Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty

By Feraligreater328

A/N: Sorry this took so long. Writing for a new character. A character that I love nonetheless. Easily my favorite Z-Fighter. So, I wanted it to be good. Also, it turned out long as Hell. So, I hope the wait was worth it.

Chapter 23: Training from Hell

On King Kai's Planet...

"Haaah!"

Tien threw a Kaioken-imbued strike at Yamcha who, in turn, blocked it with his own Kaioken-enhanced forearm. The desert bandit whipped a massive kick towards Tien and sent his three-eyed friend flying back. But Tien landed with a backflip and launched himself back at Yamcha.

On to the side, King Kai watched with a smile as these two students of his practiced and sparred with their new power. To his left, King Kai watched as Chiaotzu continued to attempt to access even the most basic form of Kaioken. The Kai sighed, it seemed as if Chiaotzu's spirit was not strong enough to grasp the use of Kaioken. He most likely would never achieve it.

King Kai turned his attention back to Yamcha and Tien and chuckled. "Keep up the sparring, you two! You're doing great!"

Tien and Yamcha both smirked and nodded. Going even harder at one another. King Kai nodded his head and his smile somewhat faded. These two were both handling Kaioken extremely well, but they had a clear limit. Much like Bardock and Raditz, these two would never master the Spirit Bomb.

The three humans continued their training and King Kai shifted his focus. He turned his gaze over to his apple tree and locked it onto Piccolo. The Namekian, in spite of only doing mental training with himself and totally ignoring King Kai, had managed to reach a level higher than Chiaotzu, Yamcha, and even Tien had.

The Kai stared at Piccolo and began to think. He wanted to engage Piccolo in some way. Get him to do some training that would allow him to flourish and access all of that latent potential within. But how?

After some heavy thinking, King Kai sighed and twitched his antennae. Mentally, he connected with the check-in station. "Hey, Yemma! Pick up the phone!"

At the Check-In Station...

King Yemma's ears perked up and he swiveled in his chair. "King Kai?"

The ogre smiled. "King Kai! How are you doing you old so-and-so?"

King Kai sounded offended. "I am not that old! Now, connect me to Kami please. I need to speak to him about something important."

Yemma chuckled to himself. "Of course, King Kai. He just happens to be right here next to me."

King Yemma reached down to his desk and poked the meditating Guardian. Kami opened his eyes and glanced up at the ogre. "Yes, King Yemma?"

Yemma tapped the side of his head. "Phone call. Why don't you join us?"

Kami nodded and closed his eyes to focus. Soon, he had gained access to the telepathic communication occurring between King Kai and King Yemma. Kami was reserved and polite. "Hello?"

King Kai smiled. "Hello Kami, I am King Kai. And I would like to talk to you about Piccolo."

Kami sighed. "My word, what has he done now..."

King Kai quickly answered. "He hasn't done anything wrong. He's just not opening up and I was curious about...well...his entire existence. He feels off in a way and I was wondering if you could explain to me what is his deal?"

Kami nodded and took sighed out. "Piccolo is...a piece of my former soul. He is the offspring of my former evil half, the original King Piccolo. He is comprised of most of his 'fathers' essence and is spiritually connect to me as a result. But, as a result of be an offspring and not a reincarnation as my original evil half had hoped, he is capable of change. The type of change that could render him as a strong, noble warrior the likes of which King Piccolo could never have been..."

King Kai nodded. "I see. So...to put it bluntly...you are the yang, King Piccolo was the yin, and Piccolo as we know him is more of the middle way..."

Kami quickly agreed. "Indeed. And it is a shame that he is stuck in that position. Piccolo has an extreme level of potential within him, but the incomplete nature of his soul is permanently hobbled. If he and I were to re-merge, then he would instantly have access to an entirely new depth of power."

King Kai nodded. "I can tell. The amount of power he would have access to if he merged with you would be enough to handle any Saiyan. Maybe even destroy Frieza..."

Kami sighed. "And yet, our predisposed issues with one another prevent that. And that is as much on me as it is on him. I would rather die than ever rejoin him and I am unsure if that will ever change..."

King Kai sighed as well. "A shame...a crying shame..."

But then, King Yemma spoke up. "What about King Piccolo though?"

King Kai and Kami both flinched. King Yemma continued. "His soul still exists. My men in Hell were unable to properly cleanse it, because it is incomplete. If he were to properly move on, I would have to have Piccolo Junior and Kami rejoin within him. So, being unable to do that, I simply sent him and his wicked ilk to their own personal limbo."

King Kai was cheerful. "So, if King Piccolo still exists and we could strengthen Piccolo's soul and everyone on Namek would have a better chance to survive against Frieza!"

Kami was quick to interject. "Hold it!"

King Kai and King Yemma both fell silent. Kami spoke bluntly. "I agree that re-merging with King Piccolo would make Piccolo much stronger, but at what cost?! Returning that evil to Piccolo's body might just remake a stronger version of the original, wicked King!"

King Kai nodded. "I hear you Kami, but I disagree."

Kami flinched and King Kai, wise and understanding, chuckled. "You said it yourself. Piccolo is not his father. He is a more balanced path, not wholly good, but not wholly evil. And, if he is ever going to improve, he should face his past. I am not saying that they have to join back together, but I am saying that Piccolo facing down King Piccolo could work to our favor in training him."

Kami was silent. King Yemma sighed. "So, King Kai, am I sending Piccolo Junior to limbo?"

King Kai nodded. "Yeah. Go ahead and do it. But make sure that I have an open channel to keep an eye on him. And be ready to remove him when I say to."

King Yemma raised his gavel. "Right. Well then, I change my ruling and re-sentence-"

Kami spoke up. "Send me as well."

King Kai and King Yemma were both shocked. Kami sighed and stood from his sitting position. "If you are really going to do this, I feel the need to be down there just to make sure that a new problem does not emerge to rival Frieza. Send me as well."

King Kai thought for a moment, and then he nodded. "Do it Yemma."

King Yemma nodded and raised his gavel. "I change my ruling and resentence both Kami and Piccolo Junior to limbo!"

The gavel slammed and, in a flash, Kami was gone.

On King Kai's Planet...

Piccolo's eyes snapped open. "What the He-"

And, in a flash, he was gone. Yamcha and Tien both stopped sparring and stared over at the tree where the Namekian once hovered and meditated. Chiaotzu was spooked. "What just happened?!"

King Kai chuckled. "Nothing to worry about. I just sent Piccolo off for some alternative training. You all get back to work! You're all doing great!"

Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu all looked at each other, and then with a nod, they each went back to their training with one another.

Down in the Dark Limbo...

Piccolo appeared in the dark void of limbo. "-Hell?!"

Piccolo immediately began to look around, snarling at the sight of a gnarled, black forest and fields of sharp, thorned plants. The Namekian snarled and clenched his fists. "What the Hell has that meddling, nosy Kai done?!"

And then, as if Piccolo's mood were not sour enough, a familiar and much loathed voice spoke up behind him. "Hello Piccolo."

Piccolo turned and sneered at the sight of the shriveled prune himself. He practically spat at Kami as he spoke. "What did you do?! Why am I here?! I have to train so that I can be ready to help Gohan on Namek when I'm brought back to life!"

Kami as blunt. "This is, apparently, training. King Kai himself approved it. Apparently, being down here and facing the monsters that inhabit this Hell will help you to grow stronger than simple meditation or mental sparring ever will..."

Piccolo growled. "I didn't ask you fools to step into my affairs! I am perfectly capable of training on my own! Now send me back!"

Kami opened his mouth to speak, but he was quickly cut off by a green blur rocketing towards him. The Guardian quickly dodged and Piccolo took up a fighting stance. The younger Namekian snarled at this new adversary. "Who in the Hell dares to attack the great Piccolo?!"

The green monster, King Piccolo's son Drum, stood up and chuckled. "Oh please! I'm not that stupid. You ain't King Piccolo! You're just fresh meat for the grinder!"

Drum stepped towards Piccolo, cracking his knuckles. But, then he looked up and noticed Kami hovering in the air. The demon laughed out loud at the sight of this. "Hoo boy! I didn't see you at first! King Piccolo should get a decent laugh outta you ending up here~"

Piccolo's snarl faded into a mere sneer. He heard what Drum was saying and he paused to think. King Piccolo was here? His...father? Piccolo glared up at Kami and listened to the Guardian speak down to Drum. "Your wicked progenitor should have faded long ago. Both myself and the world have moved on from his influence. The Demon King is nothing more than a scary story parents tell their kids on dark nights!"

Drum chuckled and lurched over. "That's the thing old fella...EVIL NEVER FADES!"

Drum leapt into the air to charge at Kami, but Piccolo quickly intercepted and knocked the unruly thug into a nearby briar patch. The beast immediately rocketed up screaming bloody murder. "OUCH! DAMMIT THAT STINGS!"

Piccolo gave no quarter. He charged after Drum and stomped his foot into the fat bastard's chest. Drum yelped in pain and tried to stand back up, but Piccolo quickly and brutally slammed his foot into Drum's knee. The mutated Namekian fell forward and his face landed right into Piccolo's open hand. Piccolo smirked and, with a massive Destructive Wave, he took Drum's head off.

The demon's body slumped over onto the ground and then, with a piercing screech, the remains turned into black smoke and rushed away, deeper into the forest.

Piccolo reacted with confusion, but Kami was quick to land and explain. "Nothing in this realm can truly cease unless faced with overwhelming force, Piccolo. You have not actually slain Drum and nor will you be able to. Not unless you get str-"

Piccolo roared at Kami. "What is the game here, you old bastard?! King Piccolo?! My deceased father?! What are you playing at?!"

Kami grunted. "This was not my idea. King Kai was the one who suggested that you come down here to face this particular specter. In order to calm your spirit and help you to draw out more power so that you might actually stand a chance against Frieza."

Piccolo's hateful gaze went skyward and he screamed at the top of his lungs. "KING KAI! ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!"

King Kai was quick to pick up the call. "Yes? King Kai call service! How may I be of assis-"

Piccolo snapped at him. "Cut the crap and recall me to your planet now! I'm wasting valuable training time down here on this pointless farce!"

King Kai sighed. "That attitude is what keeps you from gaining even greater power. You're strong, Piccolo, but you could be so much stronger."

Piccolo flinched and King Kai continued. "You've had a very selfless change of heart recently. Your soul is unbalanced. You need to gain a sense of who you are if you are to progress. So, who better to train with than the other fractured pieces of your spirit?"

Piccolo sneered. "That isn't your call to make!"

King Kai countered. "You came to me for training. It is very much my call to make. Face your past demons Piccolo, and use them to find out who you are."

Piccolo roared. "Cut the bullshit and bring me back!"

King Kai chuckled. "I will. But only once I think you are ready to face Frieza..."

Piccolo screamed to the heavens above. "KAI!"

But, no answer. King Kai had left the communication and Piccolo was stuck in limbo with Kami. Piccolo was livid. He began to destroy the surroundings around him to vent his anger as a bemused Kami watched on. Kami sighed. "We are stuck down here until King Kai and King Yemma come to the consensus to bring us back out. Perhaps we should head deeper into this gnarled wood?"

Piccolo snarled at Kami. But then, with a flourish of his cape, the Namekian marched forward into the forest. Kami followed along in silence. The two halves continued on their path simply choosing not to address each other. This went on for a while, with Piccolo only becoming more and more angry and Kami only becoming more and more sullen. But, right as Piccolo was about to reach his boiling point, two more fiends descended from the dark tree tops above and attacked them both!

Two more of King Piccolo's children, Cymbal and Tambourine, rushed at Piccolo and Kami and slashed at the two wanderers. The Guardian and the Namekian Warrior both easily blocked these strikes and repelled their foes. Cymbal landed on his back from the force of Piccolo's strike, but Tambourine managed to land on his feet despite Kami's best efforts.

Tambourine charged again and smashed his shoulder into Kami, knocking the Guardian into the nearby brush with a wicked screech. Cymbal, meanwhile, attempted to overtake Piccolo, but he was quickly shown the power gap. Piccolo caught Cymbal's arm and tore it from its socket, casting it aside and then kicking Cymbal in the gut. The demon sputtered in pain and Piccolo fired two blasts, taking off both of his wings.

Cymbal fell to the ground in pain and Piccolo stood over him. Except, something was off. Piccolo sneered at the lack of enjoyment he felt. Two years ago, he would be finding nothing but immense joy in picking a weakling like Cymbal apart. But, now, the scenario felt so banal. Maybe King Kai was right about him changing?

Tears filled Cymbal's eyes as he fearfully crawled away, but Piccolo did not let him escape. The Warrior blasted his demon sibling in the back and reduced him to a cloud of shrieking smoke. And then, Piccolo turned and raced after Tambourine and Kami.

On the other side of the forest, Kami brawled with his cackling, demonic nephew. Tambourine was easily one of the most vicious of King Piccolo's children and attempted to terrorize Kami with total glee. The elder Guardian grunted as Tambourine's claws tore through his cloak. He botted the gremlin in face and tosses a ki blast after him. Tambourine stood and slapped it aside. "So, Kami, how did you end up down here you goody-goody old geezer? You don't seem like the Pits-of-Hell type."

Kami was blunt. "I'm also not the talkative type."

And then, the old Guardian fired eye beams as Tambourine. The winged gargoyle dodged and fired a beam from his mouth which Kami deflected with his staff. Tambourine prepared another attack, but then he saw Piccolo approaching from behind. "Heheh...I guess you're more like King Piccolo than you'd care to admit..."

Kami flinched and Tambourine rushed past him. "So, I think I'll kill your spawn first, Kami!"

Kami turned and saw that Tambourine was flying right at the approaching Piccolo. On instinct, the Guardian called out to his younger companion. "Piccolo!"

Tambourine shrieked with glee as he slashed his claws at Piccolo. But, to Tambourine and Kami's collective shock, Piccolo simply extended his hand and clamped it over Tambourine's mouth. The Warrior lifted his wicked sibling into the air and slammed him hard into the ground. "You're so noisy..."

Tambourine stared with hate at Piccolo. His wicked gaze scanned over the stronger warrior from head to toe and then he came to a realization. Piccolo Junior! This being was Piccolo Junior. Tambourine's eyes widened and he began to beg for mercy. But, his muffled cries were ignored by Piccolo who simply fired a massive ki blast into Tambourine's mouth. The demon's head exploded and his body faded into mist.

Piccolo stood up straight and he glared at Kami. And then, without a word, he turned and continued to march towards the heart of the forest. Kami was taken aback, but he began to follow soon afterwards.

Once again, the march continued in silence. Kami and Piccolo had nothing to say to each other and barely wanted to look at one another. But Kami had to say something to him. He knew that, if this training were to be effective, he had to say something. Anything. Uncomfortably, Kami spoke up. "I...must commend you for your recent improvements. It takes a bigger person to admit that his ways were wrong and change himself."

A vein popped up on Piccolo's head as he listened to Kami speak. Kami continued, unaware. "I am especially proud of your decision to trade your life for that of young Gohan. Making the ultimate sacrifice to protect him was a truly noble decision. And furthermore..."

Piccolo snapped. "Will you shut up?!"

Kami flinched as Piccolo turned and sneered at him. Piccolo marched up to Kami. "You, Old Man, have no right to try and praise me! Hiding up on your Lookout like a coward and overseeing everything, never taking an active part! I'm evil and I think you're unacceptably lazy! All you do is judge those that dwell beneath you, acting high and mighty and as if you have any say on any person's life! I hated Goku as much as I hate you! But at least I can say I respect Goku!"

Kami was baffled at this response. He fumbled his words. "I am just attempting to say that I respect you attempt to make amends-"

Piccolo sneered. "Amends for what?! Do you think I regret a single thing I've ever done?! I don't! I am Piccolo, everything I have done is for the benefit of Piccolo! And I will never apologize for trying to benefit myself!"

Piccolo waved his hand at Kami's feet and shot a ki wave that knocked the older Namekian onto his ass. "I am not an extension of you! I am not a clone of King Piccolo! I am me! Piccolo! I will never apologize for my desire to surpass Goku or for wanting to take the Earth that is rightfully mine. So, you can cut your self-righteous speeches..."

Kami sneered. "You're still such a child."

Piccolo narrowed his eyes and fired a beam through Kami's knee. The elder Namekian cringed in pain. Piccolo wickedly grinned down at Kami and chuckled. "You call me a child. But I take that as a compliment. I still have my youth, Kami..."

Piccolo grabbed him by the scarf and pulled him close. "So, you had better prepare for the day I decide to come for you. The day that I take all of your years as Guardian and reduce them to nothing. I don't believe in Gods. I am Piccolo, the greatest demon! And, my friendship with Gohan unaffected, I will still wrest the stewardship of the Earth out of your shriveled hands for myself."

Bemused and irritated, Piccolo dropped Kami onto the ground and continued his march into the forest alone. Once Piccolo was out of sight, Kami began to think to himself and heal his knee. He began to think about what Piccolo actually was. A being totally detached from himself and his evil half, and yet still connected. Not bound by the preset morality that had initially come with Kami's split from his evil side. A being not good, but not evil. A shade of gray that the previous Guardian of Earth ensured was not possible.

Kami stood and rubbed his chin. Despite Piccolo feeling entirely new...there was also something truly old within him. Something that Kami instinctively considered lost to time. Kami gritted his teeth. He tried to ignore and he tried to relate, but Kami had finally come to a conclusion on this matter. Truly, he would never be able to relate to Piccolo in full. He did not have it in him to see from Piccolo's point-of-view. Kami sighed. "Perhaps he is right. Maybe I, as the Guardian of Earth, am simply incapable of understanding in the same way Piccolo does..."

The aged Guardian followed the same path Piccolo did, not trying to catch up. He took the straightforward route, heading deeper and deeper into the gnarled forest. Soon enough, he found that he had totally lost track of Piccolo. Kami grunted in frustration but continued his march forward.

Kami continued to walk farther and farther towards the center of the forest, feeling a dark presence as he continued on. He knew this presence and it filled him with dread. Kami stepped into the clearing and a booming, evil laugh met him. The Guardian sneered as the evil force spoke to him. "Kami! So glad to see you here!"

Kami grunted. "I cannot say that I feel the same. Seeing your face again is just as miserable as I had imagined it would be."

The evil force stood and loomed over Kami. "Come now. Don't be bitter..."

With a leap, the evil presence landed directly in front of Kami and sneered. King Piccolo stood tall over his good half. "You've shrunk."

Kami's voiced was flat. "And you're just a big as your overbearing ego is."

King Piccolo laughed out loud. "At least your acidic tongue still functions. That's good to see!"

Kami sneered as King Piccolo had a good, hearty laugh. "But, Kami, let us skip the pleasantries and get right down to business, shall we...?"

King Piccolo leaned over and locked eyes with his aged, good half. "I hear that Junior has accompanied you down to my little slice of Hell. Where is he~?"

Kami truly didn't know where Piccolo had gone, but he had no intention of telling a thing to his wicked half. Kami sneered. "I will divulge no information to a wicked specter such as yourself."

King Piccolo's smile faded. "I see..."

The King turned and snapped his fingers. And, with a screech, Tambourine and Cymbal and Drum all leapt from their spots next to King Piccolo's throne and swarmed Kami. King Piccolo sat down and chuckled as Piano began to fan him. "If you will not reveal what I wish to know, Kami, then it shall be beaten out of you!"

The evil King watched as his hateful, mutated sons attacked Kami. The Guardian was easily stronger than any of these wretches individually, but they were able to overwhelm him together. Tambourine landed a heavy kick onto Kami's back and then Drum slammed his fist into the old man's gut. Kami crumpled to the ground and tried to get back up, only to have Cymbal axe handle him. Forced to the ground, Kami could barely protect himself as Tambourine, Cymbal, and Drum beat him with their fists and feet.

The brutal display was swift and severe, eventually ending with Kami laying in a small puddle of his own blood. The three demons loomed over the battered Guardian and King Piccolo laughed and bragged. "You fool! We're dead! Don't you realize that?! I have no need to fear your death anymore, so I may torture and maim you at my own leisure!"

King Piccolo stood and aimed his finger at Kami. "Now! Tell me where Piccolo Junior is or I will end you permanently!"

Kami shakily pushed himself up and snarled at King Piccolo. "Go...to...Hell..."

King Piccolo laughed. "That's the spirit!"

And then the evil King's smile faded. "MAKOSEN!"

A stream of ki blasts flew as Kami and the Guardian flinched, his eyes squeezing shut. However, the impact never came. And explosion rocked right in front of Kami and he opened his eyes to see King Piccolo and his four children all staring towards the entrance to the clearing.

"Beating the elderly? Is your afterlife really so banal?"

Kami rolled over and saw the approaching form of Piccolo. The younger Namekian's cape flowed to the side as a heavy, howling wind rushed through the clearing. King Piccolo's lips spread into a malevolent smirk. "Junior! It's so nice to see you, son!"

Piccolo was terse, a subtle growl rumbling in his throat. King Piccolo didn't seem to notice or care as he broke into an evil rant. "You have gotten so much stronger, son! So much stronger than myself or Kami or any of these fools that I have produced! It is fantastic! Now, you can carry on my will! You will serve as a newer, more well-trained body for my evil spirit! We will take Kami back into ourselves and suppress his disgustingly good nature! And then, oh yes then, we will rise from this miserable Hell with a brand-new army of demons and we will terrorize the Earth once more!"

King Piccolo's evil laughter echoed through his limbo. He was soon joined by his lesser sons, all of them laughing at the thought of a world burning and the screams of the meek. Kami glowered at his evil half on the ground, and then he glanced over at Piccolo. The younger warrior was standing there, his face expressionless.

King Piccolo reached out his hand. "Join me, my son! Let me fill your powerful body with my evil!"

Piccolo smirked and held out his hand, much to Kami's dismay. King Piccolo stepped forward with his hand outstretched as well. Kami sprung up from his spot. "I will not let you-"

King Piccolo stomped his foot down and crushed Kami into the ground. With Kami squirming under foot, father and son stared at one another for a moment. King Piccolo chuckled. "You are the best tool I have ever made, son. Our evil legend shall inspire terror in the hearts of even the Gods!"

Piccolo let loose a small chuckle. He reached out his hand as if he were going to grasp King Piccolo's. But then, to the surprise of everyone present, Piccolo straightened his hand out and fired a massive ki blast past his wicked Father and straight at Piano. The meek pteranodon screeched in fear as the blast overtook him and then obliterated him.

King Piccolo quickly shifted his attention to where his weakest son once stood, only to find nothing. No smoke, no fog, no trace. Piano was well and truly permanently gone. The evil King turned his attention back to Piccolo. "What the Hell did you just-"

Piccolo sighed and delivered a sharp kick to his Father's chest, sending King Piccolo flying back into his throne and smashing it into pieces. Cymbal and Drum both stared with anger and hate at their "little brother". Cymbal snarled. "You wretch!"

Drum glowered. "We'll kill you for that!"

They rushed Piccolo from either side. The young Namekian was quick to react. He grabbed his demon kin by their faces and twisted them around, slamming each into the ground. Cymbal and Drum both shakily pushed themselves up and looked up, but their gaze fell upon Piccolo's palms. Piccolo chuckled to himself and then fired two ki blasts. Cymbal and Drum screamed, and then they were gone as well.

Tambourine stared in horror. But he quickly got the message. The winged imp immediately took to the air to get away from eminent, permanent death. King Piccolo pulled himself from the rubble of his dark throne and shouted at Piccolo. "Junior! Stop this at once!"

Piccolo cocked a brow at his Father and then thrust his hand into the air. With a quick charge of his energy, Piccolo fired a Special Beam Cannon through Tambourine's chest. The demon screeched in pain and then he exploded into pieces.

King Piccolo stared in shock where Tambourine once was, but then he snarled at Piccolo. "Insubordinate, disobedient brat! If you won't submit, then I will force you to join me!"

King Piccolo sprung from his prone position and lunged at Piccolo with an open hand. Piccolo dodged his Father's swipe and then levied a massive fist into the Demon King's cheek. Piccolo roared and drove the Demon King's head into the dirt, slamming him so hard that his body stuck straight up in the air before limply falling to the ground. In one hit, the formerly fearsome King Piccolo was totally defeated.

Piccolo loomed over both Kami and King Piccolo and snarled. "I have explained this to Kami, now let me explain this to you. I am a reflection of neither of you. I am not a future Guardian of the worthless Earth and I am not the pathetic heir to a long-forgotten Demon King. I am Piccolo, the true future ruler of the Earth and the greatest warrior!"

King Piccolo and Kami both stared up at Piccolo as he lectured them. "And one more thing that I need to say. I hate Kami. I always have and I always will. He's a pathetic, shriveled slug who does nothing but watch events unfold! And yet..."

Piccolo gave a mocking laugh and pointed at his father. "You're even worse! Languishing down here waiting for the day I would come and save you! Let me tell you something, if that bastard Kai hadn't sent me down here, I never would have come!"

Piccolo glared at the sky. "You hear me?! I told you this was a goddamned waste of my time! Spiritual awakening, my ass!"

Up on King Kai's Planet...

King Kai recoiled in shock and fell from his chair. Tien and the others didn't seem to notice as the Kai laid there, in shock from Piccolo's forceful tone.

Back down in Limbo...

Piccolo sighed and cracked his neck. "But..."

The younger Namekian stretch and glared down at King Piccolo. "I do have to say that I am aware of the danger on Namek. I didn't need you old fools to tell me that."

Piccolo cut a glare at his Father. "A monster much bigger than you and your big fish in a small pond shtick. And, if I don't do something about making myself stronger, people that are valuable to me will be placed in harm's way..."

King Piccolo scoffed. "People who are valuable to you. You're a pathetic excuse for a demon! You're a failure!"

Piccolo snorted. "And you're a relic that was killed by a child."

The young Namekian shrugged. "But I guess that's just who you are. Useless old fools that refuse to evolve with the times. Wicked conquest is overrated. Ruling through strength is the way to go. I don't need an army of mutated freaks to hold Earth in my ironclad grip."

King Piccolo sneered. "Disobedient brat! I revoke your right to use my name! You are no longer Piccolo!"

Piccolo smirked. "And who's going to stop me? No other Piccolo's exist, so I think me using the name is just fine..."

King Piccolo poked his thumb into his chest and snarled. "Another Piccolo does exist! I exist! Me! King Piccolo! And I will exist so long as me evil exists!"

Piccolo snorted. "That all depends on how well I can repress it..."

King Piccolo flinched. "What?!"

In a snap, Piccolo shot his fist forward and rammed it into King Piccolo's chest. The Demon King coughed up blood and then his body began to glow. "Wh-what are you...?"

Piccolo chuckled as his father began to fade and flow into his body. "Your personality. Your memories. Your will. Well...all of that can fade into obscurity. I just need the power boost I would get from you. Be useful to me for once, you doddering old fool!"

King Piccolo gasped in total pain. And then, a massive flash occurred, sending a ripple throughout all of limbo. Kami shielded his eyes from the intense light. And then, when the light faded, the Guardian stared at the result of this impromptu fusion. And what he saw and felt rattled him to his core.

Piccolo stood there, the same as always. His appearance had not shifted in the slightest. But, his power was a much different story. His already impressive power from before had sky-rocketed to a level that Kami had never sensed before. And the Guardian could not form the words to speak.

Likewise, King Kai was also stunned. Piccolo's power was still well below King Cold's full power...but this state could easily handle the likes of Frieza in the tyrant's current state. Maybe even beyond.

Kami struggled to stand and finally managed a word. "Piccolo..."

Piccolo held up a hand. "Stop. Shut your mouth."

Piccolo glared at his older counterpart. "You will stay out of my business. Got it? I have the power that I need and I refuse any more of your 'help'. Unless the Universe itself is at stake, I expect to never speak to you again. Got it?"

Kami opened his mouth to speak. But then, after some thought, he nodded in silence. Piccolo turned his attention from Kami and back to the sky. "Return me to your planet at once, Kai! I still have more training to do! If I am to end this Frieza creature, I need to train more!"

Shakily, King Kai mentally answered Piccolo. "O-of course. Let me contact King Yemma..."

Kami stood to the side as Piccolo yelled at King Kai and looked his younger counterpart up and down. In spite of reuniting with King Piccolo, Piccolo showed none of the wicked malice that his Father exuded. The evil of King Piccolo, for all intents, was totally repressed.

As Kami and Piccolo both began to teleport back to their respective afterlives, Kami made note of this in his head. Piccolo, the reincarnation of Kami's evil side, had managed to bury the intense evil of his progenitor. This young man, whatever he was, was superior to either of his predecessors.

Piccolo was something new and different from either of the two of them. And yet, as he and Kami finally teleported, Kami couldn't help but feel as if he were something so much older.

Proofreading: StevenBodner