The Kakarrotto Saga

by claudius

Finally, a new chapter! Looks like the New Mutants are leaving the DB Universe. But are they going home, and will everyone go? The New MutantsTenchiDBZ Xover continues! Please review!

11. The LifeShattering Decision! Kakarrotto'...

The Kakarrotto Saga

Chapter 10: The Life-Shattering decision! Kakarrotto's End!

By claudius

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Dani (Mirage)                          Amara (Magma)

Sam (Cannonball)                    Illyana (Magik)

Rahne (Wolfsbane)                  Doug (Cypher)

Roberto (Sunspot)                    Betsy (Psylocke) 

Shan (Karma)

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  In space, the Saiya-jin prince Vejita felt it…

  At the island of Kame House, Kame-sen'nin's attention to his porno magazine was diverted…

  At the levitating Palace of God, Kami-Sama watched forlornly at the direction his senses followed…

  Closer than all of them, Yamucha was forced to ignore it because of his present task…

  Indeed, all those whose heightened senses were neither dormant due to an unconscious (or inoperative) state, nor somehow cut off received the large charge of Ki located on the island...alongside the Super-Saiya-jin's own energy signature. At that island, the warrior Kakarrotto had a larger benefit than these sensors. He saw who was displaying that Ki, with a growing sense of doubt.

  Not only in power, the features of the wimp also made a difference. His clothing shined with light. The end of this incandescence saw a new garment, colored in green, pink, blue and white. It was an elaborate garb, from the large skirt that lined his legs, to the flowing sleeves at each arm, to the detailed vest and gloves, to the looped 'wings' that sprouted from each shoulder. But such garish clothing contrasted with the seriousness of its wearer's face. His red eyes focused soullessly upon Kakarrotto, desiring a satisfaction from him. The Saiya-jin quickly lost his definition of this opponent. This was no wimp looking up at him. 

   And this appealed to Kakarrotto in no way. His unexpected surprise fueled into rage upon the power this rival displayed to him. It was not true. This garish-looking lad wasn't the most powerful being in the universe! He was! The Super Saiya-jin was the long desired, now fulfilled, measure of power that could never be eclipsed. Kakarrotto, the pure Saiya-jin, had achieved that degree. No one else measured up, and that included this lad. He didn't even look Saiya-jin, what with his black hair and red eyes. And Kakarrotto certainly didn't have a green mark on his forehead.

  Denial justified Kakarrotto's descent before the lad's position. What did he fear from this lad? He landed a few feet before him, bearing smug eyes and lips full of calm sureness. Light-Ken lacked such casual security, as best portrayed by his eyes shooting cold anger at the murderer before him. They had an effect on the Super Saiya-jin. Was he feeling intimidation? The insecurity motivated Kakarrotto to expose his hand. It projected a large pressure of force. Light-Ken's flowing robes danced in the wind, but he remained where he stood.

   Such resistance increased Kakarrotto's determination. More force was added. The ground turned and cracked, its debris proving more susceptible to moving than the human target. But Light-Ken remained.

   Seeing no progress inevitable, Kakarrotto relinquished it. "So you have strength in you. Good. A lot better than your predecessors."

   "You!" Light-Ken broke his silence. His strained eyes snapped with thunder. Now it was he who wielded force, expanding it around him. In front of it, Kakarrotto held a good stance as everything else retreated.

  "You murdered Doug!" Light-Ken had no idea of his screaming tone. "You killed Warlock! They were my friends!"

    Kakarrotto heard this with doubt. He didn't kill anybody, except that robot. This thinking buckled his legs. But he held on against the great push, his feet digging the ground.

   Light-Ken now calmed his attack. "They looked up to you," his voice was also calm, which was probably more frightening. "Kuririn…Gohan. You were a hero to them. I almost thought so too." The tranquility was temporary, however. "But you're not a hero!" he cried out. "You're a savage animal! You deserve to die!" He meant it.

   The new force assault finally caused Kakarrotto to lose his ground, becoming a doll flying in the wind. Light-Ken felt some content in this repulsion, but it was incomplete. Right now, nothing could measure up to the loss of his friends but this murderer's demise. He was glad Kakarrotto didn't call himself Goku anymore. That killer soiled that beloved character's name.

  Grappling to the ground to keep from being pushed back any further did little to dominate Kakarrotto's surprise. He had been shoved back. The Super Saiya-jin had been shoved back! Such shock, predictably, led to his usual reaction to such audacity. This will change. 

    A forehead touch brought Kakarrotto close-up to the lad. But something was in store for him. His opponent was brandishing a sword now. It was a different blade than the one he had, its memory causing Kakarrotto's burnt hand to twitch. To make matters worse, the blade was an inch away from his neck.

   "Luck," the annoyed Super Saiya-jin termed his opponent's success. He suddenly made a turn to the opponent's back in a quickness that could be called superhuman. Unfortunately, Kakarrotto saw that his neck was again a close target of the sword, which leaned upon the boy's shoulder. The wielder wasn't even looking. Irritated, Kakarrotto resorted to swiftness again, heading for the boy's right side. Again was his neck followed by the boy's weapon.

   Kakarrotto swatted the sword away from his neck. It suddenly changed positions, now raised at the opposite direction! Evidently, the blade made a quick half-circle, swinging to its present direction in a sharp movement. Kakarrotto felt this movement, a burning line on his chest. There was now a long cut from his left side to his right pectoral. Blood streaked. It staggered the Saiya-jin to see this wound inflicted upon him.

   The pain was added with Light-Ken's cold reply. "Shall we begin?"

   What Light-Ken got from his insulting words was a right-hook to his face. It threw him back, dragging a long trail in the process. The Super Saiya-jin, glad in the measure he had made, pounced to take full advantage. He lunged another fist, but this release made a different destiny. It was blocked by a large shield set upon the boy's gloved hand. The strength given to both sides caused a great aftershock of force that went horizontal.

   Kakarrotto would take care of this defense. His raised hand formed the Ki-En-Zen, which he landed on the shield. But the shield was now a sword, and it supported itself against the energy buzz saw. The Saiya-jin weighed heavily on his attack. No one would break but this pretender.

   But the boy remained guarded by his sword, holding defense to the disk the Saiya-jin was controlling. The conflict of these two weapons was a noisy one, sounding like claws upon a chalkboard.

    Kakarrotto increased his disk's pressure. Such force could only cause a strain. Fate chose the Ki-En-Zen, which began to crack. These scars grew, reaching a shattering conclusion. The broken energy shards flew everywhere. The debris would vanish, but not before causing damage wherever they landed. Kakarrotto's arm received a huge cut by one. Light-Ken's shoulder got lodged by a shard, its disappearance bearing an ugly wound.

    "Not so strong are you?" Kakarrotto gloated, but he paused in amazement to the wound's sudden glow. Its dimming saw the wound vanish. This lad wasn't human.

    Given the advantage of his opponent's surprise, Light-Ken flew from his lying place. He returned for a dive with his blade. Kakarrotto quickly avoided the slash that the Light Hawk Sword had made on the ground, which tore a great ravine.

    The hands of Kakarrotto thrust out great orbs of energy. Each was destroyed in mid-air, casualties of the Light-Hawk Sword.

   "Coward!" The air-suspended Kakarrotto cursed his foe. "A true warrior fights with no weapon!"

   "Wrong!" corrected Light-Ken. "A warrior fights in the way he fights best. Not my fault you're afraid of my way."

   "Me?" A chuckle broke out of Kakarrotto's lips, its artificialness evident as he resumed his angry delivery. "No weapon scares me, let alone you." 

   Light-Ken joined his mid-air opponent. The awareness of his flying abilities mattered little to him. Nothing at the moment made much difference. Kakarrotto was the only priority. His painful defeat the one goal he had to attain.

   And thus resumed a ballet of power and strength. It could be assumed that Kakarrotto had the advantage, the years of his experience being twice Light-Ken's own training of the Juraian arts of combat, even if it was tripled a hundred fold by his power. However, the Saiya-jin's potential of victory was marred by pride. Kakarrotto's egotism, his arrogance, and his denial of his rival's power overwhelmed any ability of prediction and foresight that he could use to win this battle. This made the two equal.

    So intense was their attention to the other that both Kakarrotto and Light-Ken were stricken with ignorance to a strange occurrence that happened below their power play. Pieces, shards, and debris that floated or were swallowed by the ocean floor began to connect without coincidence. Each piece had a small face on it, as well as a mind that determined the fulfillment of its reconstitution. This merging grew quicker…

=== 

   Under the cave she made, Amara didn't need to see the struggle outside for evidence of its commencement. The booming sounds that hit her ears were a hint, but her empathy with the ground and soil was the real conviction. Anything that hit the island rammed her as well. Every tear of the earth was like a rip on her very body. The amount of destruction represented what kind of a battle this was. The sweet violence of combat, it was something she once relished.

   But Amara had changed, and she didn't think it was for the better. A great sadness broke her strength. It gave her the cowardly position of sitting beside her friend Sam. This hesitance did not make her deaf to the dangers to her friends. They need your assistance, a voice nagged within Amara's thoughts, but it proved unable to move her will to act. Her punishment was her real authority. The Gods were silent to her.

    Beside her, Sam awoke. His consciousness made him feel his injuries again, with a few additions. At least this pain meant he was alive. However, sitting, standing and moving with what felt like a hundred spikes through him gave him the regret that maybe he was better off dead. He didn't need Amara's mutant power to tell him of the battle outside this cave.

   "From the sound o' that, th' team needs our help," he spoke without ease. "C'mon 'mara!"

   From his stumbles Sam expected aid. But it did not come. Looking back, Sam saw Amara still at her spot.

  "Ah said c'mon, 'Mara!" Sam's voice grew louder.

  "Forgive me, Sam," Amara whimpered uncharacteristically. "But I cannot."

  "Amara?" Sam stared at this different person before him. Her pain was fast becoming his. "What happened?"  The reply he could get was Amara's tears. It made him realize one thing. Perhaps not the right thing, but this was after all a boy who knew a girl he once…still…had a crush with. It flushed his face in a different kind of red. "Why tha' no good…"

   "No he did not!" The Nova Roman's scream showed a return to her old self. "Why must you keep losing your head at these moments?"

   "Then wha' happened?" Sam couldn't help his yelling.

   She looked away, her reasons disgusting her. "I have sinned." The new Amara returned, covering her face. Her sorrow persuaded Sam to stay. Out there, he probably wouldn't have done much anyway.

===  

   His body suspended in the air, all muscle tensed, his strength placed in its limit, Yamucha was at full power. But such labor was not involved for a fight. His talents were provided for something more menial and less enjoyable. He was up in the air, pulling a long rope that wound upon the small landmass that the Son house was situated in. 

   As he pulled this small isle away, Yamucha wished he were fighting. Not once did feeling that unknown Ki pressure the former bandit to stop playing babysitter and join the fight. And he would have been on his way, if he hadn't spotted the huge whirlpool. It was drawing water at all directions, including this spot with Goku's house! Thus came another roadblock, and Yamucha had to make the most of it, keeping the house away from the whirlpool.

    As frustrated he was, Pu'al probably suffered worse. She was the rope that helped keep the house from sinking into the whirlpool. The effort of securing the house at such lengths was great, and Yamucha knew it. He felt bad for Pu'al. It was for friendship that the cat was doing this. It was a devotion that kept the feline by the former bandit's side through almost every adventure, every training session, every period of emotional depression. The assistance humbled Yamucha. If only Pu'al was a real human…

   No assistance could be made from that winged horse. Yamucha had tried to convince the animal to help pull the island. The horse just looked at him with a frightening stare. That put an end to the idea. Why was glaring a second nature to these strangers?

   As mentioned before, this task limited Yamucha's participation to the faraway battle. The best he could do was see the huge explosions popping up in the air above the island. This dark night made the battle resemble a fireworks spectacle. Such sights did not calm his restless nature. He wanted to be there, to fight and identify the emitter of that huge Ki. Yamucha's resolve was strong despite the inclusion of an evil Goku. And that was still a problem. It was bad enough that a friend of his was now acting like a home-wrecking Saiya-jin, thought the former bandit; that his own misguided rescuing efforts may have made this situation worse was just as bad. Yamucha actually hoped that whoever (or whatever, a noun he made in view of that Warlock guy) restrained Goku before could do it again, and still remain merciful.

   His thoughts broke when he saw something happen to the isle below him. The strain of its transportation was caused the earth to come apart. Now was the breaking point, causing the house to sink into the waters. With a Shit! Yamucha came to the rescue. He dived into the roof, his joined feet drilling through the boards. He landed upon dry floor, which luckily included the cradle holding the baby. Rescuing the child was the easy part. The hard part was getting the others to safety.

   Breaking into the room where most of them lay asleep, Yamucha discovered the hard part had increased with water spilling through the window. He then got bumped aside by the winged horse. The animal wildly charged into the room, stopping before the pony-tailed girl, which he lifted with his teeth on her collar. The girl remained asleep, like everyone else. The water splashing upon their bodies and faces made no effect on their unconscious states.

   But an exception was made. Chichi rose like some gorgon from the black lagoon. To Yamucha, her comeback was as frightening as it was puzzling; how was she able to wake up when Piccolo and Gohan couldn't? Then again, the former bandit made no attempt to even wake Goku's wife as he did with the others.

   Turning her head everywhere, Chichi made good on her disorientation. "What's happenin' t' my house?!" She cried in expectation for an answer. Yamucha couldn't give her one, nor did he want to once he became caught in the shrew's sights.

    Luckily, any angry repercussions were avoided when the mother saw the water about to touch Gohan. Frantically, she pulled the boy into the safety of her arms. However, Yamucha found this devotion did not exclude him from her view. "Quick, ya oaf!" she attempted to move closer. "Ya get Gohan an' these kids outta here while I get Luna t' my car."

   "Eh, Luna?" Yamucha repeated the word before Chichi's forceful actions made him realize that this was the baby's name. In haste did they exchange the children.

    However, the body of Luna's grandfather sliding into the room affected a change of plan. With the luck of Pu'al's appearance, Chichi quickly handed the babe to the cat. Amazement drew the duo's reaction as they saw the woman attempt to lift the old man. Unfortunately, she was having some difficulty due to his chain-mail clothing. "Yamucha, help me!"

   The bandit did as asked, holding Gohan by one arm and lifting Magneto. "I got the old coot."

   Yamucha realized he had said the wrong word, thanks to Chichi's outburst. "Magneto's no old coot!" she emotionally cried out. "He's a refined gentleman an' schoolmaster, more educated than a bum like you!"

   Yamucha was completely abashed by her defense. It appeared that he wasn't the only one with relationship problems. Then again, considering the way her husband was acting now… 

===

   Magik was shocked at what she saw. The description of the cause for her reaction would not be too hard. This mindscape she surveyed was ruins and darkness. It felt like home.

   Limbo. The very word was a mark on her soul. Not hard to see why. She was raised there. It signified everything wrong in her life. In fact, the realm wronged her life, destroying it. Still destroying it. And if her fears were true, that place would do a lot more.

  She then saw herself. Her astral form was becoming more like her soul, dark and evil.   Well, enough with the self-pity. Magik set out to do her job of locating her teammates. They were somewhere in this lonely place. It was a good thing she didn't receive a welcoming committee. Not that she had a cause to celebrate. The thought of whom Kakarrotto was fighting, and probably harming, kept her in a cynical mood. She tried to keep a positive attitude. Maybe Tenchi, Warlock, and Kuririn could take him down.

   Yeah right. The best those guys could do is provide a great diversion for her journey here. Carrot Guy couldn't give equal attention to both worlds. The lack of defenses proved that his priorities were now in the real world. How long that will last mattered on how long her teammates could maintain a battle. She hoped it was really long.

   Putting aside that dread, as well as the question on why Dani and the others were doing here, Magik devoted concentration into her powers. A spell of location was incanted, its exhibition tearing into the checkered piece that was her soul. Vapor-like forms emitted from her body drew toward a certain direction. So far so good.

   Unfortunately, the calm trip ended right after. More similarities to her world of Limbo were made with the present situation around her. The environment turned chaotic, exemplifying the status of its owner's thoughts. If Kakarrotto was going insane, this world of his creation shared the madness. Magik almost felt pressured to refer to this event as a brainstorm. Tenchi and company must be hitting a nerve.

  Her location spell then grappled with someone. Magik saw it was a wolf.

  Feeling the aura swirling around her, Wolfsbane identified it by her nose. It was dark and unusual. Illyana. Seeing the witch approach her forced the wolf-girl to make the best of this meeting. Illyana wasn't the first person she expected to see (nor for that matter, the second, the third, not even the tenth). The fact that she looked like a real demon with horns and hooves, did not help her composure, but she held on. "Have ye seen Dani an' the others?" was her first reply.

   "You mean they're not with you?"

   Disappointment filled Wolfsbane. "We were separated."

   "Terrific," Magik threw her sarcasm. "Well, at least I found you, furball. That has to mean something."

  "Oh thank ye so verra much." Wolfsbane fenced sarcasm with sarcasm.

  "Don't worry. Let me cast another locating spell."

   The mention chilled Wolfsbane. What Magik practiced was against every religion, but wasn't she the same thing? Besides, her animal senses were proving insufficient in finding her friends. Magik might succeed in her demonic senses. But how can this right thing also feel wrong?

   Wolfsbane hid that dilemma by accepting this offer.

   "Perfect," Magik made a satisfied nod in her enchantments. "While I'm at it, can you tell me what the hell are you guys doing here?"

=== 

  Illyana would soon find out that she wasn't the first rescuer. Her successors Magneto and Piccolo were still performing that role. Right now, they were attempting to emancipate themselves from the mental prison Kakarrotto had made for them. They did not stand side by side, nor did they make contact. It wasn't in their character.

    The amount of power each channeled was small. Individually, they would have been able to touch upon the wall and nothing more. Even together, their effort would be rendered useless if Kakarrotto devoted his attention to their prison. But he was not here. To what the Saiya-jin warrior was setting his full attention to, or rather whom, made Magneto's resolve to escape all the more stronger.

   Piccolo didn't share his ally's compassion, proving more selfish in that regard. The Namekian's patience at being in this astral form, completing lacking in any physical power, was now gone. He wanted his own body back, nothing more (well, maybe not that. There was Gohan). The only thing these two minds shared was escape, and they projected that goal at a wall.

   A circle glowed upon this wall. The psionic bricks within it felt the assault these two strong minds battered upon it. That was what their protégés saw. Gohan was most intrigued by this wave of power. Oh, he already knew about telepathy and some ways of using it besides reading minds, like when he and Kuririn practiced Ki fields upon each other. But the arrival of the New Mutants revealed the full destructive potential of brainpower. But this was no time for lessons. Gohan's excitement and anger were reaching a panicked state that was amplified by his uselessness in this plan. He had to get out of here and save his mom, Kuririn, and the rest of the New Mutants from his father. "I hate standing like this."

   "You and me both, hombre," spoke Roberto. "Is there anything we could do?"

   "Non," Shan gazed stoically at the work of these two mentors. "We can only pray."

   Roberto felt it interesting to hear Shan give advice. It had been a while since she had acted like a leader, before Dani took over. But it appeared that she was now the only leader he could trust now, especially since her successor didn't appear to be up to the job anymore. Dani Moonstar sat cross-legged, staring at the mind-battle like a village idiot. What guilt she must be thinking, the Brazilian thought with sympathy. He hoped she could break from this funk soon.

   But as firm a believer in the Catholic faith he was, Roberto couldn't follow Shan's advice at a moment like this. Gohan made a chant for luck. His father taught him that.

===

  The ballet of two warriors continued with fists, kicks, sword thrusts, and energy blasts that one inflicted or attempted to inflict upon the other. The battle continued as divine power ever wielded by mortal beings were used for what was really a trivial fight. For despite the opposing sides that Light-Ken and Kakarrotto represented, both had a similarity in goal. Light-Ken fought for revenge, while Kakarrotto opposed with arrogance. Goals of selfishness kept them onto this fight.

    Then came a moment of peace. Each fighter faced the other. Jaws in grimaces, eyes of red and green glowing at each other with suspicion and foresight. Their clothes were ratty and torn, but their resolve was invulnerable. Kakarrotto's flat hands stood out like knives before Light-Ken's glowing Light-Hawk Sword. No move was made. Strangely, despite the abundance of bad will regarded, a sense of respect possessed both fighters. Without showing a moment's weakness in any way, ignoring any possibility that this weakling was better then him, Kakarrotto spoke first. "Great fight."

   There was no response. Light-Ken felt assaulted by the meaning this murderer's word implicated. He was enjoying this?   

   "You're not from this planet, are you?" Kakarrotto glared with curiosity, unwilling to settle for nothing less than the truth.

   Light-Ken still made no words. He wouldn't give this killer any satisfaction.

   Getting silence, Kakarrotto settled for his own conclusions. "Yes, you are," he smiled. "You have to be. No one born on this mudball could hold much against me."

   Light-Ken noted this with bad memory. From their first meeting, Kakarrotto always looked down on anyone not of his purebred race. Sadly, the warrior's own son was the worst victim of this racial egotism. Grandpa suffered from the same opposition. So did his teammates.

   Kakarrotto made an insightful expression. "So the next question would have to be, why are you with these brats? They should be lowlifes compared to you!"

   Such questions had no effect on Light-Ken's ability to answer, but he didn't respond. Both of his fists squeezed with immense pressure on his sword's hilt. Blood would have leaked through those fingers had they lacked invulnerability.

   "Why should a god like you be content to stand by these ants, especially that robot?"

   Calm down, Light-Ken slowed that thought command, in hopes to better reinforce his self-control. It wasn't easy. The Saiya-jin was really asking for it. 

   "Especially that shit?"

   With that sentence, Light-Ken found a chance to fight back with words. "Why, you ask?" For the first time since this fight began, a smile curved his lips. "Maybe because I'm just like Gohan."

  Kakarrotto's curious eyes twitched wide open. Watching this, Light-Ken took pleasure with this advantage. "I am from the planet Jurai. I am also from Earth." 

  Kakarrotto's smug expression crumbled. He really looked like the wind had been blown out of him. "No," he slurred the word, refusing to believe what he was hearing.

 But Light-Ken continued. "My grandfather came from both worlds," he spoke with a grin. "I also share his mixed blood." 

   "Lies!" cried out Kakarrotto to this blasphemy. What he heard effected more than his ears. It was here that the remnants of his sanity began to hide.

   "It's the truth." Light-Ken's soft delivery contrasted with the Saiya-jin's shouting. "I'm just like your son!"

   "Shut your mouth!" Kakarrotto switched his stance back to battle mode, the aura around him becoming thick. "No shit like you has more power than me!"

    The cockiness of hurting Kakarrotto did little for Light-Ken's defense. The Saiya-jin vanished, appearing again to lock Light-Ken into a bear hug. "Freaks like you should be drowned at birth," the Saiya-jin's insane mouth decreed. He flung himself and his cargo into the waters.

   Deep they went, in areas inhospitable to human life. Kakarrotto held tight to his hostage. This admitted shit would have to die, the Saiya-jin abnormally thought, in order to prove that his race was right. He held his breath, being able to keep it longer than his fellow Saiya-jins because he was the Super Saiya-jin.

   Minute after minute passed. The limitation of a normal person's breathing was now reached. Kakarrotto's own mouth grew sore for a new supply of air. The shit wasn't struggling. But it wasn't dead either. Soon it hit the warrior's mind that this shit didn't need air, unlike him.

   This disappointment combined with resentment, which fueled his emotions like gas to a fire. Kakarrotto let go of the shit, kicking it as a springboard to throw him back into the surface. Swallowing the air around him, Kakarrotto blamed the fates for failing this plan. No matter. Megalomania growing in him, the Saiya-jin realized that the plan was flawed from the beginning. But the shit must be done for once and for all. That one was clear, he decided with both his hands clasped to his left side. With the roar of "Ka-me-ha-me-ha!" Kakarrotto unleashed the great energy. A downpour of blinding white energy crashed into the waters, drilling a hole through it. That there be no halt to this attack was the Saiya-jin's resolve. He remained affixed at his mid-air spot, plunging his power upon the target. Every energy particle that existed in his body, every aspect of power that Kakarrotto could accumulate from his Super Saiya-jin abilities was devoted in this attack. It had to be. For the good of the Saiya-jin race, the shit must die. It would not be the Saiya-jin's equal! He had to blot out the evidence, leaving the Saiya-jin's legacy firm and unshakable.

   "Let my purity sterilize this place of you!" He howled, piling his power into a spot that blinded all who saw it. The shit could no longer be seen, his appearance blocked out by the massive white energy that exploded below. A smile escaped Kakarrotto's maddened face. He ignored the great boost of energy that appeared down there. His eyes failed to note his powerful downpour being surrounded by three huge blades. Kakarrotto was in another world. If this reality showed his power proving impotent to a polluted mixed breed, then he must fail to believe in it.

   But the three blades of light grew longer. It showed no destruction from the Kamehameha's wake. In fact, the shield appeared to absorb this power like a sponge. The blinding energy faded soon after. The shit was where the three blades met together. He was bloodthirsty.

   The blades shimmered brightly, releasing what it had absorbed. Suddenly, a white wave bloomed upon the Super Saiya-jin. He would soon be engulfed by energy- his own. Now every particle of energy, every supply of power, every aspect of his god-like abilities erupted to its master. He gave no defense. Kakarrotto laughed at the onslaught awaiting him. It didn't exist. This shit wasn't capable of repelling his Kamehameha wave back at him! This wave coming at him was the trick of the eye!

  Imagine a wave of apocalyptic power thrown against a person. Imagine that power amplified a hundredfold. A human being would be obliterated. A Super Saiya-jin? Hope of survival would not be on his side. His delusions certainly would not.

===

   Yamucha, Chichi, and Pu'al had managed to make some positive results of their situation. For one thing, everyone was rescued. With some rope, and parts of the house, the unconscious bodies of Dani, Wolfsbane, Roberto, Shan, Betsy, and Magneto were rested on two makeshift rafts. Doug was included to this group. Chichi saw to that addition, witnessing that Warlock creature rising from the ocean like some sea monster. He had the looks for one too, she thought. However, this weird student of Magneto's acted like a child. Its arms bearing Doug, the creature pleaded greatly for help to its 'selffriend.' The boy that the creature handed was as still as ice. He was in a state of shock. Chichi cringed in thought about the person who hurt him. She warned Warlock not to give her the identity. Content that his friend's safety was now in Chichi's hands, Warlock zoomed off for the island. "SELF- must- LOCATE- tenchifriend," was his cause.

   What a caring fellow, Chichi thought despite herself. She could never understand why Gohan kept making friends with these monsters. He was a very undiscriminating child. Not that it was a flaw.

   While Chichi powered the aircar, Yamucha did the rest of the work. He strapped Magneto, Betsy, and Doug to a floating roof piece. This was connected to a floating door, which held Gohan, Roberto, and that wolf-girl named Rahne. The flying horse allowed himself to have Dani and Shan tied face down on him. With his Ki-emitting hands, Yamucha warmed the waters to avoid anyone catching cold.

   Piccolo had to go though. There was no hospitality as Yamucha shoved the Namekian into the ocean depths. Although no goodwill existed between the two, the abandonment was not spiteful. In fact, Yamucha thought Piccolo sinking into the water would do him some good. The months those Namekians stayed at the Capsule Corporation (a good memory before the awful ones later on) had given the former bandit much education on their race, such as their ability to survive through water.

   Chichi sat in the hovering car, her eyes set on the small child upon her breast. Maternal protection was not the only reason for this close inspection; Chichi forced herself from viewing the final destruction of a place that was a home to her and Gohan. She confronted this loss with experience, though. She had lost a home before, and it proved trivial. They can always get a new house.

  At least she was able to save all of Gohan's learning equipment. His books, his computer, his study tapes and such were stuffed in the backseat. Besides that, the only other contents Chichi saved from the house were an album and a small bottle of medicine. She knew why she got the first one, not so certain about the second. Did that cure really matter anymore?   

   She then realized a greater hypocrisy. Chichi called to Yamucha. The ex-bandit was ready to fly to the island. Chichi put an end to that. "Can ya get Gohan 'n the car, please?"

   Reluctance his nature, Yamucha attempted to get himself out of this wish. "Don't worry, Chichi. He's okay where he is!"

   But Chichi made her demands with no refusal. "Get 'im!"

  And Yamucha could not deflect it. With a sigh, he obeyed her wishes, swimming back to the rafts. Loosening the ropes needed some carefulness, for the bonds that secured the two kids and the she-wolf to the raft were entangled with the ropes that connected them to the caravan. As a result, the untying disconnected the two rafts, though temporarily in Yamucha's view.

   Pu'al assisted as a flashlight. Her use ended as light came from the island. It was a great flash of white brilliance, brightening the area for miles. Chichi hugged Luna more, her attempts at ignorance put to the utmost.

   His eyes attempting to check the blinding force, Yamucha spotted something coming. A giant tidal wave.

   There was not a moment to lose. Yamucha jumped to the top of the car, where he called upon his own gift of the Kamehameha to exclude him from the tide's destructive path. With a cry and a lunge of his connected hands, his spiritual wave met with its physical counterpart. The power he threw came like a sword, tearing through the water. The degree of this onslaught ripped the tidal wave in half, its separate sides passing by the caravan.

   Unfortunately, though the two waves' crash was not upon them, their eventual landing caused an undertow. The backlash caused the water surface to rise and drop in quick fashions. The car, the rafts connected to it, and Brightwind survived these aquatic mood swings. Yamucha, however, lost his balance and joined with the ocean. The ex-bandit thrashed within his new prison. He had exhaled when he fell in. Quickly did Yamucha pull himself back to the environment he needed for survival. His head popped into the air, inhaling as much as he could. But the escape from this near-fatal accident revealed some consequences to Yamucha. He saw that the last raft bearing Gohan was gone, a victim of the undertow.

   The emergency of that lack soon proved to be trivial for Yamucha. He saw Chichi giving him the evil eye.

===

  With two hands upraised, Light-Ken supported the Light Hawk Wings in its mass absorption of energy. Once the absorption reached its climax, so did his anger. Time to end this battle once and for all.

   "Die!" the wielder cried in a face bereft of all gentleness. By command, the great tri-wing shield reflected all of Kakarrotto's Super Saiya-jin power, returning it to its master. Light-Ken did not see what happened. Once this reflection of power was over, the night sky now visible once again, no trace of Kakarrotto was present from his view.

   His hot rage cooled to normal, Light-Ken now saw the truth of his actions. A gasp reached from his mouth, almost becoming a shudder. Self-control suddenly maintained, Light-Ken clapped his hands between the sword and prayed. But meditation gave no relief to his troubled thoughts. No prayer could free this boy from the new role he had made for himself: a murderer. Comparing the actions of today to the first battle with Kagato was impossible. Light-Ken knew that past fight was done solely for the protection of others. Today showed no unselfish reasons. He killed Kakarrotto for his own hate. Doug would have disapproved of his actions. The team would have too. The New Mutants were not killers. Tenchi had now showed his difference from the group. He no longer deserved to be one of them.

   The sadness overwhelming, Light-Ken failed to hear a wheezing instantly near him. When he made the attempt to understand it, Kakarrotto was now at his side.

   The shocked demi-Juraian saw a decayed version of his Saiya-jin foe. A band on one wrist was the only scrap of clothing left on him. His naked flesh was colored in a reddish hue. Every part of him was full of blisters, bloody wounds, and third-degree burns. But the evil glares remained, and they recognized the hated culprit who did him harm. He couldn't dwell in fantasy anymore. The pain demanded reality. He gave no more words, his vocal reply giving sounds of the inhuman variety.

   Kakarrotto increased this to a roar, his maddened face become even more grotesque in anger. Both hands grabbed the Light Hawk Sword by its gleaming blade. Scalding vapor protruded from each hand, but Kakarrotto cared not. He had to break this weapon. This weapon was what made this shit strong. Stupid, stupid shit, he cursed. Trying to hide its true failings behind this powerful sword. Without it, the shit would be nothing, as shits always were.

   The owner remained holding onto his sword. He pulled with his might to free it, but Kakarrotto was also fighting for supremacy.

   "Let go!" Light-Ken voiced his authority.

   "Make me, shit!" Kakarrotto voiced his own.

   Thus a tug-of-war resumed, as the blade was received to one side, than forcibly pulled to the other, neither fighter fully attaining the blade in victory, nor letting go in defeat. The struggle led to the blade's tip hovering over different directions, recently Kakarrotto's face. Madness breeding ignorance to the edge before him, Kakarrotto took a massive pull. Light-Ken made the coincidental act of accommodation. Deeply did the Light Hawk Sword sink into the bottom eyelid of the Saiya-jin's right pupil! Taking this moment, Light-Ken pulled back, freeing his sword in the process. The endeavor plucked out his opponent's eye.

   The Saiya-jin retreated a few steps, the damaged part of his face covered by a hand, blood seeping between fingers. Kakarrotto exposed his one good eye to Light-Ken. The lack of its twin did little to lessen its vindictive stare, nor the anguish behind it. "How dare you," he spoke without any screams, but the cold slur made the message clear to Light-Ken. He had damaged Kakarrotto. The Super Saiya-jin stood for perfection itself. He had brought a flaw to him. 

   Light-Ken felt sorrow for helping in that damage, but not for causing it. "You brought it on yourself!"

   "Your fault!" The Saiya-jin yelled again. His pride bore no room for self-recriminations. His anger forced a huge explosion of energy. Light-Ken was able to keep his spot through a shield. No more would he be cast aside by these projections of sheer force. In fact, this outburst of energy couldn't push him if it wanted to. And Kakarrotto knew this by his sudden trouble with breathing. Such a thing had never happened to him before in this divine form. Then came the harsh truth: he had no more power!

   The discovery repeated in his mind. He had no more power. Again did an expression of disbelief level Kakarrotto's strong face. He had no more power. His eyes showed surprise and disillusionment. He had no more power! This was impossible! The Super Saiya-jin had no limit! He should have more than enough strength than this shit had!

   But a quick scan of his opponent gave no comfort. The shit was as powerful as ever. The battle had failed to reach a toll on its energy, unlike him.

   "This is a trick!" Kakarrotto picked the reality that best suited him. "I am a Super Saiya-jin!" His shouts led to some harsh coughs. "I-It…is my pure strength that is indefinite…not y-your polluted weaknesses, shit!"

   "Then maybe you should learn from this," Light-Ken made his stance. "Being a pure breed isn't what it's cracked up to be! The same goes for breeds like me."

  Kakarrotto expressed his frustrations in thought. No way would he ever believe that! Such acceptance could never be. A shit was a shit. Nothing more. To believe otherwise would mean the Saiya-jin race was wrong, and that could not be. He had fought so much, struggled greatly, for this level of infallibility. He had to prove his truth, somehow. Before he turned back to his weaker form. Thus the idea was made.

   He vanished again, his last appearance a smile.

   Light-Ken floated around the space where his opponent stood. He was calmer this time, his vengeful resolve gone. Now he would best Carrot Guy. He would be satisfied with that.

   But then he heard his opponent's voice. "I'm over here!" Quickly did the demi-Juraian meet this rendezvous. His entry brought him dismay. There stood Kakarrotto, with Illyana. The girl looked unconscious, but her warden still guarded her neck and torso with his arms. The Saiya-jin pressed her angelic face closer to his expression, which now had an animal's resemblance. It was like Beauty and the Beast.

  Such impressions served to grow the swordsman's anger. "What did you do to her?"

  "I found her like this." Kakarrotto spoke casually, though it didn't make him appear any friendlier. His finger stroked the girl's soft cheek. "Pretty thing isn't she?" It was the best credit he could admit about a lowlife who intrigued her.

   Such caressing tightened Light-Ken. He felt tempted to junk the second chance given to him. "Let her go."

   "I make the deal, shit," decreed Kakarrotto, desperation in his voice. "I realize that you can transform into that form, just as I can transform into a Super Saiya-jin. My wish is simple. Either you breakdown this form of yours, or I break this girl's neck."

   Such a deal! Light-Ken would have nothing for it. He could easily stop Kakarrotto before his fingers left sores on Illyana's neck. The Saiya-jin would still pay even if he killed her.

   Killed her? Wisdom cracked the arrogance within Light-Ken's resolve. Is that what he would do? Be like this murderer, caring about destroying him without a concern for the victims? Did that include this hostage? This demon sorceress whom he no longer lo…

  No, he didn't stop feeling that way, despite what happened. Not her. Not Illyana.

   "Fine," Light-Ken's face expressed the misgivings of his choice, but not the reasons for it. His green forehead mark, his majestic robes and his red eyes all disappeared. He bore no humility in his actions, but a stern look that wished for his part of the bargain to be obeyed. "Now release her."

   Kakarrotto was almost stunned by such sacrifice. Didn't he do this before? The thought was forcibly ended. He had the shit now. "Turn around."

    Tenchi hesitated.

   "Turn around!" screamed the Saiya-jin. He brandished Illyana a little higher, strengthening his threat.

   Tenchi took great restraint in refusing the Saiya-jin's promise. His eyes betrayed his true reluctance. But he did as he was told. He turned his back on the Saiya-jin and Illyana. It didn't stop him from ruing his actions. A flinching stroke of pain sprang upon his upper back. It was a great pain, but the feeling then numbed, with everything else in his body. Like a puppet stripped of his strings, Tenchi fell face down to the ground. His body was lost to him. It took an effort to turn his head away from the dirt.

   Kakarrotto towered above him. "You're nothing but shit now."  The Saiya-jin began to leak himself upon the fallen. Tenchi felt the warm wetness of waste trickling on his face. Having his fun, Kakarrotto did his best to forget his earlier failures. To think such a shit almost beat the Super Saiya-jin! No, he decided. No such thing happened. Such revision felt good for his pride. This shit never transformed. This shit never opposed him seriously. This shit never came close to beating him.

   Unfortunately, thinking all this with only one eye provided formidable resistance to the denial. The humiliation and pain he had received was here to stay. Such resentment led to him kicking the boy's side. However, all Tenchi felt was turning over. It did nothing to his spirits. Spitting out the urine his mouth had accidentally swallowed, Tenchi fought with the last defense he had. "You haven't won yet."

   "I already have."

   Helplessness was now Tenchi's new condition. Taking huge breaths was the most he could do in terms of physical action. That he was distraught about his new paralysis was true, but other consequences brought this tragedy to a pale comparison. What would his friends and family think of his condition? Ryoko would be hurt. So would Ayeka. Sasami, Dad, Illyana, Sam. Their predictable horror for his injury was a worse idea.

   Only one good thing came of this. Illyana was safe, for now.

===

   Wolfsbane was finishing her story to Illyana about their situation. About how Dani believed that Kakarrotto was not always like this. That whatever changed him was sudden and abnormal. That the Saiya-jin was someone like Legion, with split personalities. This formed Dani's plan that maybe hitting the Saiya-jin with something psychologically scary might cause a switch, like when Magik scared Legion back to normal. "Thanks," Magik felt the sting of that remark. In stride, she replied that something must have gone wrong with Dani's plan, with Wolfsbane's nod satisfying her. The wolf-girl replied that the plan's backfire sent herself, Dani, Shan, Roberto, Gohan, and Betsy into Carrot Guy's mind.

    At that point, Wolfsbane was surprised to learn that Magneto and Piccolo were also in this realm, looking for them. The story's continuation had the undaunted Dani deciding to have the group look for the center of Carrot Guy's mind. However, the trip led to her being separated from the rest of the group.

  Which might have been a good thing, Wolfsbane was convinced, since it was she who discovered Carrot Guy's mind. She found that Carrot Guy was indeed a different personality than Goku, but the two were linked in thought and emotion. That meant that since Goku was good, Carrot Guy was not all evil. Magik was skeptical, exemplifying Sam and Amara as victims.

   "But did he kill them?" Wolfsbane asked, hoping it wasn't true. Magik's No proved her belief. The wolf-girl maintained that although Carrot Guy could bring pain, he was nary a killer.

   "Well, you better be right!" the sorceress threatened. It was then that Wolfsbane noticed something. The wrongness almost blended with the chaos looming around them, but her keen senses found a unique oddity. There was a tensing in Magik. She appeared frightened all of a sudden. That was a surprise for the wolf-girl. Magik frightened her.

   Her ears made out a whisper from the witch's lips. Tenchi.

   "What Illyana? What's it t' do wit Tenchi?"

   Illyana would have said she had no idea, but the cold shock that stuck her in that instant had become chillier. She knew what was wrong. All priorities were trashed. "Sorry, Furball, but I gotta go."

   "No such thing. I canna find the gang by myself."

   "Tenchi's in trouble!" Illyana's word was no plea.

   "He'll be alright."

   "I don't buy it," said Illyana.

   "An what 'bout the team?"

   "Exactly!" shouted Illyana, the meaning of that word clear. It put Wolfsbane to the stop of her questioning. She had forgotten that Tenchi was as much a member of the New Mutants as Dani and she was. Nor was the fact about Illyana's feelings, even though the wolf-girl had doubts that such pure emotions existed in such like her. Och, it was so difficult for her to make decisions! Everyone else in the group would have made a better compromise.

   She tried her best. "So would you abandon one teammate for another?" Wolfsbane couldn't believe the cruelty of her words.

   "Fine!" Magik showed the grudge of this agreement. "But the moment we find 'em, I'm outta here!" s if someone granted her wish, the two came upon a large dome made of brick. Magik and Wolfsbane landed upon it, making not the easiest of landings. "This is where the location spell stops," Magik quickly declared. "Bye." She suddenly dematerialized, getting some protest from the wolf-girl. She felt a series of vibrations from the dome.

  The side exploded. This hole caused the whole facility to evaporate. Losing all sign of the barrier, Wolfsbane felt an opening up of familiar scents. She was ecstatic to feel the warmth of Dani's rapport. What she got was disappointment. It was not her own. It was Dani. She was imprisoned by this great despair, giving her a consuming area of self-pity that refused any optimism. 

    "Dani?" the wolf-girl called out for her friend in mind and voice. The receiving of her appearance showed Dani to be in a withdrawn state, appearing neither alert nor unconscious in her state. It was Magneto who carried her, his appearance in his old costume almost frightening the wolf-girl.

    Sensing such dour presentations of her friend almost caused Wolfsbane to feel the same. But she fought for happiness since Shan and Roberto (bearing Betsy in his arms) were there. And then there was Gohan. "Rahne!" the boy yelped in delight.

   Despite a smile, Wolfsbane saw no time for an emotional reunion. "We have t' hurry. Our friends are fighting Kakarrotto!"

   Free of the prison, the headmaster sensed a little of what was happening outside. The threat confirmed, Magneto overcame the fatigue he made for this escape. "We have to return to our physical bodies now! Karma, possess everyone save for Wolfsbane, Piccolo and myself!"

   Karma gave uncertainty, which Magneto predicted. "Do not worry. Piccolo and I will boost your powers for this endeavor.

   Hearing this without his say, Piccolo would have returned to the real world his own way, but Gohan's safety depended on him.

   "I shall try!" shouted the Vietnamese Mutant, her head shinning with a halo. These apparitions also set upon Gohan and Dani, as well as Roberto and Betsy.

=== 

   The only clothing Kakarrotto had was the wristband. Unraveling it revealed the six Senzu Seeds. Swallowing one seed victimized Kakarrotto's gnarled body with enchanted healing. The broken bones became set and strong again. The wounds became sealed. The burns faded, turning clean and fleshy. His fatigue was ended, replaced by a stamina that felt fresh and new. He was well again, except for one thing. The warrior knew this by his one eye. Destroying the shit's spine seemed too merciful. Getting closer to inflict worse, his vendetta was hit by a fresh memory. Wasn't there two Dragon Balls near that girl when he took her away?

===

   Tenchi soon found that Kakarrotto's departure was temporary. He saw the Saiya-jin, hair and eyes black again, looking brand new save for the eye. The Dragon Balls were in his arms. A kick sent Tenchi back to facing the ground. He watched the magical orbs tumble before him.

   He felt his ponytail being grabbed, feeling pain for the first time with its pull. "I want you to see this, shit." He heard the Saiya-jin whisper to his ear. "See how your betters get what is deserved to them." Tenchi then heard ripping sounds. Then his mouth felt Kakarrotto's hand stuffing it with shreds of his own clothing, topping it with a gag wound around his face. "That will keep you from intercepting my wish."

   Tenchi's eyes grew puzzled at Kakarrotto's improved condition. How could he be so recovered in such a short time? Searching a clue with his mind, Tenchi found one from Kuririn's words about the Senzu Seeds. They healed wounds, right?

   Now all seven orbs were brought into place. Their connection caused each ball to shine with its magical incandescence. A string of magic electricity grew around this source, hitting the sky as well.

   The crescent moon vanished as the sky turned into a blackness that eclipsed night, as if that rivalry was possible. A new glow took full precedence, a creation that was impressive and breathtaking. A long serpent took domain over the scene. Tenchi now saw a being that rivaled Tsunami in all her magnificence.

   "Reflect upon your desire mortal," Shenlong's words added more shudders than its appearance had done. "For I shall grant any wish…But only one."

    At first, no words came from the wisher. Kakarrotto felt unease with the intimidation this god gave to his pride. But that would soon change. He would join this beast's level of being now, then dispose of him. He would suffer no more rivals.

   "I wish for Immortality!" Kakarrotto spit the words out, intoxicated by the excitement of fulfillment.

   The divine Dragon God increased that excitement. "It shall be done!"

   Kakarrotto shut his eyes, ready to feel the stimulation of being all-powerful. Indeed, a shaft of light grew upon him, beginning to radiate divinity upon him. It was a glory he reveled in. Now the universe shall see the restoration of the Saiya-jin race. He shall rule all, with all opposition destroyed.

   His ecstasy was deterred by a female growl. Kakarrotto turned to perceive it. It was that girl, charging at him with a sword. The look of her face, drawn with a rage of animal-like insanity, showed her intentions.

   Kakarrotto made his stand. He was not going to be bothered by any more of these kids. The girl did not stop her deadly trek, swinging her sword fearsomely. The Saiya-jin's arm came to block the blade. It went right through his hand. Kakarrotto's attention was captured. The shock of seeing yet another weapon cut through him, as well as the realization that this particular sword thrust did nothing of the sort, kept him away from the Soulsword's true target.

   Unlike the non-eldritch Saiya-jin, the four-star Dragon Ball proved more susceptible to Magik's sword. It cleaved the orb in half, sparking a chain reaction. A new line of mystical energy traveled upon the six remaining orbs, flashing wildly. Such disruption was matched by the Dragon God. Shenlong widened its long mouth, bringing forth a roar of pain. Its head and arms swung back and forth. Kakarrotto was frozen to this incredible sight. The light upon him vanished before its effect could be delivered, as was the inevitable effect. The Dragon could only exist if the seven Dragon Balls were together. One ball's removal meant the Dragon's end.   

    And so it was as a thousand beams of light exploded from every spot of the Dragon God. The final point was made as Shenlong erupted in a burst of fire and smoke that consumed its divine form. The smoke's dispersion revealed nothing more of the Dragon. The remaining balls transformed into stones. The night became a little brighter now, with the moon's reappearance.

===

  With augmentation from Piccolo and himself, Magneto amplified Karma's possession to include everyone, especially Dani. The mind-link she shared with Wolfsbane proved the key for their return. Wolfsbane's restoration to human form pulled the students and Gohan back to the corporeal realm.

    Karma's return saw her closely facing the water. Turning it, she saw Dani was with her, staring mindlessly at the reflection of herself. More conscious, Shan was able to analyze her position. She was bound upon on Brightwind's back, the horse halfway submerged in the ocean. Before her was Chichi's car. Luna was inside it. Shan didn't like the scene of the babe with Chichi, but she understood the wrongness of her jealousy. She had unfairly used Luna as a replacement for her own siblings. She missed Leong and Nga so much.

   On a small raft behind the car, there was Magneto, Betsy, and Doug. There was also a tall man dressed in clothes like Kuririn. The reason for the origins of their present position was put aside as Shan saw a large glow in the sky above the island. Before it exploded, she was able to note that it was shaped like a dragon. That wasn't a good sign, especially if her teammates were at the island. She had to help.

   But Brightwind could only answer to Dani, and she was certainly not in the acting mood. Shan knew this, as well as her own reservations about her next step. Her mind became one with the horse. She got a tough refusal, getting a battle made harder by the strain of getting everyone back here. But Karma won over the horse. His wings beat upon the watery surface, splashing some of it on Shan' face. She deserved that. But soon the horse was in the air. 

   Chichi's attention was seeing Magneto wake up. Seeing his head rise brought her gladness. Shock then came when he fell back down. Planting Luna to the seat by her, Chichi sat through the car door's window, crying out the headmaster's name with concern.

  Fortunately, Magneto's face-turn to her showed that the collapse was not fatal. He looked incredibly drained. 

  Noticing Mrs. Goku's attention to the old man in equal helpings of confusion and concern, Yamuch got the perfect diversion.

===

   Gohan witnessed his own restoration to reality by feeling the pain on his cheeks. They still smarted from the blows he received from his father. This thinking instantly alerted Gohan to the present situation. Trying to sit up, the boy found he was bound to something. He broke the ropes easily. Emancipation revealed Roberto and a human Rahne were with him, equally trussed up on what looked like the door to his house. They too had returned to consciousness.

    Gohan grabbed the ropes. Roberto quickly denied his offer. "I can do it myself, hombre." Transforming into his Sunspot form, a sight that would never cease to calm Gohan's interest in it, proved his word. Rahne proved slower in freedom. Changing to her wolfen form this time around was a sore transformation. The previous act of transforming into a human felt like lifting an anchor, not quite an exaggeration considering she pulled five minds with her. Gohan did the honor of breaking her free.

   By their normal senses, it was clear that the three of them were on the beach. For more sub-normal advice, Wolfsbane felt her furry ears twitching. She stared to the mountain before her. "I hear Carrot Guy! Illyana's with her!"

   Realizing what that meant was easy for this group. What to do about it wasn't sure for all of them. Gohan, sensing the violence going on up there, felt the most reluctance. Why should he help that girl? She harmed Piccolo, almost killed him! Better if she died…

  The thought changed Gohan. What a nasty thing to think! He wasn't like his father. His guilt accelerated by Wolfsbane cry that Illyana helped her find them. "We have t' help her 'n any case!"

   Gohan responded with flight.

   "Stop Go…" Wolfsbane's warning was cut short by near faint.

   Sunspot grabbed the wolf-girl's side. "Take it easy, you used your wolfen abilities a lot in that plane."

   "I'm alright," she cried, but the end of her furry appearance proved that was not the truth.

  It failed to lessen her friend's regard. "Fortunately I haven't used mine at all." Sunspot supported the girl to his shoulders, and continued her pursuit. It would have been a slow trek from the mountain, but then came a man dressed like Kuririn floating by them. "Wanna hand?"

    With the sight of Shan waving at them from Brightwind (with Dani behind her), Sunspot and Rahne accepted Yamucha's offer.

===  

   Leaning on her staked sword, Magik smiled in spite. It was true that she would probably hate herself in the morning for totaling the team's chances of getting back home. However, right now she enjoyed totaling Carrot Guy's chances for immortality. Served him right for harming her Tenchi. She should see to his injuries.

   She then met Kakarrotto. "You bitch!"

   Rue for her ignorance became clearer to Magik as she was smacked into the air, leading to her forceful tumble down the hill. She hit the ground with an ungentle landing, her armor protecting her body in some parts, not in others. Her beautiful features were now marked by a huge bruise.

   "Looks like I forgot about a back-up plan," she joked in her pain.

   She saw the legs of Kakarrotto picking her up with a kick, giving her another violent landing. It stripped her of most of her conscious ability.

   "You meddling brat! Don't you see what you have done?! Immortality was going to be mine!" Reasoning was unworkable for the Saiya-jin. Whatever spell that attracted him to this girl was gone now. He would devote to her destruction. His left hand straightened its fingers in a stabbing gesture.

    Illyana managed to sit up, unable to do much else in physical terms. Looked like she was going to die before blacking out. She lowered her head, accepting her fate. "I…love you Tenchi."

   Kakarrotto's growl signaled his attack. His arm charged like a striking viper, tearing through the body's flesh and inside organs as if they were paper, coming out free at the other end.

  Illyana's face felt the extreme flush of warm blood. There was no pain. Her eyes finally took notice in what was the last time. Before consciousness left her completely, she saw that death had been taken from her.

  "Gohan?" she whispered before collapsing.

  The boy kept still, his mind quickly picking at everything that led to this. His arrival to see Tenchi lying gagged on a hill. The sight of his father ready to kill Illyana. His resolve to save her. The realization that pulling her away was too late. The decision of coming between them. The last remaining hopes that he was wrong about his father. All these thoughts came with the sight of his father's hand tearing right through him.

===

    Kakarrotto reflexively flung his arm forward, freeing it of its victim. That hard animal glare in the Saiya-jin's one eye, thirsty for violence, quickly atrophied. It watched the shit land, saw him lying there. He kept this stare, studying its target in detail. His arm also became his study. This bloodied hand looked like it belonged to a different person altogether. Did he really do it? Repulsion. The limb was now out of his sight. He continued watching the shit. He watched as those kids came to its side. He made no aggression.

  Knowledge began to fill his numb thoughts. So he killed the shit. That was what he was planning to do: ridding his own life of that embarrassment. That pollution was the scar to his pure record, the lasting achievement of his weak past. It could only be forgotten if that abomination died. One wish had come true. By those final breaths, that filthy mark would be erased, a triumph of the Saiya-jin.

   Except, why wasn't he happy about it?

   Indeed, pleasure was absent. The exact opposite fell on the warrior. He hurt. The loss of his eye, the searing of his flesh by that other shit, the destruction of his plans, these ailments lost their potency in view of this present agony he felt. Many a time did he imagine the shit's execution with a wicked delight. Now that the expected event was happening, Kakarrotto found it difficult to imagine the final course. It served to worsen the pain.

    But that thing was shit! It had no right to live. Why should he care if it died?

    Kakarrotto couldn't find the answer. His search for one left him as motionless as a statue.

===

     Gohan was scared of dying. But since fighting these battles led to such an eventuality, he fought such fears. Strangely, the expectations of his death proved much scarier than the real thing. There was this quick stab of agony, but it faded. Instead, he got this sleepy feeling. He should fight it, but he felt so tired.   

    His gaze saw a shadowy figure hovering over him. It didn't look like Roberto. However, the boy felt like he expected him. Gohan's eyes grew smaller for better focus. He recognized all who sat near him (was that Yamucha?), but who was the dark person? It was getting so hard to think, to stay awake.

   Dani stood like a statue over the boy. She was drawn to him. Valkyries were drawn to death. The boy must be looking at her as Death itself. She felt nothing but failure, which motivated her present actions to commit nothing.

   Her cold stance differed with the others. A tear-stricken Rahne sat before Gohan's head, ready to explode. Shan sat above her, attempting to give support to her broken heart. Roberto frantically pressed the boy's wound with his own shirt. As the garment's black and yellow colors became soiled with red, Roberto hoped that he was saving the boy's life.

   Yamucha was at the boy's feet, thinking about the best way to help. But it didn't look good. A Senzu Seed was miles away. He had followed the winged horse, getting no answer from the two cute girls who rode it. By the time he reached the island with the black being and the she-wolf, that great Ki was missing, Goku or Kakarrotto was standing in shock, and Gohan lied bleeding to death. The hole of his wound and the blood on Kakarrotto's hand gave him some horrible clues.

   Though he showed better demeanor to this tragedy than the New Mutants, Yamucha's horror was just as great. Goku killed his son? It was wrong, all wrong! But Yamucha also thought Buruma loved him. He also believed Goku was a noble hero. Both were lies. His entire world had become a insane remake of his old one.

     Seeing the uselessness of his aid, Roberto rose back to his feet, his head affixed to the cause of this horrible scene. He was silent, but the crushed frown quivered for release. "You swine!" He marched toward Kakarrotto, his body losing its natural color, absorbing into a being of darkness. "I'll kill you!"

    He really meant it, but Wolfsbane jumped before him. "No Roberto, its wrong!" She didn't understand why she was still standing. She felt ready to collapse by this horrible burden, the burden of failure. For the second time, the New Mutants had failed to protect a child just like them. This casualty was on them all. Her pain stopped Sunspot, but he remained standing. His fists shaking at their inability to ease the grief he felt.

   For the first time in their encounters, the two Mutants saw the Saiya-jin without his usual face of anger. He looked like he was in shock, trying not to show it. "Y-you don't understand," his words softly noted, "that's a shit." But each word was hollow in their vocal pronouncement. If Sunspot was thinking normally, he would deduce that Kakarrotto was as deeply affected by his own actions as they were. But right now he needed no understanding. He wanted no sympathy for this murderer. The Saiya-jin had committed the ultimate betrayal to his son.  

    The behavior of her friends warm to her coldness, Dani's eyes remained fixed upon Gohan. The spirit of Freeza glowed brighter upon the boy. Death was coming. And Dani knew it was her fault. Because of this fault, she could do nothing. She heard nothing but her own thoughts now. It was as if she was in a different world from all this. This allowed her to hear laughter. It was a laughter that brought fear.

  Dani knew that voice. So what? She couldn't do anything about it.

  She knew that person was coming. So? Couldn't do anything about it.

  She knew what that person was going to do to Gohan. She couldn't…couldn't…

  "No! No! No!" the cold mask broke apart. The tears finally streaming down her face, the Cheyenne grabbed strongly to her restored warmth. Whatever happened before, she was not going to let the consequences happen. If Gohan would die, at least he would die free.

   "Battle stations, team!" Dani gave her orders, running to the unconscious Illyana.

   None of her friends understood this cry. Then they spotted a tear in open space. Out from this portal was a woman dressed in green. Her clothing was as skin-tight as her cape was large and flowing, complete with a huge collar twice the size of its wearer's head.

   "Hela!" Dani growled with forbiddance.

   "Who?" said Yamucha, unable to recognize the woman, even though she had this great Ki.

   "She is the Goddess of Death in Norse Mythology," explained Shan, coming to an awful truth. Roberto joined her in this grim analysis. If Dani prophesized Gohan's death, the Brazilian's mind read in frightening detail, than Hela's appearance would be for only one thing. "He's going to claim Gohan!"

   "By the holy rood!" screeched Wolfsbane. Both abandoned Kakarrotto.

    Hela looked upon Dani with her pupil-less eyes, portrayed from a green mask that only revealed the lower half of her face. "I thank thee, Valkyrie, for thy task," she spoke with her emotion, which wasn't much. Despite the cumbersome trappings on her shoulders, she walked easily to the boy's direction.

   Dani blocked her trail. "Back off, Hela! This ain't Asgard! Gohan doesn't believe in you!"

   "That factor carries truth, but I cannot cast ignorance upon those Odin's chooser of the slain have marked."

   The implications of that mention gave Dani a lot to think about. "No!" she cried in denial. "Not Pat!"

   The goddess snickered in delight at the problem she caused. "Fear not about that regard. Yon comrade was found unsuitable for Hel. But this child…my eyes have found favor with him."

   "Whatever!" screamed Mirage, her strength returned. Brightwind rode to her side, an aid she used wisely as she leapt upon her steed. "I messed with you before, death-bringer! I swear by my ancestors that I will not let you take this life!"

    "I remember!" Hela raised her hand to Mirage. A trail of energy came from her fingers, zapping the Valkyrie and her steed away. "I also ken your lack of strength against myself back then," her green lips curved in delicious victory. "I see such rules have been maintained." She returned to the boy with excited hope. A touch of him by her hand, and the child would be hers forever. A valued servant.

   Shan embraced Gohan, staring at the goddess with disdain. She readied herself for possession. But a green-skinned hand beat her to it. Its clawed grasp blended with Hela's own emerald gloved wrist. Piccolo said nothing as he confronted the goddess. His eyes proved his intentions, glaring since he awoke in the waters. Rising from the surface, he caught an even colder flash of telepathy. With the final reserves of energy, the Namekian raced to the island. He would use the last ounce to kill this God.

   But he never fought Hela before. "Fool!" The word of Hela brought a cold stab to the Namekian. His hand grew sick and withered. It shriveled like a rotten fruit, the scales and the bone disintegrating into dust. "Thou hast met death twice," Hela was smug in her victory. "You wish to repeat it?"

    The Namekian's shoulder was the next target for this spreading disease. Piccolo now understood the consequences. He acted upon it. His other arm, still unaffected with decomposition, plunged its clawed hand straight into his neck. The link between body and head was violently severed, its lower stump vanishing into destruction. The intact head fell and rolled away.

   Yamucha was ready to fight when he saw this incredible act. This Hela killed Piccolo…with a touch! He thought about the fate happening to him. The resolve to fight began to leave him.

   Hela then spoke. "Most of all who hath gathered here," she announced in a cool tone, "hath lost against my cause. Unlike most, you have been granted reprieves. Temporary at that," she spoke in delight. "Why must thee seek to extend a fight you will not win?"

   Shan, the only person who seemed to be paying attention, questioned Hela's advice. From her childhood she had fought for life, despite many awful temptations to give up. She would continue to do so. She wasn't the only one who shared this idea.

===

   Tenchi's teeth bit at the gag that kept the stuffing in his mouth. The fact that it was the only thing he could do was frustration defined. He saw Kakarrotto punch Illyana down the hill, but his position gave him no view of her destination. He could only hear the monster's screams and Illyana's groans of pain. Once again did Tenchi lose his stoic mask. His sacrifice was now going to be rendered moot.

   His ears heard a ghastly sound, like something tearing into a body. It was now finished. She was gone. As before, images and words flooded the boy's thoughts. All on Illyana, the good and the bad. His first meeting her in combat, her consolation to him when he lost his family, the salvation she brought to his family, and to his own soul. Seeing her true self. That first kiss in Limbo. That second kiss in Gunsmoke. The acceptance. The loving. The betrayal.

   And Tenchi couldn't feel a thing. He had used up his feelings. Illyana's death left him cold. He hoped this coldness did not last. She didn't deserve it. Their relationship was over, but he would want to regret her loss.

   The only thing he could see was a techno-organic head veering over him.

   Even despite his gag, Tenchi's words would have sounded bored. He thought he was seeing an illusion. But then came a beautiful delay to this sight. No dream existed. The coldness melted, emotions washing through him. He was happy. He would have spoken more enthusiastically if not for the gag.

   "QUERY: Tenchifriend- POSSESSING- speaking- INABILITY?"

  Startled, Tenchi screamed within the gag. Fortunately, Warlock got the idea and proceeded to release his friend of his mouth restraints.

   "Warlock, you're alive!" 

   "SELF- dispersed. SELF- reconstituted."

   Seeing the techno-organism rendered Tenchi's own problems trivial. The importance of his paralysis almost became nonexistent when Tenchi's mind picked up the next meaning of what Warlock's revival entailed. "What about Doug?"

    The round eyes of Warlock became half-closed in sadness. Not ready for this reaction, Tenchi frantically hoped it didn't mean anything. "What happened? Tell me!"

    "SELF-and- SELFSOULFRIENDDOUG- performed- DEMERGING- procedure- WHEN- kakarrottofoe- COMMENCED- attack. MASSIVE- explosion- INITIATED- gestalt- DESTRUCTION. Mass- SCATTERING- of- GESTALT- forced- DETAINMENT- of- DEMERGING- process. FORTUNATE- effect: SCATTERED- reconstitution- DELAYED- permanent- FUSION. Once- SELF- reformation- CONCLUDED, self- SEPARATED- from- DOUGFRIEND."

   Tenchi's impatience overwhelmed the babble. "Is he alive?"

   "CONSCIOUSNESS- negative. LIFEGLOW- emitting- FORTUNATE- strength. SELF- transported- SELFSOULDDOUGFRIEND- to- SAFETY. Self- INITIATES- self- PRESENCE- for- TENCHIFRIEND."  

  Finally content at this, Tenchi almost cried. But the sudden emotion freed his imprisoned feelings for Illyana. He hurt. "Warlock, y-you've got to stop Kakarrotto. I can't move my body."

   The mention of that name brought Warlock into a frenzy. "CORRECTION- in- ABILITY, tenchifriend." The techno-being broke up into a thousand pieces. The paralyzed boy now saw himself rising. His bowed head checked to see what had happened. He was covered with Warlock! The alien was now on him, enshrouding his broken body in a skin-tight suit of organic circuitry. His arms and legs could move, although not by his own will. "Warlock," he spoke, his chin touching his new 'clothes', "can you please lift my head up?"

   A warlockian collar lifting his head, Tenchi could now view the environment below the cliff. He saw the other group of New Mutants, but it was Illyana who caught his view, lying still but relatively unharmed. Before his heart could relax, it was torn again when he caught the true victim of Kakarrotto's vengeance. Gohan being cradled by Shan. Dead? That murderer…

   Then came this green-garbed figure out of nowhere. She blasted Dani and her horse aside.

   A mask came down over Tenchi's eyes, revealing a spyglass that emitted words and targets. It resembled a videogames with a scorecard and targets.

   Before Tenchi could ask who the green-costumed woman was, a full description lined the glass. Hela.

   "Some villain you fought?"

   Then came a list if words. Death-bringer. Decorporation through bodily contact. Precaution advised.

   As bad as these readouts gave, Tenchi thought Kakarrotto a worse threat. His belief grew when he saw Wolfsbane leaping for the Saiya-jin.

   Fortunately, Warlock shared his concern, heading for the scene without asking. Tenchi's courage was immune to his paralysis.

===

   Dani's tough landing brought Wolfsbane to her fallen friend.

   "I'm okay, furtop!" moaned Dani, her torso the only thing on the rise. "Looks like this caper's been shot to hell."

   "But we canna give up! Gohan..."

   Dani spouted reality. "There's no way we can stop Hela. Only another god could take her out."

   Getting an alien thought flash of Carrot Guy, Dani glared at her friend. "No, Rahne. It won't work! He's too far gone."

   "No, ye're mistaken!" The wolf-girl leapt from her friend. "I'll prove it!"

   "Stop Rahne!"

   The wolf-girl pushed all ability of speed in her romp to Kakarrotto. It meant losing all of her human instincts save for one- the need for this man. But no power of hers could reach the Saiya-jin as he touched his forehead, vanishing him away from this place.

    Leaping over the ground that he once stood, the wolf transformed into a lupine, her scents picking up his former presence, her thoughts and feelings resurfacing. With it came the return of failure. "Come back!" her animal mouth groaned. Why did he leave? Didn't he know his son needed him?

   "Rahne!" Sunspot abandoned a boulder he was lifting for his furry friend. He made his steps hoping Gohan would forgive him in this betrayal. Luckily, he saw Piccolo coming to the rescue. "What were you thinking?" he asked the wolf-girl.

   Just then, someone landed before them. It was Warlock…and Tenchi?

   Wolfsbane had to ask. "Where's Doug?"

   "Safe at the moment," said Tenchi, whose smell convinced Wolfsbane of his truth.

   "What's happening?"

   "Oh nothing!" Roberto snapped with sarcasm at the obvious question. "Carrot Guy just mortally wounded Gohan and Hela the Goddess of death is after his soul."

   Tenchi blotted out the confusion over the latter part of that line, reaching the priority. "Is Gohan dead?"

   "Soon, with Hela getting his soul for who knows what evil," Sunspot shouted every word in impatience, "but Rahne here is running off on a wild goose chase after Carrot Guy!"

   "Tis not a wild goose chase! I know deep down that Carrot Guy cares for his son! If he stops her, Gohan's soul will be free."

   Possessing no knowledge of what these two Mutants had experienced, Tenchi and Warlock were uncertain about their facts. The two now had Wolfsbane facing them. "Locke, remember when ye tapped onto Lila's stargate? If Carrot Guy has a similar teleportation gate, can ye tap onto tha' an' send me t' him!"

  Tenchi was shocked to learn Warlock had such a power. Why wasn't this brought up when they were in Gunsmoke?

   "That's madness Rahne!" Sunspot's strong grip almost crushed the wolf-girl's furry arm.

   "I do na care! Tis the best we can do!"

   Tenchi was equally apprehensive about her attempt. But he caught onto a recent memory. "Maybe you can still save Gohan's life too. Carrot Guy has some Senzu Seeds that can heal lethal wounds. It might work on Gohan."

   Wolfsbane was enlightened. "Then we must go t' him!"

   But Tenchi did not abandon caution. "You're forgetting the major problem. Carrot Guy!"

   But nothing could deter the wolf-girl. "Tis the best chance we c'n afford! Help us Locke!"

   "WISH- affirmative! SELF- will- OBEY!"

  "Not without me!" Sunspot drew himself to this mad scheme with reluctance.

   Tenchi was unconvinced, but he gave his blessings. "Me and Locke will fight this Hela, and give you the time you need! Hurry!"

===   

   The area was bright and sunny, a contrast from his previous location. Kakarrotto gave it no notice. This disinterest clearly proved that a change of scenery did no good for his ill mood. No good at all. No distance could separate himself from that memory. It was fresh. It was terrible. "Get out of my mind!" Kakarrotto shouted in vain.

   "Forget that."

   Feeling the burst of Kis before him, Kakarrotto quickly put a defense to the voice's actual person. Before him were more of them. That dark boy and the red-haired girl. These brats' presence never ceased to antagonize Kakarrotto. Why couldn't these brats leave him alone?

   The voice, belonging to Roberto, continued his cold words. "How could you abandon your son at a time like this?"

   Kakarrotto felt stung by that question. It began a terror inside of him.

   Rahne was different from her friend in approach. "Kakarrotto, you have t' save y'r son!"

   Kakarrotto backed away in fright, repelled by her words. "I don't care!"

   Much to his already agonizing dismay, Rahne advanced. "Tha's na true! Ye know it!"

   "What do you know?" Kakarrotto shrugged her.

   Despite the tears, Rahne fought against hysteria. "I've been 'n yuir mind. I know what ye truly feel!" This emotional state was causing whiskers to sprout from her face. "I'm just like you! I believed 'n things, only t' see new ideas happen t' make them seem false. If they are, then that makes my life false as well. I want t' deny them with all my heart."

   Kakarrotto paused at the feeling touch of those words. "Silence! I'll listen no more!"

   "Kakarrotto, tis wrong t' deny such things! Ye really love yuir son, but y're afraid t' admit it 'cause it means y'r life's a lie."

   "No!" Kakarrotto kept his head away. He blocked his ears against these words. They sounded right. "You don't know me!"

    His left elbow was now wound by furry arms. "But Gohan's 'n danger! Not only 'n death! Ye saw tha' woman. She'll capture Gohan's soul, make him her slave forever an' ever! Ye canna let him to tha' fate! Y're the only one who c'n save 'im."

   As if the lupine's embrace was poison, Kakarrotto tore his arm free. "Let go of me!"

   Suddenly, Wolfsbane went into a panic. "Dani!" she roared. Her mind was on fire.

  Thinking this attack was by Kakarrotto, Roberto became Sunspot, shouting with a fisted gesture. "You villain! Are you so engulfed by that pride of yours that you cannot save your own flesh-and-blood?"

   "He isn't my…"

   "Stop lying to yourself!"

   Kakarrotto retaliated to these words vocally, taking the Brazilian by the throat. "Shut up!" He frowned. "Or I'll make you shut up!"

   Sunspot cared nothing for the dangerous position. His strong eyes mocked this threat. "Well, here is you chance to prove yourself as a Saiya-jin!" He angrily declared. "You can kill me or save Gohan."

   Kakarrotto began to growl. How dare this youth give him this choice!

   "Choose!" Sunspot gurgled his voice. "Who are you really? A Saiyan or a father!" 

   Kakarrotto's face remained affixed into an expression that mixed anger, confusion, fear, and indecisiveness. Worse, his mind forcefully opened to the thought of the shit's death, the agony growing unbearable. 

    "Kill me or save him!" Roberto screamed for what he knew was the last time, his fate ready to join Gohan's. 

===

  Hela viewed all through the eyeholes of her mask.

  Then the mask was no longer on her.

  Her true identity was exposed to all. It looked like half of her face had decayed to a skull, and still disintegrating. With a panic that was undignified, the Goddess looked for the thief whose skin would be flayed for eternity. Seeing nothing, she realized that such a robbery was a lie. Again did her thin fingers bombard a wave of deadly energy upon Mirage. The mask was restored to Hela's head, as she expected. Her attack also did precious little to her victim, as was also expected. She needed this Valkyrie.

  Her victim twitched from that electrical show. Would have been dead. At least the pain showed her she was not. Guess being a Valkyrie meant some invulnerability from the death goddess. Too bad it softened the feelings of her body. With that power gone, Dani resorted to her voice. "Somebody save Gohan!"

   Fortunately, circuit-veined tentacles wound around the Goddess' torso, dragging her backwards through the wildly spinning treadmill-wheeled Warlock. Just as Hela freed herself with a death-touch, Warlock severed his/its link. Tenchi exhaled this escape, which was the only thing he could do. It was one thing to fight a battle he couldn't win. Quite another if he was fighting this battle completely helpless.

   Free of her manacle, Hela made a somersault on the ground. It gave harm to nothing but her pride. Unfortunately, her pride was very important to her. Her resentment boiled. Deities should not be so violated. These mortals had grown too sure in their independence from their divine authorities. A lesson would be made for these mortals, a lesson which began with her leap into the air, her cape spread out like bat wings.

   Her flight was likened to an angel of death. Tenchi was scared. Hela thought that good. That was the true way mortals should react to her. Her arrogance failed to consider Tenchi's real worry that this diversion might not be long enough to save Gohan. And the Goddess' landing at a few feet before this duo gave ample proof of that.

   But Hela felt the pull again. This time it was her cape being latched by the hand of Yamucha. He had suppressed his fears, hoping his prophesied demise in the future might guarantee his survival right now. His intervention did succeed in getting Hela's dark stare. "You dare to touch thine lowly hands upon one like me?" the Goddess was shouting now, swinging her arms. Her hand smoked with decomposition energy ready to be expressed. The victim had the luck of ducking, his hair being the true casualty. But the closeness of this death brought illness to the former bandit. This weakness felled him.

   Ready to bring the final death to this one, Hela's thoughts suddenly became not her own. But it was brief. The manipulator's power was too exhausted to fight such a headstrong being like Hela. Karma realized that she had made Gohan's situation worse.

   "Thy error was made," spoke Hela. "Thou should not have given distraction to one that I want!" She presented her open hand. No longer willing to get what she wanted through touch, Hela would now resort to getting what she want through a blast of her power. 

   Suddenly, an explosion abruptly unbalanced her stand. The hit threw the Goddess off her feet. More humiliation! Hela's anger was divine wrath. Who else challenged death in this combative fashion?

   That was Kakarrotto. He was the culprit. His smoking hand proved that. "Leave…it…alone!"  the Saiya-jin spoke, every word an uncertainty. His foundations shattering, his beliefs shaken to the core, only one emotion remained strong within Kakarrotto, the compassion that was now destroying him. It forbid him to let the shit die.

   "By irony," Hela smirked. "The killer becomes the savior."

   Karma flinched as he saw Kakarrotto standing above her. She saw a fist open. Five small seeds dropped to the ground.

   "G-give one…to him," Kakarrotto spoke in reluctant moans. "Hope he chokes!" The Saiya-jin hollered despite himself. His hair became like gold, his eyes glowing with green hues. He went after Hela.

   Dropping confusion, Shan obeyed the advice. She put the bean into Gohan's mouth. The boy's jaw did not move.

   Heart chilled, eyes pierced, unable to cry, Shan came to a final resort. It made her feel even colder. She didn't want to die, but no other choice existed. Her face paused, squeezing in strength for this endeavor.

   Getting no resistance (not a good sign), Karma's power shared herself with Gohan's lessening thoughts, soon to become nothing but a pulse of nerve endings. This tie would either mean life or death. Slowly Gohan's mouth moved with her own mouth. She could feel the bean roll down his throat. But it paused in its descent. Move! Karma pressed herself for motivation. Move… the command was smaller this time. She felt this great exhaustion, the eternal sleep. She can't…shouldn't…should abide it.

   In that near acceptance, Karma knew the defining time had come. Both of them would now die. The eventual surrender taking its complete hold, she thrust one final thought of motivation. Then she saw blackness…

  "Shan!" the dark void had a voice. "Shan!"

   Opening her eyes, Karma saw the blackness end. It was Gohan speaking her name. He looked better. The hole on his shirt revealed no wound on his chest.

  Hearing and seeing great explosions brought the woman to the truth that neither had gone to heaven. A victory had been won. Long had Karma's power been a curse. It destroyed her brother Tran, and indulged the ambitions of her uncle and Farouk. Her power had claimed so many lives. Now, it had saved one.

   Karma celebrated this victory by hugging Gohan. "Bless the lord!" 

   Similar spirits engulfed Mirage. Her eyes beheld a more beautiful sight. The vision of Freeza evaporated into nothingness. She felt ready to cry.   

   For that brief moment, Kakarrotto's battle with Hela took second importance.

   Hela ignored her object's recovery. She would still claim Gohan, but after she dealt with the father. He will die first. She stabbed her arms toward Kakarrotto, projecting a flush of deadly force. Kakarrotto dodged that attack, responding it with his own power.

   This clash of energy was immense to the Goddess. Never since Thor did she encounter a foe with such power. She knew she could win this battle, but the outcome, as inevitable her own pride believed, would tax her considerably. She had another agenda, more important than this. She had to abandon this goal for right now. This was the second battle against these Mutants that her prey was left safe from her. That debt would have to be paid. She had nothing to worry about that. Death is always inevitable.

   "Curse all your interventions, fools!" Hela used the winds to carry her above all. It did not stop Kakarrotto from chasing her.

   "Warrior," the Goddess spoke to her pursuer. "I see my mark upon thee! Yon days are numbered. When it ends, thee shall see me again!" Then her mouth flapped open, sounding out a cackle that could only freeze people instead of warm them. The laugh surpassed her in existence, which vanished without a trace.

    Racing for her, Kakarrotto grabbed nothing in his frustration. He landed to the ground, finally realizing the awful consequences. He had done it. By one act of compassion did he bring down the Saiya-jin race! He destroyed it!

    And he would do it again.

   Desperately did he attempt an escape from this truth! The responsibility of this grave crime was thrown to others. It was their fault for what happened! That black youth confused him! They hurt his pride, that Mack-neto and that sword-wielding shit! That blond witch wrecked his wish! That illusion-caster was to blame for…for something that made him mad! But finally it was that shit's fault. It was its fault for sacrificing…It was its fault for saving…for…

   It was his own fault for nearly killing it…Him…His son.

   The truth was inescapable, with no hiding place. It was destroying him. He was stuck with no possibilities. Change? Never. That was not for a Saiya-jin like him. But remaining in his old path, that was impossible too. There was nothing he could do! It wasn't fair. It was impossible! What to do? He didn't know! He didn't know!

   "Yeargh!" Kakarrotto's mind panicked, reaching a toll of suicidal proportions. He embraced his face, his body shaking and turning in many physical convulsions and contortions. To the witnesses, the Super Saiya-jin looked like he was experiencing the painful throes of a transformation, except with no conclusion.

   By now, the Warlockian Tenchi carried the wounded Illyana to Shan and Gohan. Brightwind carried Dani to their safety. Looking on, Dani analyzed the Super Saiya-jin's torture. It looked like a spark was left in her old plan. As she hoped, Carrot Guy couldn't accept saving his son's life. That compassion defined his fear. The fear of what he truly was. The hero, not the Saiya-jin. It must be a fate worse than death.

   Dani decided to make it worse. "It's over, Carrot Guy!" Dani shouted for the Saiya-jin to hear. "You can't kill us."

    Tenchi and Warlock took that with a grain of salt. "Are you crazy, Mirage?" the boy shouted. "That man nearly killed Cypher and Locke!"

    "But he didn't, Tenchi." Dani was herself again, bearing no more doubts.

   "Are you sure?" cried Tenchi. "He almost did it to Gohan!"

   "But he saved his life, didn't he?"

    "What about Sunspot and Wolfsbane?" added Tenchi.

   "Nope on that," replied Dani. "I hear her in my thoughts. Besides, I see no more death-images." 

   "I've been with her, Tenchi." Shan spoke up. "I know what she is doing."

   "I do too," Gohan made that risk with a cool face. He looked at Warlock too. Was Tenchi really wearing him as a costume?

     Dani took this support to resume the torture. "Hate t' say this, Carrot Guy, but you can't go on like this. You can't cut it as a Saiya-jin! Maybe ya can cut it as a good guy."

    "I don't want it!" The Super Saiya-jin lashed out his tongue. He whimpered, each gasp growing louder. Suddenly, the experienced Tenchi realized this was an overture. "We got to get out of here now!"

   Warlock did not lose a minute to understand. He/it quickly spread out and surrounded his/its friends. Quickly enveloped, the bottom part of the techno-organism became a giant drill, ripping into the ground below him/it. The recovered Yamucha dove with them.

   In that hole, the six of them huddled together to avoid the awesome onslaught. "Hold on kids!" Yamucha braced himself. Then came a loud scream, followed by great winds and debris.

   Tenchi didn't notice. In his warlockian-sleeved arms, Illyana began to stir. She looked at him. "Hi."

   Tenchi couldn't help but react with a smile to her, the first in a while. "How are you feeling?"

   "Awful."

   "You and me both."

   "You smell." She giggled.

   "Here you two!" Shan exposed her full hand.

   "Senzu Beans!" declared Gohan.

    Tenchi's warlockian-gloved hand touched one of them.

   "Break it in two, Tenchi," said Dani. "Who knows how many of us might need 'em?"

   "I'm the wrong person to ask, Dani." Tenchi joked as his warlockian-gauntlets broke the bean without his help. One hand slipped the bean into Illyana's mouth. The other slipped the remainder into Tenchi's. He felt the warmth returning to his body.

   Illyana too felt better, but it was not just because of the bean. It was the way Tenchi looked at her. Was there hope?

   Above them, the wind had died down. All was quiet.

===

  Kakarrotto's lips came out with the final scream. Power around him became his authority, generating a great explosion. It was not as disastrous a wound to the island as others. He screamed on, screaming until his vocal chords gave out, until all reason for screaming was lost. And it was at this ending that the mind of the Saiya-jin warrior also reached a close.

   His hair and eyes were blackened again. The Saiya-jin Kakarrotto was now finished with life. He collapsed to the ground.

===

    Waking up from what felt like a really long sleep, Goku found out a weird thing. Something was covering one of his eyes. Fingering it, he found out that the eye was gone. From now on, he would see things through only one eye. Oh well.

   He looked around his environment. It looked like some battle had happened. Maybe it did. And where was he while it happened? "Damn it!" moped Goku about this absence. And it must have been a big one, too!

   He then spotted heads peeking out from a hole. He saw Yamucha and Gohan. The rest he didn't know. They were all looking at him strangely. Did he have something on his face? Checking himself, Goku saw that he was naked. Did he turn into an Oozaru again? That idea instantly went away. He didn't remember anything about his tail growing back. Then again, the last thing he remembered was an argument with Chichi. What that was about, Goku couldn't remember.

  Wanting to find out about the battle, Goku attempted to call out to them. He coughed instead. His voice felt so raw. Calling out to them no longer worked. So he decided on talking to them close up.

  "Hey guys!" Goku's hoarse voice still registered a warmth.

  "Goku?" Yamucha asked with suspicion. "Is that you?"

  "Sure it's me! Was I someone else?"  

  His friendly question got stunned faces from Dani, Tenchi, Shan, Illyana and Warlock. Well, maybe not so much the question as the friendly greeting that came with it. "Did your plan work?" Shan whispered to Dani.

   "Don't know," Dani was unsure, wishing she had Rahne or Psylocke to prove things.

   "It did," Gohan finished his perception. The way the figure smiled, the friendliness he gave to Yamucha and him. This person was really his father. At least, the father he knew a month ago. Or thought he knew. Come to think of it, he never really knew his father, at least in a way he liked.

    The boy's verdict was given ample proof by a bright butterfly that caught Goku's fresh attention.

   "Psylocke," asked Shan. "Are you well?"

   I've endured worse, answered the telepath, her words carrying a tinge of worry.

   So did you get a look at Carrot Guy's head? Dani spoke her words in mind.

   Psylocke's psionic eye gave the news. He is gone. A great elevation occurred within Dani and Shan. It was over.

   "Who's this Carrot Guy?" asked Goku, catching that telepathic line. Again did he get everyone looking at him.

   "Psylocke," Tenchi cried to the butterfly. "How's Doug?"

   There was a brief silence at first. He's alive. He's with Magneto, Chichi, and myself.

   The meaning of that answer left Tenchi and Warlock discontented. It didn't help matters that Goku spoke to them, commenting about their weird 'costume.'

   "ANSWER- misinterpretation." Said a cruel-looking face on the "costume."

   The meaning flew by Goku. "What did it just say?"

   "This isn't a costume," Tenchi begrudgingly translated. "It's Warlock."

   A confused face fell on Goku. What was the problem with this costume? Oh well. "Hi Warlock!" He gave a hand wave and a smile.

   Soon everyone was out of the hole. Yamucha tried to find some reason for the sudden mood swing, but Gohan's experiences settled him for what happened. He let his imagination wander; he pictured himself going to his father, thankful that things were right again. Then came an embrace that showed that everything was all right between father and son.

   Forget it. Gohan gave his father a look, and walked away.

  As if the situation couldn't get even more stranger for the New Mutants, the factor progressed as a shaft of light landed upon them. Appearing from it was a white robed figure that looked very much like an aged Piccolo.

  "It's Kami-Sama!" cried Yamucha.

  "Great," moaned Dani. "Another God."

  But this deity gave no aggression. "I have witnessed this battle from its beginning to its eventual conclusion, as well as the fate of the Dragon Balls," the old Namekian stared at Illyana when he said that. His gaze, stern but a softer contrast to Piccolo's glaring stares, focused on the New Mutants. "It is for the peaceful end of this situation, and to the safety of Earth that I congratulate you."

   "Thanks Kami," Goku intervened with puzzlement. "I think."

   "He's talking about us, boy toy!" cried Illyana, responding to the Namekian with thanks. At any rate, Goku's lack of modesty in appearance brought some unease to the team (thought Dani and Illyana felt really turned on, especially with what was, as they termed, 'below the equator'). Kami-Sama remedied this with a flick of the hand. An orange Gi now covered Goku's unclad body. "I am afraid your lost eye is beyond my power," Kami-Sama gave some letdown. "The best I can do is this!"

  A black patch materialized itself upon Goku's empty iris. It happened despite Goku's words "Don't think much 'bout it."

  After that, Kami-Sama walked to another hill. There, Piccolo was now attempting to stand up in his new body. This Namekian responded to his other half's appearance in his typical fashion. Personal irritation.

  The old Namekian smiled. "I am glad to meet you again."

 "I'm not," said Piccolo.

===

   Shortly after, Warlock stripped him/itself from the boy, the effect tickling for the wearer. Tenchi felt being tickled! The controlled movements of his arms and legs by no power but his own gave final confirmation of his healed body. By a split bean, Dani received a lesser but no doubt important recovery, at least in body. Shan was the other.

    Then they heard a cry from Sam. Dani boarded Brightwind and flew to them. She gave a seed to Sam. The deputy leader clearly benefited from its power. His arm and ribs were good as new! Amara refused any offer, saying that she was fine. Neither Sam or Dani were convinced.

  Goku surveyed these recoveries with a good nature. He then noticed that pony-tailed girl speaking with the girl with that helmet-hair. He then froze, against his will. His face now carried Shan's expression of dismay in using her powers on him.

  But Dani was insistent. During the time Goku's mind was closed, the New Mutant now discussed some important plans to her team, with Yamucha, Piccolo, and Kami-Sama included. Magneto and Roberto were also informed, through the powers of Wolfsbane and Psylocke. Some secrecy should be made. Considering Goku remembered nothing about his period as Carrot Guy, it was best that he shouldn't be told everything about it. That he went nuts and on a rampage? Maybe. Sure. That he nearly killed his son? That would probably be too much for him to handle. "Better keep a zip on it." This received some understanding kudos, despite complaint from others that Dani was being way too lenient on Carrot Guy ("Way, way, way, way too, too, too, too lenient," said Illyana). But all agreed.    

   Free of Karma's control, Goku was astounded to see everyone grouped together all of a sudden.

   "Oh no!" Tenchi made a startling remembrance. "We forgot about Kuririn!"

  The monk's obscurity vanished instantly, thanks to a certain friend. "Kuririn?" Goku duplicated Tenchi's concern. "Somethin' happen t' Kuririn?" he frantically asked. His emotional shock brought some fear into the group, despite its compassionate basis. Given the last Senzu seed, the monk awoke to see not a monster, but a friend. Kuririn recognized the distinction in an instant, almost thinking his experiences were a dream. But Tenchi, Warlock, and Illyana's appearance ended that idea.

   "Who did this to you?" Goku asked. Kuririn stilled his voice. Seeing Tenchi doing a pantomime of zipping his mouth, he obeyed. "I don't know."

   The next job to be completed was locating Rahne and Roberto, a quick task due to Goku's Shunkan Idou. Goku got a kind thank you from the red-haired girl, though the dark kid just smirked at him.

  Their reunion with the others was very short, as almost everyone traveled away from the island to the missing portion of the group. 

  Flying beside them, Goku took a better look at this weird group of kids. Except for the kid with legs for rockets, they were flying on that costume or robot or something. The girl had changed into a wolf. Another girl was glowing bright like a sun. Who were they? But no answer was given, and as Goku noted further, this silence to him appeared to be by choice.

    By the light of Warlock and Magma, the search party reached the weirdly shaped caravan on the ocean floor. There was Magneto, bearing a relieved face for seeing all his students survive.

  But Goku brought a heavy intensity to the proceedings. Chichi was the most nervous about it. Before, Betsy had told her that her husband was coming. That he was now different from the person they were fighting. Magneto even explained the personality change to her (with some omissions). But it did not calm her. How was she going to respond? Warmth? Rejection?

  The first thing she saw of Goku was his injury. He had lost an eye. Her moment at last, Chichi backed away, heading to another priority. "Where's Gohan?"

  Magneto also noted an exception from his own group. "Where's Dani?"

  "The pony-tailed girl?" Goku made the distinction.

   "No duh!" Illyana slurred her comment to a whisper.

  "Oh, she wanted to find Gohan by herself," smiled Goku. "I offered t' help her but she really wanted t' do it herself. Don't worry 'bout Gohan. He's fine."

  Each of the New Mutants' eyes made a triple 180-degree turn. If only he knew, the group was divided in concern and contempt. At any rate, some of the team- Tenchi and Rahne included- saw to the importance (in their view) of jumping off Warlock and swimming to the raft that bore Doug. The boy lay very still under Betsy's devoted watch.

   "Doug, wake up!" The boy cried.

   "What's wrong?" growled Wolfsbane.

   Betsy gave a good poker-face. "He's in a coma. Evidently the shock of being blown up and restored proved too much for him."

  "Tha's too bad," Goku sympathized. "Wonder who did this?"

  This question led to the performance of more poker faces, despite some real temptations to give the terrible (but also appealing) truth. 

  "Well, however it ended," Sam considered. "Looks like our job's over."

 "Think again," said Illyana.

   Goku than took his attention to what was in the car. "Whose Baby?"

  "My granddaughter," Magneto put his guard, eclipsing a mother bear's guardianship.

   Goku became more puzzled. Everyone seemed to be angry at him. Why?

===  

   Sitting on a cliff, Gohan found himself in the umpteenth pondering about his father and him. But he had made his decision, and would keep it.

   He saw a pair of suede boots stopping beside him. "Care for some company, kiddo?" said the owner.

   "How did you find me?" Gohan's greeting was neither hospitable nor alienating.

   "My grandpa taught me a few things," Dani sat down while giving her explanation. Rather than state the obvious to the boy, she spoke about herself. "I thought this would be a good time to be alone."

   Gohan leaned back. "Do you still see Freeza on me?"

  "Nope," Dani spoke straight. "Your father saved your life."

  "He also nearly ended it."

  Good one on the words girl, Dani recriminated herself. "I'm very sorry, Gohan. I screwed up."

  Gohan's somber behavior lit up into compassionate protest. "Don't blame yourself. If anything, you were the one who saved the day."

   Dani defended herself from these uplifts to her self-esteem. She didn't deserve any acclaim. "You saved Illyana's life. That took a lot of courage."

   "I would do it again," Gohan returned to somberness. He wasn't sure if he would. Probably. It was a better one than the alternative to his present decision.

  "I think it's best that your father shouldn't know what he just did. But it's your choice though."

   Gohan nodded. He didn't care anymore.

  Dani sighed, gazing to the upcoming reunion and its consequences. This adventure was now over, and she should be grateful for how it ended. How close to a disaster it was! Nevertheless, little relief could be found in the results. The ending, far from tragic, was not happy. The New Mutants had paid it big this time around. And it was all because of her.

   Before this trip began, Dani Moonstar wondered about what her role truly was. A Mutant? A Cheyenne? A Valkyrie? A team leader? A girl? There were too many roles for her to choose from. Guess she should make things easier. Cross out team leader from that list!

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I do not own anything. The New Mutants (created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod), Psylocke (by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis), Luna (by John Byrne), Hela and Magneto (by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) are owned by Marvel Comics, Inc. Dragon Ball (by Akira Toriyama) is by Toei Studios. Tenchi Muyo is owned by AIC.

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-Gohan had Ki battles with Kuririn during the space trip to Namek in DRAGONBALL vol. 21.

-Karma/Shan was the New Mutants' first leader before her disappeared in NEW MUTANTS#7.

-Chichi's old home, Gyu Mao's castle, was destroyed by Kame-Sen'nin's Kamehameha in DRAGONBALL vol. 2.

- Now, I wish it be known that I did not do to Tenchi what Akira Toriyama did to Mystic Gohan in the Buu Saga (build up said character to win the final battle, but made a last-minute change). The resolution to this story (from Illyana's actions to Kakarrotto's final defeat) was thought out and decided long before I decided to have Tenchi go Super-Juraian on Kakarrotto.

-The first child the New Mutants failed was Larry Bodine, mutant suicide victim in NM#45.

-Pat, as in Pat Bodine, was Dani's childhood friend. Recently, she saw the death-vision on him, and despite her best efforts, he died in NM#41.

-It is implied that Technarch beings like Warlock can teleport via the detection of teleportation energy, though the trip is usually one-way. Warlock did so in NEW MUTANTS ANNUAL 1 (via Lila Cheney's teleportation signature) and Magus did so (via Magik's) in NM#47.

-Hela is the Norse Goddess of Death, ruler of Hel, the underworld in Asgard. She can kill people by just touching them. Her main weakness is her mask and cape, which keeps her alive. She fought the New Mutants before in UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL 9. Her other agenda concerns Thor in THOR#373. Her plans for Dani would be revealed in NM#79-85. And she was the onlooker in Chapter 2.

-Being the good and evil parts of one being, Kami-Sama and Piccolo don't like each other very much.

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NEXT TIME: So Goku's back to normal! Too bad everything else isn't. Most of the New Mutants don't want to have anything to do with him! And what are Gohan's own thoughts about the matter? Expect our favorite Saiya-jin to learn a few things he's not going to be too happy with. The New Mutants' adventures are far from over!