Yamcha holds both fists before his shoulders. He yells as he powers up. A red aura flares around his hands. He crouches on his left leg and slides the other foot forward. His arms curl around the left side of his head so his hands slide behind it. The fingers unfurl so the palms face each other. He leaps for a giant cube of red brick.
"Kaio-Rogafufu-Ken!"
The aura around his hands flares bigger. He bounds across King Kai's mountaintop. His arms deliver a two palmed strike to the block. The crimson aura takes the shape of a wolf's head. Upon contact, the block obliterates, and Yamcha passes through the dust and debris.
"Nicely done, Yamcha," says King Kai. "I'm impressed you've attained the basics of Kaioken in just the past few months. Building off of an old technique really paid off."
"Thank you master."
Yamcha bows. The halo above his head follows the motion.
"It's still nowhere near what Goku can do with it."
"Being able to control it for precise attacks is a very important skill. Plus, your body is not nearly at the risk level Goku's is when he channels that much power through his whole being. If you can adapt my teachings to something unique for yourself, it may serve you even better."
King Kai nods and moves on to where Chiaotzu trains.
Chiaotzu sits cross-legged before a tree with one palm upon it. His youthful face squints in concentration. Wisps of white ki flow from the tree and into his hand. It whirls around his fingers and wrist.
The place he touches begins to fade in color. The look of death scares Chiaotzu, and he releases the technique. The color slowly returns to the bark. Chiaotzu stares at his hand.
"You certainly have a unique take on the Genki Dama," says King Kai.
Chiaotzu jumps and looks over his shoulder.
"Greetings master," he says, getting up and bowing. "I can't seem to get the hang of this technique. Instead of pulling a little genki from many life forms, I can only pull from one. But it's too much, and I nearly kill it."
"It's not an easy ability to learn. You should be proud you've come this far already."
"But I don't want to use an incomplete skill that will cause such harm."
"Hmm. Perhaps it's only incomplete because you believe it is. It's courteous of you to consider the safety of others, but perhaps you will find a situation the level you're at now is suitable for."
"I don't know, but I'll keep practicing."
"If you'd like to try other training, I'm quite interested in your telepathic abilities. I've never trained anyone in that area, and I see great potential in you."
Chiaotzu bows his head.
"Thank you master. Your words are kind."
King Kai directs his attention to Master Roshi. Green electricity arcs around Roshi's hands and feet as he transitions through a routine of strikes.
"Well done, Roshi," says King Kai. "The application of your Bankoku Bikkuri Sho to other parts of your martial arts seems to be going well."
"Thank you master," Roshi says. Calling another master after all these years still feels strange and yet comforting to him. "I know I've said this already, but it truly is an honor to have your divine guidance."
"Thank you, but the honor is mine. I don't usually have the opportunity to work with those I watch over. And to be honest, your arsenal of techniques is so varied, it made it difficult for me to teach you anything. I was really only left with showing you how to create variations of everything you already know."
"I appreciate the insight. Maybe you can even teach this old man to finally fly. Then I can rub it in that old Crane Hermit's face. Oh pardon me, I don't think of your training as a way to dish out petty revenge."
"Ho, ho, of course not. Keep practicing."
King Kai moves on to his last pupil, but does not get far as two green blurs zip around in a sparring match. One gets knocked to the ground, and the other lands beside him. Piccolo reaches a hand down to his doppelganger who gratefully accepts. As Piccolo pulls him to his feet, the clone fades into his body, making him whole once more.
"Excellent, Piccolo," says King Kai. "You've truly found peace with yourself and that has opened up an incredible new path of power for you. You can even create clones again without the fear of splintering personalities. Truly remarkable. Conquering the self is always the most difficult opponent."
"Hmph, yeah. Thank you. Can you tell me how Gohan's doing?"
"Hmm, last I checked, Goku was planning an attempt to get the Namekian Dragon Balls to wish you all back to life."
"What! Did Gohan go with him? Have they run into any danger? How could you keep something like that from me?"
The others stop their training to look at the two of them.
"I do apologize," says King Kai. "I wasn't trying to keep it from you. My attention is constantly bombarded by tons of information. I'm not always able to manage all of it in a timely manner to suit the schedules of others."
"Fine, but is Gohan okay or not?"
"Hmm, let me check."
A shiver runs down King Kai's antennae as they dance to find the information they seek.
"Ah yes, there they are. They seem to be making great progress on their goal. They did manage to escape a brush with death though. Planet Namek is very danger—"
His word trails off. His mouth drops open.
"What is it, King Kai?" says Yamcha, as he and the others move to his side.
"Shh, I've been contacted by my superior. Uh huh, let me see."
His antennae twitch again. His head turns as he follows some unseen message.
"I see now, those vandals have acquired seeds of the Shinseiju in my quadrant. Have the other Kais send reinforcements, though I fear they are too far away to make a difference. I will send my most promising students to stop them. Pray for us."
King Kai looks over his students. They stare into his sunglasses.
"I have terrible news. I know we have only been training for a few months, but I must ask that you attempt to stop a gang of criminals who are threatening the heavens."
"Woah, who are they?" says Chiaotzu.
"I'm not entirely sure where they came from, but they have gained access to a seed of the Shinseiju. It is a divine tree whose fruit is only meant for kami to consume. It can only be planted in special worlds that can handle the incredible amount of nutrients it needs. They must be stopped before they cause irreversible damage to the heavens."
"Right on," says Yamcha. "I could use some action. Besides, we're already dead. How bad could it be?"
"While it's true your spirits cannot be killed," says King Kai, "the bodies they currently inhabit can be. You will not be able to exist as you are now if you sustain a fatal injury."
"Heh, I'm not afraid," says Piccolo. "If Goku and Gohan are trying to bring us back to life, we'll get our bodies back real soon if the worst should happen."
"That may be so," says Roshi, "but it is always best to approach any battle with caution. We must not underestimate our foes."
"Well spoken," says King Kai. "Let me discern their current location, and I will create a path for you. Please proceed with the utmost vigilance."
Yamcha looks at Chiaotzu who hides an expression of uncertainty.
"What's wrong man?"
"I don't think I'm ready for this. I wasn't ready for the Saiyans, and I haven't gotten that much training since dying. I don't even know why King Kai allowed me to become his pupil."
"Hey, don't talk like that. From what I heard, you were awesome against the Saiyan you fought. You definitely deserve to be with King Kai and the rest of us."
"Thank you, Yamcha."
Chiaotzu clenches his fists.
"Okay, I'll do my best."
Yamcha feels a rise in Chiaotzu's ki and smiles.
"There they are," says King Kai. He snaps his fingers.
The head of a stone serpent appears. Its giant body slithers into the distance.
"Take this path and you'll be there soon."
Daizu and Amondo fly around throwing energy balls at the bark of a giant tree stretching into the atmosphere. Its width reaches as far as the eye can see in both directions. Its massive canopy of branches and leaves obscures the hazy pink heavens above.
"So this is what Kakao feels like all the time," says Amondo.
Kakao zips in beside them.
"Yes," he says, "except now I don't even need my equipment."
"And all this from just one bite of the fruit," says Daizu. "I couldn't even eat the whole thing before feeling like my gut would bust."
"Indeed," say Rezun and Rakasei together. They float nearby passing a red energy ball around between them. "We've already discovered so many unique ways to use this power."
The twins giggle as they study their new abilities.
"Fascinating."
"Truly extraordinary."
"Ah, yes, I see."
"So that's how it is."
"It's affected our brains just as much as our bodies."
"Yes, my recollection has increased severalfold I'd estimate."
"Ah you guys are over analyzing the fun out of it," says Amondo.
Daizu spots Turles on the barren ground studying a piece of paper. He drops to the dirt beside him. Exhausted dust billows up around his feet. With every trace of nutrient and water devoured from the soil by the godly tree, everything else lies starved and dead.
"Looking pretty good right?" says Daizu, flexing his new muscles.
Turles grins and shakes his head. He bites into the juicy hide of a wrinkled fruit.
"How can you eat another one?" says Daizu. "Didn't the first one fill you to bursting?"
"I thought you said it took many months to fully digest the withered one you ate?" says Amondo, swooping to join them. The rest of the gang follows. "And didn't the twins say our bodies have to fully metabolize one to get the full effect. Aren't you worried you might overload yourself or something?"
"Nah," says Turles. "Besides, I like the taste."
"It's so bitter, how can you stand it?" says Kakao. "I've eaten some nasty things to survive, but this was worse than all of them. It was hard to keep down." As he thinks about the fruit and how bitter it was, the craving for another tickles his taste buds.
"It's an acquired taste I suppose."
"Whatever you say," says Daizu. "I can fly and shoot energy from my hands now. That's all I care about."
"Alright, so we keep eating the fruit and get really strong, then what?" says Amondo.
"Then we kick the ass of whoever's in charge for thinking they can punish us," says Kakao, "and take over to rule our way."
"That what you want to do, Turles?" says Amondo.
Turles fixates on the piece of paper he stole with Goku's name and picture on it. He shakes his head and stuffs the paper back into the collar of his armor. He tries to answer a question about a conversation he zoned out from.
"Sure, that all sounds fun. There's a particular planet back in the living world I want to check on when we're done on this side of things. Not sure how to get there yet though."
"Heh, perfect," says the twins. "We can get into all kinds of trouble wherever we go."
"And we can plant a seed on each world we visit," says Amondo. "I'd love to see how the old prison is doing."
"Anyway," says Turles, "let's get moving to the next one."
"Oh can't we wait a bit," says Daizu. "My stomach is killing me. I don't think I could eat another fruit without getting sick."
"Trust me," says Turles, "you'll have a craving for one soon enough. Let's move out."
He takes flight. The others lift their heavy bellies and follow. They practice flying as they glide across the soft pink heavens. The morning hues form the backdrop for various planets that dot the sky. They fly towards the one that seems the closest.
Looking back at the one left behind reveals a brown husk with no signs of life except for a giant tree puncturing its atmosphere. The mighty tree wilts and withers without any sustenance left to support its immense appetite.
By the time they reach the atmosphere of their next target, flight feels as natural as walking. Silver oceans and golden mountains await them. The plow through its sky towards a green patch of forest. When they reach the tree line, Turles pulls a seed from a pouch. The others snicker as he tosses it to the soft soil below.
Within twenty minutes, the ground trembles as the humble seed awakens. A pillar of bark pierces the sky while giant roots spread out from its base. They plunge in and out of the ground as they furrow ravines across the continent. Branches consume the sky and sprout vibrant green leaves. As the canopy blooms, a green shade overcasts the land far below.
"Soon we'll feast again boys," says Turles.
"Not if we can help it!"
Turles and his crew spin to see who defies them.
Yamcha, Piccolo, Chiaotzu, and Roshi stand on what appears to be the tail of a stone serpent. It floats in the air without any support and stretches ceaselessly into the distance.
"Who the hell are you guys?" says Turles.
"You're worst nightmare!" says Piccolo.
"Woah," says Yamcha. "That guy looks just like Goku."
"Goku!" says Turles. "How do you know that name? Tell me."
"We aren't going to tell you a damn thing," says Yamcha.
Turles grimaces.
"That's fine. I'll enjoy beating the information out of you."
"Enough talking," says Piccolo.
He launches from the structure with a billowing white aura. He throws a punch at Turles. His fist collides with Daizu's blocking forearm.
"Hold on there," says Daizu. "You'll have to get through me first."
They separate from the group in a frenzy of strikes.
"Finally, some action," says Kakao. He charges the new arrivals. Yamcha meets his advance.
Chiaotzu gulps as Amondo rushes them, but Roshi leaps with a spinning kick to intercept him. Amondo's huge arm smashes through him with its great reach. He laughs for a moment until he realizes his attack passed harmlessly through a fading afterimage.
Roshi drops from above with an axe kick to the top of Amondo's head, sending him plummeting to the earth below. He falls after him.
Rakasei and Rezun go back to back. Their bodies merge into a single being. They rush for Chiaotzu who glides away in fright. They give chase, throwing white hot energy orbs after him. They streak with bright red edges and tails.
Chiaotzu keeps an eye over his shoulder to dodge them. He fires a few Dodonpa beams. The yellow lasers cut with precision and force the Rakasei and Rezun being to swerve around.
Chiaotzu loops high and gets behind the opponent. He holds out his hands which glow with an azure light. His opponent freezes in place as the same colored aura appears around the merged twins.
"Heyah!"
Chiaotzu shouts and flies in with a flurry of kicks. His feet pound the foe in the head and stomach.
His confidence bolsters with each strike as his fear shrinks away.
A duplicate of the foe shoots out of their stomach and tackles Chiaotzu. Rezun headbutts his forehead and chips at his forearms with chopping hands.
Chiaotzu falls back.
"That was dangerous," says Rakasei, moving in beside his brother. "I didn't think he could paralyze our whole body."
"Luckily we have two," says Rezun. "We better make use of it."
They flank Chiaotzu from both sides and batter him between their attacks. Rakasei gut punches him leaving him doubled over. Rezun clasps his hands together and smashes Chiaotzu in the back. He plummets to the drained earth below.
Yamcha clashes with Kakao whose cyborg enhancements give him an advantage. The armor on his forearms and calves open to reveal thruster exhausts. The rockets ignite to give his punches and kicks more speed and power.
Yamcha struggles to keep up with the swiftness as the strikes hammer away at his defenses. He clenches his gut and pushes out a surge of ki.
"Rogafufuken!"
Yamcha raises his hands over his right shoulder and slams his palms against Kakao's chest. The target bounces off the attack, and Yamcha follows, preparing another big swing. As his hands strike again, panels of Kakao's armor slide open. More rocket thrusters reveal themselves from all over the front and back of his torso.
They light with fire and propel Kakao high above Yamcha's reach. He looks down upon him and smiles with his slimy lips.
"My turn. Kozumikku Atakku!"
Thrusters from his back drive him straight at Yamcha. His front rockets bring him to a sudden stop to avoid a retaliating strike. The thrusters pivot in their sockets and blast him in a strafing motion to get behind Yamcha.
Kakao shoulder rams Yamcha in the spine with rockets at full blast. As Yamcha bends over the attack, Kakao pulls back and kicks him skyward. His thrusters shoot him past his helpless opponent. He stops and jets downward so both heels smash Yamcha in the stomach.
Yamcha craters the ground while Kakao hovers above. Yamcha dislodges himself from a half buried position. His shoulders sag with fatigue.
Roshi slips between the bruising blows of Amondo. He keeps just ahead of the big punches and kicks brushing at his clothes.
"You're pretty spry for an old timer," says Amondo. "But how long can you keep it up?"
He increases the pace of his attacks.
Not much longer, thinks Roshi. He cups his hands at his waist while continuing to flip about. He begins a mental chant. Kah. Meh. Hah. Meh…
He fires a quick burst at the ground to get over Amondo's next attack. He twists around and fires another flash to slip behind his foe. As he drops to the earth, the energy swells to engulf his hands.
Amondo turns to face him. Roshi thrusts his hands.
"Hah!"
A huge whitish blue beam swallows Amondo and blasts him away. Roshi finishes the technique and gasps for air.
Amondo stands several yards away. His arms cross his body like a shield. The forearms are bare and singed but show little damage.
"Phew," he says. "I wasn't expecting that one. How about double or nothing?"
Roshi grits his teeth. He takes off his jacket while calling forth all his ki. He growls out a grunt. His muscles enlarge until they bulge like Amondo's.
Amondo smiles and charges. Their hands lock as they struggle to overpower the other.
"You have to tell me your secret," says Amondo. "I want to be in just as good a shape as you are when I'm your age."
Amondo bends Roshi's wrists back. Roshi's heels start to slide as he loses ground.
Piccolo presses hard on the offense. Daizu flees from the aggressive assault. Piccolo cuts him off at every turn and chases him upward into the giant branches of the god tree.
Daizu disappears into the leaves and foliage. He loses sight of Piccolo as he does the same. He snakes his way through the gnarled branches and stops to catch his breath when he believes he has put enough distance between himself and Piccolo.
"This guy is way tougher than I thought," he says. "I'll have to be careful and try to ambush him."
He moves at a cautious pace with his eyes and ears on high alert. The dense branches make it difficult to see far away. A vine rips free of a branch and slaps him across the face. But it is not a vine at all. Somehow his foe stretched his arm along the length of the branches to sneak up on him.
The second arm strikes from the other side. He dodges, but the claws of the first hand cut a gash in his neck. He whirls about as the hands stab at him with their sharp nails.
A rustle from above attracts his attention. Piccolo drops straight down upon him with one extended leg. The heel crushes the temple of Daizu's head. He careens through multiple branches and falls from the canopy suffocating the sky and halfway down the trunk.
Piccolo retracts his arms and pursues his target. Daizu recovers as he drops down to square off again.
"That was a pretty clever move," says Daizu. "Somehow you knew exactly where I was without being able to see me. How'd you do that?"
"I've just got a knack for that kind of thing."
"A knack huh. Well maybe I should show you my special skill then. Arghhh!"
Daizu's muscles flex as he draws out power. His ki channels to his right arm as he pulls it back. A white sphere with an orange outline forms in his palm. He shoves his hand above his head and the orb shoots high over Piccolo. It expands as it rises.
"Meteo Boru!"
Daizu's hand glows with orange flames as he clenches his fingers tight. A smaller orb fissions from the larger one and drops like a bullet at Piccolo.
He sways aside, avoiding the hit, and runs into a left hook from Daizu. The blow loosens his jaw as he recoils. He floats back to regroup. He sees Daizu clench the fingers of his right hand again. The aura still dances from them.
Another small orb drips from the bigger one. It hastens to shoot at Piccolo once more. He dodges and blocks another punch which pushes him back.
"What's wrong?" says Daizu. "You're slower than before. My new attack too much for you? How about I take it up a notch."
He snaps his glowing hand shut again. Two spheres break free. One shoots off first, forcing Piccolo to react. The second takes aim and fires at where he will be after the dodge.
Piccolo puts a forearm between himself and the bullet. It dents his arm upon impact. An explosion engulfs and burns his flesh.
Daizu flies in and kicks a sharp foot deep into Piccolo's gut. Piccolo recovers but finds himself beneath the dangerous orb once more.
Turles watches the fights and smiles.
"The fruit has done wonders for my comrades. They are better warriors than most Saiyans."
Chiaotzu dodges another blast and sends out a psychic call.
Friends, we need a plan. It's going to take teamwork to win.
Yamcha, Roshi, and Piccolo perk at the sound of Chiaotzu's voice in their minds.
Way to go Chiaotzu, thinks Yamcha. A telepathic link is just what we need.
You weaklings work it out yourself, thinks Piccolo. Just hold them off until I'm done with mine, and I'll clean up from there. Now stop distracting me.
No Piccolo, thinks Roshi. Chiaotzu is right. I don't think you have the stamina to face all of them plus their leader. I think I can stun my opponent and break away to help someone.
Okay, thinks Yamcha. I can stall my guy if you want to join me for a double team. Then we can both help Chiaotzu and finish off his opponent. Can you hang on a bit longer Chiaotzu?
Yes. And once it's us three against the other two, the fight should be much smoother.
All right, thinks Roshi. Here I go.
Roshi channels an electric current through the liquid ki infusing his body. A white aura takes flight from his skin. The spiky wisps turn a yellowish green as his aura takes on the electric properties of his Bankoku Bikkuri Sho.
A shocking pain stabs Amondo's hands. He breaks the hold and jumps back before they can go completely numb.
"Huh?" says Amondo. "That's interesting."
He shakes his hands before charging with a raised fist to clobber Roshi with. The strike gets brushed aside by a decisive palm and forearm. Pins and needles stab every nerve in his forearm. It tingles with pain before losing feeling.
Roshi slides to the side of Amondo after the defensive maneuver and prepares to attack the vulnerable opening. Amondo attempts a kick from the disadvantaged position. Roshi capitalizes on the reckless attack by leaving an afterimage behind in plenty of time.
Amondo's leg sweeps the illusion, but the electric field from the aura remains. The current rips across his entire nervous system. He spasms with pain and drops to the ground. Electric arcs dance over him leaving him unable to move.
Roshi speeds away towards Yamcha.
Yamcha stares at Kakao who chuckles.
"It's obvious you can't keep up with my agility," says Kakao. "Why don't you just give up?"
"Your mobility is impressive, but I've got a technique that can match it!"
Yamcha holds out a palm open to the sky and grabs it just below the wrist. Jagged lines of yellow electricity flow up the gaps between his fingers. His entire hand glows in a dense aura. The energy focuses to his palm where a large sphere bounces up.
"Sokidan!"
He whips his hand behind his head with the orb following. He lassos it forward, and the attack takes flight at the target.
Kakao flashes aside with the help of his jets. The Sokidan stops instantly where it would have made contact and darts sideways to chase Kakao. His eyes widen in surprise as his thrusters push him upward. The Sokidan stops and shoots up after him.
No matter how tight of a turn Kakao makes, he cannot shake loose from Yamcha's attack. He blitzes in a jagged pattern. The distance between them dwindles.
A blue beam of energy cuts off his travel. His jets screech as they swivel in their sockets to correct his flight path. He skims along the surface of the cylindrical energy. A quick search reveals the attack coming from the old man of the enemy group.
The Sokidan crashes his back, pinning him to the blue wave. Sparks shower from his armor as it heats up from the friction. The Sokidan bounces from him and punches down again.
Kakao grinds along the surface as Roshi angles his blast towards him. Roshi's enlarged muscles return to their normal size as the ki releases. The Kamehameha sucks Kakao up. The pounding energy beats him as it knocks him away.
Yamcha and Roshi end their attacks and hurry along the ground towards where Chiaotzu struggles to handle his opponent.
Turles cries from above.
"Not so fast. Sadonsutomu!"
A hail of violet orbs scatter from his right hand and race towards Yamcha and Roshi. They avoid getting hit directly, but the resulting explosions suffocate their escape. They both bounce around helplessly from one blast to the next.
When the smoke clears, Yamcha and Roshi lie motionless on the ground. Burns mark their clothes and skin. Amondo and Kakao approach them.
Rakasei and Rezun strike Chiaotzu one after the other. Chiaotzu skids along the dry soil to lie next to his friends as the twins move in too.
Turles laughs.
The Tree of Might buds with what will soon be the empowering fruit of the gods.