"You've got some nerve showing your face around here after siding with those Turtle School buffoons."
"Apologies Master Shen," says Chiaotzu.
He bows lower pressing his forehead to the pathway leading into the Crane School Dojo.
"The Earth is in great danger, and Tien nearly died during the Makyan invasion. I need your help."
"So Tien fell to the same evil Roshi and I faced three hundred years ago. Serves him right for betraying my teachings."
"Please Master. Don't belittle his efforts. He fought bravely and protected us all. And now we face an even greater danger."
"Pfft. What could be worse than the Makyans."
"Alien warriors known as the Saiyans are on their way here. Kami has been training us to prepare for them, but I fear it won't be enough. I've come to learn the Kikoho. Will you teach it to me?"
"Hmm. If Kami himself has deemed this a greater threat than King Piccolo and Garlic, then I suppose it would be in my best interest to help. But you never were a very promising student. What makes you think you can handle such a powerful weapon?"
"Tien sacrificed himself to save us all with that technique. I'm willing to do the same for the people I care about."
"And can I assume Tien doesn't know you're here?"
"I told him I was leaving, but not where I was going."
Master Shen smiles.
"Fine, but just remember what I always taught you. Honor is success at any cost. It's time to begin your assassin's training once more."
###
"Okay," says Bulma, "time for another power level check. Flex big for me Yamcha."
Yamcha smiles and strikes a bodybuilding competition pose. Then he takes a jab at the tarp to record his kinetic ki.
Bulma puckers her lips and shifts them side to side as she reviews the data.
"Still no good, huh?" says Yamcha.
"Well, your kinetic ki is still going up which is good. It's at 790."
"But not much improvement in my active ki right?"
"Yeah only 987. Which is still better."
"Yeah but it's taking longer and longer to go up even a single point. I've completely plateaued."
He grips his forehead and squeezes his temples.
"Don't worry, we'll figure it out. Alright Tien, let's see what you got big guy."
Tien spreads his feet apart so he is perpendicular to the tarp. He drives a punch into the square in the middle. His head droops after making contact. He turns to face Bulma for his results without raising his face.
"Okay. We got 571 for active and 428 for kinetic. Good. Your numbers are still getting better."
"Yeah I guess."
He shuffles away from the tarp, dragging his feet. Yamcha clasps a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey man, don't sweat it. We still got time and your numbers are going up faster than mine lately. You'll get back to where you were."
Tien purses his lips and nods once. Yamcha waits in an uncomfortable silence.
"Krillin and Chiaotzu sure have been gone a long time," he says. "Hopefully they're still training and come back soon. We're going to need them for the big fight."
"I hope Chiaotzu doesn't return," says Tien. "I don't want him risking his life."
"Why? He's probably stronger than you—uh, give him credit for."
Tien narrows his eyes. Yamcha attempts a smile.
"Yeah maybe," Tien says.
His eyes wander off to the sky and search the blue expanse.
###
Krillin sits on the beach of Master Roshi's island. He watches the waves roll over his toes before receding again in their endless cycle.
"I appreciate you stopping by Krillin," says Turtle from beside him. "I've missed the company."
"I wish I had more cheerful news than we're all going to die in a few months," says Krillin.
He wraps his arms around his shins and drops his head between his knees.
Turtle thinks for a moment before speaking.
"You know, I've been alive for a long time. Much longer than even Master Roshi. And in all those years, no matter how I tried to assume what the future would hold for me, I've never been right."
"Yeah, well, this time it's a sure thing. I mean Tien is horribly weakened, I don't know where Chiaotzu is, and Yamcha and Piccolo will never be strong enough to beat the Saiyans. Our only hope is Goku and he'd have to become so unbelievably strong that … that … it's impossible, okay?"
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You talked about everyone else but didn't mention yourself. So what about you?"
"I'm just a coward. I ran away. I already let everyone down in the last fight, and I'll never be strong enough for the next one."
"Maybe you don't have to be strong enough."
"I tried everything else. I thought I was fast, but the practice Saiyans were faster. I've tried working on a new technique, but I'm not skilled enough to make it work. It's just not meant to be. I don't have the power or skill like Goku or Piccolo."
The image of Piccolo's spiraling blast piercing Garlic Junior flashes through his mind.
"I guess you have it all figured out then. Can't argue with any of that logic."
Turtle uses his flippers to turn himself around.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to enjoy the time we have left. Would you like to join me for tea?"
Turtle smiles.
"But aren't you mad at me for dooming the world?"
"Of course not. You can't stop the Saiyans from coming here and doing whatever they're going to do. Neither can I or anyone else. They are responsible for their actions and the consequences. Not you."
"But aren't I guilty if I don't try to prevent it? I'm a martial artist. I'm one of the few people with the ability to actually fight back. So I have to, right?"
"Anyone can try to stop them, martial artist or not. Whether or not you or someone else actually can still isn't in your control. The only thing you have control over is your choice to fight them. That's it.
"You don't have to feel guilty because other people feel bad about circumstances none of you can influence. They are allowed to feel the way they do, and so are you.
"You've been working hard, and if you don't feel like you can stop the Saiyans, then who is anyone else to say they know better than you? Whether or not you fight them is a very important decision you must meditate deeply on for the right answer for you and only you.
"Now, are you going to come inside for some tea?"
Krillin looks out over the ocean. A salty breeze washes his face and stings his eyes like tears.
"You go ahead. I think I'll do a little practicing first."
Turtle nods and crawls to the house.
###
Goku feels his meridians filling and expanding with ki. They are like eight large veins in his body about to burst open from the pressure. The resulting hemorrhage would smash against his other organs and muscles destroying them. His very life force would melt away.
The white aura surrounding him flickers with small embers. They ignite and burn up instantly.
Bardock grins and readies himself. Goku starts and Bardock leaps to cut him off. He punches straight through his son but nothing solid meets his fist. The image of Goku fades away.
Bardock scans all around for any sign of Goku, but his opponent has completely disappeared. A slight breeze through his hair alerts him too late to the incoming attack. He loses count of how many hits he takes before being driven into the ground.
Bardock pushes himself up to his hands and knees. The back of his wrist wipes blood from his chin. A pair of bare feet drop to the grass from above. He strains his neck to look up. Goku smiles and offers a hand. Bardock takes it and gets pulled up.
"I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong," says Bardock. "I didn't think you could get stronger than me just by training, but you did it."
"Thanks dad," says Goku. "But you helped me a lot by pushing me so hard."
"Don't go getting sappy on me," says Bardock.
He crosses his arms and looks away.
"Just because you bested me, doesn't mean you can beat the Prince."
"I know," says Goku. "I'll keep working."
"You've done well to learn the Kaioken," says King Kai. "I realize you haven't mastered it yet, but there isn't much time left to perfect it. I think that time would be better served learning the basics of a technique that uses the Kaioken as a platform."
"Really, I can build what I've learned into something else?" says Goku. "But are you sure I should split my focus? Maybe I should try to master this one as best I can."
"If we had more time I would agree. But practicing the Kaioken has put a ton of strain on your body already. It needs lots of rest to be in top condition for when the Saiyans arrive. This new technique will not be so physical. It'll be peaceful even."
"You're right. My muscles have never ached so bad in my life. I didn't really take rest into consideration. I was so worried about using all my time to train, I'd forgotten recovery is just as important as the training itself."
"Good, come with me."
Bardock watches them walk away. He closes his eyes and laughs a little at a thought.
They arrive in the shade of a large tree, and King Kai begins his instruction.
"Now that you have learned to open your ki channels further to accommodate the immense power of the Kaioken, you can learn to harness the Genki Dama."
"Genki … Dama," says Goku.
"While the Kaioken is very physical and inward focused, the Genki Dama is about the mind and expanding it beyond the self. You see, like you, everyone and everything has some amount of energy in use every day and untapped energy beyond that. As a martial artist, you are unlocking more and more of that hidden energy. Mastering the Genki Dama will allow you to borrow a tiny fraction of genki from other beings. From every blade of grass and the insects that crawl upon them to every grain of sand on a beach and the water that washes over them."
"Woah, I never knew nonliving things had ki."
"Everything has genki as it is the foundation of the universe. But not all things have the mental or emotional capacity for the other types of ki, shoki and yuki."
"Uh huh, uh huh."
Goku vigorously nods his head.
"All ki is connected even if the beings it inhabits are separated individuals. If you can establish a channel between yourself and the world around you, you can call out to the life force of others. They will respond even if their hosts don't realize it is happening. Subconsciously, their ki wants to protect them and will assist you if it believes they are in danger. It will only draw out small amounts from each source, but even enough drops of water can create a raging ocean."
Goku nods with quiet awe.
"But be warned. You are making a promise, a pact, with this energy to use it for the good of all who share in it. If you betray them with selfish desire and use their energy for your own goals, it will destroy you. You must remain pure of heart throughout the use of this technique and use it to serve the will of all those who have entrusted their spirit to you. Do you understand this warning?"
"I prefer to do things on my own anyway, so I'd never use their power for myself. So how do I do it?"
"Make sure you remember that. Now do as I do."
King Kai spreads his feet just over shoulder width apart.
"First, plant your feet firmly upon the earth."
Goku does so.
"Good. Now reach your hands to the heavens while tilting your head back."
Goku emulates King Kai's pose and waits.
"Uh, nothing is happening."
King Kai chuckles.
"Well if it were that easy, everyone would be throwing Genki Damas around."
Goku frowns.
"Alright, alright Mr. Serious. Picture yourself as a bridge between the mortal and spiritual world. Your body will become a conduit for the power that transfers between them.
"You must let go of your thoughts and sense of self. By doing so, you will become more attuned to the universe and its ceaseless flow and lack of intention. It changes constantly, aimlessly. Everything is impermanent and you must achieve this state when using this technique. The closer you get to the natural condition of the universe, the more ki you can draw in.
"As an expert telepath, I am extremely capable of this skill, but you will learn it in time. Your range will both widen outward and deepen into those within it. You could siphon ki from across the entire cosmos if you become proficient enough.
"But for now, your range will probably be limited to about the area of my mountain top. Now, let go of thought and self."
Goku breathes deeply and reaches out with his ki sense to everything around him. Rather than merely observe their existence, he tries to touch their ki with his mind.
###
Gohan rides on the back of Icarus around Korin's Tower. He fires purposefully weak ki blasts at Chichi who darts around on her golden Zephyr cloud. She avoids most of them and swats away any precise enough to strike her. They make several laps around the elevated dwelling before finishing the exercise.
Chichi wipes her brow and smiles at Gohan.
"Your aim has improved tremendously," she says. "I can't believe how hard it was to dodge, especially since we were both moving around at such high speeds. I'm so proud of you."
She takes his hands in her own and massages the back of them with her thumbs.
"Sorry to spoil your heartwarming moment," says Piccolo, "but the Saiyans will be arriving soon, and Gohan still lacks the killing intent necessary to face them."
Chichi narrows her eyes at him.
"My son is not a weapon for you to use. He's just a boy. You can't expect him to be responsible for understanding the significance of taking another's life."
"He's too sensitive for his own good. He can't step onto the battlefield without being prepared for the reality of all out war."
"Then maybe he shouldn't be fighting the Saiyans!"
"Then everyone is going to die!"
Chichi widens her shoulders while Piccolo puffs out his chest.
"Don't you try and guilt him into this."
"Enough. It's time to see if he's ready or not."
Piccolo holds out an open hand aimed at Icarus. A yellow spark appears and grows from a tiny speck.
"I never should have let you keep that dragon. It's been nothing but a distraction."
A terrified look sinks Gohan's face.
"What are you doing Mr. Piccolo? Stop it. Please!"
"I'm not going to stop just because you beg. You're going to have to stop me yourself. Come at me with the intent to kill or your dragon is history."
The cold truth of his words cut deeply into his psyche. He drops to his knees as tears fill his eyes.
"Why are you doing this Mr. Piccolo? I don't want to lose Icarus, but I don't want to hurt you either."
Piccolo grunts and pumps up his energy orb.
Chichi dashes at Piccolo, but he knocks her aside. He watches her slide across the floor before a paralyzing fear halts him. Mounting anger emanates from Gohan's aura, and it fixates on him. It explodes outward on his words.
"Why are you making me do this! It's not fair! I thought I could trust you!"
Gohan breaks into a sprint. Piccolo disperses his ki sphere.
"Good Gohan. You're almost there."
He blocks the first punch. Then another. They keep coming relentlessly. Their speed and strength increase with each attempt. Piccolo backs up to the railing around the edge of the structure.
Gohan slips a fist past Piccolo's guard and socks him in the chin. He winds up for another hit, but Piccolo retreats to the air beyond the building.
Gohan raises his hands over his head and energy gathers before his palms.
"Masenko!"
He shouts the name while allowing it to charge up a moment longer.
Piccolo tenses in anticipation. He sees Gohan's face. For the first time, he feels the sadness hidden behind all the rage.
Gohan turns sideways and fires the attack harmlessly away from anyone.
Piccolo's jaw slacks open.
No one moves as they watch the massive discharge.
When it subsides, Piccolo floats to Gohan whose fists shake at the hips.
Piccolo starts to speak.
"I want you to leave," says Gohan.
Piccolo pauses. He starts to protest.
Gohan cuts him off again.
"I don't like you when you act this way."
Piccolo looks at Chichi. She offers no help. His gaze returns to his pupil.
"Gohan, I—"
"Just go."
Piccolo scrunches up his face. Deep wrinkles seethe anger.
"If that's what you want, then fine! But if this was too ruthless for you, then you don't stand a chance against real warriors."
He spins around, twirling his cape as he does. He shoots off leaving a gust of wind to blow over those left behind. He disappears in seconds.
Gohan turns his head away from the grand exit.