Hello, hello, and hello! Welcome back to another chapter, this time Gine is off to see the Big Man of planet Earth. What will she and Kakarot learn from Korin and Kami?
Based on MasakoX's What If series "What if Gine went with Goku to Earth?", but a retcon with some changes of my own on how I think the story would have went down had Goku's mother escaped planet Vegeta with him.
DISCLAIMER: The following is a fan-based work of fiction. Dragonball Minus, Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball Super, and Dragonball GT are all owned by FUNimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.
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CHAPTER 15: THE TEMPLE ABOVE THE CLOUDS
"I can't wait to learn everything you have to teach me, Mom!" Kakarot said eagerly for the umpteenth time as they flew across the land towards Korin.
Gine just sighed, "I know, sweetie." She said, unable to share her son's enthusiasm. But unable to squash it either.
He really looked up to her as something far more than she was after the battle with Piccolo. But she didn't deserve his reverence, she had to be bailed out by her friends. She had messed up the one thing she had to do and they risked their lives to save her, and yet infuriatingly they did not fault her for it at all. They truly were the best battle companions that any Saiyan could dream of having, people who had your back no matter what. Though by all rights they should have shunned her for all she was worth being such a screw up like regular Saiyans would.
The Earthlings were far too kind for her. They should be the one's to receive whatever rewards this Korin had, not her.
But she couldn't do anything about it now, and just ran her fingers through her son's mess of jet-black hair. She saviored the feel that her son was indeed alive and in front of her, smiling and breathing. Still reiling from the fact that just a few hours ago she thought he was dead.
So she let her mind wonder, her thoughts drowned in the sound of the wind rushing by and enjoying her son's company.
"There's Korin's tower!" Kakarot yelled, pointing straight ahead.
Gine followed his gaze and saw far in the distance, a vertical line in the sky? No, it was a pillar of some sort, made of white stone. It rose from deep in the forest below and kept going up, and up, and up...
And up they went too as the Nimbus cloud pitched upwards and circled the ivory column that stretched to the heavens.
"This is Korin's tower?" Gine asked her son.
"It's up at the top! You'll see." He answered back.
Gine didn't know what to expect. Kakarot had SO many experiences the last few years and it was getting difficult to keep track of every little detail of his travels and the people he met. She had some recollection of his tales of Korin, that he was the strongest martial artist alive on this planet. Though with that title in Gine's hands now, she didn't know what he wanted to say or even offer to them. That, and he was supposedly a talking cat. Gine wasn't sure what to make of that, it couldn't literally be a cat that was some world-renowned martial arts teacher...
Finally, up above that appeared as a dot, turned into a circular cupola that marked the very top of the ivory tower. A few moments later, the Nimbus cloud leveled off just at the lip of the cupola's guard rail where they both hoped off into the circular room inside.
And standing there as if waiting for them, was a abnormally large cat standing upright on hindlegs and carrying a staff.
Huh, Gine thought. So Kakarot wasn't exaggerating afterall.
Gine cocked her head, "This is the most powerful martial artist on the planet?" She asked incredulously.
"Nah, that title goes to someone else." The cat spoke.
Gine was taken aback. A talking cat. Now this was weird, and she thought knowing people like Puar or Oolong would prepare her for this.
"Hey Korin! Yajirobe gave us your message that you wanted to give us special training for defeating Picco-"
Korin waved his paw, "Slow down kiddo, I already know." He set his paw back down and gave them both a look, as if looking them over.
"Indeed I did want to grant you further training as a reward for what you, or should I say: your mother here, has done in defeating Piccolo. Unfortunately, the both of ya are too strong for me to know what to do with. So if ya wanna get some actual training, you're gonna have to speak to the man upstairs so to speak."
"Uh, the man upstairs?" Kakarot asked, confused.
"Yep." Korin said, pointing a finger straight up. "Way up above this tower is a place that houses the most power being on this planet. The one who sees everything and keeps an eye over all of the Earth's inhabitants."
Kakarot listened quietly as Korin continued. "And his name is Kami... the Guardian of the Earth."
Gine tried not to laugh. She had heard about stories of Guardians back on their home planet, how they acted as the overseers and protectors of the planets they inhabited. But they were just that: tall tales. Did he honestly believe that Guardians were real?
Korin gave her a sour look. "Yes, as a matter of fact they do, Gine."
Gine recoiled in shock, this cat could read her mind?!
Korin turned back to Kakarot. "Anyways, if you wanna seek further training, he'd be the one to talk to."
"That's great!" Kakarot jumped up and down, giggling. "I'm so excited! So we just fly up to where he's at then?"
"Oh no, it ain't that simple." Korin objected. "The temple that Kami lives at is very high above here. Your Nimbus Cloud won't be able to reach it, and most people who try to fly up there usually get sent back down by Kami's influence. He doesn't like to be disturbed."
"So, how do we get there then?" Kakarot asked.
Korin pointed towards the Power Pole still strapped to Kakarot's back. "That magic staff you got. It's used for more than just beatin' people up ya know. That staff was originally what connected this tower with the Lookout."
"The Lookout?" Kakarot and Gine repeated that word as if learning it for the first time.
"Yeah, Kami's Lookout is what it's called. But the Power Pole was what connected Kami to the rest of the planet. When your Master Roshi trained with me last time all those years ago, I gave the staff to him as gift since he was the only one I thought was qualified enough to wield it, and didn't think I'd see it again. But you two proved me wrong, so you should feel honored. No one ever gets to meet Kami in person, let alone get training from him."
"Wow. This is amazing, isn't it Mom?" Kakarot asked her. Gine just nodded, going along with it.
"So what is Kami like? What kind of training does Kami do?" Kakarot asked, unable to contain himself.
"Let's just say he's someone who may seem very familiar." Korin snickered slyly in a way Gine didn't like.
Kakarot looked confused. "Huh? What do you mean? Like it's someone I've meet before?"
"Don't worry, kid. All your questions will be answered once you see him." Korin went on, "So, are you two ready to go see him now?"
"YES!" Kakarot answered for both of them and forgetting his questions.
"Alright then, climb to the top of the roof with me." Korin said, then he turned around and started literally walking straight up the pillars of the cupola wall outside. Gine shook her head as she floated outside to the rooftop while Kakarot half struggled to float/half climbed on the roof. They reached Korin who stood next to a small gold onion dome that marked the top of the tower.
"Ok, Kakarot. Place the staff into the slot here." Korin said, pointing to the recessed hole in the dome. "And then command the Pole to extend as far as it will go. Both of you hang onto it and do NOT let go until it comes into contact with the Lookout."
Kakarot inspected the slot and slid the Power Pole into, locking firmly into place. "Okay!"
"Once you are up there..." Korin continued, holding out a small cat bell. "Present this bell to Kami to show that you have my blessing to see him. And the rest will follow."
Kakarot took the bell, inspecting it curiously before tying it to his belt. "Thanks a lot, Korin!" Her son turned to her, "Alright Mom, well let's go!" He asked, grabbing the Power Pole.
Gine had to ask though, "How come I have to hang on too? I can fly just fine."
"Like I said, it's impossible to fly directly to the Lookout. And there may be obstacles in the way that only hanging on to the Pole will allow you to pass."
"Hmph." Gine snorted. "Alright then." She said as they both grabbed the Pole with all hands.
"One more thing." Korin said and they both turned to him one more time.
"When you get there, just remember: Don't be fooled by what you see. Your eyes aren't playing tricks, and neither am I."
They both starred at him for a moment, taking in what he said. "Thanks", was all Gine could say. How much more ominous can this cat get?
"POWER POLE EXTEND!" Kakarot commanded. The Pole glowed red in their grasp and Korin's tower suddenly dropped away from their feet. Gine was slightly surprised by the acceleration and tightened her grip and wrapped her tail around the Pole too for good measure, Kakarot did the same.
"GOOD LUCK!" Korin called out from below, his voice fading as they receded from him faster and farther.
"I wonder what's gonna be up there!" Kakarot said over the rush of wind, grinning ear to ear in pure giddiness that made Gine's heart warm.
"Guess we'll find out together, sweetie." Gine said back. She looked back down and saw that Korin's tower had disappeared far below as the Pole took them higher and higher.
"Uh oh." She heard Kakarot say.
"What?" Gine looked up at him, seeing that he was looking ahead. She looked up too and felt the hairs stand up on her arms and head. For a very dark wall of clouds was rapidly approaching, and they could feel the electricity in the air as much as they could also hear the sound of thunder.
"Thunderstor-" Gine got out just before both she and her son were zapped by a lightning bolt. Her eyes nearly popped from their sockets and clenched their jaws as the current passed through them. Once the shock passed she realized she had let go of the Power Pole, and reached out desperately to grab hold again.
Kakarot had lost his grip too, and was dangling from his tail wrapped around the Pole.
"HANG ON SWEETIE!" She called out to him, and helped pull him up again. Only to be struck by another bolt. This time Gine was the one dangling from her tail, and struck again by yet another lightening strike. Why are they even subjugating themselves to this?! Gine thought through the pain.
After what seemed like an eternity of shocks, they broke through the layer of dark clouds into blue sky and sunlight again. Gine breathed a hard sigh of relief as she relaxed again.
"That was close!" Kakarot exclaimed as he rightened himself. They looked around and saw that the horizon had a noticeable curve, and the sky above them turning darker and darker as the upper atmosphere gave way to space; the mountains and forests of Korin's region was tens of miles below them now. A sense of vertigo almost overtook the both of them. Even though they could both fly, neither of them had been this high off the ground before.
Kakarot looked up, hoping that they were getting closer, and smiled excitedly.
"Hey look, Mom! There it is!" He said pointing straight ahead.
Gine looked up and saw, what she initially thought for a frightening moment was a spacecraft in a shape and size that bore resemblance to Frieza's command ship just floating up in the sky. The momentary panic faded however when she noticed it wasn't his ship at all, but was actually a round cupola or platform not unlike Korin's below them. Only this one was big. VERY big. Massive, even.
It filled their whole field of view above them despite how they were still a good distance from it, and Gine made out the very elegant details on it's surface. Rings upon rings of carvings in it's ivory exterior, slats that appeared to be... windows? Gine wondered, and covered in velvet-like red and blue grooves and gold trimming made it seem very ancient. And from their vantage point directly below it made it look like a great eye watching over the Earth, an eye that knew all that was happening below and held untold secrets within it's gaze.
As they got closer, the Power Pole's extension began to slow. And they both saw a tiny golden dome at the pointed bottom of the Lookout, exactly the same as the one that crowned Korin's tower. And like precision clockwork, the Power Pole slowed to a stop by sliding into the recessed slot of the Lookout's identical upside-down gold onion dome.
"We made it!" Said Kakarot. Then they held onto there just wondering.
"Well, what now?" Gine asked her son.
Kakarot looked around, "Ah-ha! Looks like we climb up now." He said, pointing to a ladder on his side that she had not noticed before.
He reached out and grabbed the rungs, and began climbing up the ladder on the wide round underside of the Lookout, almost a few hundred yards worth of climbing. Gine swung around the Power Pole and grabbed the ladder too, and began to pull herself up. Even though she could fly, she oddly didn't feel like trying to hover herself over such a dizzying height above the ground.
The climb didn't last long and it became vertical as they reached the top of the ladder, and clambered over the edge of the massive platform. Both of them were nearly blinded by the pure brightness and elegance of the white ground of the Lookout.
The whole floor was covered rim to rim with foot-by-foot square marble white tiles that were polished to almost mirror-like quality, and they all fitted together perfectly that made the grid of seams looked barely noticeable as if drawn by pencil. Four corners of the Lookout where there weren't tiles had instead green islands of lush grass and a row of five tall pine trees. And near the center of the grounds were also two parallel islands of grass and a mosaic of the most colorful and beautiful flowers Gine had ever seen, topped with a row of four palm trees. In the far center corner of the Lookout, stood a grand white structure with pink rounded roofs, topped with three gold domes, the center one being the tallest.
Gine felt awe strike her in a way that made her feel as if she had stepped into a place she didn't belong, a sanctuary that held great knowledge and significance that should not be trotted upon by her lowly footfalls. The bright and reflective white tiles she stood on made her feel like a muddy peasant trampling on holy ground.
It was also then that she noticed how eerily silent this place was. There was not a single breath of wind anywhere, even this high up in the stratosphere she figured the jet streams would be howling, but there was nothing. All she could hear was the sound of her own breathing and heartbeat, and it was deafening.
With this place's sheer beauty and the isolation far above the planet, if a divine being were to have a residence in the mortal world, she figured this would certainly do it.
"Wow! This place is huge!" Kakarot said out loud. His voice somehow carried an echo to it more than it should, and it made Gine turn to him and give him a sharp look to stay quiet. He shrunk back under his mother's glare him too realizing his mistake. It seemed silly to her that she reacted that way, but she couldn't help but feel that they shouldn't disturb this place at all.
Without another word, they walked forward towards the temple. The peace and quiet was almost unnerving to Gine, and she wanted to find this Kami soon.
As they walked she saw what must have been the entrance of the building in the center, flanked by pillars of equally polished white stone. The opening into it though was but a portal into complete darkness noticeable even from the far off other side of where both mother and son stood a few hundred yards away. It made Gine feel like they were being watched, and unwelcome to even come near it. But she couldn't tell if there was anybody here, even through her senses. Was this place deserted and she was just jumpy?
Kakarot stopped and looked off to the side. Gine noticed this and looked to where he looked. She stiffed for a moment when she saw a dark figure sitting on a patterned carpet not too far off from them. In the glare of the white-tiles he seemed unnoticeable, and Gine figured that's why they didn't see this person earlier.
Kakarot walked closer to the figure with Gine following cautiously behind him. The figure was short and plump looking, had pointy ears and a skin complexion that was as black as ink. Clad in a turban, red vest, white sash-like trousers and slippers while adorned in gold armbands and earrings. He sat cross-legged, feeding a flock of many different colored birds that sat perched on his shoulders and on the carpet he sat.
As they approached him, the dark figure turned his gaze to them as if finally noticing them. Gine felt like his perfectly circular and unblinking eyes were starring directly into her as well as at her, like he was scrutinizing her soul.
"Uh, hello." Kakarot said, breaking the silence.
It...or he, smiled at them with bright red lips. "Hello." The figure answered back in a soft, polite voice.
"I'm Kakarot, and this is my mom, Gine." Her son explained, gesturing at her. "We're here to meet someone named Kami."
"Ah yes. I know Kami." The figure said, his serene tone making up for his face's frozen smile.
"Uh...is he you?" Kakarot asked cautiously. Gine frowned at her son asking that question but had a feeling that he had been tricked by a gimmick like that before.
"No, I am not Kami. My name is Mr. Popo, I'm the caretaker of the Lookout and Kami's assistant."
"Oh, well, nice to meet you, Mr. Popo." Kakarot said as he bowed. Gine did the same, proud that she at least taught him well about showing respect.
Mr. Popo nodded his head to them to return the gesture. "Kami told me all about you two." He said as he continued feeding the birds. "You both fought King Piccolo yourselves and it was you, Gine, that had managed to best him in combat and have him sealed away with help from the Turtle Hermit."
Both Gine and Kakarot were shocked. "What?! How did he find out about that?" Gine asked. As far as she knew, it was only them and their friends that knew of their battle.
"Kami knows about everything my friends. He watches over everything that happens on Earth. He is great!" Mr. Popo answered.
"Huh..." Gine said simply, she guessed that being a deity required a little omniscience.
Kakarot peaked behind Mr. Popo towards the gold-roofed building. "So, is that Kami's house over there?"
"Yes it is." Mr. Popo answered, then Kakarot turned to him.
"Can we meet him now?" He asked.
"Do you have proof that Korin has approved of your being here?" Mr. Popo asked them.
Kakarot thought for a moment and reached under his belt to procure the bell. "You mean this? Korin gave it to me!" He said happily.
"Good, it's clear to me that you have been approved then." Mr. Popo said, "Are you both ready for the test?"
"Huh? What test?" Kakarot asked, Gine was just as confused.
"The test! Each of you must fight me, Mr. Popo..." He said pointing a thumb to himself. "...and if you both win against me then you will then be able to meet the Guardian of the Earth. Do you accept?"
Gine inwardly groaned. She wasn't looking forward to any more fighting today after everything that happened with Piccolo, let alone play-fight with some mystical caretaker to have permission to say hi to a god.
"Sure, sounds easy enough! Let's fight!" Kakarot answered for them both. Gine sighed in defeat.
"You're the first challengers I've had in centuries. This is exciting!" Mr. Popo said as he got up, the birds on his shoulders not disturbed at all.
"Great! So, I'll fight you first, and whoever give's in loses, okay?" Kakarot said as he got into stance.
"Sounds great!" Mr. Popo confirmed.
Well, judging from his size and non-fighter-likeness, Gine figured this would be over rather quickly. Even if this guy had some hidden abilities that her son was sure to overlook as he often did (she still hadn't fully pounded into him Gohan's teaching of how important it was to never underestimate his opponents), she felt confident enough in herself to guess that this Mr. Popo would be a pushover to her.
"Ha, have I got a surprise for you!" Kakarot smiled, ready to pounce on Mr. Popo who did not get into stance at all and just left himself open.
"Really? Please then, go ahead. Show me!"
Kakarot laughed heartedly, "Here I go!" He cheered as he suddenly vanished.
"Ah! He's gone!" Mr. Popo cried out to Gine who just stood off to the side. Gine knew what her son had in mind, and tracked her son's movements. Though she found Mr. Popo's lack of concern odd.
"There you are." Mr. Popo said out loud and extended an arm out right into the side of Kakarot's head just as he appeared next to him, sending him tumbling backwards while Mr. Popo stood where he was unfazed.
"Ow, hey!" Kakarot whined as he sat upright.
"Gotchya!" Mr. Popo said to him. Gine was taken aback, how did he see that attack coming? He wasn't even looking for Kakarot's movements like Tien did back at the tournament.
"Lucky shot, that was all, I bet." Her son said as he got back on his feet. "I won't let that happen again. Are you ready?"
"Always." Mr. Popo said stoically, and still not getting into defensive stance.
Kakarot charged directly at him, "With this punch, you'll giv-"
Mr. Popo's fist connected squarely with Kakarot's face, stopping him in mid-air and groaning. If Gine weren't so concerned by how effortlessly her son was being blocked, she might have laughed at the sight.
"Oh! Got you again!" Mr. Popo declared in his polite voice as Kakarot fell to the ground and clutched his face in pain.
"You're not very strong." Mr. Popo said as if matter-of-factly.
Kakarot looked up at him angrily, "Hey! You take that back!"
"No, you're weak." Mr. Popo said, his words making her son more infuriated.
"This time I'll get you!" He yelled at the dark skinned being.
The birds on Mr. Popo's shoulders finally flew away. "Aw, look at what you did, you frightened the birds away with that bad attitude of your. You'll never beat me, so please just give up."
Kakarot growled dangerously, "Don't make fun of me!"
He sprang at Mr. Popo again with all he had, but he just phased away after every strike and reappearing as if he didn't move a muscle. After one flying strike at Mr. Popo, he suddenly disappeared and reappeared beside Kakarot in mid-kick. Gine saw it left him completely open and Mr. Popo attacked for the first time, kicking him cleanly in the sternum and sending him across the Lookout grounds like a projectile. Kakarot recovered quickly by using one of the trees to swing himself around and have the momentum carry him back at Mr. Popo for another crack at him. But Mr. Popo stopped his kick with an arm block, and swiftly grabbed Kakarot by the ankle to throw him away again. Kakarot bounced across the tiles a few times before stopping, on all fours in pain as Mr. Popo just starred at him with those expressionless eyes.
Gine shook her head, her son had underestimated his opponent for sure. But what concerned her more now was how did Mr. Popo sense what her son's moves were going to be so he could counter them perfectly every time?
"Mr. Popo is very disappointed, I'm surprised that Korin would even send you up here. I'm sorry, but you will not meet with Kami today." Mr. Popo said to Kakarot, still on the ground and struggling to get up. Gine also noticed he was having more trouble standing than he normally would. Her son could fight for hours before falling over in exhaustion, what was wrong with him?
"NO! It's not over! I'll get you!" Kakarot declared as he finally got to his feet. He cupped his hands and held them close to his body.
"KAAA...MEEE...HAAA...MEEE..."
Mr. Popo smiled, as if knowing what was about to happen. Gine was disturbed that this guy did not seem the least bit worried about being blasted apart, but she smiled at seeing that her little boy never gave up even when told to.
"HAAAAAAAA!" Kakarot fired the Wave directly at Mr. Popo, a bright beam of blue light that closed the distance quickly. But in almost comidic fashion, Mr. Popo opened his mouth impossibly wide and ingested the energy blast whole. He closed his mouth, and belched steam as if it was the only negative effect it had on him.
"Wha-wha-WHAT?!" Kakarot just stood there as dumbfounded as Gine was. "He ate the Kamehameha Wave?!" Was all he could say, and Mr. Popo just chuckled jovially.
The shock wore off and Kakarot charged at Mr. Popo in a blind rage, not caring for plan of attack or technique and instead just punching in a barrage. Mr. Popo held out his hands to block the attacks and didn't seem the least bit affected by them.
"Why don't you just give up?" Mr. Popo taunted. Kakarot tried a kicked but it only sent him flying far away and landing on the other side of the arena. Gine thought the tiled-grounds of the Lookout resembled one anyway.
"OH YEAH?! WELL TRY THIS ONE!" Kakarot shouted, and clenched his fists as if to summon all the energy he had in his being. He then ran at Popo with a fist outstretched and enshrouded in energy, creating a shock wave in it's path. To Gine, it looked like it could punch a hole clean through Mr. Popo if he was hit with it.
At the last moment, Mr. Popo flew upwards as if picked up by an invisible hand, leaving Kakarot to fumble over himself as his attack fizzled out.
"No way!" Kakarot said in utter disbelief, almost falling to his knees.
"It's a shame that you have such great power, yet you make such poor use of it." Mr. Popo said as he hovered above them both, "You, Kakarot, need to learn self-control because only then will you be able to pass this test and meet with Kami."
Mr. Popo slowly lowered himself back down to the ground as if he were as light as a feather. His ceaseless smile seemed to demoralize Kakarot even more that he could not make an impact on the one thing between him and Kami, while Gine seemed more determined for her son to get back up and beat this guy down for all of his tough talk.
"Looking after the Guardian of the Earth keeps me pleasantly busy, little Kakarot. While I do enjoy your company, I'm afraid it is time for you to leave." Mr. Popo said, then turned his back and walked toward the temple.
"Hey, wait! We can't go! Korin said me and Mom could come her to receive training from Kami himself for defeating Piccolo! You can't just deny us that!"
Popo didn't answer or seem to care, and just kept walking away.
"We're not leaving!" Kakarot declared defiantly, and launched himself at Popo again.
"You have quite a temper, don't you?" Popo said as he effortlessly dodged Kakarot's attack. This made her son angrier still and launch barrages of punches and kicks at Popo. But Popo barely moved to dodge his attacks, and sometimes didn't move at all as if he was phasing in and out of his spot. But Gine couldn't sense any super-speed movements from him as Kakarot did. How was he evading without even moving?
Popo flicked his arm as if reflexively, only to elbow Kakarot in the face again and send him crashing to the floor flat on his back.
"I already told you, you can't win."
Kakarot refused to give up still. He got up and lunged at Popo with a flying kick. "Come on!"
Popo somehow reappeared in front of Kakarot with an open palm to send him crashing to the floor yet again. "So persistent you are, however lacking in mental and physical discipline. You'll be a great fighter, but not yet." Popo lectured, his smile still not leaving his face. Gine was beginning to feel more and more of the urge to punch it off herself for her son.
"I can't believe it! That hurt more than Piccolo's punches!" Kakarot said, holding his face in pain but amazed at the display of power by Popo.
"Yes, you beat him and so assumed you were the strongest in the world. But learn this now: No matter how strong you are, there will always be someone stronger who comes along. To stay on top, you must keep pushing yourselves past what you think is your limits."
Kakarot nodded, "I feel pretty weak, now." He said, his eyes looking to the ground in humility.
"I'm glad we had this little chat. Now go on home, please."
"What?! NO! We have to see Kami! A promise is a promise, right?! After all we did just save the world from Piccolo!"
"And yet you are still not strong enough to get past me. That test is what you had to pass in order to see him anyway, and you failed. So you cannot see him."
A light went on in Kakarot's head. "Hey, wait! I know, how about we stay here and train!"
"Train? For what?" Asked Popo, and Gine too out of alarm that her son was making intentions for her as well.
Kakarot laughed in excitement. "You know! Until me and Mom are strong enough to beat you!"
"Ah, yes. Well, I guess so, but don't leave skid marks on the tiles."
"Thanks a lot, Mr. Popo! See ya soon!" Kakarot said as he sprinted off to the side of the ring, and started to run the edge of it's perimeter as if doing laps. Gine shook her head in disbelief.
"Your son is quite tenacious." Mr. Popo said to her.
"You have no idea." Sha answered back.
"What a good-hearted boy he is, though." He said sincerely.
They both watched Kakarot, after just half a lap he had already begun to lose steam in his run, slowing down more until he has panting like he was dying for a breather. When he reached his starting point, he stopped and nearly doubled over in exhaustion. "I'm...I'm ti-ired!" He said between gulps of air.
Mr. Popo starred at Kakarot laboring for breath, "The Lookout is at a very high altitude, Kakarot. The air here is quite thin, so breathing will be much more difficult. To train without passing out, you will need to get rid of your redundant moves. Energy is far to precious up here to be wasted."
"How do I not waste it?" Kakarot asked.
"You must be more tranquil than the sky, yet quicker than lightning. "
"Hmmm..." Kakarot mulled over Popo words. "Sounds tricky. The sky doesn't move, and when I see lightning it's really quick."
"Watch me. Empty your mind of thoughts." Mr. Popo said. He and Kakarot starred at each other for a very long time while Gine watched patiently from the side... That deafening silence overtook them again, drowning her thoughts in the sound of air rushing into her lungs and the blood pumping through her ears.
"Do you notice how quiet it is up here when no one talks? It's really creepy." Kakarot said, breaking the silence and earning dirty looks from both Popo and his mother.
"Oh, sorry." Kakarot said. He then stood tall and stiff, and widened his eyes as if to imitate Popo himself. Gine thought it was a febrile joke.
"Kakarot, you are just making your eyes go blurry. That's not the same as emptying your mind." Mr. Popo said deadpan.
"Wha-? Wow, this is harder than I thought!"
"When's that done, you can focus on not being a slug." Mr. Popo said, just before he instantly reappeared behind a slow-to-react Kakarot with his back turned to him.
"HOW'D YOU DO THAT?! I didn't see you move one bit!" Kakarot exclaimed, then scratching his right cheek. "There aren't two Mr. Popos here, are there?" He asked.
"I can see you're puzzled. You're scratching your right cheek."
Kakarot looked at his hand in amazement and back at Popo. "That's even weirder! You have eyes on the back of your head or something?!"
"Nope."
"Then how can you see what I'm doing?" Kakarot exasperated.
"The answer is the same reason why you can't see me moving." Mr. Popo said as turned to face Kakarot, pointing to his face. "You're only using your eyes to see. True sight requires all your senses, my young friend."
"Huh?" Kakarot hummed, perplexed.
"Feel the movements of the air around me, and then you'll be able to see me."
Kakarot looked at his hands. "Wow. So I gotta see without my eyes and be like the sky and lightning? That's a lot of stuff. No wonder you keep beating me."
Mr. Popo put his hands on his hips. "Well, the Guardian of Earth has taught me many things in our years together. I'd like to think that I make him proud."
"Whoa! Are you saying that Kami is even stronger than you?!" Kakarot eye's bulged.
"Oh yes, much stronger. I'm a mouse compared to him."
Kakarot could only look at Mr. Popo agape. If he and his mother, the one person who he always saw as unbeatable, had trouble with getting past Popo then he couldn't imagine what going up Kami would be like.
"Are you discouraged?" Mr. Popo asked them, gauging their reactions.
Kakarot answered in a heartbeat. "Not at all! Now I'm even more excited!"
Mr. Popo, for the first time since she got here, seemed genuinely surprised.
"Two guys stronger than me and Mom, who can beat us up without even trying?" Kakarot jumped up, too giddy to contain himself. "Now that's a limit to surpass for sure!"
Mr. Popo smiled a toothy smile. "Kakarot, you are a peculiar boy."
Then Kakarot stopped. "Wait a second. If Kami is stronger than any of us, why didn't he come down and beat Piccolo?"
"I'm afraid his role in that is not that simple." Mr. Popo answered curtly. Gine wondered what that was supposed to even mean.
"Hey, I've got it!" Kakarot said. "I'm gonna stay here forever!"
"What?!" Gine looked at her son in shock.
"Or at least until I get strong enough to beat both of you guys!"
Gine was hoping her son was only referring to himself. Did he really expect her to stay with- no. Of course he did, she knew what she meant to him.
Mr. Popo chuckled. "I've never seen anyone as determined and cheerful for a challenge before. Very well then, I will assist you."
"YAY! I was hoping you'd teach me how! My brain hurts too much when I think." Kakarot sounded relieved, but Mr. Popo quickly squished that hope.
"Oh no, Kakarot. You still have to learn on your own. I'll just give you hints."
"That's stingy!" Kakarot protested.
"You're carrying a bell, correct?"
"Uh, bell?" He asked, then remembered. "Oh yeah! The one Korin gave me!"
He handed the object to Mr. Popo, who tied it to his belt then looked back to Kakarot. "Try one more time to hit Mr. Popo."
Gine frowned, she wished he'd stop referring himself in the third person. She found it annoying somehow.
"Okay! But I learned a lot, so be warned!" Kakarot said as he launched himself at Popo. The next minute proved to be yet another fruitless attempt by her son to best this strange person, and yet has not landed a single blow on him.
"Darn it, I'm still not quick enough!" Her son complained.
"And what else?" Mr. Popo asked.
"You backflipped?" Kakarot asked, but Mr. Popo shook his head.
"What happened before you attacked me?"
"Well let's see. I gave you my bell..." He started, then paused as if struck by realization. "Hey, yeah! You moved like an acrobat to dodge my attack, and the bell never even made a peep!" He said. "How'd you do that?"
"Maybe you should try it."
"Okay." Kakarot agreed and took the bell to tie on his belt. He threw a punch, and the bell rang out as soon as he moved.
"Must've slipped. Hold on." He fessed, and tried again. But the bell rang again, and again. It became apparent that his efforts were not working.
"That's weird." Kakarot said, sitting down in defeat. "The bell's quiet around you, but every time I move it makes sound."
He looked up hopefully. "I know! It's a trick, right?"
Mr. Popo did not appreciate that comment. "Go home, Kakarot." He said seriously as he began to walk away.
"No, wait! Don't leave! Uh, did I say something wrong?" Kakarot begged.
Mr. Popo stopped for a moment, "I look after the Earth's Guardian, my boy. I don't have time for games."
"I'm sorry. I just reminded me of a prank Master Roshi pulled."
Mr. Popo turned back to Kakarot, curious.
"At least, Krillin told me it was a prank when we were finished, but maybe it was for real. We were training out in the wastelands one time where we had to balance big jugs of water on top of our heads while tiptoeing on rock spires. It was REALLY hard to not spill a single drop as Roshi instructed us to. Though Krillin said Master Roshi had glued the jar to his head." Kakarot said. Then he thought, "But maybe there is a way to move that keeps the water from splashing around, and bells from ringing!"
Kakarot thought more for a moment. "Water from splashing around... Hey, I got it! Water spills when you move it one way and then back the other direction. It works just like a bell!" He said, holding up the bell. "You move it only once, it doesn't work. so you have to keep jingling it back and forth!"
Mr. Popo smiled in a glowing way that Gine found to be his more genuine happy-type smile. "And those are the redundant moves."
"Then I win!" Kakarot cheered triumphantly.
Mr. Popo seemed pleased. "See, you're smart when you try, Kakarot. But knowing something isn't enough to win."
Kakarot nodded. "Right, I get it. I have to learn how to really move that way. But once I keep the bell quiet, I can beat you, can I?"
"Perhaps. But it could take years of intense training. And, even after you've learned the technique, there's still the chance you won't be able to get past me. Will you make such a commitment that could potentially end in vain?"
Kakarot thought about that, and looked down in contemplation. They stood there for awhile. Gine already knew what he was going to decide, but whatever it was she hoped against hope that he wasn't going to drag her into it.
"You bet! I'll do whatever it takes to be the best fighter in the world and to protect Earth from the likes of Piccolo!"
Gine was just about to put her foot down and tell Kakarot that there was no way on or above Earth that she was going to spend the rest of her life in this place for him. When, suddenly...
"That's good to hear." Came a different voice.
The three of them turned towards where it came from in the direction of the temple. The hair on Gine's neck involuntarily stood up.
"Hey, who's there?!" Asked Kakarot, suddenly growing excited. "Is that you, Mr. Kami?"
"Yes, Son Kakarot, I am Kami. I will meet you and your mother now." Said the voice, echoing from deep inside the building. It was powerful, yet carried softness and elegance in it's infliction.
"WOW! You mean it? Before the years of training?! YEAH!" Kakarot asked hopefully.
Mr. Popo turned to both of them. "You two are very fortunate, Kakarot and Gine. This is rare."
"Thanks Mr. Guardian!" Kakarot cheered as the three of them walked to the temple entrance. Before they crossed the threshold, Mr. Popo stopped.
"Don't move closer than this." He commanded.
"Okay!" Kakarot said without question. "This is exciting!" He added. Gine wasn't sure why but given this was the highest being on the planet, she respected Popo's wish.
A moment later, she heard soft footsteps and a curious clanking sound. Then, an ancient wooden staff taller than her appeared, clutched by a very green hand. Then it was followed by the rest of the Guardian of the Earth himself.
In a second, Gine's tail stood up frayed when she saw the unmistakably familiar face of a Namekian. But just as her shock came, it went when her mind registered that, no, it wasn't Piccolo. He looked like him, But it was...
"PICCOLO!" Kakarot screamed in rage. "I'VE SHOULD'VE KNOWN!" He leapt after the Guardian before Gine could react.
"WAIT! NO!" Mr. Popo pleaded frantically for Kakarot to stop, it was the first time she had ever seen the little round man show real fear.
The Guardian, without flinching, lifted a hand and flicked his index finger. Kakarot was suddenly blasted away by an invisible force that sent him flying into Mr. Popo's arms.
He caught her son upside-down, and Kakarot squirmed and tried to fight his way out of Mr. Popo's grasp. "LET GO OF ME! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! HE'S PICCOLO! HE'S GOING TO TRY AND KILL US ALL!"
"It is you who do not understand, my friend. This is not Piccolo." Mr. Popo scolded. Kakarot stopped squirming and eyed the Guardian in confusion. Gine turned to the Namekian too, about to demand answers when Kami stepped forward to them.
"I should've known Korin wouldn't explain it to you." He said in a soft voice.
"Did you say Korin?" Kakarot asked.
"He think's he is very funny by pulling a prank like this. But there's a good reason you mistook me for Piccolo." Kami said as he drew closer and stopped before them.
Don't be fooled by what you see. Your eyes aren't playing tricks, and neither am I. Korin's words echoed in Gine's mind. It all made sense now, but she felt the urge to go back down to Earth and strangle that cat for giving her such a fright with omitting the fact that he was Piccolo's doppelganger.
His flowing blue cloak framed his tall figure, and clad in a heavenly-white robe with a crest not unlike Piccolo's, but had different characters that Gine didn't recognize. She looked into his eyes as she did with Piccolo. And as old and wrinkled he seemed like Piccolo did however, Kami's eyes were gentle, kind, and held a wealth of knowledge that Gine couldn't begin to fathom. He was a god that could not stand pain or cruelty instead of thriving on it as Piccolo did, and unlike the arrogant "Demon King", this being carried himself with a dignified humility.
"My name is Kami, and I am indeed the Guardian of this planet. But it wasn't always that way. Ages ago, me and Piccolo were a single being. Like a coin with two opposing sides."
"Huh? You and Piccolo used to be the same person? How does that work?" Kakarot asked, confused.
"Well, I was once a martial artist much like yourself long ago, but gave that up to become the overseer and protector of planet Earth after my predecessor passed on to the next world. For you see, Guardians are a mortal lot, much like you. There was a Guardian before me, and one day, I sensed that his end was approaching. I made the same trek that you both did, up to this Lookout, and trained under him in the hopes of becoming his successor. But he turned his back on me. I strongly believed I was destined to replace him, but in his great wisdom he saw in me a side I was too proud to admit."
Gine and Kakarot were silent as they listened intently.
"You see, a Guardian's motives must be pure. Yet in me was a selfish desire for it's power and control, a side that thrived on bitterness and hate. So for many brutal years I meditated and trained, until I was finally able to separate my impure desire and drive it out of my body. However, that evil side of me became self-aware and manifested a physical body, and became the being known as Piccolo. While in my purified form I remained here at the Lookout and became the next Guardian, Piccolo went down to Earth to incite chaos and disorder. It has been a great source of guilt for me ever since."
Gine could only nod in interest, for it was a lot of backstory to take in to just explain why he looked so similar to Piccolo. But it made sense, at least...
"Wait, so if you and Piccolo were the same being while he was your dark side incarnate, why didn't you just come down to Earth to stop him from causing trouble?" Gine asked. She saw Mr. Popo give her an indignant look as if she shouldn't be asking that question, but she didn't care.
Kami answered regardless. "For one thing, as Guardian I cannot meddle directly with events or people down on the planet itself, as it would be a violation of my duty as a god in the mortal realm. I can at most involve myself indirectly, and Piccolo was the result of one of my "indirect" influences as he was discarded from me with no intent of being involved with the Earth, yet he found a way down there. And second..." Kami hesitated for a moment, "...we share our life force together. If one of us died or was killed, the other would die as well."
That was strange to Gine. "So..." She said, trying to understand. "If you or I had killed Piccolo, you would have died too?"
Kami nodded. "Yes."
"Ah." Gine understood now. Granted, the idea of someone splitting into two fully different entities that could not kill one another was quite a stretch for her to accept as fact. But given all she had seen on Earth, she wasn't too surprised by it.
"That would definitely cause a problem." Was all she could add. Gine also realized in horror at how close she came to indirectly killing this gentle being when Piccolo distracted her from finishing him off.
"Indeed it would have been my end." Kami said, then his gaze turned downward in melancholy. "And I must confess that with all the destruction and pain caused to the people of Earth before at the hands of my other half, I was willing to let that happen. For knowing that my actions in securing this title has caused harm to the planet I was supposed to look after, I wanted to end my life so as to ensure the people could truly be safe."
"What?!" Kakarot exclaimed in disbelief, having never heard how someone wished they could die, especially coming from a god. But Gine could detect the sadness in the Namekian's voice and his eyes, that he truly regretted his own existence in a way. She tried to imagine how'd she feel if by trying to protect those she cared about to only end up killing them instead. And she thought of the story Roshi told her of his old Master Mutaito and his heroic sacrifice after a long and bloody conflict many decades ago. And in that moment she felt sorry for Kami.
"That can't be true! It's not your fault that something you didn't want in you, hurt people." Kakarot said to Kami, trying to be reassuring.
This made the Guardian smile fondly at the boy. "I admire how you can see good where there is little to be found, Kakarot. But the fact remained that Piccolo had caused a great amount of trouble..." His smile then became sincere and filled with great relief.
"And you two, with the help of your fellow Earthlings and the guidance of Master Roshi, have stopped him in his boldest assault. And in a way that would not require me to die. For that, I am eternally grateful to you."
Kakarot and Gine smiled. "Oh, your welcome, Kami!" Kakarot waved dismissively. "But my Mom did most of the work, he was far too good a fighter for me."
Gine didn't appreciate the comment of how her son focused all of the efforts to defeat Piccolo on her. But she was happy at how that Kami knew that it wasn't just her that brought his other half down. And filled with content that their actions in sealing him away had saved Kami's life.
"Even so..." Kami continued, a faint hint of emotion in his voice. "Thank you for dealing with Piccolo."
He gave a long, low bow to them. Gine felt humbled by this act and being as respectful as she was before a deity, she returned the bow in kind with Kakarot mirroring her after watching what she was doing. When she lifted her head, she perked her head when she remembered.
Gine reached into her tunic and pulled out the capsule containing the rice cooker.
"Here he is, by the way." She said as she walked to Kami. "Roshi managed to seal him away for good in the cooker with the capsule. Knowing what he is to you now... I think you should have this."
Kami looked at the capsule inquisitively for a moment, then held out a hand for her to place it in. After which, he did nothing but stare at the cursed capsule he held in his open hand, containing his very evil half within it. Gine saw what looked like self-loathing and anger flash in the elder Namekian's eyes, before he grasped the capsule firmly and closed his eyes, as if to calm himself. He dared not let go of his grasp, for fear he might break it at the slightest drop.
"There really is a lack of words to express how much I owe you now. But as Guardian, I will do my best." Was all he said to the Saiyan duo, then spoke aloud.
"Mr. Popo, take this capsule and put it somewhere safe where it can not be disturbed or found ever again. Understood?" He commanded with such finality.
"Yes, Kami." Mr. Popo said without hesitation as he took the capsule and ran into the depths of the Lookout.
As they watched Mr. Popo off, a thought occurred to her.
"How did you know that I wasn't the only one to defeat Piccolo? As far as I know, nobody knows but us and Korin that we even fought him. Can you really see what's going on from up here?" Gine asked, looking around the rim of the Lookout and wondering how would anyone be able to see something as definitive as people on the ground, let alone on the other side of the globe.
"I see all that occurs on Earth from up here, for I use sight beyond sight. The ability to sense other's life forces and actions in a manner that Mr. Popo was trying to demonstrate to Kakarot here." He said half jokingly and gesturing to where his assistant disappeared off into.
He then turned to the two Saiyans. "I have even watched you two specifically, since the day you first crash landed on this planet. Is it true that you have come from the stars?"
Gine felt her pulse quicken. It had been so long since she had worried about a random stranger asking them that question, and how they would react. They had been so careful about it since the day that Gohan found them, that it seemed like second nature to shy away from it no matter what. Sure, their friends knew already but it was under very unusual circumstances during the hunt for the dragonballs. That and Kakarot couldn't keep his mouth shut sometimes.
But now, in front of the one person in charge of overseeing all that occurs on his watch...
"Yes! We're Saiyans from a planet called Vegeta!" Kakarot answered for the both of them. Gine felt half-relieved/half-angry at her son for breaking that unspoken agreement between them about discussing their origins. He never really could keep his mouth shut sometimes.
"Saiyans?" Kami said softly, as if rolling the alien word out his tongue.
Gine decided to pitch in this time. "Yes. We are from a race of warriors. Our planet was destroyed by some great cataclysm and as far as we know, me and my son are the only ones left."
Even though Kakarot had broken the unspoken agreement about sharing their origins, she still didn't want to reveal every little detail like Frieza or the fact that they helped slaughter entire planets in his name. And see did NOT want to recount how she had another child who was lost too, and all the pain that would rip her open again.
The way Kami looked at them changed dramatically though, as if regarding them for the first time again. In awe, and in frightful wonder.
"A race of conquerors?" He asked affrightedly.
Gine nodded, not wanting to elaborate on the barbarity on her kind. But she didn't like where his line questions were going.
"And... are you two..." He asked cautiously but didn't finish, as if assessing them somehow. Gine had the feeling that he had some reservations that he might have just invited the destroyers of his charge right to his doorstep.
Gine shook her head vehemently. "Absolutely not me, nor my son. We hate causing anyone pain and we only want to live in peace and isolation."
"But we do like to fight though!" Kakarot added happily. Gine frowned at him, hoping he didn't scare Kami. She then continued, "We were outcasts of the Saiyan race, for having the rotten luck of being born weak and hating any form of aggression made me nothing but the lowest of the low in our society. We came here to get away from our planet's destruction... and a wonderfully kind human by the name of Son Gohan had taken us in, and sheltered us. We have lived quietly ever since and want nothing more than that." It was a rather shorter-than-short version of their whole story, but Gine didn't feel like elaborating more.
Kami starred at them for a long time, then nodded as if to assure himself. "I see. I believe you now."
"You do?" Kakarot asked.
"You two are indeed warriors, I could see from the way you carry yourselves no matter how much you try to conceal your... Saiyan-ness." He said for lack of a better description. "But I can tell your hearts are pure and just, and I trust you both as good people that mean no harm to the inhabitants of Earth, despite how incredibly strong you are."
"Whew! That's a relief!" Kakarot chimed. Gine herself felt relieved, as she was worried he was going to demand that they leave Earth for sure. She didn't want to thing what would've happened if he considered them a threat.
He then asked another question, just as hesitantly. "And, after your encounter with Piccolo, he...and I, were of an extraterrestrial kind you recognized?"
"Yes!" Gine asked, glad for a change in subject. "You are a Namekian. A race of green-skinned bipedals from the planet Namek. I have never been there myself, but it was known by our people."
If Kami was struggling to comprehend the idea of other planets and species beyond the Earth, and that HE himself was an alien, Gine couldn't tell. But, he smiled.
"I must admit that this idea of you two from outer space is quiet strange and fascinating to me. And even more amazing that I am too. But I guess it made sense, since I have never encountered anyone like me ever since... whenever I arrived."
"You don't remember?" Gine asked, curious at how he couldn't remember such a minute but important detail.
"No, most of my memory was lost when Piccolo and I separated. There are still some bits and pieces of things I remember like me being a fighter once, but it was lost to me since then..."
"Huh." Was all both mother and son could say.
"Thank you both for telling me this." Kami said. "That was another reason why I invited you both up here when the time was right. For most of my recent life I had only been living off of shadows from a forgotten past after me and Piccolo separated, but you two having coming from the heavens itself was the only chance I had to learn anything about who or what I might be. And now that I definitively know my place of origin, I feel like I can fill in the blanks now. And for that I thank you."
"Oh, well, you're welcome I guess." Gine said. She felt odd that she would receive thanks for just so happening to know of his species that he didn't (one that may be wiped out by now if Frieza's empire was still growing).
At that moment, Mr. Popo re-emerged from the temple and rejoined Kami's side. "It is done."
"Good." Kami said without another word, and turned back to them.
"Now that is done, I would now like to finally extend to you the reason I have invited you two up here. For as a reward for dealing with Piccolo, I will give ear to your any training request."
Kakarot leapt excitedly. "Really?!"
"Yes." Said Kami with a smile. "I am fully aware how much you admire the martial arts, Kakarot, and your desire to be the best fighter on this planet. So in gratitude I will grant you and your mother any kind of training you like from me and Mr. Popo here."
Kakarot couldn't contain himself. "Awesome! I already know exactly what I'd like. I would love for you, Mr. Popo, and Mom to teach me everything you know!"
Gine's heart sank. She knew Kakarot would want to include her in this training. But she didn't want to say yes. All she wanted right now was to go home. It had been a taxing day already with Piccolo and almost losing Kakarot. As fascinating as it was to meet Kami, she didn't want to start more training now of all times.
Kami pondered over Kakarots words. "That can be done, my boy."
"YEAH!" Kakarot cheered. "You'd do this for us?!"
"Of course. Normally I would do so begrudgingly, but this is an exception as not only have you saved the world but spared any further harm my other half could do. And for that I am grateful. And hopefully I can help you both as the strongest fighters to prepare for any future calamities that could strike Earth."
As Kakarot ran in circles celebrating this news, Gine's mind and heart were torn. She didn't want to start training for another event like Piccolo. Notwithstanding her fatigued state at the time being, for she didn't think she would have what it took to stand up to anything now. No matter how strong she got, they would beat her, as Piccolo did. What could this Namekian even provide for her that could help? She would always be weak.
"But on one condition." Kami interjected. Both Gine and her son snapped out of their states of mind and looked at him.
"If you both accept to train under me, you both must remain here for as long as my motives may require. In this case, for the next three years."
Gine's face turned ashen.
Three years?!
If her destined failure of being a better warrior was not enough, she would have to train non-stop with these strangers and be confined with her son on the verge of his growth spurt in this isolated place?!
"Of course! I wanted to do that anyway!" Kakarot said happily, oblivious to his mother's silent objections.
Kami chuckled, but then said. "That's good to hear from you, Kakarot. But..." He looked up at Gine. "It should also be up to your mother if she wants to train as well."
"Of course she does! She even promised to train with me, right, Mom?" Kakarot smiled as he looked up at her with his overwhelmingly innocent eyes.
Gine took in his open and wonderous gaze, the way he always looked at her when he needed guidance, or inspiration, or safety like he was since he was a baby. She hated the way he held her in such undeserved regard, not to mention the way he had just declared what she wanted without her say. But, it never failed to warm her heart at how her son smiled up at her, or how he could speak of and look of her as if she was the greatest thing to have ever existed.
And thus, she never felt so ashamed at herself as his mother when she had to answer.
"I'm sorry, Kakarot, but I can't train with you." She said gently.
Kakarot at first didn't register what she said, but when he did he looked like he had been gut-punched. "WHAT?!"
Kami subtly raised an eyebrow while Mr. Popo remained as stoic as ever.
"W-why not?! I thought you wanted to?" Her son asked, completely baffled and pleading.
"Because I don't want to. It's rude to not ask others for what they want and decide things for them..." She said, trying to remind him a lesson she thought she had already taught him. Then continued. "... and besides. This would be better if this training was just for you."
"Why just me?!" Kakarot asked, more confusion feeding his worry.
"Because, Kakarot, you are the greatest fighter of this world. Not me. I'm not a true warrior." Gine said, feeling somewhat relieved that she was finally able to reveal that little thing that she always wished her son knew about her, despite how heart wrenching this decision was.
"What do you you're not a warrior?!" Her son asked, as if his world was being turned upside-down. "YOU are the greatest fighter on Earth! You beat Piccolo!"
"I didn't beat Piccolo myself." She answered, unable to look at her son as she explained. "Piccolo distracted me by telling me how he almost killed you. I was so worried that I may have lost you, that I dropped my guard and Piccolo nearly killed me. If it weren't for Master Roshi's sacrifice and use of the Evil Containment Wave, I would've died for sure and Piccolo would've gone on his rampage with no one to stop him."
Kakarot didn't say anything, digesting his mothers words.
"I was never a true warrior, Kakarot. You should know that. And it's true that I may be physically stronger than you, but when the world was in danger and I had to step up. I failed..." Gine said, her voice growing softer as she revealed how she truly felt of herself.
She knelt in front of Kakarot and held his arms gently. "I don't deserve training that will be wasted on me. You could make better use of it though, so you should do it if you want. You can be a far greater warrior than I ever could."
Kakarot shook his head. "That's not true, Mom! You ARE a great warrior. You taught me everything! You taught Grandpa so much, and helped saved the world! And it's not your fault that Piccolo was so sneaky! But that's why we are here, like Mr. Popo said that there will always be someone stronger out there, so if we train here we can be ready next time! And like Grandpa said: you could be a great warrior if you train hard enough!"
Gine smiled sadly, and felt proud that even though they were here for less than a day and Kakarot was already learning something. "I love you so much, sweetie. And I love how you could see good in things even if there is none there..." She said, almost catching herself when she realized Kami had said the same thing. She was amazed at how unfailingly kind her son was.
"But my decision stands. You should train alone and I won't be in the way. I will go back down to Earth and head home to Grandpa."
"No, Please!" Kakarot still refused and grabbed his mothers tunic. "You promised that you would teach me things I haven't yet and train with me! You can't break a promise!"
"No, I didn't." She said firmly. "I had only tentatively promised to accompany you to see Korin about training for fighting Piccolo, and maybe..." She emphasized that word, "...teach you some techniques later on." That was mostly true, for there were some things she could teach him that she had been putting of for awhile... when she felt ready. But...
"I did not promise to train you now, while being stuck up here for three whole years." She hoped got her point across, but turned to the Guardian. "No offense."
"Please, Mom! I don't want you to go!" Kakarot begged and tugged on her gi harder. "PLEASE!"
"Kakarot, stop it." Gine warned, trying to stay calm in the face of Kakarot's desperation. But she found herself unable to contain her tears for how she was breaking her son's heart.
"PLEASE!" Kakarot shouted.
"NO!" She shouted back. Before Gine knew it, she had shoved Kakarot off of her and he stumbled back.
It was barely anything that would've hurt physically. She had hurt him far worse in just play fighting, and even nearly beaten him to death once before while seriously training as a child. But that shove did far more to him than she realized.
They looked at each other for a very long time, both stunned by what Gine did. The silence of their stare was far more deafening than the Lookout itself.
Finally, Kakarot's face fell and looked to the ground.
"Okay." He said, his voice barely audible.
Gine couldn't see his eyes, but she knew that he was beyond the point of crying. But he just stood there. For her, his hurt silence broke her heart far more than his most pained outbursts.
"I'm sorry." Was all Gine could say, her voice quivering at what she had done.
And with that, before anything else could happened, she looked toward Kami and Mr. Popo as they had just stood there silently the whole time.
Gine cleared her throat, but still couldn't get rid of the lump. "I'm so sorry for causing a scene, Mr. Kami." She said politely, then clasped her hands and bowed to him. "I thank you so much for your offer to train me, but I feel that my son here is far more worthy of it than I am, and so I must respectfully decline your offer."
Kami said nothing for a moment, then nodded. "I understand, Gine." He then looked down at Kakarot with his back to the Guardian.
"You must understand, Kakarot, that people should be allowed to make their own choices even if you don't agree with them. Even your mother."
Kakarot didn't react for a few seconds. Then said, "I know." His voiced sounded hollow.
Kami looked back up at Gine. "You may return to Earth below now if you wish, Gine. But I want you to know that my offer will always stand if you ever change your mind."
"Thank you Kami. It was nice to meet you." Gine said gratefully. She doubted she will, but part of her felt like it was always good to have that option. If she felt like she had to.
"Likewise." Kami returned.
Gine slowly walked up to Kakarot, knelt down and hugged him as tight as she could. He didn't hug her back. Regardless of what they felt about her choice, this could be the last time she might seem for three years, and at least wanted to say goodbye.
"I love you, son. Come back to me safe, okay?" She said quietly, savoring the feel of his smaller frame in her embrace.
He finally let his arms up and hugged her back, but his grip was loose and reluctant. "Love you too, Mom." He said flatly, then let go.
Tears fell from Gine's eyes from how broken Kakarot sounded, but there was nothing more to do. This was her choice.
They silently parted their hug and Gine walked to the rim of the Lookout where the ladder was. She grasped the rungs and began the slow journey back to the Power Pole.
This time, the dizzying height above the ground was not as daunting to her now as the thought of looking her son in the eye again.
Whew! That was a long one!
So...will Gine change her mind or will she finally let Kakarot take the reigns as Earth's defender/greatest fighter? Or are things between them irreparably broken now?
Find out in the next chapter! See you then :)