Chapter 18
Visitation
Behind a hidden wall, dug into the side of an ice cliff, there was a thatched hut. This particular cliff was on the outskirts of the Ice-Jin city. And in this hut, hid all of the Z warriors who were captured by the ice-jins. They had been hiding there for a full day now, and they were all still in bad shape. Chi Chi was still coughing up blood, and was often dizzy from loss of blood. Marron's burns had still gotten worse, and Krillin was still in a coma.
"Come on, we can do this" Mrs. Briefs said
"Yeah, it's not like they can stop us" Puar agreed
"You don't know my granddaughter, she'll go to great lengths"
"What are you up to?" Bulma asked, standing over them and casting a shadow.
"Umm, well" Puar squeaked, suddenly a lot less brave
"We've decided we're leaving" Mrs. Briefs stepped forward
"What?!" Bulma screeched
"I haven't had a fix in a long time, I'm starting to get the shakes, I'm not cut out for quitting cold Turkey" Suno replied, her voice shaky
"You're not leaving" Chi Chi tried to stand up, but fell back down on the bed, coughing
"No" Krillin mumbled, rolling over onto his side. All eyes fell on him.
"You can't go" he said "You can't"
"Krillin" Lunch's gaze softened from a determined one to a resigned one as she thought of all the times he had protected her along side Goku
"I'm staying" she said "I'm going to stay here and tough it out, I owe him that much"
"Just think" Bulma said, turning to Puar "Think of what Yamcha would say. Remember what he thought of drugs"
"He hated them, he said nothing was worse than lowering yourself to doing them" Puar said with tears in her eyes. (ironic, huh?)
"And Mother, think of how much Dad values brains. He'd want you to keep as many as you could"
"That's right" Mrs. Briefs said
"Suno, Jethro. I don't know either of you very well, but I know who does. Gohan and Goku. Think of what they'd do"
"They'd...stay. They'd stay and quit, cold turkey" Suno said. Jethro nodded.
"We'll stay" Mrs. Briefs sighed "But I hope they come soon"
.:::Good decision:::. A voice said. They looked around confusedly and they heard laughter. A hole seemed to rip open in the air and Anin stepped into the hut.
"W-who are you" they turned to the door and found Teal standing in the door
"Ancestor" Chi Chi attempted to stand, but Anin stretched her hand towards her, and she sat.
"Do not attempt to stand, daughter" Anin said "I have seen what you have been through. And for that, I have brought you gifts, all of you" she said, looking to them all. She turned to Chi Chi.
"For the injured ones of the order of the silk weaving monks, I have brought the healing beans from Korin" she walked to them and Chi Chi moved aside, allowing her to reach them. She gently opened Marron's mouth, and the groaning girl accepted the bean, chewing it and swallowing it. The burns instantly healed and vanished, and she sat up, checking herself, and cheering happily. Anin carefully fed a Senzu bean to Krillin as well, and Krillin sat up and embraced his daughter.
"And one for you as well, daughter" she turned to Chi Chi and fed her a bean. Chi Chi's wounds, internal and external, healed quickly.
"I have brought vials of elixir made from the honey of Octopus' bees, I believe you've met her" Chi Chi nodded. Anin handed a vial to Mrs. Briefs, Suno, Puar, Jethro, and Lunch.
"Be sure to drink all of it" she said. They nodded.
"And for you" she turned to Teal "I bring you news" Teal blinked and looked left and right, then turned back to them
"Umm, wait, me?" she pointed at herself
"Yes, you" Anin smiled warmly "For your services to my descendant and the helpless, I will petition with them on your behalf for acceptance into their elite warrior group" she turned to all of them "Will you accept her?"
"Of course" Bulma said, winking at Teal
"After what she did, I owe her AT LEAST that much" Chi Chi said
"Yeah" Krillin said "Sounds good"
"Why not" Videl grinned. Anin turned to the others.
"And you?"
"Who, us?" Suno asked
"You're asking us?" Mrs. Briefs seemed shocked
"Like it or not, you're all a part of this"
"Well, why not" Lunch said with a smile
"Sure" there was a chorus of agreement
"But, I'm a horrible fighter, and I'm not that strong"
"Oh come now, believe me, if I'm included, anyone can be" Puar said
"Gee, thanks"
"Hey, don't take it that way"
"Believe me, if you hang out with Prince Vegeta, you'll get strong" Bulma said, then making a face and mimicking him
"There is no such thing as a Saiyan who can't fight, if there was it would be a disgrace" She added a Vegeta Frown™ for effect and then broke down into laughter
"It's unanimous then" Anin said, holding back laughter "You have been accepted to Earth's Special Forces"
"More like the universal forces" Bulma said, thinking about their previous fights
"What about this Goku I have heard about, will he accept me?" she asked
"Goku?"
"She's worried about GOKU accepting her?" Puar asked. The entire group, including Anin, broke into laughter
"Don't worry about Goku, he likes everybody" Bulma said "Trust me, he even likes Vegeta"
"Huh?"
"Let me put it this way, every single member of our group, aside from Gohan, attacked Goku when they first met him"
"Even you?" Teal asked
"Yeah, I shot him" she said with a grin "And he thought I was a wicked witch, and he thought my motor bike was a monster after me and his fish"
"Wow"
"Now, onto the rest" Anin said "I have some items to distribute"
"Huh?"
"For Videl" she said. Videl stepped forward and Anin smiled
"I took the liberty of visiting your home, and the pink creature known as Buu showed me to your room. I have re-forged your weapon, I believe you'll find it very nice to use" Anin held out her hand and Videl's Kwan Dao appeared, only it was more refined, and was a bright silver.
"Use it well, along with this" she held out a hand and Videl's tattered clothes shimmered, transforming into a white gi like Chi Chi wore to the tournament where she met Goku for the second time, trimmed with blue.
"Thank you"
"Bulma" she turned to Bulma, who stepped forward
"I found what was left of your sword. It was a sad sight to see such a weapon destroyed, but I re-forged it and you should find it better than ever" she held out her hand and Bulma's sword appeared, with a strap and a sheath, a brilliant blue and gold. The handle was carved made of beautiful blue stone, with gold steel holding it together. She drew it and the silver blade shone even in the dim firelight.
"Use it well" she held out her hand and Bulma's clothes shone and transformed into a gi identical to Videl's.
"Thank you"
"Daughter" Chi Chi stepped forward
"Your weapon was in worse condition than Bulma's. However, I re-forged it, making it better than before. Use it well" Chi Chi's Pudao appeared in her hand and she handed it to Chi Chi and transformed her clothes into a gi as well, only her gi was blu trimmed with gold.
"Thank you" she said
"Now, for all of you, I have a gift. One that should more than even the battlefield. Your loved ones are on the way, but they will not arrive to rescue you, as they believe. They will arrive to join you, and to fight along side you in the battle YOU will begin" her Pudao appeared in her hand and she slammed the handle on the ground. The sound reverberated through the small room and the collars unhooked, clattering to the ground. Their hands flew to their necks, massaging blood back into them. Almost as a passing thought, she held her hand towards Teal. Teal's clothes transformed into a battle suit like Vegeta's.
"Thank you" she said
"Would you like armor as well?" she asked Krillin. Krillin grinned and shook his head.
"No, no thanks, I don't think I need it"
"I didn't think you would, neither did your friends" she said "But your friends at the monastery sent you this" she handed him a vile of elixir
"Be sure to drink it all" she said. Krillin nodded and popped the top, downing it in one gulp. His ki suddenly skyrocketed so fast he couldn't catch it for a few moments, and the dots on his forehead reappeared, glowing.
"Whoa"
"Wow" Lime said "That's cool"
"Hmm, all mine did was make me throw up" Lunch said
"Good, that means it purged you" Anin said
"That's what that was for?" Anin nodded
"I feel stronger than ever" Krillin said
"Daughter" Anin turned to Chi Chi "There is another thing. You are being re-enlisted"
"Huh?"
"You are hereby granted the powers to return the escapees from the HFIL to their rightful place, as one of Yemma's special enforcers"
"I shall fulfill my duties satisfactorily"
"Then I bid you farewell" Anin said, opening the hole in the air again. She stopped and turned around.
"And hit 'em once for me" she said with a wink, stepping into the hole and disappearing in a flash of light.
"Wow, that was your ancestor?" Lime asked
"Yeah, pretty cool huh?" Chi Chi winked
"Mm, what's that smell?" Bulma asked
"It smells like food" Krillin said
"Daddy, it IS food" Marron said, pointing. There was a hole carved into the stone in he shape of a hall, and there were torches burning. And filling the hall was a banquet of food, covering two tables. At one table were fourteen chairs, and at another table was just one, and on that table was a miniature banquet.
"Wow" Videl breathed
"Well, what are we waiting for?" the entire group descended on the food. Dende looked over the food for a moment before noticing a large pitcher of water. He poured himself a cup and watched as the group ate hungrily. He looked to his left and saw Teal at the other table where there was a note saying it was for her. She dug into the food in true Saiyan style, and he chuckled.
After the meal, the group patted their stomachs and grinned. Now they were truly ready.
"I told ya I saw something"
'There's something familiar about these guys' Krillin thought the group looked and saw a group of aliens, five to be exact, all looking at them.
They growled. "We've found you! Now, feel the wrath of the Ginyu Force!" they yelled
"Ack!" Krillin, Dende, and Bulma fell over at the name
"Oh no, not those clowns!" Bulma whined
"Ah, so you DO remember our founders. Well, believe me, we're far superior to them. Allow us to show you" The one they guessed was the leader said. The five charged them and the group fell into defensive positions.
"Dende, get back" Mr. Popo said, falling into a stance Dende hadn't seen before "It's time I finally took your protection into my own hands"
"Marron, stay behind me" Lime, who was sitting next to Marron said. Marron looked up at her and nodded.
"Puar, Mrs. Briefs, go back to Krillin" Chiaotzu said. The two scurried further into the cave. Before Bulma, Chi Chi, Videl, or Krillin could move; Lime, Jethro, Chiaotzu, Mr. Popo, and Lunch, who had transformed into Punch and pulled out a battle suit, took the initiative.
Chiaotzu moved on one who looked somewhat like Guldo, only slimmer and taller. He flew straight at him, spinning, as he had done in his fight with Krillin. The Guldo look-a-like went to hold his breath. Chiaotzu recognized the move from Krillin's stories and quickly aimed at his gut, hitting him square on and forcing the air out of his lungs. The alien wheezed and Chiaotzu quickly executed a do don ray, frying him. Chiaotzu normally would have stopped there, but he was still angry about being captured so easily, and finished the alien by firing another do don ray straight through his head.
Mr. Popo stood in a stance he hadn't used in a long time, waiting patiently as the one who looked like Jeice with shorter, purple hair charged at him. Mr. Popo watched as the alien became coated in light and seemed to become an orange comet. He simply side-stepped, and the alien crashed into a wall. The orange alien pulled himself out of his hole and growled, charging up a large ki blast. Mr. Popo merely watched as he fired it off, and when it seemed the ki blast would hit him, he opened his mouth and inhaled deeply. The blast entered his mouth as the kamehameha had done so long ago, but rather than swallowing it, Mr. Popo spat it back at the alien. His eyes widened as it came at him, and he had no time to block. He was incinerated by his own blast.
"I didn't know you could do that" Dende said
"Neither did I" the black genie replied "I must say that all this work must have increased my strength"
Lime squared off as a tall alien who was like Recoome, only with black hair and more sense, grinned wickedly at her.
"My momma always told me to never hit a girl. Good thing I never listen to her"
"Oh? Did your momma ever tell you that girls hit back?" she charged in, seeing an opening, and aimed an elbow. He quickly closed it, covering it with his arm. She quickly altered her plan, placing her foot on the arm and using it to propel herself into a back flip, hitting his chin with her knee and extending her foot to catch his throat. He stumbled backwards and she chose to catch him off guard, dashing in. He regained balance quicker than she anticipated though, and caught her with a devastating punch. She slid backwards, barely keeping her balance, and she watched as he charged. She growled.
"I don't think so" she spread her feet apart and fanned out her fingers in a familiar position "Solar Flare!" the room was filled with blinding light and he stopped dead, rubbing his eyes.
"Heh" he heard "Game Over. Tri Beam!" and that was the last thing he ever heard
"You can't win" the tall blue alien who looked like Burter said "I always win"
"That can easily change" Jethro said, crouching, observing his opponent
"You honestly believe that? I was trained by the great Burter himself until he died heroically in battle
"Hmm, well, if you say so, why are you standing there and not attacking?"
"You'll wish you hadn't said that" he said. He charged up a blue burst of ki and fired a blast at him. Jethro simply leapt over it and landed lightly, crouching into a stance.
"Invisible Hammer" he appeared to simply punch the air to an ordinary observer, but the trained eyes of the Z Senshi easily saw several rapid punches each causing a sharp wave of air to strike Burter. Burter was panting heavily and holding one of his arms.
"Not good enough"
"How's this?" Jethro was suddenly next to him. He gulped. A quick chop to the neck and Burter saw no more.
"I'm gonna pound ya, stay still you little worm!" Punch yelled as the new Captain Ginyu raced around her
"Why would I do that?" he asked. Punch carefully watched as he dashed around her. She remembered stories Krillin told her about Captain Ginyu switching bodies with Goku, and Bulma's horror stories of being a frog, so she was on her guard. She almost wished she had her armor with missiles and guns, but Tien had been training her and had made her use a suit only for defense, and she was forced to rely on her training for offense.
"Lets see you run around when you can't see" she yelled, taking the stance "Solar Flare!"
"Ahh, my eyes" he was rolling on the ground, holding his eyes
"Wimp" she growled, aiming her fingers "Do don ray!"
"And that's that" she brushed her hands off. The other fighters joined her and they began congratulating each other
"Great job"
"That was a great Tri Beam Lime! I didn't know Tien had taught you that already" Chiaotzu said
"I didn't know you'd already taught Punch Do Don Ray either"
"Wonderful Solar Flare" Punch said
"Right back at you"
"That was so cool where you did all those punches Grandpa"
"It would seem this old dog can learn some new tricks" he replied
"That was great" Krillin said, setting the leftover ordure's he'd been eating down
"I never knew you were all so strong"
"As I told Dende, I think this work has made us stronger"
"I think so too" Lime said "Before I could barely muster enough ki to even START a tri beam, and all the sudden I can do it as if I've been training for MONTHS"
"Yeah, but we should start moving" Krillin said "We're going to have to find another safe place for you guys" he said turning to Suno and the others
"Yeah, after that fight, I KNOW someone has picked us up"
"Don't worry, we'll stay with them" Teal said "We'll help them, you"
"YOU, ma'am, are coming with us" Videl said
"What?!"
"Yeah" Krillin said "I've sensed your ki, you'll be really helpful in this fight"
"But"
"No buts" Chi Chi said "You're coming"
"Don't worry, we can handle it" Lime said, winking
"Yeah, we can find them a safe place, you guys just-"
"Here they are"
"Not again" Lime sighed
"We'll handle this one" Krillin said, heading to the outer cave
"Come on" Chi Chi pulled Teal behind her while Videl and Bulma went ahead
"Lets watch, this should be a good show" Lime said. The others nodded.
"I told you, I sensed something"
"Yeah, the Ginyu Force went to check it out, but they haven't come back yet"
"I told you they couldn't handle it"
"Stupid Rookies, they put the name Ginyu to shame"
"The founders are probably rolling over in their graves"
"They don't even do the poses!"
"Come on, quiet" the group of Ice-Jin walked towards the cave
"There's nothing in there"
"They're probably hiding. Remember, Prince Vegeta can hide his ki, they probably can too"
"Cowards, hiding like frightened children"
"Who says we're hiding?" Videl was standing with her arms crossed, smirking at them
"Hey, it's a little girl" one said. Videl growled and balled her hands into fists at her side, beginning to call on her ki. She was surprised at the amount she found. Much more than she'd had before. She'd built up more ki in these two months than she had in the first eighteen years of her life. As she continued the icejins began making snide comments.
"Aww, does the little girl want to play?" the leader smirked
"Hey boss, turn on your scouter" one of them said. He snarled and glared, but at the frightened look on the alien's face, turned it on.
"What?! This can't be right"
Videl smirked as the smirks dropped off their faces.
"This is impossible"
"Impossible? That's what we said when we heard Lord Frieza had been beaten"
"And look at him, he has a halo"
"Shut up" he shouted. The group quieted, and Videl smirked
"Oh? Is that all?" they asked when she stopped raising her ki
"No, that's not all, I just thought I'd give you a chance to be smart and run away" she said. They growled.
"No way, my toddler could step on you" he said
"Are you sure? You don't want to run away?"
"No way, you just surprised us"
"Oooookaaaaaay, but I warned you" she focused her ki and with a shout, brought her aura out. She continued to raise her ki until she found a block on a portion of her newer ki. She frowned.
"What's wrong girly? At your limit? Too bad, you're gonna be crushed then. Weakling" that was the last straw. She growled and bared her teeth and her eyes flashed as she broke through the barrier. A rush of compressed hi spread through her, turning her aura red, blowing her short hair around. She had reached Super Chikiyu-jin. The scouters broke and the icejins paled.
"No way" they took a step back
"Yes way" Videl growled "I gave you a chance, now you're DEAD!" She charged at them and they screamed like little girls as she dove into the middle of them. The ones farthest back turned to flee, but ran into Chi Chi and Bulma.
"Ah ah ah!" Chi Chi wagged her finger
"You had your chance, now say goodbye" Bulma added. The women burst into Super Chikyu-jin and laid into them. Some tried escaping to the side but found Teal.
"Finally, someone I know we can beat" One said, cracking his knuckles
"Don't be so sure, I'm stronger than I look" she began raising her ki and found a barrier, like Videl and, unbeknownst to them, Bulma had.
"Yeah right, you're pathetic. Just like your friends, and just like your brother"
"Varel?"
"Yeah. We got rid of them easy"
"You're the ones?" her eyes were wide. Then they narrowed and she bared her teeth, revealing fangs "You'll wish you hadn't done that" her voice shook as she spoke and waves of sorrow and anger washed over her, beating the barrier. She broke through the power barrier and her aura exploded as she screamed. Her aura flashed gold, then the gold was pushed to the edges, and streaks of blue lightning shot across her aura and from her now pupil-less eyes. Her hair turned pure white and her muscles bulged slightly. She was a Super Saiyan.
"I told you she was strong" Krillin said, bursting into Super Chikyu-Jin.
"Yeah, you told us" Chi Chi said between punches. Krillin and teal jumped into the middle of the fray, and there was no escape route for the Ice-Jins.
"Left, right, ooh! That had to hurt"
"I, have to, escape" the leader crawled out of the fray, hoping not to be noticed by Videl.
"Were do you think you're going?" she growled, her hand reaching out of the cloud of flying limbs. She grabbed him by the tail, and he screamed like a little girl as he was pulled back in.
"Ooh, I don't think arms are supposed to bend that way" Punch said
"Marron, don't look" Jethro said, shielding her eyes and looking away
"Ooh, ouch, ack! Gross" Lime looked away from the gruesome scene until the commotion stopped. There was a bright flash and then Videl's voice.
"You can look now" she said. When they looked back, there was nothing but a big black scorch mark.
"You guys should move on before any more come" Chi Chi said
"We'll be in the city if you need us"
"We've got business with a lizard"
It was day two of the three day trip to the planet of the Ice-Jins, and Gohan and Goten were in heavy training. Goten had been complaining that he hardly got to train one on one with just his brother anymore, so Gohan had set an entire day aside for just the two of them to train in one of the heavy gravity rooms aboard the cavernous spaceship.
Gohan dodged the Kamehameha wave from his brother and reappeared behind him, executing a strong punch. Goten ducked under it and used Instant Transmission to appear on his head.
"Hello" he waved before balling his hand into a fist and slamming into his brother's forehead. Gohan held his forehead and grinned as Goten jumped off his head.
"Good one"
"Thanks"
"Try this MASENKO-HA!" Gohan quickly threw the energy wave at his brother, who's eyes widened for a moment before quickly flying out of the way, the back of his gi getting singed.
"Nice one! Try this one, KI FAN!" He created a fan of ki around his hand and waved his hand, causing a fierce cutting wind to blow at his unsuspecting brother. Gohan quickly blocked, but the wind still created several cuts on his arms and legs, and one on his cheek.
"Wow, that's the best one I've ever done!" Goten said once the attack faded
"Indeed, that was a wonderful attack" a voice said. A hole in the air opened up and Anin stepped through.
"Anin!" Gohan exclaimed
"A-who?" Goten asked. His eyes lit up when he saw her. "You look like my mom!"
"She's our ancestor. You've never met her, but she forges our weapons"
"Yes, all except for yours" she said to Goten.
"Mine?"
"Yes, your bo staff is enchanted though, made of wood from the forests on the mountain where the monks weave the enchanted silk"
"I remember that place!" Goten said with stars in his eyes
"You should" Gohan said "It wasn't THAT long ago"
"Now, for the reason that I'm here" Anin said "I am here to enlist you"
"In what?" Gohan asked
"The two of you are to be members of Yemma's special enforcers"
"Wow" Goten said with stars in his eyes "My brother told me about when my mom was part of them! She got to open up holes in dimensions and everything!"
"Yes, and you may get to as well. Your job is to defeat the escapees from HFIL and return them from whence they came"
"Cool!" Goten said. Gohan grinned at his brother's antics.
"We will complete this task satisfactorily ancestor" Gohan said formally, bowing
"But, we don't even know where they are" Goten said
"Oh, do not worry, you will find them"
"How?" Gohan asked "We only know the general area of space we're going to. We don't know the exact coordinates"
"Which brings us to the second reason I'm here" Anin said with a wink
Dr. Briefs, Vegeta, Oolong, Yajirobe, Seventeen, and 24 sat at a table with star charts and maps spread over it.
"Hmm" Dr. Briefs stroked his mustache thoughtfully. Gohan walked into the room and they looked up as he walked over to the navigation console. He looked down at the keys for a moment before punching some numbers in.
"What do you think you're doing boy?!" Vegeta growled
"Inputting the coordinates" he said
"Planet 4597" a computer voice said, bringing up a 3D holographic display of the planet. Vegeta's mouth dropped open.
"How did YOU know THAT?!" he growled
"That's for me to know and you to wonder about" Gohan said before returning to the training room. He HAD promised his brother a whole day, after all.
Vegeta watched Gohan's back until it disappeared then turned to Dr. Briefs, who turned to a keyboard.
"Deploy remote sensors!"
"Deploying" 24 said. Two small metal orbs shot out of the ship, moving at speeds far faster than Vegeta could've imagined, and a few minutes later they were getting live feed of the planet.
"What are those flashes?" Oolong asked
"Hmm, computer, scan the planet for irregular energy signals"
"I don't need a scan to tell me what those are. Those are ki blasts"
"Wh-what?! That big?" Yajirobe stuttered
"Yes" Dr. Briefs said, scanning the readout "They are composed of life energy"
"But, why would there be ki blasts?" Oolong asked "There shouldn't be any battles going on"
"I have an idea Eighteen can tell us more" Dr. Briefs said