We faced off in the dim light of The Arena, neither of us willing to make the first move. I knew Arsenia far too well though, my patience far exceeded his own; with little doubt he would be the aggressor.
That was more than fine with me, I knew every move he possessed, nothing he could do would surprise me. Sure enough, about a minute later, he zanzokened out of view.
I easily tracked his ki, off to my right. I swivelled to face him, and was greeted by the sight of his fist closing in on my head. I fell back, allowing his reckless blow to sail over my head and torso. My feet were now directly under his body, so I swung them up towards his body in unison.
He zanzokened away again, so I was forced to catch myself in mid-air and again seek out his ki. I picked him up to my left this time. I planted my feet into the dirt of The Arena, facing Arsenia and waiting for his attack. For several seconds, nothing, then a strange sensation came over me. Suddenly I felt three Arsenia's directly in front of me.
Damn it, I hated his tri-form attack, and I still hadn't mastered the technique myself, so I knew I'd be forced to knock his three bodies back together, like I did when I beat him at the Tenkaichi Budoukai. Just as the thought popped in my head, two of Arsenia's forms flew at me from the right and left. I could barely see them in the bad light, but I did see that one of them was aimed at my head, and the other at my knees.
Since they came from both directions, my left and right flanks were cut off, so I was forced to float horizontally (like I was lying on an invisible bed) in an attempt to make them miss.
It didn't work. The high one struck me in the jaw with an elbow and flung me full force against the far wall. I crashed hard, breaking some of the brickwork, and then I fell to the ground with my back to the wall. I was dazed by the collision, and was barely able to dodge the knee sent by one of the bodies. His appendage struck straight through the wall, sending shrapnel flying all over. It also left his body parallel to my shoulders. I brought my arms up, wrapped them around his waist and flung him full force to the ground.
A cloud of smoke rose up, and just as quickly, another Arsenia appeared from out of the darkness with a dynamite kick. I managed to zanzoken out of the way, even in my awkward position. I disappeared and reappeared to the right of my previous position, a few metres away from my attacker. Rather than let him get a bead on me, I zanzokened again, this time to right behind him. He felt my ki, and swung a wild elbow at me, I easily blocked it and proceeded to kick him in the spine, sending him into a pile beside his other body.
A warning light went off in my mind, but too late. Suddenly a fist appeared out of nowhere and connected with my already sore jaw. Arsenia's third body sent me flying a small distance, where I ended up landing in the dirt. I shot up to my feet, and saw all three forms orienting themselves.
I decided to try and blow them apart, I knew they were less coordinated the farther apart they were from each other. I concentrated my ki into my hands and right as they were preparing to attack, I fired two ki beams at their feet. The ground below them exploded, sending each body flying in a different direction. I was about to rush after the one that had gone to my left when it happened.
Now usually on Earth there are 9 powers that you are always aware of, Cris, Karnai, Gideon, Yukia, Arsenia, Phoenix, Nikita, Krillin and myself. You don't even have to seek them out, they're just always there, sometimes growing, but never really falling. So when one of the powers began fading, fast, I halted in my tracks.
For quite a while, I didn't even breath, I didn't even see Arsenia reform into one body, I was concentrating on finding out which power was fading at the time. I couldn't figure it out so instead I narrowed it down by figuring out who it wasn't.
Well it wasn't Arsenia, or I, I sensed Cris and Phoenix sparring down near the base of Karin tower, Gideon was in his room, and Karnai was in the courtyard, as was Nikita and Yukia. That left one person. "Oh god." I whispered through clenched teeth as I realized who it was.
Arsenia and I rushed towards the door of The Arena at the same time, we slammed open the door and sprinted into the courtyard. Everyone except Phoenix and Cris was also standing confused in the courtyard. Gideon yelled out "Ok everyone, let's go to the palace and see what Kami has to say."
We all nodded and quickly flew over to the palace entrance. As we waited there some of us whispered amongst ourselves about what could have happened. Cris and Phoenix flew up from one of the sides, looking rugged and beaten (more Cris than Phoenix) soon after. As soon as they joined us, the elaborate golden plated doors of the palace opened and two figures, one short and the other shorter, stepped out of the darkness.
Kami and Mr. Popo came out and everyone fell silent and turned their heads to the Namek and his assistant. Gideon spoke first, asking in an almost frightened voice "What's wrong with Krillin?"
Kami looked at Gideon, then stared each of us in the eye one at a time. When he came to me, I thought I might've seen a tear falling down his cheek, and that's when I knew it was over, Krillin was gone. Finally after a while he responded. "Krillin… is dying."
We all knew that, but none of us were willing to admit it until we heard it out of Kami's mouth. I hung my head, and tried to imagine what would've happened if Krillin hadn't been here. He was the one who saw me in the Tenkaichi Budoukai and took me to train with Kami. That was three years ago, and I owed Krillin everything. I pictured him; he seemed completely fine when I last saw him, which made me wonder what could possibly be wrong with him. I was about to ask what it was, but Cris beat me to it. "What's wrong with him?" He asked, hesitatingly.
Kami stared at the red-haired fighter and replied "It was just his time, Krillin was very old."
A very strange look popped up on Cris' face, like he didn't understand that Krillin was over 70 years old. Cris piped up again "But how could that be? He was so strong, there's no way he could be old enough to die."
Kami smiled slightly, and Yukia chuckled slightly before Gideon offered an explanation. "Krillin is no where near his peak, when he was wished back with the dragon balls ten years ago, he was 64, he hasn't trained much for almost 50 years, counting his time in the other dimension."
Cris went wide-eyed and didn't really understand what it meant. I don't think he realized yet how powerful some of our opponents would be. Ah, to be as ignorant as Cris was must've been nice. I worried about what we'd face every single day, every time I woke up I realized we'd be facing inconceivable odds in just over two years. I didn't know if I would be strong enough, and I truly feared for my life.
Kami snapped my thoughts on my own mortality when he spoke again "He's requested that everyone go and see him, he's over at Master Roshi's house. He chose to part there instead of in a hospital because he says his greatest memories are of that house."
Everyone nodded slightly and then floated up above the palace. Gideon covered Kami in his ki and Karnai took Mr. Popo in his, and soon everyone was off. We headed southeast, towards the Kame-house, after a few seconds, Cris called for Nimbus to take him the rest of the way. We went solemnly, none of us talking at all, a type of tension that can only be created through death hung in the air.
We reached Master Roshi's house in about five minutes, settling down in front of the door to the old wooden shack. Kami brushed past each of us and stepped up the stairs, then tapped on the wooden door with his cane. I heard the scurrying of foot steps inside for a few seconds before the door opened.
Master Roshi stood in the doorframe, a solemn look on his face, as no one spoke a word. Cris broke the silence, greeting his former teacher. "Hi Master Roshi."
The old man's face brightened only a little at the sight of his student. He didn't reply, instead addressing everyone. "Come on in, he's upstairs in his old room." We filed into the house one at a time, I came up last, just behind Kami and the waddling Mr. Popo.
Once we'd all got inside, I closed the door and we headed up the small staircase to our left. Within a few seconds we were at the doorway to Krillin's room. I'm sure everyone felt his ki within the room, I know I did; and it was weak, weaker than I'd ever felt from him before. A pang of sorrow hit me, I didn't know if I could see my teacher, my idol, hell, my recruiter dying in front of my eyes.
I swallowed deeply; I wouldn't let the tears that were forming at the corners of my eyes drip down, not in front of everyone.
Master Roshi stepped his way in front of everyone and faced the door. I watched his hand, as it slowly moved towards the doorknob, and I realized it was shaking. I realized no one would be able to take this easily. Krillin had found the talent, the fighting spirit in all of us, and we all knew how important he was in the history of the planet.
Slowly, the door opened, creaking the whole time. The room was dark, and smelled of sweat and another aroma that I'd only smelt one other place.
A memory flashed across my face, a painful one. I recalled everything, the fire, the screams, the vision of my brother burning in front of my eyes, and the smell. That's what the stench in Krillin's room was, it was the smell of death, something no one who has experienced it can forget.
I halted in my tracks as everyone else drudged into the room. I couldn't go in, going in would mean seeing my brother again. I couldn't do it, I had to get away from that place, away from the vision. I took a step back, and shook my head vigorously to get the memory out.
Kami must've sensed my wariness, as he asked "Kennard, what's wrong?"
I looked at him, but all I could see was my brother. I tried convincing myself that it was all in the past, but it wasn't, it was happening again, someone I cared for was dying, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I fell to one knee, and now Nikita, Kami and Karnai were at my side, wondering what was wrong.
I didn't know how to explain it to them, so I didn't even try. Krillin was the only one who could possibly understand, he'd performed a mind transfer on me after I won the Tenkaichi Budoukai, but now he was gone, and I had no one who knew what I'd been through.
I took a few deep breaths, shut my eyes, and tried to clear my mind. After a while I managed to calm myself completely. I stood up, looked at those around me and nodded towards Krillin's yawning door.
The room was lit only by a small candle on a stand across from the bed Krillin lay on. He was out of hi orange gi and clothed in only his underwear. His bed was wet with perspiration and water he'd dumped on his face.
He didn't seem to notice us for a long time, in fact he was almost asleep, but Master Roshi gently nudged him back to consciousness. He turned to face us, and a weak smile spread across his pale face. His ki was so weak, like a baby, and I knew his body was ready to burn out.
"Hi." He said in a voice so faint and small I could barely hear him.
"Hi." Everyone replied in unison. A few of us, including myself, choked the word out. I was near the back, with Nikita at my side and Cris directly in front of me. I was barely able to see over his shoulder, but I didn't mind, the less I saw the better.
"So…" he began, but was cut off when he was forced to cough a few times. The hacking sound rang through my ears, and I had to blink away some more tears that were forming. Arsenia knelt next to the bed and Krillin stuck out his hand as he cleared his throat. Arsenia clamped onto the frail hand with both paws, and bowed his head to Krillin.
I felt Nikita shaking to my left, and I turned to face her. Her eyes were red, her cheeks covered in tears, her body heaving heavily. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and pulled her against me. She leaned her head on my shoulder and then I rested my head on hers. We watched as Krillin bent over to Arsenia's ear and whispered something into it, causing the black haired young man to convulse violently, sobbing the entire time. Krillin had been the one to save Arsenia from his life of poverty and hate, and Arsenia would never forget him for it.
Once he was finished, Arsenia turned, his entire face red and his shoulders bobbing violently. I just clutched Nikita even harder, and concentrating on blocking out my memories. Krillin then spoke to the entire group. "I want you all to know one thing. I love you all. I can't imagine these past ten years without you, you made the time worth living. I've seen you all grow up so much, and there's no way you can ever take my memories of you away from me." Just the word, memories, was enough to bring back the sound; the cracking of the fire, the falling of the house, and the screams of Jacas. Krillin was soon talking again though, so I didn't have to listen for very long. "I ask only one thing of you all. I h—" he began, but was cut off by more coughing. Cris shook his head in front of me. "I hope you all have lives as great as mine was." He was talking like it was already over, and it was. "If you guys become half as good of friends as I had when I was a Z Warrior, you'll be friends for life."
There was a group nod, and everyone looked at Krillin, urging him to continue. He complied, speaking once more. "I know you guys will beat those Caprian bastards coming here. I have confidence in each and every one of you to save the universe, you're the only ones who can. If there was one reason I'd like to stay, it would be to see the look on General Yoorabit's face when you beat him." There was a long pause before he finished. "Goodbye everyone."
Nikita sobbed loudly in my arms, Yukia fell to the ground, and Gideon, rarely a man to show emotions, swallowed to hold back a sob, while a few tears rolled out of his eyes. Karnai and Cris showed the least emotion, probably because they'd known him the shortest.
Master Roshi stepped in between Krillin and us. "Let's go now, leave him be." We picked ourselves up, each one of us taking a final glance at our bald forefather. I left near the end, but I didn't look back, for fear it would provoke old, haunting memories. It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life; I regretted it for as long as I lived.
We plopped ourselves down in the chairs and couches of Master Roshi's house, some of us choosing to seat on the floor. We sat there for maybe ten minutes in complete silence, before Arsenia of all people broke the quiet. "I remember," he began, as everyone turned to him and was amazed when he chuckled slightly. "I remember when I tried to beat him up when he saw me in the street of the eastern capitol." He laughed again, and a large smile spread across his tear-stained face. "Man, did he open up on me. I was in a regeneration chamber for six days cuz of him."
Gideon and Yukia nodded knowingly, I hadn't been around then, but I had a feeling where he was going with this. "Yeah." Yukia agreed, before continuing the conversation. "I remember when he told me about the fight against Cell, which he lost." I nodded myself, I'd heard that story, Krillin had been so proud of it. "He got beat up so bad," Yukia said in a steadily increasing voice "but he was so damned proud of the fact he lasted as long as he did."
I smiled slightly; I'd always remember the look on his face when he told that story, smug and proud. I chipped in "Sometimes he'd leave out parts about how Cell hit him. I always had to remind him and he'd always look pissed when I did."
Everyone smiled, and Arsenia even laughed a little. Gideon said something next, followed by Cris, and for almost two hours, we just talked about Krillin. We talked about his bad jokes, his height, his friends, everything. Every minute I felt his ki getting weaker and weaker, and I'm sure everyone else felt it too, but none of us said anything, we chose instead to think of the positive.
Cris was talking about how Krillin beat up his friend Triono in their dimension when it happened. Krillin's ki disappeared; he had died and was gone for good.
Everyone fell silent, and hung their heads to cry silently. Master Roshi sat up from his chair, walked across the room and up the stairs to Krillin's grave of a room.
All my memories of my time with Krillin flashed before my eyes, but soon the images were replaced with tears. I tried hard to keep from remembering Jacas screams, but they pounded their way into my head. And soon the smell of Krillin's, of my brothers death poured into my nostrils and over-rode all thought.
I lied on the ground and cried my eyes out, there was nothing more to do, nothing I could do. Soon everyone was crying, not a single soul would be spared that day.