of stairs leading down. A moment later a furry white cat emerged holding a staff.
"Wait a minute, you're Korin?" Vegeta asked a bit miffed as he zipped up his jacket to cut the chill.
"I am Master Korin to you young man." the cat replied hotly. "The current generation... no manners."
"B... but you're a cat!" Yamcha cried.
Korin turned his small black eyes toward him. "Your point?" he asked arching an eyebrow. "If you don't like that you can always head back down." Yamcha shut up at that point. "Good. I know talking cats aren't the normal on this planet. Of course, I'm not from around here." he grinned. "I'm from a bit higher up than that."
"You mean... you're a Kai?" Tien asked curiously.
Korin chuckled. "Not quite my friend. No, I'm merely a mid-way point between here and the next level. You must get past me to see this planet's guardian. Whether you ever meet any Kai's or not is up to him."
"Get past you?" Vegeta asked smugly. "You mean we have to fight a cat to go on?" he laughed at his and shook his head.
Korin turned to glare at Vegeta and his eyes sparked. Suddenly the arrogant teen was pitched backward violently and knocked free of the tower completely. It took him a moment to regain his composure and land again, looking none to happy as he did. "Why you! That was a lucky... no, that was a cheap shot!" he roared.
Korin grinned, his teeth gleaming in the sun. "Alright then, you're first." he said turning. "Hit me with your best punch. If I'm knocked backward, even a little, you can move on. Otherwise you'll only be wasting Kami's time and will remain here to train until you can move me."
"Gladly." Vegeta snorted slipping into combat position. He glared down at Korin but the cat didn't bother to even blink. "That's it!" he cried charging across the open space. He cocked back his fist and swung with all his might slamming it square into Korin's face. The cat didn't budge. "W-what!" Vegeta cried in shock taking a few steps back.
"Hey, can I go next?" Goku asked working out the kinks in his right arm.
"Sure, go ahead." Korin said turning toward him. Vegeta looked toward him frowning.
Goku stretched a moment before getting ready. "Alright, here I go!" he cried launching forward. He swung his fist with all his force and smashed it into Korin's face. The cat slid backward only a foot and then stopped. Goku was grinning madly and pumping his fist in the air.
"Well done Goku, well done." Korin said. "I see your training with Master Roshi is paying off... thank-fully his habits haven't rubbed off on you yet."
"You know Master Roshi?" Goku asked surprised.
Korin chuckled again. "Of course I know him. He spent a month here training in order to get up to Kami. I know him quite well, to well if you ask me."
Krillin laughed as he cracked his shoulders. "Alright, my turn!" he declared. Korin turned his way and waited. The short teen waited a moment before launching in as well. His fist connected with a loud crack and Korin moved only an inch. However, it was enough. "Yes! I did it!" he cheered.
"Indeed." Korin said nodding at him. "That was impressive, I'd not expected you to be able to move me. Alright, who's up next?"
"I'll go." Yamcha said walking forward. He waited a moment, full distance across the room, and then grinned. "Here we go, my strongest punch! Wolf Fang Fist!" He launched in at Korin as fast as he could, swung his fist as hard as he could, hit Korin with his full force... and failed to move him. "Aw man..." he said slumping his shoulders.
Brolly stepped forward. "My turn." He waited a moment as he gauged Korin's abilities. And then he attacked. His fist smacked into Korin's face and knocked the cat back a few inches. Farther than Krillin had but no quite as far as Goku had. Vegeta glared at them and crossed his arms. He didn't much like being put in the same 'league' as Yamcha.
Tien stepped forward at last and Korin actually seemed to brace himself this time. Only Tien and Goku noticed this, the later grinning lightly as he watched Tien start his attack. The Triclopses fist smashed into Korin's face and the cat was launched backward, off of the tower. Korin pulled himself to a stop in the air and smiled as everyone stared at the grinning Tien in complete shock.
Korin floated back over to them slowly and landed. "My word Tien, you've improved since the last time I watched you fight. Though it has been over ten years. Alright, you've all taken the test. Those who have passed need only to leave my tower and fly straight up. It will take a few moments but you'll see Kami's eventually." he turned toward Yamcha and Vegeta. "You two have some work to do before you go up."
Tien and the others nodded and floated out of the tower. Vegeta watched them go up for a second before grunting and launching after them. Korin smirked as he watched him go. The others passed through a wispy gold cloud like area a moment before Vegeta reached it. Unlike them he slammed into it head first. "Ow! What the hell is that?"
"That is Kami's barrier!" Korin called up to him. "Only those who've moved me can go beyond it." Vegeta looked down and glared at him again.
******
Tien, Krillin, Goku, and Brolly all landed on Kami's lookout and looked about. None of them were quite sure what they'd find as they looked about the palace like area. Across the way they saw the three cloaked figures standing outside a small building, standing half-way between the figures and the new arrivals was a short, pudgy, and pitch black man wearing a turban.
The taller of the cloaked figures walked forward to stand beside the short man. He looked up at the taller form who seemed to nod. The short man walked forward and greeted the four warriors. "Welcome, my name is Mr. Popo, I am the keeper of the Shrine."
"Hello." Tien said bowing. The others followed suit, all of them suddenly realizing it was easier to breathe here than it had been below. Tien glanced past him at the cloaked figure.
"In a moment." Mr. Popo said seemingly reading his thoughts. "First, there is another test. This is merely to see your skill." Popo lifted into the air and drifted back to where the figure still stood. There he floated in place. "You must now hit me with a KI blast, you only have three shots each. Krillin shall go first, and then Brolly, Goku, and finally Tien."
"Just a basic blast?" Krillin asked. Popo nodded. Taking a deep breath Krillin raised his arm and fired a small white KI ball... which dissipated into nothing after only a few feet. "What... what happened?"
"It is harder to use KI here than down on the Earth." Popo explained. "Your skill and heart, among other things, will determine if the attack will work or fail, and how it will appear. Try again."
Krillin nodded and focused harder this time. Again he fired a KI blast, this one a bit larger, much brighter, and it lasted longer before burning out. Krillin stiffened up a bit as he readied the next blast. The energy puffed out just as it left his hand this time. "Huh?"
Popo shook his head. "You were to tense, and you're out of tries now. Okay Brolly, your turn."
Brolly's first try was an very light blue that seemed to just fade into nothing after only a few feet. His second attempt was a golden orb that looked like a perfect circle and glowed brightly. It zipped across the open lookout and came very close to hitting Popo before suddenly vanishing. "Not quite." Popo said. "Once more." Brolly nodded and fired again. Another golden orb shot forth and this time it hit Popo's suddenly outstretched hand. "Very well done. Okay Goku, give it a try."
Goku took a deep breath and raised his arm as well. Relaxing and focusing at the same time he fired his KI blast. It was a bright red color and shot forward with amazing speed. However, it stopped suddenly and exploded half-way across the distance. "Again." Popo ordered. Goku's next blast was even bigger looking, brighter, and faster. It slammed into Popo's outstretched arm in a blinding flash and vanished. "Impressive. You may be the one... Anyway, you've passed. Tien?"
Tien raised his arm and, unlike the others, only used a single finger to charge his blast. He focused carefully and intently for over a minute before launching his attack. To the other three it seemed that a line of golden light suddenly appeared between Tien's finger and Popo's hand for a moment, before vanishing. "Amazing." Popo said looking across at Tien. "You've got complete mastery of you KI. That is an impressive feat."
Popo turned and looked at the others behind him. "Krillin's KI skills need work. Brolly needs mental training. Tien is ready to see Kami. Goku... appears to be ready for the Room of Spirit and Time."
The tall cloaked figure nodded. "Good." he said in a deep voice. "Kara, you can work with Krillin. I'll take Brolly through the mental training." The second tallest figure nodded as a new form emerged from the palace. He was an aged looking man with green skin and antenna. "Kami." the tall man said with a nod.
"We have little time Piccolo, our young friend has warned us of this already." Kami said. "I want you all to begin your training right away."
Piccolo reached a green hand up and removed the hood of his cloak revealing a face much like that of Kami's, only less wrinkled. With a nod across the way the other two followed suit. The female was revealed to have dark red skin, shimmering blue eyes, and wild dark purple hair.
The shortest of the three also removed his hood to reveal a boy about ten years old. He had dark black eyes and pitch black hair. He also looked kind of familiar but the four of them weren't quite sure why. Piccolo looked at him, "Saiya, I want you to train with Mr. Popo for a while. Try and perfect that technique of yours while we work with the others." /And hopefully we'll be able to prevent the future you came back from.../
The boy, apparently named Saiya, nodded. He lifted into the air and flew off to another spot where he began to train. The four warriors were a bit surprised that someone so young could manipulate their KI. Their attention was re-directed when Piccolo grunted. With that Tien went over to Kami, Krillin went over to Kara, and Piccolo told both Brolly and Goku to follow him.
Piccolo led the two of them through several halls to a set of large doors where he stopped. "Goku, on the other side of these doors is what is known as the Room of Spirit and Time. It is a dimension outside of this one, a time beyond ours. In here you can live an entire year in a single day, without aging. The gravity is ten times that of Earth, the temperature fluctuates constantly, and you'll meet a man named King Kai.
"King Kai is one of the lower Kais, he is directly above Kami. Normally he dosen't enter the Room of Spirit and Time but with the Demons threatening again he has agreed to help us. You will spend the next 24 hours training with him, a year shall pass to you." With that Piccolo opened the door and Goku went in.
The large green man then led Brolly down the hall even further to small room with no windows. The two entered and Piccolo pulled the door shut, for a moment there was no light and then, suddenly, a small glowing ball of light appeared high above them. "And now, we begin your training." he said with a motion.
******
Krillin watched the others all disappear inside the palace leaving only him, Kara, Saiya, and Popo outside. Popo was helping Saiya to gain better control of his KI and train in general. The short human turned to the young woman before him and shook his head. "This is so weird..." Krillin said. "Fighting Demons, a talking cat, those other two were green, and you..."
"Kami is from a race of peaceful Demons. That may seem odd but there are a few of such races, just as there are races of Kais that were geared more towards violence and war." Kara explained.
"Like the Sai-jins?" Krillin asked, remembering Tien's story.
Kara nodded. "Very much like them."
"What about you?" he asked.
"Me? I am a Kai. I'm not as high up on the scale as King Kai, whom Goku will train with, but Otherworld is where I was born. However, I've lived in this world since before Majin Buu, we Kais have eternal youth." she smiled. "You mortals, especially you Humans, intrigue me greatly."