The sun has nearly set before Bulma lands her plane for the final time this fateful day. Red and orange dwindle down behind the cityscape of her home at Capsule Corporation headquarters. Darkness chases away the last of the fading light reaching between the skyscrapers and down the streets of West City. She, Puar, Oolong, Ox King and Upa clamber out of the aircraft after the emotionally draining events. Her father Dr. Brief stands outside the building awaiting their arrival. With each tired step, she makes her way to him before finally collapsing into his embrace and sobbing.
"It's going to be okay sweetie," he says calmingly behind a cigarette. "You've done quite enough for one day. Shuttling everyone around and being the bearer of such awful news would take its toll on anyone."
"No. Not yet," Bulma says drying her eyes. "Everyone is ready to get started searching for the Dragon Balls, and I told them I'd have the locations ready by the end of the day. I still need to pinpoint them before I do anything else."
"I know you feel the need to take on all this responsibility, but taking the rest of the night off after the day you've had won't hurt anything," says her father.
"He's one of my best friends, dad. And I promised Chichi … and I…"
Bulma clasps her mouth with her hand to suppress another sob. Puar nestles against her shoulder with a comforting warmth.
"They can all wait until tomorrow morning," reassures the head of Capsule Corporation. "Isn't that right everyone?"
Those present all murmur their consent.
"You see, they need a break just like you do. Now please, come inside. Your mother has prepared a nice meal for everyone. And don't worry about all the alien technology you brought with you. I'll have someone move it to our lab. It can wait until tomorrow too."
Having no will left to argue with her father, Bulma does as he asks. Inside the residence, her mother gives her further sympathies and hugs before they all sit down to a late dinner. With the formality of eating a family meal out of the way, during which no one said a word, Bulma retreats to her room. She takes a hot shower before trying to fall asleep. Her mind races and her body fidgets as the minutes drag slowly by.
When nearly a full restless hour has passed, she gets up and exchanges pajamas for lab clothes. She heads for the research and development workshop where the spaceship parts are being stored. She finds every piece has been meticulously sorted and labeled, including some scribbled notes. She spots her father observing the vastness of space with his high powered telescope.
"I thought you said the alien tech could wait until tomorrow," Bulma says.
"Oh you know I couldn't help myself," says Dr. Brief pulling back from the viewer of the telescope. "It's fascinating stuff, truly. I can't wait to dig into it in earnest to see how it all ticks."
"Really? Then why are you using the telescope when you could be tinkering away with all these new toys?" asks Bulma.
"Well, I've been following a strange astronomical phenomenon I've never seen before and for which there is no record of that I can find," he explains. "Here, come take a look."
He ushers his daughter over to gaze through the many magnifying lenses. She finds a fiendishly red planet staring back at her with craters forming an eerie pair of eyes and moaning mouth.
"What the hell is that thing?" she cries out.
"I'm not sure," says her father. "But it seems to be moving in a way no gravitational field would normally allow for."
"Where's it going?" Bulma asks finally looking back at her father.
"Well, it seems to be headed for Earth."
They share a quiet moment of apprehension under the astrological omen.
…
The sun set about the time Chichi finally caught sight of the top of Korin Tower. A few hours later, she was just below its summit. A circular structure with the diameter of a single roomed house no amount of Earthly architecture could explain sat atop the stone column which juts into the lower atmosphere of the planet. Four large holes in its base set to each cardinal direction seem to be the only entrance. Not long before, Yajirobe disappeared into one of them. With the cool night winds chilling her sweat soaked clothes and her brow glistening in the moonlight, she pulls herself through one of these openings.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again Yajirobe," Chichi could hear a voice from above as she enters the strange dwelling. "You don't seem like the type to face mortal danger."
Chichi finds herself in a living space with a bed and a bathtub along with several clay pots lining the continuous rounded wall. She heads over to the only opening meant to be walked through. It takes her to a set of stairs along the outside of the building. She pushes off the minimal safety railing with one arm to keep the opposite shoulder pressed against the solid wall as she climbs the last of the way to her destination.
At the top, the railing extends to encircle a single open expanse comprising the top level of the oval structure. A few pillars around the perimeter separate the roof from the floor leaving large, curved rectangular gaps. Vines wrap themselves around the thin railings barricading off the edge with plentiful seed pods like peas growing from them.
To her surprise, she sees Yajirobe standing next to a floating white cat holding a wooden walking stick taller than its height. What the cat needs that for when it could levitate she did not know. Both of them look back at her.
"There's the other one I sensed climbing my tower," says the cat in a husky male voice.
Chichi's jaw drops a little in surprise.
"Good evening my lady," speaks the cat again. "My name is Korin. And who might you be?"
Chichi fails to say anything.
"This is Chichi," says Yajirobe. "Goku's wife."
"I see," says Korin. "In that case, I have something for you. Hang on a moment while I fetch it."
Korin floats by her and down the stairs. Chichi flinches back as he passes like he might attack her.
"Don't worry about him," says Yajirobe. "Korin is a martial arts master not some demon cat."
"You know," calls Korin's voice from below along with the sound of rummaging, "I wasn't expecting company until tomorrow, so pardon me if my dwelling isn't ready to accommodate guests yet. Honestly, you kids seem to be climbing my tower faster and faster every time."
The rummaging stops, and Korin appears at the top of the stairs soon after.
"Here you are my lady," Korin says holding out one arm.
In it is a reddish orange staff inside a brown sheath with woven strings on each end to tie it around the carrier's waist or back.
"Goku's Power Pole," Chichi whispers. "What's it doing here?"
Chichi takes hold of it and looks at it lovingly.
"Oh it's been here for quite a few years now," says Korin. "Goku used it to reach Kami who lives high up above here. Unless you have his express permission to go to his temple above the clouds, you cannot get there without using this. It acts as a kind of key you might say."
"Are you saying we're going to use that thing to go see Kami?" asks Yajirobe.
"Possibly," answers Korin. "For now though, I'm going to train the two of you in a few necessary skills you'll need going forward. We'll see how far you progress. Until then, make yourselves comfortable downstairs and have a well deserved slumber. We'll begin in the morning. Oh, and don't eat any of my Senzu Beans without asking me first, Yajirobe."
…
Yamcha lags behind the group ascending to the supposed place Kami lives above the clouds overlooking the Earth. They long since left Korin's residence behind. The flight to that point alone left him exhausted even though the others looked ready to go from there. If not for the insistence from Korin that they all have a Senzu Bean before continuing on, he would have had to shamefully admit he would need to rest and leave the next morning. But now he feels like they far surpassed the distance to the top of the tower and still no structure of any kind presented itself.
If they are really getting closer to something, it should at least be visible by now, right? As far as Yamcha knew, none of the others had flown this high before, and he certainly had not. With nothing to orient himself against, he could not be sure he is even flying in a straight line. He just keeps following them hoping they have not veered off course leading them towards nothing at all. Otherwise, they would simply run out of ki and fall to their deaths.
The aura around his body flickers and fades oscillating intensity with the effort to maintain it. His flight pattern wavers left and right in wider and wider swerves as his mind loses the focus to control his ki properly. The fear of actually dropping out of the sky thickens in his stomach like a weight trying to slow him down. The urge to call out for help wells inside his lungs.
If I need them to carry me the rest of the way, would they even be able to make it with me as dead weight? he thinks. And when did Krillin get so good at flying? Tien and Chiaotzu sure since they have been doing it so long. But when did Krillin find the time to practice and get so much better at it than I am?
He tries desperately to brush away these unnecessary thoughts from further distracting his already slipping concentration.
A large dark could moves across the sky above them despite them rising through miles of clear skies for the better part of an hour. This malignant obstruction seems to have materialized out of nowhere. Tien, Chiaotzu, and Krillin would have just flown around this one like any of the others they crossed paths with on the way, but it is simply too big to avoid. They plunge straight into it as he had done for every cloud before in fear of wasting too much ki taking even a slightly elongated route.
He watches as it swallows his friends one by one before being engulfed himself. The mist dampens his gi once again. The familiar cold of the high altitude vapor chills him into a series of shivers. The water droplets mix with the sweat on his face and body raising his vigilance. However, the extra alertness only makes him more painfully aware of the abyss around him. He cannot even see his friends ahead of him through the density of the fog. As the gray scenery goes on and on, the suffocating void preys on his insecurities. And the further into it he flies, the greater the urge to scream for help grows.
Are my friends even there anymore? Have they left me behind? Would they be able to hear me if I called out? Could they catch me if I start to fall?
He breaks through the top of the overcast. The sunshine assaults his eyes. But through the bright blue, he sees an object ahead of him. As his vision clears, the shape becomes more refined. It is an inverted dome he could not see the top of because of the curvature. He cares not that it suddenly appeared where nothing had been before the cloud. He only cares that he will be able to land soon, if he can make it.
The hemisphere is layered with different colored stripes. His friends skirt up the side of it skimming along the rounded surface. Yamcha spots a ladder curving from the point at the bottom all that way up to the flat top. With his last bit of strength, he pushes himself to reach it.
His arms and legs start making swimming motions in hopes of propelling himself the last of the way there. His whole body hurts like he spent all day in the gym. He stretches out his right arm straining it nearly out of its socket reaching for the bottom cylindrical rung. The tips of his fingers barely bump the metal. And then his ki finally gives out allowing gravity to take back hold of his body.
His palm finds the rung and his hand instinctively clenches down. He hangs over the endless sky to catch his breath. He cannot tell how far he has come because everything is so small, but he marvels at the accomplishment just the same.
When his arm starts to hurt from holding his weight, he swings his other arm up to grab the ladder. At first he moves as if on monkey bars before the rails and rungs start to curve up the side. He passes by the red colored cap of the structure's bottom to get far enough up where his legs can actually stop dangling in the open air. He begins climbing normally as the background changes to a nice blue. Then he passes a quick yellow, a flash of red, and then back to yellow. He finds thin, oval windows situated horizontally at this layer before reaching the last painted section. It is a light red with a darker zigzagging red line forming a pattern of triangles. He gets to the top and rolls over the edge lying exhausted on his back on a cool white tile floor.
When the magnitude of what he accomplished finally feels real to him, he sits up and looks around. Evergreen trees line the perimeter of the circular plane in four separate and evenly spaced beds of soil. Across from the ladder are two parallel rows of palm trees creating a short path to the temple that stands off center towards the back of the floating platform.
Kami stands before the building with his friends and an unknown black man in a turban. Yamcha quickly rises to his feet realizing they are waiting on him. All of his muscles twitch from the exertion of the previous endeavor. His limbs shake as he walks to the group. He hides this with exaggerated stretching by twisting at the hips and rolling his arms in their sockets.
"Thank you all for arriving so promptly," says Kami before Yamcha can finish joining up with the group.
Kami points a finger at Yamcha's feet as he stops next to everyone else. A bright golden light shoots out of its tip. Neatly folded clothes start to appear before him one piece at a time as a beam of energy lingers in the air. When the process finishes, he does the same for Krillin, Tien, and Chiaotzu.
"Put these on please," says Kami. "They are weighted clothes much like the ones Goku wore during the last tournament you participated in. You are expected to wear these at all times unless they are being washed."
The four of them begin arranging their garments as necessary to accommodate the ones provided by the Guardian. They consisted of a shirt, wristbands, boots, and a new accessory in the form of a sash for their waist. Kami continues speaking while they put on the clothes.
"To move in these outfits, you will have to keep your ki in use at all times," he says. "As martial artists, I know you are all accomplished ki users. However, as my training of Goku revealed, there are many intricate inner workings you may not be familiar with. Starting with the fundamentals, are you aware there are three components that comprise ki?"
Kami pauses for a moment as he lets this enlightening fact settle on his proteges. They stop wrestling with the weighted clothes to stare inquisitively at their instructor.
Kami goes on. "Many martial artists are unable to differentiate these three aspects and end up exercising one more than the others mistaking it as ki in its entirety. A person can only increase their ki to a fraction of its potential by training just one area. These components must be trained congruently to maximize its growth. I imagine the four of you have experienced a leveling off of improvement over these past few years since the Twenty-Third World Martial Arts Tournament. And I suspect the reason for this is as I have explained."
"So we aren't getting any stronger because of significant diminishing returns each attribute provides by itself?" asks Krillin.
Kami nods.
"Then what are these different parts?" asks Tien as he finishes putting on his training garments. The others do the same.
Yamcha could not be sure, but there seems to be more weight to these clothes than the ones he held when Goku took them off during his match against Tien. Despite their burdening load, they are surprisingly comfortable without chafing on his skin.
"The three parts are genki, shoki, and yuki," says Kami. "Genki is the physical energy of the body. It is built upon the obvious like health and strength, but also the more subtle like instinct and reflexes trained into muscle memory. It is your body's ability to act without thinking from constant conditioning through routine and habit.
"Shoki is the mental energy of the mind. It deals with focus and discipline as well as logic and reason. It allows you to remain calm during stressful situations by removing all unnecessary thoughts distracting you from what needs to be done in the moment.
"And yuki is your fighting spirit and courage to face any challenge life offers. It is your thoughts and feelings and your resolve to act transparently by them. Taking an action that does not align with your true emotions will create anxieties that reduce the results of that action. Fear of consequence is a natural and inherent part of life, but you must find the bravery to act in spite of it if you wish to master yuki.
"Allow me to give these implications some context through something you are all familiar with, a punch," Kami says. "Genki is the stamina, strength, and technique to throw as many punches as necessary as effectively as you can. Shoki involves the strategy of when and where to throw a punch which comes from patience and a clear mind. Yuki is the wholehearted belief that your punch is justified, and the courage to act on that belief even when the outcome may be unfavorable. If any doubt about your conviction or fear of repercussion creeps in, your strike will falter."
"I see," says Chiaotzu. "So will you be able to help us identify which areas we are lacking in?"
"That is my intent, yes," says Kami. "In the interest of time, I will begin now. Pardon any bluntness. For you Chiaotzu, it's your genki that needs the most improvement. You rely mostly on your mental powers and have neglected your physical training.
"Yamcha, you do not utilize your shoki enough and try to overcompensate with genki. While it's good to let your reflexes take over to free up mental space, you fail to capitalize on the freedom of thought afforded by your strong instinct.
"Krillin, I sense a deep fear within you that strangles your yuki. This is nothing to be ashamed of as being afraid is normal and healthy. But too much fear is crippling. If you cannot find the courage to act regardless of this fear, then there is no place for you on the battlefield against the Saiyans. You would simply be a greater hindrance than an asset.
"And Tien. Of the four of you, your genki, shoki, and yuki are in the most balance. However, you do not excel in any particular area. You will have to work hard to push through these limiting barriers."
The four trainees just nod in understanding accepting what the Guardian says at face value.
"For the rest of today," Kami goes on, "my attendant Mr. Popo will put you through some physical and mental exercises to work on your genki and shoki. Nothing you haven't done before I'm sure, sparring and meditations and the like. As for yuki, we have special methods of testing and strengthening your bravery. But that is for a later time. Best of luck gentlemen."
Krillin gulps as Kami leaves them with the cryptic message.
"What do you think he meant by 'special methods?'" asks Krillin whispering to Yamcha.
Yamcha just shrugs his shoulders and moves closer to Mr. Popo for instructions. The four friends make use of the remaining daylight to train. The night and sleep come quickly after the strenuous journey up to their new temporary residence sapped them of time and stamina.
When the sun has long since set, and the warriors lie asleep where they collapsed in fatigue, Kami stands at the edge of his domain looking down upon the world he protects. Mr. Popo has even finished his caretaking chores for the evening. Kami rarely stays up that late, especially as he has aged.
"Kami?" says Mr. Popo walking up to him. "Is something troubling you?"
Kami stares in thought for a moment before answering.
"Yes Mr. Popo, I'm afraid something is. I sense a darkness approaching our planet."
"Oh no! It couldn't be the Saiyans already could it?" asks the groundskeeper. His eyes are wide with fear.
"I almost wish it were my friend," Kami says. "But this is a different evil our planet may have to face. One much older and familiar to us both."
"You don't mean … it couldn't possibly be…" Mr. Popo trails off already knowing the answer.
"Yes. Mr. Popo. It is."
Kami pauses.
"Mr. Popo?"
"Yes Kami?"
"Do me a favor. Don't tell the others of this. They have enough to worry about as it is."
"Do you think that wise?"
"For now yes. I'll have to see how things develop in the near future. Besides, this is not their fight, and I don't wish to put their lives in any more danger than they already are. I'll see to this matter myself."
"Ye-yes Kami, as you wish."
Mr. Popo stands there silently as the Guardian continues to gaze upon the Earth with unfocused eyes and many contemplations. Above them a red star twinkles in the night sky.