Author's note: Hey, guys, thanks for the reads, & the reviews. I love getting those alerts. Please feel free to keep them coming, & let me know your thoughts as the story progresses.

Chapter 27

Kami's Lookout

Piccolo sat in front of what was once Kami's home. His legs were crossed, a hand on either knee, and he floated over the ground. His cape barely brushed the tile slabs of the floor when the wind stopped blowing. Moments ago he had sent Yamcha on his way, and already he sensed someone else approaching. He had been consulting with Kami, but it looks like that conversation was going to be cut short.

Even with his superior sense of hearing, Piccolo barely heard the approach from behind. Two bare paws slowly approached. As they neared Piccolo turned in his place and put his feet on the ground. Korin stood a few feet away, hands folded behind his back.

"I can cross that off my bucket list." Korin said. "I don't think I'm going to do that again. It was nice and all, but I'd miss Earth too much."

"Yeah, it's not all it's cut out to be, is it?" Piccolo asked. "Then again, you probably went straight to Heaven?".

"I did." Korin responded while taking a seat in front of the Namekian. "It was nice and all, but without any negatives, I think it would get old pretty quickly."

Piccolo followed the cats lead and sat as well. "How long have you been back, and how did you get up here?" Piccolo asked. "I thought you either needed to fly, or to use the power pole."

"You do need to fly or use the power pole." Korin said. "I've only been back a short while. Where's Kami? There are some matters I need to discuss with him."

"Kami and I fused in the Dead Zone." Piccolo said. "It was the only way to get him out, even if it is only his consciousness. He's now part of me, and I don't know of any way to give him form again."

Korin reached out and studied Piccolo's energy for a moment. It was a lot calmer than he expected, and a lot older as well. "I see." Korin nodded. "What does that mean for Earth and her people? Does the planet no longer have a guardian, or have you taken up that mantel?"

"I have not become the guardian, and I couldn't if I wanted to." Piccolo said. "I, Kami and myself, will take an active role in defending the planet, but for now there is no guardian."

"If Kami is in you, conscious, but without a body, what does that mean for the dragon balls?" Korin asked. "I assume they'll continue, since I was wished back with them?"

"Unfortunately that isn't the case." Piccolo said. "I'm not able to create, or maintain, dragon balls. Earth would need another Namekian if we are to restore them." Piccolo closed his eyes for a moment. 'You were restored before, shortly before, Kami and I fused. My guess is that if whoever made the wish waited a few more minutes, you wouldn't have been able to come back, at least not without the Namekian dragon balls that is."

"Would the creator of the dragon balls need to be the Earth's guardian?" Korin asked. "Or would a Namekian just need to reside on Earth to maintain them?"

Piccolo closed his eyes again, consulting the life and knowledge of Kami, seeking an answer. A minute later he reopened his eyes. "I don't know." He shrugged. "I assume they wouldn't need to be the guardian, formally, but if a Namekian were to take up the responsibility of maintaining the dragon balls, he'd likely also become the guardian anyway."

"Do you know if another Namekian would be willing to do so?" Korin asked.

"I've never met a living Namekian." Piccolo reminded him. "I have absolutely no idea what they as a people, or any individual, would be likely to do." As Piccolo spoke a new energy appeared at the edge of his passive senses. He focused in on it and one energy turned to three, two somewhat familiar, one completely alien. "Do you sense that?" Piccolo asked.

"I do." Korin nodded. He got back to his feet and walked towards the edge of the lookout. Piccolo followed shortly behind him.

Piccolo held the edge of a palm against his brow, shading his eyes as he scanned the horizon. A single spec, off in the distance, was coming their way. As it approached it shifted from a single dot to a goose like V. A pink woman flew in front, with her arms stretched back and out to either side. At the end of either arm was a massive blob of her flesh, with a bald head sticking out of one, and a black flaming haired head out of the other.

"Do you know who that is?" Korin asked Piccolo.

"Not a clue." Piccolo said. "Although I think I know who they have with them." As the pair watched Loa closed in on Kami's Lookout, slowing as she approached.

Loa came to a stop a few yards off the platform, dangling Vegeta and Nappa upside down. She looked Piccolo up and down and smiled at the Namekian. "May I enter your domain?" She asked with a smile.

Piccolo looked down at Korin before returning his gaze to the woman. "You may." He turned his side to her, allowing her to fly over the platform, and touch down a few feet from the edge.

Loa returned her hands to their normal state, but left thin tendrils of her flesh behind. The pairs hands and feet were coated in thick spheres, and rope like threads had their limbs tied tightly together and to their bodies. Patches of skin were stretched across their mouths as well, secured by threads both behind their heads and over.

Piccolo approached the two Saiyans, who began to growl at him. "These two were killed on the same day that I was. Do you know how they were revived?" He asked Loa.

"We made a wish, and we weren't quite as specific as we should have been." Loa said. "We wished for everyone that could be, to be, brought back, and we know now that that was a mistake."

"I see." Piccolo leaned over the Saiyan prince and his body guard. "While that was definitely the wrong wish, you're lucky to have made it when you did. You see, the dragon balls have gone inert, and likely won't be back for some time, if ever."

Loa tilted her head at the Namekian. The dragon balls on Namek were unavailable to her. The dragon balls on Earth are, are inert? They always go inert after use, but, possibly forever. "What do you mean?" She asked. "They will return in one year, so long as you live?"

"The creator of the dragon balls is no longer with us." Piccolo said. "It happened shortly after the wish was made. I'm sorry."

Loa dropped her gaze to the floor. Just like that, a few words from a complete stranger, and it's gone. On Namek she had fallen into routine. She had stepped out of it when she thought her wish could become a reality, but, a few words, and it was gone. She clinched her fists, trying to stay calm, unintentionally she tightened the restraints on the Saiyans, and she had to focus her efforts to loosen them back up, so as not to slice them to pieces.

Piccolo noted the slight rise in her power, as Vegeta's and Nappa's both dropped. It didn't last long, but it was there. "So, not many people know about the dragon balls, or the lookout, let alone are trusted to make a wish on the dragon balls. Who are you?"

Loa put an arm to her waist and bowed. "I am Loa. I met several residents of this planet on Namek, and came back with them. When we became aware that the Saiyans were brought back, I promised to take care of these two, while Turles took care of Raditz, and the rest took care of the other threats. I must say, I'm surprised to meet a Namekian on Earth."

"You're not a Namekian, are you?" Piccolo asked.

"No, I'm not." Loa narrowed her eyes slightly. "I'm a Majin that came to live on Namek, for quite a while."

Piccolo nodded and returned his gaze to Vegeta. When Vegeta broke the eye contact Piccolo smiled and returned his attention to Loa. "Why did you bring these two to me?"

"It's not that I brought them to you." Loa said. "But more that I didn't want to leave them unattended, while I investigated you. Your power didn't seem familiar, and I wanted to make sure you're not another Saiyan."

Piccolo thought for a moment. He considered asking who Turles was, but decided to ask the slightly more pressing question. "What are you going to do with these two?"

"For now, I'm just going to hold them." Loa said. "I have a few ways to ensure they don't pick up where they left off, but it's not up to me. Turles is the one calling the shots at the moment, and I'm sure he has something in mind for them."

Piccolo tilted his head. "Turles is in charge? Who is he?"

"You know Goku, right?" Loa asked, in response Korin and Piccolo nodded. "Well, Turles is his uncle, as well as Raditz's I suppose. Goku didn't come back to Earth when we did, and Turles has taken his place as leader, for now."

Korin cleared his throat and waved at Loa. "Hi." He said.

Loa had seen several strange things in her life, and this did not even come close to ranking among the strangest. Due to this, Loa felt her cheeks darken several shades. It's not often that she completely disregarded someone based on their appearance, and she hoped this man didn't assume that's what she was doing. "Hello." Loa gave him the same bow she gave to Piccolo. "My apologies for not greeting you earlier."

"Don't worry about it." Korin dismissed her concern with another wave of his paw. "Tell me, if you know. Do you think it is possible that a Namekian would be willing to come to Earth, and become her guardian? If so, would it be possible to get another set of dragon balls?"

Loa's smile had returned. "You know what, I do think so." She said. "My entire village would likely be interested in rejoining me here, even if I don't intend to stay long. While none have created a set of dragon balls yet, I do believe several of them would have the potential." She nodded. 'Yes, I think that's a great idea."

Before Korin could respond, Loa turned her attention away from him. "Backing up just a little." She said. "Speaking of Turles, and Raditz, here comes one, and I assume the other as well." She pointed over the edge of the lookout, and as the pair got near she switched to a wave. Korin sighed at the distraction.

Piccolo swiftly walked to where the pair had landed, and narrowed his eyes at them both. "Goku, why did you bring Raditz here?"

Loa cleared her throat. "Piccolo, that is Turles, Goku and Raditz's uncle. Can you see the family resemblance? I'm told it's quite strong, although personally they don't look all that similar to me."

Turles nodded at Loa and quickly looked over the new faces. Piccolo looked just like any other Namekian, a fluffy white cat seemed to be waiting for an opportunity to speak, and Vegeta and Nappa were bound and gagged on the floor, eyes bulging. He flashed Loa a thumbs up and extended a hand to Piccolo. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from my grand nephew, Gohan. I assume you've already met my nephew, Raditz?"

Piccolo shook Turles' hand, feeling his power while doing so. "It's nice to meet you as well. I'm glad to see you're more like Goku than his brother."

"So I've heard." Turles rotated to stand between Piccolo and his nephew. "Well, Raditz, this is a great opportunity for you to apologize for your actions on Earth."

Raditz scoffed and turned away from Piccolo, facing Turles. "I refuse." He tried, not hard, to hide a gain. "I am far stronger than the Namekian. I defeated him in combat, and I will not apologize to someone beneath me."

Turles could feel the power pouring off Piccolo, he knew it was far beyond his own, and his own was far beyond Raditz. He tried not to laugh, but couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping. "I'm going to get reacquainted with Vegeta and Nappa. Raditz, try not to get killed while I'm doing so. Piccolo, I apologize for my nephew's behavior. I'm going to be very involved in our conversation, and won't be able to monitor what's going on here."

Piccolo cracked his neck and his knuckles. "Don't worry. I won't hurt him." He stepped forward, and spun Raditz in place so they were eye to eye. He stepped forward again, touching chests. "I'm sorry. These big ears are good at listening, but sometimes I get distracted. Would you like to repeat yourself?"

Trusting what he felt from Piccolo was true, Turles left him and his nephew alone. He approached a chatting Korin and Loa, and asked if he could borrow the Saiyans. Neither objected, so he hoisted them both into the air and carried them to the far side of the platform.

Not knowing if blasting the bindings off would hurt Loa, Turles instead chose to lower their masks to around their necks. To his disgust, a large, fist sized, ball of flesh was attached to the inside of either mask, not allowing either Saiyan to speak. Vegeta wormed his legs under hi, as Turles began working on Nappa's mask, and sat on the ground in front of the only unbound Saiyan.

"Remove these bindings at once." He demanded.

"Remove them yourself." Turles said as he uncurled his tail, and began removing Nappa's gag.

"Insolent traitor." Vegeta spat again. "I am your prince, and you will obey me. Remove these bindings, and report on the current situation. What the hell is going on here, worm?"

"Prince? Report? No." Turles stood over the two warriors, hands on his hips. "You have a lot of catching up to do. To keep this short, the only reason your back is we worded a wish to the dragon incorrectly. Your life is a mistake. Could it become a happy mistake? Yes. Will it necessarily become a good life? No." He took a deep breath. 'Listen, Vegeta, not Prince Vegeta, just Vegeta, and you too, Nappa."

Vegeta growled at the blatant disrespect, but chose not to respond. Nappa had still not said a word.

"The Super Saiyan has risen, and he is not you, or you, Nappa. Frieza was killed, but the same wish that brought you back, likely has brought him back as well." Turles studied their reactions for a moment, Vegeta looked more amused than anything, and Nappa was hard to read.

Seconds passed and neither Vegeta nor Nappa responded. Turles sighed and continued. "Have you gone deaf?"

"No." Nappa finally spoke. "We're just waiting for you to pull the other leg."

"You think I'm lying?" Turles didn't even try to hide the fact that he took offense.

"You must be." Vegeta said. "I am the only remaining super elite, the only possible person who could become a Super Saiyan, the only person who could, and will, defeat Frieza. It is not possible that anyone else has, or could, do so."

Turles shook his head. "You're wrong." Without hesitation he forced his power to the surface. He wasn't going to hold back. He knew he was much less powerful than the Namekian, and the Namekian was far less powerful than Goku, but maybe if Vegeta saw what real power was, he'd recognize just how low he was in the food chain.

Vegeta and Nappa were not impressed by the display. Vegeta yawned, and Nappa pondered what kind of food prisoners got on this planet.

"You can't sense energy, can you?" Turles asked.

"It's not a useful skill to develop." Vegeta said. "Why would I waste my time on that, when a scouter works fine?"

"Because scouters can be tricked, and destroyed." Turles said. "I haven't measured my strength yet, not since I hit this level, but I'm at, roughly, half a million."

"Prove it." Nappa said. "Prove you're as strong as Frieza."

"I'm not." Turles smiled as he slid one foot forward and cupped his hands. "I am nothing compared to Frieza, just as I am nothing compared to the Super Saiyan, my nephew, Raditz's brother." He forced his ki into his hands. When he reached his regular combat level, he pushed even more in. This wasn't a fight, he wasn't at risk of losing anything here, so why not go all out?

"Calamity Blaster!" Turles shouted as he thrust his hands forward, a dark purple beam of energy rocketing out from his hands, and out of the Earth's atmosphere. The beam was wider than he was, and even to those who couldn't sense ki, the power behind it was obvious.

As the blast faded away Turles dropped his hands back to his side. He was completely drained, but they didn't need to know that. "So, do you believe me now, that you are both completely powerless when it comes to the world you have been revived in?"

Nappa stayed sitting on his feet, looking down at the ground. Vegeta fell to the ground, hitting his head on the floor. His shoulders shook, and Turles didn't know if he was laughing or crying. A few awkward seconds later it was obvious he was chuckling, then laughing, and when tears started falling from his eyes, his laughter switched to sobs. Not being able to hit anything, Vegeta bent his neck back, and smacked his forehead into the tile. It cracked, his face and the stone.

After a minute had gone by, Nappa's mind came back into focus, and he realized what his boss was doing. "Are, are you okay, Prince Vegeta?" He asked.

Vegeta gave the ground another hard whack, and rolled back to be sitting on his feet. Blood was running down his face from several cuts across his forehead. "Me? I'm fine, I'm fantastic, actually. I just realized, my entire fucking life is a joke, and, and I just got the punch line!" He allowed himself to fall forward again, and began hitting himself against a fresh, uncracked, tile. "Me." He said. "I'm the punch line. Do you get it?" He spoke as he continued assaulting the floor.

Not wanting to deal with that mess, Turles faced Nappa. "So, Frieza has returned, but the Super Saiyan, Goku, is still out there as well. I have no doubt that when we get in contact with him, and he discovers Frieza is still alive, he'll hunt him down personally."

"So, what's the plan for us?" Nappa asked. "Are we going to be kept as prisoners, or what?"

"On one hand." Turles started. "The Saiyan Empire has fallen. Our numbers are, well, five full blooded Saiyans, and a half breed, if my count is correct. So, we could just fly a ship into the sun and get it over with. Alternatively, the half breed proves that we can reproduce with the people on this planet. There's no reason we can't settle down here."

"You're suggesting we soil our Saiyan blood, by allowing these humans to carry our children?" Nappa scoffed. "Prince Vegeta will never go for that."

"There is no Prince Vegeta, just Vegeta. Also, you don't have to." Turles crossed his arms again. "Even if you wanted to, there is no promise that a human would also want to." Nappa began to speak but Turles cut him off before he could. "And no, it's not like the days under Frieza, not anything goes here. But, the water is clean, the skies are blue, and the food isn't half bad. All in all, there are worse places in the galaxy to be stranded."

"Tell me, Turles." Nappa lowered his voice. "Since you've found a planet with a fertile population. Do you intend to rebuild the Saiyan Empire, starting here?" Vegeta shut his mouth and stayed still on the ground.

Vegeta simmered as several moments passed. He hadn't sat back up, he couldn't see what Turles was doing. "I." He growled as he rose back to sitting upright. "I am the prince!" He shouted. "I am still the prince, and you will know your place!"

While Turles' power was drained, he didn't need much for what he did next. He appeared behind Vegeta and with a swift kick between his shoulders had the shortest Saiyan on the ground. Turles left one boot on his back and now it was his turn to growl. "You, you are the prince of nothing. If you want to be something, anything, in the future. I recommend you do as Raditz is doing, and learn some respect."

Capsule Corp

At the bottom level of Capsule Corp, in one of the curved rooms making up the exterior ring of the building, Chiaotzu sat on a curved couch. A rainbow shaped table sat in front of him, under a mug of hot chocolate, with two marshmallows. A large, empty, chair was on the inside of the table. Chiaotzu went to chew his nails, but took another sip of coco instead.

He waited for several minutes there. He could feel who he was waiting for, but didn't understand why he made him wait. Dr. Brief said things weren't quite the same, but how different could they really be?

As he was coming to the end of his drink the door to the right opened. From experience Chiaotzu knew it lead deeper into the complex. Tien walked in, wearing a lab coat, and with his third eye open. Did he usually keep it that way?

"Good afternoon." Tien welcomed his visitor as he walked to the chair. Before taking his seat he poured himself some hot chocolate of his own, took a large sip, topped his cup up again, and finally sat.

"Tien? How, how are you?" Chiaotzu rose, not to his feet, but into the air, and hovered at just under Tien's head height.

"I'm doing well." Tien said with a smile, extending out a hand. "Yourself?"

"I, I was dead. I was just revived. Why, why didn't you come meet me? I was on Kami's Lookout." Chiaotzu said. "Couldn't you feel me?"

"Kind of." Tien said, honestly. "My senses aren't what they were. I'm still refining them. I didn't meet you there, but I'm here now. How can I help you?"

"Help me?" Chiaotzu said. "Do, do you not remember me?"

"No, should I? Have we met?" Tien asked.

Chiaotzu's face fell, and he sank back in to the couch. Tears threatened to overflow from his eyes. "You, you can't remember me? We, we are best friends."

"We were?" Tien asked. "Why weren't you on Namek? I took a bad hit to the head, and I've been trying to rebuild my memories since then." Tien was glad he'd been practicing his poker face. He didn't know if he could stop from laughing when he next spoke. "If you were my best friend, where were you when I was fighting for my life?" He coughed to hide a momentary grin at the look on Chiaotzu's face. "Goku was there, as well as his son, and Krillen. Even Turles, a Saiyan, like Nappa and Vegeta, we met in space, and Loa, another alien, were there. Where were you? For that matter, who are you?"

Chiaotzu couldn't stop the tears now. They fell fast and hard down his cheeks. "I'm, I'm sorry." He flew to Tien and wrapped his arms around the much larger man. "I'm sorry, Tien. I'm sorry." He berried his face into his chest. "You, you told me to stay back. You wanted me to stay safe. I, I've been training, with Dr. Brief and Ox King's help. I, I won't ever leave your side again. I, I promise." He curled his fists into Tien's shirt. "Please, tell me you remember something, please, don't, don't do this to me, Tien."

Tien stood and pushed his chair back. 'I, I remember." He began to speak, and Chiaotzu looked up at him. Tien grabbed him under his arms and held him at arms length. "I remember nothing." He sat Chiaotzu on the table. "Now, I have work to do. Excuse me."

Tien kept a straight face as he turned and walked to the door he came through moments ago. Once on the other side, with the sounds of Chiaotzu's sobs ringing in his ears, he couldn't help but grin. He was learning so much where he was already, He didn't have time to waste on weaklings like that. Soon, Jeice would bring the Cold Empire to Earth, and he'd be able to bring incredible technology to their army, even if that woman refused to help.

Author's note: Shorter chapter this week. Happy holidays. Next chapter, things are going to pick back up.