Korin, Chichi, and Yajirobe stand across from the three unwelcome guests who invaded the sacred tower. Nicky, Ginger, and Sansho grin at the trio who grit their teeth at a prospective battle. Nicky holds a glass object with a glowing yellow flame burning in its center.
"Greetings," he says. "We are here on behalf of our master, Garlic, who will soon be the new ruler of this world. We're looking for an orange ball with stars on it. If you could offer such a gift, it would go a long way towards winning his favor. I cannot fully express the benefit of being in your ruler's good graces. Now, would you happen to have anything like the artifact I described lying around?"
"I'm afraid we don't," says Korin. "Sorry we could not be of help. I'm sure you'll find what you are searching for elsewhere."
Chichi wishes she felt as brave and calm as Korin seems to.
"Looks like they're going to be uncooperative," says Ginger.
"Uncooperative is always the most fun," says Sansho.
"Go ahead boys," says Nicky.
"Yes Vizier," they say together.
The bulky Sansho charges towards Yajirobe. The long pinkish sideburns that run passed his chin flow behind him as streamers. The fleet footed Ginger zigs towards Chichi with a rapid succession of tiny steps leaving his legs a blur.
Yajirobe crouches while beginning to draw his blade from its sheath. He zooms in a straight line directly at Sansho. The henchman hesitates for a moment at the unexpected tactic before jumping away from the flashing steel of the samurai.
Sansho turns to face the swordsman who readies his sword once more. He feels a twinge from his right ear. He puts his thumb and index finger on each side of its cartilage frame and runs them upward until they touch. It should come to a point but the tip is missing, replaced with a flat, bleeding edge from a clean cut.
He brings his thumb and finger before his face. He rubs them together until the blood on them dries.
No sword should be able to cut me, he thinks. He's pretty dangerous after all.
"Power Pole extend!" says Chichi.
Her weapon elongates to meet the approaching foe with a sweeping swing. Ginger takes to the air to avoid it. Chichi merely recalls the staff and then thrusts it straight at him. It extends again and pins him to the ceiling before retracting once more.
"Oh my," says Nicky. His wrinkled face crinkles even more as he smiles. "These two are more interesting than I thought."
Ginger's eyebrows press down into the sockets below while a snort escapes his skullish snout. He rushes the woman again. Ready for her weapon's trick, he makes a couple agile dodges. He blocks a strike with his right forearm and slides along the pole's length towards its wielder. He prepares a punch with the other fist.
Chichi hops to her left to get around it. The adversary is ready for her with an already initiated kick to cover her defensive option. She blocks with both arms.
The heavy leg slams into her body propelling her to the railing around the perimeter of the structure. Her back hits hard while her arms stretch out for support. She gets her elbows over the top of the railing and manages to stay on her feet.
Ginger shoots a ki sphere to make up the distance between them. She gets her arms in front of her face and chest just as the attack makes contact. It explodes and splashes across her. The force knocks her through the stone guard behind her and into open air. She falls from sight.
"Oops," says Ginger. "I forgot to ask her if she could fly. Oh well."
"Flying Zephyr!"
He can barely hear the voice because it sounds so far away, but he is sure it belongs to her. He steps to the edge to peek over. The woman zooms passed him riding a golden cloud.
"What the hell is that?" says Ginger, shaking a fist.
He leaves the platform to chase after her.
Sansho adopts a ranged strategy of firing blackish yellow ki bolts. When Yajirobe does not fire any back, he keeps the samurai at bay and running around with suppressive fire.
…
"Alright Puar, we're closing in," says Yamcha.
He sits in the pilot seat of the jet. Puar occupies the one directly behind him.
"I need you to monitor the controls for a moment," he says.
He closes his eyes and feels the vibrations of the cat climbing the back of his seat to look over his shoulder. He breathes in through his nose and exhales through his mouth. He does this slowly several times. His hands then take hold of the wheel.
"What did you do?" says Puar.
"This is going to be a pure stealth mission," he says. "We're going to sneak in, get Bulma and Oolong, and sneak out. I lowered my ki in case our enemies can sense it. Hopefully they'll never know we were here."
And hopefully we don't run into trouble, he thinks. It still takes me too long to draw my ki back out.
A series of disjointed spires rise from the ocean they fly over ahead of them. Each of them has their own gnarled design as if created by separate architects. The only thing they have in common is the base they are built on. Connecting them all is a network of jagged walkways and bridges.
They fly in low along the surface of the water. Yamcha sets the craft down behind a wall at the edge of the compound as out of sight as he can manage. The pair hop out, turn it to a Capsule, and begin scouting for their friends. Yamcha's gi almost blends in with orangish brown bricks the castle is constructed from.
Away in a tower, Bulma watches a mouse slip between the bars of the cell she is locked in. It turns around from beyond her prison to look at her.
"Good job Oolong," she says. "Now find those keys and don't get caught."
The mouse explodes in a cloud of white smoke. A bipedal pig takes its place when the haze disperses.
"Wish me luck," says Oolong.
A visible chill runs across his body before he scurries off on his errand.
Yamcha and Puar sneak with deliberate movements within eyesight of one another. He can feel his bandit instincts returning as he flexes old muscles he has not used in many years.
His eyes scan for guards and lookouts while his body stays low and small. The pair position themselves so they can see where their partner should move next. Through silent gestures to each other, they know where and when it is safe to move next. Together they gain ground covering each other's blindspots while moving in tandem across the backdrop of brick and dust.
They come across a courtyard with a single giant tree in its center. It sits close to the middle of the citadel. Yamcha hears voices coming from a large opening into a huge hall of the castle at the back of the courtyard.
They enter the dark wing. The only light comes from a few beams of sun sinking through windows high overhead. Shades of navy and deep purple obscure the giant space like blankets of mist.
The duo advances towards the sound of the voices. They weave between the giant pillars holding up the ceiling. They find a large throne much too big for its tiny cloaked occupant.
"What could be taking those three so long?" says the dwarf. "We should have wished for the release of my father by now."
To the right of the throne is a chalice shaped table. A purple pillow with six Dragon Balls resting on it attracts Yamcha's eyes.
"Fear not Master Garlic," says a taller humanoid nearby the dwarf. "Your father will be back soon and then our new kingdom will begin."
He flashes a fanged smile before combing a hand through the long white hair climbing up from his scalp. A rattling noise from a cage on the opposite side of the throne from the Dragon Balls draws everyone's attention. In it is a boy with his hands on the bars. The small prison looks like the ribcage of a beast as it curves around him.
"Gohan," Yamcha says, mouthing the name more than speaking it.
A bright flash of golden light brightens the hall from above. An image of a translucent man with antennas solidifies as it descends. Spice hisses and backs away from the heavenly glow. The light fades, and Kami stands before the throne.
"If it isn't the current Guardian of Earth," says Garlic. "I must say I'm surprised you made an appearance. My spy reported the people of this planet don't believe their prayers are being listened to. I was hoping that meant you were too decrepit to do your job anymore."
"Garlic Junior," says Kami. "I should have known you'd never learn. I've traveled the world and seen the torment you've inflicted. How dare you bring your horrible curse to my people again."
"Don't try to blame the current state of the planet on the Makyo Star's influence," says Garlic. "It merely reacts to the inner most desires of those its light falls upon. If people act in ways you don't approve of, that is simply their truest nature. The corruption you witnessed has always been there festering under the surface. This world is destined to tear itself apart. The Mayko Star is just exposing and expediating the process. Now maybe if you ruled with more authority like my father would have, you could actually enforce law over your precious humans."
"You're just as misguided in your views as he was," says Kami. "All living beings will act on their instincts for self preservation if they live in fear and without compassion. The role of Guardian is to develop a sense of safety and to foster love. It's not to rule over them and control their decisions. They are capable of great achievements if allowed to grow and create. Your methods would only strangle this by promoting the very things you criticize them for."
"Master," says Spice, "allow me to give our old friend a proper welcome."
He cracks his knuckles.
"Hello Spice," says Kami. "I see the past few centuries have not been long enough to reflect on your previous failures and the shortcomings of your thinking, either."
"Why you!" says Spice, growling from the back of his throat.
"Spice!" says Garlic. His general halts. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but please hold it back for the moment.
"Now Kami, I believe you were lecturing me on how the Guardianship is not an authoritarian position And yet you allow great atrocities to occur and go unpunished when you could step in yourself and stop them with your own hands. I'd say your passive approach is the real evil."
"It's true. The people of Earth have committed countless horrors to one another," Kami says. "But it is during those times people reflect on what is truly important and right. They work together and fight back such atrocities. They learn and better themselves allowing life to improve. New evils will bloom alongside the changing world but people will continue to adapt and meet these challenges too. And so the natural cycle goes.
"Your father's approach would stop this cycle by enslaving humanity and forcing them into decisions they would not otherwise make. That is why I had to make sure he did not receive the blessing of the previous Guardian to be his successor."
Garlic's eyes redden along the edges of their whites.
"You mean you tricked the last Guardian!" he says. "And stole what was rightfully my father's. Your predecessor spent his entire stewardship trying to cleanse humanity of its deceitful lifestyle. Always lying and cheating one another to preserve their own happiness at the expense of others. He was fed up with it.
"But after arriving on Earth, my father showed him how we Makyans are not dishonest like the miscreants he watched over. We do not hide out intentions, we make them clear. We do not conduct ourselves on a subjective morality, we achieve through any means necessary. And we rule those not strong enough to obtain their desires until they develop the strength they need to overthrow those in power. This is the truth my father enlightened your last Guardian to. Realizing we Makyans were true to our word and could maintain peace over so many people, he believed my father was a worthy successor who could achieve what he failed to. He was about to give the world to him."
Garlic's face contorts to become a hideous scowl before continuing.
"But then you separated your selfish half from your being in a bid to win the Guardian's favor. Sensing your new aspirations to be wholly for the good of Earth's denizens, he spurned my father and gave you the guardianship. He actually believed your kindness to be genuine and that maybe you could make a difference and change the humans' vile ways.
"How foolish of your predecessor to be deceived one last time leaving the world to rot just the same as it always had in your hands. And so my father had no choice but to rise up against you and your humans. We crossed the Dead Zone between your planet and ours. We fought under his command. But we lost. And you, having learned nothing, sealed my father and many of his followers away. I barely escaped with his most dedicated servants."
Garlic closes his eyes as the memories and emotions of the event return to him. He sighs through his nose before looking at Kami once more. The planet's protector leers back at him.
"Arguing with you is obviously of no use," says Kami. "Your father was wrong, and if you pursue his agenda, I will do whatever I must to defend the path I know is right."
"You really are just like your humans," says Garlic, "Here you are claiming to be on the side of righteousness when your actions serve only you while costing everyone else. I've heard the terrible stories of the wars waged by the Demon King born from your own progeny. You became their Guardian then spit in their faces by inflicting upon them the worst scourge in their history. You looked down from on high and did nothing while they suffered for your sin from the fiend you created."
"I did not expect your father to start a war," says Kami. "It would not have been so difficult or taken as long to defeat the Demon King Piccolo if the Makyan forces hadn't weakened our own. But I did not leave the world to go through those tribulations alone. While I may refuse to work miracles directly for people, I keep their hopes alive with small acts that pass for simple good luck. As long as they believe something is possible, humans will persevere and eventually become empowered to handle all of life's difficulties. This is the true purpose of being a Guardian.
"Of course, minor involvement is not always enough. When the Demon King threatened to destroy Earth, I appeared to the bravest human as hermit master. I taught him a sealing technique to defeat the evil. That man was a teacher himself, and his students were inspired by his courage to make better changes in the world. And the students of his students are making a difference to this very day."
"Gah, I'm sick of your blather," Garlic says, spitting. "Once again you blame others for your inadequacies. We won't fail to conquer your world this time. And when we do, all humans shall be equals under our reign."
"I won't allow that," says Kami. "I rarely interfere directly with the affairs of Earth, but I assure you, you have my undivided attention."
Yamcha feels his mentor's ki rise with Garlic responding in the same fashion. A movement catches his eye. Oolong waves a hand to come over to his side of the room. Yamcha signals to Puar and flicks his head towards the pig. The two retreat back into the darkness.
The trio run through a hallway away from the brewing confrontation.
"So you know where Bulma is?" says Yamcha.
"Yep," says Oolong. "I went looking for keys to get her out. Unfortunately they were hanging on that little guy's chair. Luckily I found you instead. You guys have an escape plan, right? I need to get out of here."
"Yeah, things are worse than I thought," says Yamcha. "The power coming from those two was insane, especially the little guy."
"And what about Gohan?" says Puar.
"Hmm, I don't know yet."
He sprints up the stairs of a tower following Oolong while Puar floats after him. They come to a floor and run down a line of cells for prisoners. They find one occupied by a woman.
"Yamcha!" she says, pressing her face against the bars.
"Bulma!" he says, reaching his arms between the poles of iron to hug her.
They give each other a quick kiss.
"Wow Oolong," Bulma says, "You found something way better than a key."
"I know, I know," he says. "Now can we please hurry this up."
"Gladly. Stand back," Yamcha says.
"Wait Yamcha," says Puar. "Won't you blow our cover if you raise your ki?"
"Hmm," he says. "You're right. Maybe if I just release a little at a time, they won't notice my rise in power. Then I only have to let out enough to bend the bars. Plus they're distracted with Kami so that should help cover me."
"Wait, Kami's here?" Bulma says.
"Yeah. Apparently he has some kind of ancient feud with the guys that kidnapped you," says Yamcha. "Now here, let me try."
He grabs two adjacent bars with his hands and begins to pull on them. His arms strain against the resistance as they refuse to bend. The skin of his palms and fingers pinch and chafe. An ache starts to burn in each knuckle and shoot up his arms. The pain quickly intensifies to an inferno as the muscles and tendons stretch to their limits.
When the suffering is almost too much to bear, relief comes to them in a trickle of ki droplets quenching the fire. His hands and arms reinvigorate as their oxygen starved cells receive the much needed boost necessary to push on.
The bars start to pull apart. Bulma watches intently until she thinks there is enough room for her to squeeze through.
"Stop!" she calls out.
She bends at the waist and moves head first into the oblong gap. She has to go through sideways giving a hand to Yamcha for support. With his help, she slithers out of the hole.
An explosion shakes the floor beneath them. They all dance to stay on their feet. When the shaking stops, they give each other nervous glances before moving out.
"So what exactly is going on?" says Bulma running behind Yamcha down a flight of stairs.
"Let's see. Kami's fighting the demons, they have six of the Dragon Balls, and Gohan is in a cage," Yamcha says.
"What? Gohan's here too?" she says.
They exit the stairwell getting them out of the tower. Bulma stops with the others doing the same to look back at her.
"We need to rescue him then. Not to mention try to snag one of those Dragon Balls so they can't make their wish. Otherwise we'll miss our window for bringing Goku back."
"No way, we need to get you out of here first," says Yamcha. "I can backup Kami after you're safe."
"That won't be necessary," says a chilling voice.
They spin around to see Spice walking towards them.
"Master Garlic doesn't want anyone to interfere with his revenge against Kami," he says. "Not even me which left me a little bored. Then I smelled the fear of a scared rat."
Spice shifts a glance to Oolong.
"I thought I'd investigate for a bit of fun. And as luck would have it, I found you all trying to escape."
Yamcha dashes between the enemy and Bulma. He puts his right arm behind him and across the front of her. His left remains up between him and Spice. His teeth clench as he tries to draw out his power.
I need more time, he thinks. This isn't good.
High above the castle, the Makyo Star begins to consume the sun.