Everyone resumed breathing again. Roshi had found himself having a few questions for Kami concerning the Mafuba attack, before remembering Yamcha and Chichi's conditions. Deciding there would be more than enough time for questions later on, Roshi supported a battered Chichi and a nearly unconscious Yamcha as everyone made their way towards the Sanctuary.
Having set the two fighters down onto the Sanctuary's pavement, Roshi walked up to Kami.
"Kami, I have a question to ask," he said, "why did you use your own body in stead of an item to seal Piccolo?"
"That is easy to explain," the ancient Guardian of the Earth said, "As you all know, Piccolo and I are linked. If one of us dies, the other one does as well."
"Had I used an item to seal Piccolo," Kami continued, "there would be the chance that Piccolo would break free once more."
"Yet using my own body as a seal would prevent that," Kami added with a smile, "as whatever he's sealed in is destroyed when he successfully escapes..."
"... Killing him anyway because of the link with you!" Chiaotzu finished, "This is great! We'll always be free of him!"
"Great fight you guys," a voice called from behind a tree, "I suppose you all could use some Senzus?"
"Yajirobe," Yamcha said, recognising the voice, "how the... argh... did you... escape him?"
"Basically, we made Korrin's Tower appear deserted," Yajirobe replied, "We sensed the entire battle and knew when it was safe to come out of hiding."
"I suppose I'll spare you all the details," he continued, tossing Yamcha and Chichi a senzu bean each, "since you guys look like you could use this more."
"Hey guys, I found the Dragon balls," Chiaotzu called from inside Kami's Palace, "looks like Piccolo had already collected them all."
"Great, let's summon Shenlong right here," a now restored Chichi said, "I can't wait to see Goku again..."
"Umm, Chichi, we'd better summon him on the ground," Chiaotzu pointed out, "Goku can't fly..."
"Capsule Corp.'s probably the best place for it, since summoning the Dragon will cause mass panic everywhere else." Yamcha said, "The people in that area are used to Bulma testing out her inventions."
Everyone agreed on that, and they took off, heading for Capsule Corp. with the dragon balls. When they arrived a few minutes later, they noticed Bulma waiting for them in the backyard. They landed near her and while Kami and Chiaotzu were setting out the dragon balls in an open area of Bulma's garden, Yamcha, Chichi and Roshi were filling her in on what had happened.
"... So we couldn't have done it without your virus," Yamcha finished, "it worked like a charm."
"Of course it did," Bulma said, with a grin on her face, "I'm more than just good looks, you know."
"Excuse me, but we found a good spot to summon Shenlong," Chiaotzu interrupted, "if you would follow me, please?"
"Yeah guys, c'mon," Yamcha exclaimed, giving Chichi a smile, "let's go wish Goku back."
And with that, the group followed Kami to where Chiaotzu had lain out the dragon balls. Their mood had risen considerably since the battle with Piccolo, and the grim looks from the past few days were replaced by smiles and laughter. As they rounded the shed (or one of them) all of them became quiet upon seeing all seven dragon balls glinstering on the ground before them. After a quick look amongst themselves, they decided Chichi should do the honours.
"Eternal Dragon, by your name I summon you forth," Chichi spoke, while she walked towards the dragon balls raising her arms, "arise, Shenlong!"
Everybody waited in anticipation of Goku returning to them as the dragon balls began taking in all the light from its surroundings. The sky turned black as coal, the only visible light being shed from the dragon balls themselves, which were shining brighter by the second. As the glow they gave out became so strong it seemed they had become one, a bright ray of light shot upwards, slashing through the darkness. The beam then began to twist and turn, getting longer still. Eventually, the ray of light stopped and the glow subsided, leaving Shenlong, the Eternal Dragon, in clear sight of everyone in the vicinity.
"YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME FROM MY SLUMBER," Shenlong announced, his voice carrying to well within the next district, "SPEAK YOUR WISH, AND I WILL MAKE IT SO."
"My wish is," Chichi said, snapping out of her trance, "to bring Goku back into this dimension!"
"THAT WISH," the Eternal Dragon replied, "CANNOT BE GRANTED."
"What!" Bulma yelled, "But why?"
"BECAUSE THE DRAGONBALLS HAVE BEEN ALTERED NOT TO RAISE ANYONE FROM THE DEAD." Shenlong answered, "PICCOLO, THE ONE THAT CREATED ME, MADE IT SO ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO."
"No, this isn't fair!" Yamcha shouted, "Piccolo's defeated. We WON, dammit!"
"In a way, that makes sense," Kami mumbled, "he was afraid the dragon balls would wish Goku back to defeat him."
"B-but that means," Chiaotzu realised, "Tien won't be coming back either..."
"N-no, this can't be," Chichi stuttered, "I wish I could at least talk to him one last time, even if it were for just a few minutes..."
THAT WISH, I CAN GRANT," Shenlong spoke, his eyes glowing a bright red, "UNTIL SUMMONED AGAIN, I LEAVE."
As the glow around Shenlong became brighter, a smaller glow sprang into life on the ground next to the dragon balls. As Shenlong's form grew indistinct and started to flow back into them, the small glow started to take on the shape of a person. By the time Shenlong was once again sealed within the seven dragon balls, the smaller glow subsided, leaving a rather surprised looking being standing there. As his antennae twitched, he looked over his shoulder just in time to see the dragon balls float upwards, until they were mere flecks in the now restored daylight.
Yamcha, Chichi, Bulma, Chiaotzu and Roshi watched the dragon balls as they climbed upward into the sky. They floated there for a second, before, not unlike the hopes of everyone present, scattering in all directions. It wasn't until the dragon balls had disappeared from sight completely that they all noticed the being standing before them. It was wearing a black suit, with what looked like a red gi worn underneath it. It was also wearing sunglasses, but that wasn't what had caught everyone's attention.
It was the light blue skin and the long antennae that earned everyone's stares.
"W-what is this," Kami uttered in disbelief, "King Kai, sir, h-how did you get here?"