Ginyu
Chapter 67: The Longest Day
A/N: Since the last chapter, this fic broke the milestones of 300+ Reviews, 150+ Follows, and 125+ favorites! Wahoo!
Among others in a crowded refuge, the Grand Elder of the Namekians pondered. His mind was in two places at once: one part was centered on the fight that, if it went poorly, would make all his time spent thinking moot. He felt a need to know where that battle was going at all times; another part was centered on himself- his being. Since taking on Guru's memories and knowledge, he had felt disjointed, untethered; like a tree pushed over in a storm. He was still trying to make sense of everything, and, for the most part, nothing within his mind wanted to do that willingly.
It will take years, Moori reflected. Many lifetimes, perhaps, to accommodate many lifetimes worth of knowledge. But there was one important fact he had to know for sure- one story that would need to be shared. So he focused on that, and… and… there.
From a sea of huddled, scared Namekians, Moori stood and turned to his kin. 'The battle is almost done,' he said, his voice carrying up into the highest parts of Lord Guru's hall. 'And we will soon learn which way our fate will turn. So, everyone… I must go now and witness. I, like all of you, have hidden away from the threats arranged against this planet long enough. It is time I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our protectors. And I invite everyone to do the same.'
Murmurs raced through the crowd, and the last remaining elder other than Moori, Tsuno, stood. 'Why risk ourselves now if the battle is so close to finishing?' he asked. Supportive mutterings rose from the Namekians. 'What if we are caught in battle, and-'
'I have a feeling something significant is about to happen,' Moori replied, holding his tone of voice. 'Something none of us should miss… in better circumstances. It is a risk- this I acknowledge. Anyone who does not feel comfortable does not need to come. But I as Grand Elder must be present. If not for me, then for future generations who would be deprived of this knowledge. 'He leveled his gaze on Tsuno. 'Our descendants must know and remember who saved us this day.'
Tsuno looked lost as to how to argue against this. 'Go well, then, Moori,' he said, frowning and nodding in the same turn. 'Take who wish to go… but I will stay here with those who do not. Fair?'
'Fair,' Moori agreed. He looked over to one of the room's corners. 'And you?'
Her arms wrapped around her torso, Bulma stepped out of the shadows. 'I was waiting for you to offer. Can't fly there on my own, after all.'
At the end of much discussion and jostling, only one other Namekian volunteered to go with Moori. He who had cowered for what felt like was long enough, also had a feeling that something significant was about to happen- and that he would be best served by being there.
0o0o0
Krillin had fought in three World Tournaments, died, been brought back to life- and yet the strangest sight he had ever been forced to confront was himself, splayed onto the ground like a splash of paint, breathing in short, small gasps. The body- Ginyu- his body was unconscious, laid up on the ground by Krillin's own power. His hand, which had whacked himself to the ground, which wasn't his hand, which extended from him- not him-
Oh, jeez… Krillin grimaced and turned away. It felt like his brain was mincing itself against his forehead. This… this can't be happening. He glanced down at Ginyu's hands- his hands. No, no…
It hadn't really hit him until the initial shock had worn off. Being thrown into an unfamiliar body during a battle only meant he had to figure out how to weaponize it; remaining in an unfamiliar body once the battle was done meant he had to learn how to live with it.
A wave of pain hit him, and one of his hands flew to his chest. And speaking of living… I don't know how much more of that this body can do! His breathing shallow, Krillin directed his ki sense outwards. Need to make sure everyone else is okay before- dear Kai, the thought of cauterizing a wound as big as this, and how long that would knock me out-
No. Sapped of energy, and disoriented in Ginyu's body, Krillin staggered to his right. He heard blood flush out from his chest and drip onto the grass. He could sense a strong power approaching on the horizon.
'No…! Not now!' Krillin cried. 'I should have taken care of him before!'
There's one way I avoid this- I- I need to-
With a mighty crunch, Recoome landed, buckling the ground underneath him. Krillin saw that he wasn't standing as straight as before, nor did he have the same kind of swagger about him, but, still- he was huge, and anyone who could sense ki would be able to judge him as stronger than Krillin. And, of course, the PTO soldier was grinning. Recoome stepped up to Krillin-as-Ginyu and examined Ginyu-as-Krillin knocked out on the ground.
'Seems like you made good work of him.' He glanced up at Krillin. 'How's it going, Captain?'
The chances of Krillin winning a fight in his condition were so abysmal that he couldn't even imagine it happening. So, instead, he called upon one of his worst skills.
'I- I did!' Krillin replied haltingly, varying his voice four or five times to find something that resembled Ginyu's tone and accent. He was so consumed with finding something remotely like Ginyu's voice that it took him a second to realize he hadn't even answered Recoome's question. 'I- I mean well! It's going well! The battle, that is! What I meant before- I meant that I won! Haha!' Krillin faked laughter. 'I won't lose! Haha! Haha! Hah!'
His grin unchanged, Recoome crouched down next to Ginyu. He cupped the tan head by its jaw and examined it from different angles. 'You sound a little hoarse, Captain. What's with your throat?'
'Nothing!' Krillin denied, waving his hands back and forth in the air in front of him. 'I- I just- a blast hit me on the neck!' he landed on. 'That's why I sound this way! So- yes- there is something wrong with my neck!'
'And everyone else is accounted for?' Recoome asked. Though he still grinned, he now eyed Krillin in an altogether different way. 'So far, we've lost Guldo, Burter, and we're waiting for…'
'...waiting for who?' Ginyu asked, holding a hand over his chest. 'I'm- I'm very injured, so-'
'You know, your second!' Recoome said cheerily. 'What's his name!'
'...what's… his name?'
'What's his name?'
'I… er…'
'Lost a lot of blood, huh? His name is Jeice, sir.'
'Oh… Jeice.' Krillin hesitated. 'Actually,' he said, moving closer to Recoome, 'you deserve a pat on the back for noticing that-'
As soon as Krillin stepped forward, Recoome stomped forward himself, grabbed Krillin by his horns, and threw him face-first to the ground. Dirt and grass filled his mouth. Gagging, Krillin rolled over and spat out as much as he could.
'It was fun teasing you in the beginning, but- you're not gonna fool me,' Recoome said darkly, lifting Krillin by his armor and pinching a spot on his chestplate. After some effort, Recoome succeeded in ripping away the orange and black mark on Krillin's armor. He threw it onto the ground behind him. 'You ain't the Captain. That's clear as day. And I bet Ginyu is trapped in your old body,' he hooked his thumb over his shoulder to Krillin's unmoving body, 'right? Whoever you are… what was your name?'
In Recoome's grip, Krillin labored for air. 'Does… it matter?'
'No.' The grip around Krillin's chest tightened, painfully shifting bones and sending Krillin, kicking and screaming, into an abyss of pain. 'Just curious. So there's only one thing left to do. Kill his old body-'
Recoome's head bent to the right as Krillin's fist crashed into his left cheek. The PTO soldier released his grip on Krillin and staggered backward. Still breathless, Krillin nonetheless steadied himself and trained his hardened, focused gaze on his opponent.
'Hah,' Recoome chuckled, turning back to him and wiping away a line of blood trailing down out of his mouth. He looked every bit as focused as Krillin. 'Hah, hah.'
0o0o0
He was lost in a sea of black static, sinking through it like an anchor. He had been adrift for a while now, blocked off from what was happening around him. The frustrating thing was that he knew he wasn't dead- he vividly remembered that experience, and all throughout it, there was a sense of… progression. Here, he felt stuck.
I… I need to wake up. Piccolo tried to focus his attention on his immediate surroundings, but there was nothing but the black sea, enveloping him, swallowing him. He couldn't make a guess as to where he or the core of his consciousness was. It all felt placeless.
…
Hmm?
A tug- from some direction, though he couldn't tell which- pulled on Piccolo. A shape formed in the blackness. Someone he knew he had never seen, and yet somehow recognized. Who… who are… wait…
The shape became crisper. Its outline was unmistakable. You were the one. The one who touched me…
...and now resides here. The shape warbled and shifted with motion. Your name… it was Leera.
Yes. It was.
What are we doing here?
An image of a purple alien, smirking and beating him to an inch of life, filled Piccolo's thoughts. No…. no! Suddenly, he felt himself rising. NO! I REFUSE TO DIE TO HIM! NOT HERE, ON THIS PLANET!-
With a cry, Piccolo's eyes flew open and he surged to a sitting position. Air burned his lungs and made him cough, but the world around him slowly fed back into him, and soon enough, he could make out where he was: the area around him was turned and tussled, as if blown here by somewhere else. He was in a plain, with nothing noteworthy near him… and anything that would have been too far away from him to see clearly.
Piccolo blinked. What? Rashly, he tried to stand, but he only succeeded in sending a spike of pain through his chest. 'Aargh!' he groaned. 'My… my body?...'
He was injured. Injured enough to not be fighting anytime soon. Just… just like Raditz. Bitter frustration wetted Piccolo's eyes as he heard the sound of blows landing from a nearby fight. One such shockwave succeeded in freeing a burning tear from his eye. All this effort spent… just to be laid up, useless, at the end… His hands dug into the dirt. All this pain… the things I've done… and for what?
A drop of water ran down Piccolo's cheek and fell, landing on the tip of a blade of grass. The dream of my father is dead. He left me nothing, and in return, I gave nothing back.
Placing one hand over his face to hide from a nonexistent audience, Piccolo turned his head further afield. In the distance, represented by the vaguest of colors and lines, a battle was taking place, sending wind and sound over to him in chaotic bursts. Before the far-off dance, though… a shape grew closer. A slow pace, barely fast enough to move more than a few feet at a time. The gait; it was familiar. Piccolo lowered the hand from his face.
When the shape was close enough, Piccolo took a deep, careful breath. 'Krillin?' he said weakly.
The figure continued limping forward. Not Krillin. Nail.
'You live,' the Namekian said, his face too distant for Piccolo to see the expression, if any, that was on his face. 'Same as me. Funny how these things work…'
Nail took another step, tripped, and fell face-first to the ground. Piccolo found the energy to scoot backward a foot to avoid Nail's smacking his head against his legs. 'Nail?' he said, quieter.
'Stop moving.' Nail muttered, his face pressed to the dirt. A second later, he was crawling on his hands and knees towards Piccolo. 'You're too injured.'
Piccolo saw the wounds crisscrossing Nail's body, and figured he was too injured to be moving, too, but said nothing.
He had a thought.
'Take... ' Piccolo lifted a hand, yearning for Nail's skin. 'Take my energy, please…'
Nail stopped his crawl a foot away from him and lifted his head. His face, streaked and burnished with dried purple blood, regarded him from a distant place. 'Your energy?' Nail looked like he was trying to remember something. 'But… that wasn't part of our deal.'
'Nothing has gone to plan,' Piccolo said bitterly. 'What matters now is survival, and…' Piccolo turned his gaze away, unable to look Nail in the eye. 'I am finished. You are finished, without help. My entire life, I have been unequal to the task set before me… it was always others who either stepped up for me or got in my way. Stronger, smarter, more talented people. I… have never been any of those things,' Piccolo said, choking up. 'But, you- you will not mess this up.' An urgency rushed into Piccolo's voice. 'Please,' he said. 'I have no desire to die again. And I have no desire for anyone else I've fought alongside to die, as well, to people as wretched as them. So, please… win this. Save… me.'
Nail, his face blank beyond the pain, stared at Piccolo. This entire conversation- he was reminded of someone he had known.
It was enough. Before Piccolo could react, Nail flung his arm forward and placed it on Piccolo's leg. Energy- a small amount, but enough to matter- swelled into Piccolo, reviving his vigor. By the end of it, Piccolo felt strong enough to stand and then some. When the flow of energy ceased, Piccolo, in wonder, did just that, while Nail collapsed backward and flopped down to the ground on his back.
'What…' Piccolo rose to his feet and examined his arms and legs. His flesh felt… better now. More whole. 'You… you were supposed to…'
'I thought about doing this earlier,' Nail said weakly. 'But, what you just said… I was wrong about you. The other Namekians were wrong.' Coughing seized Nail, and blood and spit sprayed out from his mouth. 'You did not destroy Leera… he is there, inside you, whether you know it or not. That…' Nail's eyes dulled, and his eyelids fluttered closed. '... is enough.'
Piccolo watched his hope for victory slip into unconsciousness.
The world pressed down on him. The grass, the trees, from the blue sky to the green seas- it was his responsibility. Piccolo accepted as much from Nail. He had no choice.
Another impact sounded across the land, and centering his gaze on where he thought it came from, Piccolo lifted himself into the air and set off.
0o0o0
A string of blows bounced off of opposite guards, and Krillin took one defensive step back, digging the heel of his back foot into the ground to soften his inertia. Another flurry passed between them, and a whole chunk of Krillin's newly gained armor split and spiraled away to his left.
One last barrage was unleashed, and a fist slammed into Krillin's sternum and knocked him onto his ass. His opponent, for whatever reason, gave him enough time to pant and grunt, clench at his open chest wound with his hand, and eventually stand. All the while, Recoome stood, arms folded, and gloated noiselessly to him.
'You know…' Krillin picked himself off the ground, huffing. His legs trembled. 'It's not the smartest move to give your opponent a chance to stand…'
Recoome was pointedly not looking at him- instead, he was staring at his chest. The wound. Krillin looked down.
Somehow, the amount of blood trailing down his front had quadrupled in the last few minutes. His sense of not being able to catch his breath became acute. 'How?...'
'You're racing to your death,' Recoome stated, glancing up at Krillin. 'Every time you move, more blood leaves that wound. And you've done a lot of moving so far in this fight.'
Grimacing, Krillin placed a hand over his chest. He pressed it, wet and sticky, into the wound. 'You know… you're nowhere near the strongest person I've fought today. Nowhere near… Ginyu.' Krillin muttered, his chest heaving out and in. 'But, still... you're the most dangerous. One wrong move, and I lose.' A weak smile graced his face. 'We all lose. My friends and I have worked too hard for that to happen now. So-'
Recoome smashed his beefy knee into Krillin's face, knocking him to the ground. 'Not sure if there's anything you can do,' the PTO soldier said, lowering his leg. 'Think this is a "my fight to lose" and not a "your fight to win".
Krillin rolled onto his front and coughed. 'Yeah… you'd think that.'
'Why are you two fighting at all?'
Recoome and Krillin both flinched, and turned to their right. They had, from either sensing or measuring the battlefield, both judged that they would be the last ones to fight today. Not so. Piccolo, bruised and beaten, stood on his own power and glowered at them. 'Well? Are you going to answer my question?' he growled.
Shaking, Krillin craned his head in Piccolo's direction. 'I'm- I'm not Ginyu!' he said, hands digging into the ground. I swear! I'm Krillin!'
Recoome rolled his eyes. 'Oh, please. Captain,' he said, cocking back his foot, 'you need another good kick to jostle your brain-'
PHOOM. Before the blow landed against Krillin's side, Piccolo sped forward and blocked it with his own leg. 'I'm not sure what's going on,' he addressed Krillin, even as he squared off and glared at Recoome, pressing a leg into his, 'but it's obvious- you feel and act completely different from before… whoever you are. Besides,' Piccolo said, lowering his voice as he intensified his pressure on Recoome, 'If I have to kill you… it'll be much easier to do that after killing this one than the other way around.'
Krillin scrambled backward and sat up. 'Good to know,' he breathed.
'Come on!' Recoome yelled, applying some pressure of his own to their leg-to-leg grapple. Piccolo, confronted by Recoome's full physical might, was pushed backward. 'You want to go toe-to-toe, punch-to-punch with me? The last one that looked like you had a better approach!'
Gritting his teeth, and flashing his fangs in the process, Piccolo slammed his back foot into the ground. 'You might want to withhold judgment,' he growled.
The thrumming of energy surrounded them, and Recoome glanced at his scouter. 'Oh.'
'HYAAAGH!' Piccolo thrust his arms forward, pressing them into Recoome's midsection and releasing a massive blast of energy and wind. It left him like a wave, rolling across the land with no care for anything, and swept Recoome off his feet and over his shoulders. Dirt and dust kicked up, and the final release of the attack triggered, sending a massive explosion into the sky and throwing Piccolo, Krillin, and everything else on the plain into white-hot brightness.
0o0o0
Cowering on the ground in an impenetrable dust cloud, Krillin gaped at the show of strength. I didn't even notice him charging it… he hid that well. Though I wonder if that was everything he had. Krillin pushed his ki sense out further. Ah. And he's still alive, too.
'You still there?' Piccolo asked of him from somewhere nearby.
'I am.'
A wind whipped through the area, pushing away the detritus in the air, and revealed that Piccolo was in the same place as he had been minutes ago. 'Lucky of me to have an attack charged,' Piccolo said, sounding like he was thinking aloud to himself.
Without paying this any attention, Krillin struggled to his feet. The hand he was pressing to his chest was too weak to keep doing so- it fell to his side.
'You want to defeat this guy?'
Krillin looked at Piccolo. He had his back to him. 'I do,' Krillin replied. 'Before I die, too.'
'And you claim to be Krillin?'
'Yes…'
'Then prepare your best attack.'
Krillin squinted at Piccolo's back. 'What?'
'Your best attack,' Piccolo repeated. 'A technique that can kill this man. Something… something that you used against me, a long time ago. Our bout in the Tournament. The technique that cost me my arm.' Piccolo turned back to him, and to Krillin's surprise, he saw urgent desperation. 'You remember?'
Krillin would never forget that fight, down to every little detail. He knew exactly what Piccolo was talking about. 'Yes,' he replied.
'Use it, and I'll make sure to hold him so it hits. Got it?'
Krillin grunted. 'I promise to try…'
Piccolo stared at him. 'Fine,' he said, turning forward again. 'That's the most I can ask for, at this point.' Piccolo paused, and glanced back at him again. 'You look the same as him. I still feel the need to punch you on appearance.'
'Then nothing's really changed, has it?'
0o0o0
Moori, carrying Bulma, landed with the other Namekian on a ridge overlooking the plain. In the distance, he could spot three figures arranged in a line. Two of those three were walking towards each other.
'It's all come down to this…'
0o0o0
Piccolo stopped on as solid a patch of ground as he would find, and leveled his gaze. 'Enjoy your tumble?'
Across from him, Recoome flaunted an easygoing grin. 'Was fun,' he said. 'Didn't really hurt me, but was fun.'
Drawing his arms back, Piccolo lowered himself to the ground. 'Ready for round two, then?!' he roared, summoning his ki.
His opponent was unimpressed. Even more so, he seemed to be actively not paying attention to Piccolo. 'What's he doing?' Recoome asked, his vision trained on something behind Piccolo.
'RAAAGH!' Piccolo charged at him, sharpened nails jutting from his hands. When he reached him, Recoome nimbly stepped to his left, avoiding a slash aimed at his throat. 'Your fight is with me!'
A swarm of slashes from Piccolo's hands traced around Recoome, grazing his armor with tiny scratches. 'Oooh!' Recoome marveled as he backpedaled, keeping himself mere inches away from Piccolo's next strike. 'Impressive!'
'Yeah!?' Piccolo leaped forward, aiming his hand at Recoome's gut. The PTO soldier hopped back. As he did this, however, Piccolo put on a burst of speed and appeared below Recoome's right arm, right elbow cocked back. 'TAKE-'
Recoome's arm crashed down on Piccolo's back, landing before the Namekian's attack with enough force for Piccolo's body to form a small crater. 'You're eager,' Recoome muttered, slamming a boot down on Piccolo's back. 'Figure you can't take many more hits like that. Now…' Recoome examined the imposter Captain in the distance. He saw he had one hand lifted above his head. Purple light beaded up his body.
He would make an easy target. Recoome lifted one hand and began to fill it with pink energy. 'Recooomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrraaauuuuuggghhhhhh! Aaah, Aaah, AAAH!'
An intense burning sensation raced up Recoome's leg, forcing him a few steps backward. 'Huh!?'
Prone on the ground, Piccolo glowered at him. One cupped hand was extended in Recoome's direction and was glowing. 'As I said,' he snarled, as he pressed his hands to the ground and pushed himself up, 'TAKE THIS!'
Faster than Recoome could react, Piccolo dashed forward low to the ground and swung his legs around, knocking them into Recoome's burned and spasming leg. 'ONE!'
As Recoome lost his balance, Piccolo planted his hands, drew his legs back to the center of his body, and kicked. He hit Recoome's other leg square in the shin. The PTO soldier began full-on falling. 'TWO!'
Surging upward, Piccolo's fist, wreathed in shimmering blue ki, slammed into the bottom of Recoome's jaw. The giant's eyes bulged out of his skull; the impact had enough force to expand the crater they were already in. 'THREE!'
Recoome sped into the sky with the force of the blow. Twirling, Piccolo lurched towards Krillin's direction. 'DO IT NOW!'
A hundred feet away, Krillin gulped. He was stained with sweat from the heat and pressure pressing down on him from above. The attack wasn't even the right color.
Oh well. Krillin took a step forward, hoped, and threw it.
Recoome's scouter beeped as soon as the attack was launched. To his left he saw a buzzing and flat purple disk race towards him, searing the air around it to create heat lines. If he had seen it any later, he would have been hit by it. But, as it was, he had just enough time to dodge; he gathered energy in the soles of his feet, preparing to blast away-
Recoome felt something latch around his thighs. Glancing down, he saw two green limbs had wrapped around his legs and clamped him, holding him in place. Their owner, several feet below on the ground, shot him a malicious look.
The other one… he did that, too. Lengthened his arms. He did that-
The purple Destructo Disk hissed past Recoome and Piccolo. A second tenser than imaginable played out where Krillin saw neither of them move- and then the familiar hiss of cutting flesh filled the air. Recoome and Piccolo came apart at the expense of Recoome's legs below his knees and the ends of Piccolo's arms.
It was the last thing he saw before he collapsed.
0o0o0
His mind stunned by the pain of his limbs severing, Piccolo mutely watched the last man standing of the Ginyu Force- now without legs to stand on- fall to the ground. Recoome's eyes, locked in stuck shock once the attack started cutting through him, closed on the way down.
For all his strength and size, Recoome made a puny impact as he hit the ground. Piccolo watched for any sign of movement, and once satisfied, he retracted his arms and took a deep breath. 'Hrrph!-'
Fresh hands shot out from his stubs, wet and sticky from the pale green regenerative liquid covering them. He gasped a few times, overwhelmed by the amount of vivid- and painful- sensory information returning. 'Haufgh… haufgh…'
He moved closer to Recoome. The man… what?... His vision narrowed on the PTO soldier's legs. At every part of the cut, the flesh was black, cauterized by the heat of the attack. Not a single drop of blood had left his body. Which means… Piccolo watched Recoome's chest rise and fall. He's still alive...
Krillin must have lost his grasp on the attack right before it hit. All that wild energy and heat closed the cut as it was being made. By losing control… Krillin spared him.
Odd. Piccolo lifted a hand, pointing a finger at Recoome's neck. His unconscious breaths were quick and shallow.
After everything that happened today, with what they know, Krillin would- wait-
'Krillin!' he called, whipping his head around. 'Are you-'
Nothing stood in the plain behind him. He only saw a small, purple crest-
Piccolo spun and stood. Krillin was flat on his back, unmoving. 'Krillin!' he yelled.
0o0o0
From nowhere, Yamcha's perception of the world returned. Someone was speaking to him. Ya… Yam… Yamcha…
His eyes fluttered open. He felt incredibly groggy. 'Wha?...'
'Yamcha?' Tien, sitting over him, filled his vision. 'You okay?'
Yamcha blinked. He felt… 'Yeah,' he mumbled. 'I feel… okay. A little out of sorts, but okay.'
Tien looked to his right. Dende appeared from that direction. The Namekian appeared tired. 'You okay?'
'He's awake?' Someone outside of his vision asked. 'Yamcha!' Bulma appeared above him. She rested a hand on his chest.
'Come on,' Tien said, pulling gently on him. 'Let's get him up.'
A second later, Yamcha was sitting, staring at them. He remembered something. He looked at his left arm-
'I wouldn't recommend moving it,' Dende cautioned, hopping forward. Yamcha noticed that it was wrapped in a sling. 'I healed it as much as I could, but it was pretty heavily damaged.
Yamcha scrunched his face in thought. 'Thought I had lost it.'
'You nearly did,' Dende said. 'And still might if you're not careful.'
'But- I got him, right?'
Tien stepped in front of him. 'You did,' he answered. 'Saw the body myself.'
Yamcha, his face pinched from pain, gave a small nod. 'We did that, at least. But, if we're still alive….'
The three of them helped Yamcha to his feet. 'We won,' Tien explained, 'though… well, you'll have to see for yourself.'
As they walked, Yamcha recognized the ruins of the village around them. He was still weak, propped up by Bulma and Tien with his good arm wrapped around Tien's neck. 'Piccolo won, then?'
'Not exactly,' Dende answered.
'If not him- did Krillin win?'
'...not exactly.'
They strode out from the rubble, the ground becoming more grassy with distance, and entered a wide-open field pocketed with small craters; the telltale signs of a battle. Shapes in the distance became sharper. Yamcha recognized Bez standing farther away, and Moori, the new Grand Elder, standing alongside Nail and Piccolo. They were facing something.
'... That is what he did?' Yamcha caught the tail-end of Moori's sentence. 'I see- ah,' he said, noticing them approach. 'You'll all awake. Good. Let me take a step to the side, then….'
Moori moved away; Yamcha's eyes dilated. 'He's!-'
'Hi, Yamcha,' Ginyu gave a weak smile and waved to him. Yamcha recognized the gesture. He tensed further. '... Krillin?'
'Yep,' Krillin, big, purple, and veiny, sat and leaned back on his hands. The gaping hole in his armor, which revealed a scarred but whole part of his body, was one of the many marks of battle on him 'Here I am. For lack of a better word, Ginyu stole my body.'
'Stole?' Yamcha repeated. 'So- your actual body-'
'He's in it,' Krillin answered, dipping his head backward. 'Behind us. Bez is doing us a favor and watching Ginyu and the other one.'
Yamcha in that direction. 'Two survived?'
'Yes. The big one, he's…' Krillin's expression drooped, and he turned away. 'He won't be much of a threat going forward.'
'Eventually, we will have to do something about them, however,' Piccolo interjected.
Awkward silence filled the air. Yamcha, as did all the other humans, stared at Krillin. 'Well… this is an odd reunion,' Krillin commented.
'An unlikely one, too,' Moori said. 'I will not lie; I am amazed all of you were able to survive this battle.'
Krillin coughed. 'I don't think we would have if it weren't for Dende.'
Everyone's attention swiveled to the small Namekian. It was apparent looking at him that he was exhausted; he had even sat down to conserve his strength. 'I only accompanied Moori,' he said weakly. 'He is the one who decided to come.'
Nail fixed a look at the Namekian Elder. 'That so?'
'I had a sense things were coming to a close here,' Moori replied. 'It seems that I saved a few lives by acting on that sense.'
Piccolo alone saw something unspoken pass between Nail and Moori's expressions, and saw them both glance at him.
So… we actually won?' Yamcha said abruptly. 'Hard to believe, considering how dire things were going. Feels like a dream…'
'Not sure how much of a victory, considering my state,' Krillin said wryly.
'What do you mean?' Bulma asked. 'You-' her eyes widened. 'You don't mean-'
Krillin shrugged, moving the chipped pauldrons on his shoulders. 'I have no clue if I'm stuck like this. Captain Ginyu- that was his name, right?- didn't tell me if this was reversible when he did it, anyway.'
'There must be a way to reverse this,' Tien asserted. 'If Ginyu can switch bodies again, we can force him into his old body, and if not, we'll use our dragonballs.'
'If the dragonballs can even do that...' Piccolo muttered under his breath.
'Moori has outlined as much,' Krillin said, gesturing to the Grand Elder with his head. 'His theories, at least.'
'As much as I know,' Moori said, nodding. 'The technique Ginyu used must, at some level, involve some manipulation of spiritual energy. That is no small feat. Very few people have the ability to wrench a soul from a living body and put it in another.'
'Their souls were exchanged between their bodies?' Tien asked, narrowing his eyes.
'From what I could tell, yes.'
Tien gazed at Krillin. 'Interesting… I'm surprised our enemies would have someone so spiritually talented among their ranks.'
'Hold on-' Piccolo interrupted, glancing around their surroundings. 'Bez is watching over only two people, right?'
Nail stiffened his face. 'That's correct. You're talking about…'
'Zarbon,' Piccolo growled. 'We forgot about Zarbon.' He looked at Tien and Yamcha. 'The one Ginyu tried to make me fight. Did either one of you kill him?'
Tien and Yamcha looked at each other. 'Don't think so,' Yamcha answered. 'He was tall and green, right? Because, if so, we definitely didn't fight him.'
Piccolo looked at Krillin, who shook his head no.
To the side, Nail gazed towards the horizon and closed his eyes. 'I cannot sense him,' he said after a second. 'Either he is dead, or he has left the planet.'
'Would be bad if it's the latter,' Piccolo grunted.
'It would,' Moori said in a low, serious voice. 'For, if Krillin is here, Namek has already been moved to another spot in the galaxy. If Zarbon left after this occurred, he can lead others back here.' Moori's expression sunk. 'I fear Namek remains a target, and now we have no wishes to correct this.'
'Uhh… about that.'
0o0o0
Everyone present instinctively looked to the skies. Bez, who was standing guard, was also caught up in this, and walked over to everyone. 'King Kai?' Krillin said aloud.
Far away on his planet, King Kai cursed silently. '... I would have preferred that you didn't name me, Krillin. Ever hear of "reading the room"?'
Moori assumed a scowl. 'What have you done, King Kai?'
'Promise that you won't be mad.'
'I will promise no such thing!'
'Ack! Well!- I switched around the order of your wishes! I had Krillin be revived first! And the Earth's dragon, Shenron, is looking for a new place for Namek in the galaxy as we speak!'
The heat rising off of Moori was palpable. 'So you did what I explicitly asked you not to do,' he intoned. 'If I was not a mortal-'
'But it worked out!' King Kai burst out. 'I'm watching the interstellar traffic around Namek right now- and Zarbon is leaving as we speak! He will be long gone by the time Namek is moved! So you won't have to worry about Namek being on anyone's maps. Once it is moved, no one will be left on the planet to divulge its location… except for your Earthbound allies, of course.'
Moori clammed up. He appeared to be thinking.'There are no ships in orbit, then?'
'Oh- now you ask that?' King Kai huffed. 'I wanted to tell you this earlier, but no-'
'Please answer my question faithfully, King Kai.'
'...no, there are no other ships. Piccolo destroyed the fleet earlier with one of his attacks.'
Piccolo, arms crossed, allowed himself a small smile. Well… good to know.
'I heard that gloat,' King Kai said, confusing everyone but a mortified Piccolo.
'Did the invaders leave any ships on the planet's surface?' Moori asked.
'Nothing but a couple of one-person ships.'
Moori stroked his jaw. 'We will have to get rid of them.'
'Actually,' Bulma cut in, 'I could take those off your hands. I'm pretty eager to get a closer look at the tech the PTO has at its disposal.'
'Is that so? You may take them, then.'
'Perfect.' Bulma glanced over to Bez. 'We can use them to transport our prisoners. Tien and Yamcha had mentioned to me that they put the occupant into a hibernating state during space flight; if we put those two in there, we won't have to worry about them waking up during the flight back to Earth.'
'Hold on,' Piccolo said, uncrossing his arms. 'You want to take them back to Earth? The enemies we just barely managed to defeat?' He snarled, flashing his hangs. 'Do you know how dangerous that is?'
Bulma, as was her way, responded to confrontation with more confrontation. 'One had his legs chopped off, and one has Krillin's body,' Bulma said imperiously, stepping right up to Piccolo. He was at least a foot and a half taller than her. To everyone watching, it didn't feel like that. 'One won't be a threat, one is unkillable, and both know things we want to know,' she said, jabbing a finger into his chest. 'And you want to kill prisoners without asking them a single question? Are you that ignorant?'
'What do we have to learn from those fools?' Piccolo snarked back.
'Everything!' Bulma said, hopping. 'The PTO, an organization that attacked Namek with enough resources to conquer a small planet, just to capture three people, doesn't strike me as something that's going to go away anytime soon! I know that first-hand! We need to know everything we can about these people if we're going to defend ourselves in the future!'
'Defend ourselves?' Krillin parrotted, squinting. 'What are you talking about?'
Bulma spun to Yamcha and Tien. 'To make sure we're all on the same page- you two worked in the PTO, same as me, right?'
'We did,' Tien answered.
Krillin and Piccolo's heads pricked up. This is what they were doing while they were dead? Working with the people that they've been fighting against? This was new information to them.
'And while in the PTO, you worked under Vegeta and Nappa, two Saiyans who knew Raditz, right?'
'That's correct,' Yamcha answered. 'Bulma, where are you going with this-'
'And Raditz, when he attacked us- he was associated with them, right?'
'Yes, he…' Tien's face dropped. 'Oh. You're right… the PTO might know enough to pin us.'
'But they wouldn't make that connection between where Raditz went and the events here on their own, though,' Yamcha argued. 'Vegeta and Nappa would have had to go out of their way to link us to Raditz's death, and-'
'And what if Vegeta straight-up told them? What if we assume he had some hand in getting the PTO to follow us here?'
'He framed us as Saiyans,' Bez spoke up. 'I remember that- both Cui and Ginyu's men claimed Tien and Yamcha were Saiyans. That must have been how Vegeta got the PTO to chase after us.'
'Doesn't explain how us being Saiyans makes the PTO launch an army after us,' Yamcha parried back.
'That's beside the point,' Bulma interjected. 'We know for a fact that Vegeta divulged some sort of information to the PTO in order to get them here. Who's to say he didn't mention where we live, too?'
Dead silence fell on them. No one had considered that the past few days of life-or-death on Namek might be repeated on Earth. And there would be a lot more innocent people and friends who could get caught up in the carnage there...
'Bulma is on to something, you know,' King Kai chimed in. 'I'm not supposed to give out information to mortals... buuuuuuut I will say that the PTO is organized, widespread, and strong. Anyplace in the galaxy that knows of them should expect an unfriendly visit from them soon. They're not something you can ignore, and you sure can't beat them easily. You- well, you know that from today.'
Piccolo's mouth soured. 'Well,' he said, looking away to make it feel like he wasn't conceding as much, 'when you put it like that, we should take them as prisoners.' He swung his head back to her. 'But once we're on Earth, I expect to see a foolproof means of keeping them in extended captivity. Someone who might be able to steal bodies on a whim could cause a lot of trouble if we aren't careful.'
Bulma, acknowledging his concerns, gave a stern nod of her head. 'Of course. I'll have a week, give or take a few days, to think of a method of containing them while en route to Earth I'll come up with something before we get there.'
One of Piccolo's eyebrow ridges arched. 'That's the plan? Take the prisoners and leave for Earth immediately?'
'That would be what I would do,' Bulma said. She glanced around to everyone. 'We agree, right? Leave as soon as the wish to move Namek is fulfilled? The faster we get back to Earth, and prepare for any event, the better, in my opinion.'
'I agree with Bulma,' Yamcha spoke up. 'There's no reason to drag our feet here- no offense, you guys,' he held up his good hand towards Moori, Nail, and Dende.
'The Earth may be in danger from the PTO, too, you know,' Tien said. 'I agree with Bulma, too; we need to get back there as soon as possible to defend it if need be.'
Bulma turned. 'Krillin?'
'It's a good plan,' Krillin said, leaning back. 'Sure. I agree.'
'It is agreed, then,' Moori said. 'We shall move Namek upon your departure in a few hours.'
Speaking of moving Namek,' King Kai jumped in, reminding them he was still here, 'I'll inform you all when the wish to move Namek is completed. Hopefully, Shenron won't take too long. Some of you must be very eager to get home. I wouldn't want to delay that any longer.'
0o0o0
I… need to survive.
Around him, the world faded and shifted, denoting his tenuous grasp on consciousness. Regardless, Zarbon crawled forward. 'I… need…'
He had been lucky- so very lucky- to survive as many attacks as he had over the past few hours. He could have died in that abandoned village twice over if not for his armor and the rubble that had buried him. From there, he had flown as far as he could, and then walked as far as he could, and now crawled as far as he could. He could feel his body shutting down- he would be dead in the time it took him to move three yards.
His goal was only two yards out. Looming in front of him, one of Ginyu's men's ships taunted- and compelled- him, flaunting its power to keep him alive. He would die without medical treatment, and nothing of the sort could be found on this backwater planet.
But, with this ship… the pod in front of him was open, its hatch aimed towards the sky. I can… hibernate… prevent my death... One of the posing idiots had forgotten to lock up their ship. Zarbon doubted that he would have had enough strength to get into it if the hatch had been closed. I… can't even press… a simple button in my state.
Somehow, he was aware of the trail of blood he was leaving in the dirt as he slinked forward. Still, he pressed on, dragging himself forward by his hands. His fingers were so worn that his gloves had worn away at the tips, exposing his raw, bleeding skin to the world. Still, he pulled himself forward, leveraging himself face-first into the cockpit even as blood coated the floor. Still, he managed to twist around- a decidedly insane design feature where the ship could only be piloted from one position.
He hadn't even thought about what would come after this struggle. In his mind, nothing else but survival had mattered, and this was still true. The death sentence that awaited him in PTO space, or the chances of him never waking again as his pod drifted through space aimlessly for infinity- everything was secondary to pressing a button. One button. One…
A bloody finger smacked into the ship's internal display. He wasn't even aware that it was his own. The hatch swung closed, gas filled the cabin, and Zarbon drifted into a blissful black.
0o0o0
After King Kai had disconnected, Piccolo had moved farther away from everyone. He expected to spend the rest of his time on this planet in needed silence. To his surprise, however, when Moori and Nail finished conversing, they approached him.
'What now?' Piccolo grated.
'Come,' Moori said, placing a hand on his shoulder. 'We must go for a walk.'
'Must?'
'Yes,' Moori, his face wrinkled and ancient, stared at Piccolo with sharp eyes. 'You must.'
The others noticed they were leaving. 'We'll see you back at our ship, right? At the departure?' Bulma called out.
'Yes, sounds like a plan,' Moori said, half-turning and nodding. 'And don't worry- I'm not stealing Piccolo from you. I am only borrowing him.'
Hmm? As they walked, Piccolo glanced at Nail. He met his gaze. 'You have any idea what's going on?'
'Some,' Nail replied. 'Not enough of one to share, though.'
'Yeah?'
'Hush, you two,' Moori said, stepping in between them. 'We must go a little further, and then we may talk.'
Their path took them across the plain, past the ruins of the village, and stopped at the edge of a lake. Everything was pristine and untouched except for the crater in the side of a plateau overlooking the water. 'I believe we are far enough now,' Moori said, turning around to them with his back to the water. 'This will be… difficult for me to do.'
Piccolo exchanged a look with Nail. He seemed more unsure than he had been just a few moments prior.
'It is time that I explain myself-' Moori turned slightly to Nail, '- to both of you.'
Fully-fledged confusion arose on Nail's face. 'What?' he asked. 'What are you talking about?'
'I am talking about how I thrust you-' he glanced over to Piccolo, '- both of you- into a situation you didn't deserve. To some extent, I… pitted you against each other.'
Piccolo grunted. 'I find that hard to believe. Nail was clear from the beginning of his distaste for me. Wouldn't you agree- Nail?'
The other Namekian, tight-lipped, stared past Piccolo's face. 'You were afraid, weren't you?' Nail asked, narrowing his eyes on Moori. 'Like everyone else. Like me.'
'Yes,' Moori said softly. 'I was. For myself and you two.'
'Scared of what?' Piccolo questioned.
A stupid question for him to ask. His throat tightened. 'Leera- it's about him, isn't it?'
Moori dipped his head. 'He was one of our own. The only elder who survived other than Tsuno and I. The events of this whole terrible ordeal… it tested knowledge given to me by Guru; knowledge that I knew, but did not possess.
'I don't understand,' Nail spoke up. 'What distinction are you trying to make?'
Moori sighed. 'A hard one to convey, though...' The Grand Elder lifted both his hands, palms facing them, and beckoned them with his eyes. 'Press your heads against my hands. Today, you have both fought for and saved the Namekian race. It is important that you know what I know- what I can make sense of, at least- and understand the legacy you two built on by saving the Namekians.' His eyes shot to Piccolo. 'Our kin.'
Surprise flickered in Nail's eyes. 'Moori- that information was given to you alone by Lord Guru,' he said. 'No matter what Piccolo and I did, it remains true that Guru did not grant whatever knowledge you are about to supply to anyone else when he died.'
A short, clipped laugh, more hurt than happy, left Moori, startling both Nail and Piccolo. 'I am not perfect, much like our late Lord Guru. We both made mistakes. Please,' he held out his hands further, urging them. 'See this for yourselves.'
The wind rolled across Namek's blue blades of grass. In the end, they obliged his request.
0o0o0
Piccolo arrived at the shuttle not soon after. Bulma, who was busying herself with making modifications for the impromptu traveling transports for Ginyu and Recoome, was the only one missing of everyone planning on leaving. Notably, Piccolo arrived without any other Namekians.
Yamcha thought this meant... something. He wasn't exactly sure what he suspected, but he knew he had a suspicion. So he approached the Namekian. Piccolo had landed away from everyone else and had remained so.
'Hey,' Yamcha said, flattening his mouth. 'I'm not a fan of leaving things unasked, so…you're coming back to Earth, right?'
Piccolo's nostrils might have flared- Yamcha couldn't tell. 'I am,' he answered. 'This concerns you how?'
Yamcha steadied himself with a breath. 'Well; I know you're not an idiot.'
'Excuse me?'
'I know you have as good a sense of Krillin's ki right now as we do,' Yamcha said without lifting his gaze from Piccolo. 'I know that you realize that, for whatever reason, Krillin can't access all of his or Ginyu's natural ki, and that you're stronger than him. His entire ki, it feels… strangled.'
Piccolo swept his gaze past Yamcha to the shuttle behind him. Krillin, tall and purple, was sitting on the shuttle's ramp white Tien and Bez chatted nearby. 'Astute of you to realize it as well,' he said. 'I imagine this fact worries you.'
'You're the strongest of us now,' Yamcha said, tucking his hands underneath his arms. 'No point in denying facts. Strong enough that Tien and I could barely touch you in a fight. So, naturally, I want to ask-'
'I have no interest in harming any of you,' Piccolo said, his gaze jumping back to Yamcha. His face was like a wall. 'When we return to Earth, things will be much the same as they were after the 24th World Martial Arts Tournament- you will all go your separate ways, and I will go down mine.'
Yamcha found that answer unsatisfactory. 'Too vague,' he said, scowling. 'Far too vague. For one, none of us have any idea of what you did after the 24th WMT, so that tells me nothing.'
'Wrong,' Piccolo growled. 'You now know that I will not threaten your existence for at least two years. Learning that is not nothing.'
'And after that? Will that remain true after two years?' Yamcha's scowl, fed by frustration, deepened. 'Will you come down from whatever mountain you live on and destroy a city if it suits you?'
Piccolo scoffed and threw his head to the side. 'You reveal your bias. Contrary to what you believe, I am not my father. Have I ever destroyed without reason?'
'Reason?' Yamcha said, balking at the word. 'Are you saying that, if you can think of a reason to conquer the world, then you'll go about destroying what you don't care to rule over-'
'I can't predict the future,' Piccolo said in a low voice. 'What do you want me to say? That I promise never again to attack or hurt you and your friends?'
'Could you?'
Over the course of their conversation they had incrementally moved towards each other; now, inches separated their pinched faces.
'Piccolo?'
Piccolo regarded him. 'I will say this once,' he said, his voice as thick as a stormcloud, 'and only once. Repeat this to your friends at your leisure.'
Yamcha, finding a reason to be patient for the first time since walking over, gave his waiting silence as a response.
'I walked with Moori and Nail earlier. During this, Moori told me a great deal about the history of the Namekian people- and, consequently, the history of my ancestry. I plan to meditate on what he told me over the coming months.'
'That's it?' Yamcha questioned.
'That's it,' Piccolo repeated back, glowering at him. 'Now leave me. You learned far more today than you were entitled to.'
Yamcha, stern-faced, stared at him. He's not wrong. He had never expected Piccolo to share something even remotely personal to him or any other living soul. Deep down, he found it hard to believe he was talking to the same person who, just two years ago, would have executed a defeated Krillin if allowed.
Then again, Piccolo had barely told him anything, and did nothing to answer his question, although… he would have to talk to the others about this.
'Fine,' Yamcha said, turning. 'I'll leave you to your stewing.'
0o0o0
Not too long after, with hands covered in nondescript ship oil and a tired, albeit satisfied look on her face, Bulma strode to the shuttle. In her right hand a makeshift remote control for the two ships carrying Ginyu and Recoome rested, waiting on a single press to send them both barreling through space to Earth. I'll have to send a message to Dad once we're space-borne… tell him to drag out that discontinued capsule prison design and make some crucial adjustments to it to match the power of its future occupants...
Looking ahead, she saw Tien, Yamcha, Bez, and Krillin, with Piccolo standing farther away, arranged around the entrance ramp to the ship. She had to give credit to Bez; he had the right idea of hiding the shuttle when they arrived on Namek. Unlike their last one, this ship had never been found and destroyed by the PTO.
Feels like a lifetime ago… Bulma studied the white, flat, and pointed craft over the last few strides towards everyone else. Eventually, she turned her gaze to its future riders. Might as well be one, considering how much things have changed
Yamcha was the closest to her and spotted her first. 'All done with the ships?' he asked, turning everyone else's attention towards her.
'Yep. Finished rigging up their systems- which meant I had to pull out all the machinery that could have pinged our location to the nearest PTO base. Right now, the computers on those ships only know how to get to Earth and keep their incubated occupants alive while doing that.' She waved the controller in her hand before pocketing it. 'I made a handy-dandy remote that'll do that one thing from a distance. So, just before we launch, I'll use it, and we'll be golden.'
'Good,' Tien said. 'Don't want anyone following us again… or those two getting back to PTO space.'
'You're sure you're okay with holding them indefinitely, Bulma?' Yamcha asked. 'Considering that, you know, we're not taking them back to Earth just to kill them.'
Bulma smirked. 'Please; Capsule Corp. has money and manpower to spare for situations like these. We could keep those two locked up for ten times their lifetimes. And in any case, It'll be informative and fun to trial-and-error our way to a humane system of keeping them locked up. Finding out how much sleep they need, what they eat, how they process their waste…'
'Doesn't sound very fun for them,' Tien muttered under his breath.
Bulma kept up her light smile. It wilted, however, from her realization that neither Bez or Krillin had yet to say anything. She decided to rectify that. 'You two okay?' she asked of them, her head swinging to and from them.
Krillin, leaning on the shuttle's ramp, looked… oddly positioned, as if his arms and legs weren't his own. Though, of course…
'I'm okay,' Krillin replied, a contemplative expression on his face. 'Not good. Not bad. Just… okay.'
'Same as him,' Bez replied curtly.
'Everything… feel right?' Bulma asked, staring at Krillin.
Krillin closed his eyes and sighed. 'Okay,' he said, standing. 'Guess I should make it clear for everyone right now- this is really weird,' he said, opening his eyes. 'I've twice as tall as I was before. I have body parts- horns!-' Krillin grabbed the black spikes coming out of his head, '-that no human has ever possessed. I'm… purple…' he looked at the ground… 'and… veiny,' he said somewhat disgusted.
'Point is,' he lifted his head, 'it's going to take some time before I get used to this- and, hopefully, we can make sure that I don't get used to this by getting me back into my old… no, not old… my body as soon as possible. Until then... ' Krillin, awkward in his purple body, lowered and resumed the same jilted pose as before. 'I'm going to be a little weird. I hope that's okay with everyone.'
'It is,' Bulma said quickly. 'Just don't hesitate to tell us if you need anything.'
Krillin nodded, and laid his head on his chest.
'As for you,' Bulma said, glancing over to Bez, 'what's got you all weird?'
Bez opened his mouth. 'I-'
'You're coming with us- all the way to Earth?' She phrased it as a request.
'...Yamcha offered me a ride,' Bez said slowly, trying to deflect attention away from himself. 'I figured, if you all have enough space…'
'We do.'
'Well, then-'
'Good!' Bulma exclaimed, striding over to Bez and pumping his fist. 'It's settled. Once we're on Earth, I'll get you settled in West City- it really is the best city the Earth, and has everything a recent alien migrant might need: friendly people, good food, and plenty to do.'
'Oh, you don't-'
'Actually!' Bulma spun, placing a finger on her chin. 'Yeah… I could set you up in the Capsule Corp. housing… we have a lot of vacancies there, and wouldn't be too far… hmm…'
With Bulma turned away, Yamcha tiptoed over. 'Just a heads up; Bulma lives in West City,' he whispered to Bez. 'So… be aware of that.'
Bez stared at Bulma's back. Was he about to lose control of his newly gained PTO-free life?
After Bulma's mind spent itself thinking on that future, her attention latched itself on the scenery. Their immediate area was one wide open plain with the smallest hint of taller land as dark smudges on the horizon. Green lakes and blue growth everywhere...
'It feels like we've been here a while,' she said.
'I'd chalk it up to the ever-present sun,' Tien said, looking towards the sky. 'Probably amps up the disorientation.'
'Comforting for me, actually,' Krillin commented from the back. 'The conditions here are a lot like those in Otherworld. No nights there; it's always bright out.'
Everyone shot a weird look at him. 'Otherworld?' Yamcha questioned.
Krillin rolled his head. 'I'll tell you another time.'
'Hey!'
Everyone looked to the right. Several strides away, Piccolo faced them and had his hands cupped around his mouth. 'I sensed them; the Namekians. They're coming.'
0o0o0
'King Kai was very clear earlier- once gone, you six will be the only people in the galaxy who know where Namek is. In this, you have been forced to carry a great burden.'
Krillin, Bez, Bulma, Yamcha, Tien, and Piccolo, clumped together in front of the shuttle, listened intently to every word. Moori, flanked by Nail and Dende to his right and Tsuno to his left, stood forward and apart of the other Namekians. They had exchanged parting pleasantries- but now it seemed that Moori was approaching something much more consequential.
'This burden is one we acknowledge,' he continued. 'It will not be easy to keep a secret from an entire galaxy. Our world has remained uncharted and unknown for centuries, and we have worked hard to maintain this.'
'And we'll do the same,' Yamcha said, hardening his face to convey his sincerity. 'We brought harm onto your planet and people. Guarding this secret is the least we can do.'
Moori stared at him. He stared at all of them like he was a million miles away. 'It may not come to that,' he said, his face drooping.
Bulma's eyes narrowed. 'What do you mean?'
'...' Moori glanced at Tsuno, turned to the other Namekians behind him. 'It is best,' he said, turning back to them, 'if I let them speak for themselves.'
No one of those bound for Earth understood what he meant until the great mass of Namekians behind Moori started lurching forward, and Tsuno stepped into his place. 'We have discussed recent events,' the Namekian elder addressed them. 'Every person here,' he swept his arm to the crowd behind him, 'has lost someone. And we cannot ignore the fact that this happened because you led the PTO to our planet.'
It was painful to hear- but it was true. Yamcha, Tien, and Bulma had known this, first implicitly, then explicitly, since their arrival. Otherwise, they wouldn't have volunteered as vigorously to defend Namek once the PTO began their invasion.
Bulma especially knew of this risk when she piloted the shuttle to Namek. She had agonized over making that decision knowing full well that the PTO could have been right behind them. But there was no other way. She made eye contact with Moori and looked away. Even now, I still think that. So was the bloodshed necessary?'
'Can't you undo the death of your kin with your dragonballs?' Bulma asked while looking at the ground to her right.
'Yes… that is possible,' Nail said. 'With time, our dragonballs will revive our fallen brethren and restore the peace we lived out before the invasion. But that does not discount the fact that they died terrified, in pain, and alone. Even if someone was to be immediately revived after that… harm has been done.'
An arm wrapped around Bulma. 'He's right,' Yamcha said, letting her lean into him.
Tien surveyed the crowd. Gloom. 'We've leaving behind a very mixed legacy, aren't we?'
'We will always be thankful for saving what was left of us…' Tsuno stared at Tien, Yamcha, Bulma, and Bez, 'but we also cannot ignore that your arrival necessitated saving us in the first place.'
'Understandable,' Tien said, frowning.
'Lesser people would have left after getting what they wanted,' Dende spoke up. Some Namekians behind him nodded with his sentiment. 'It matters that you chose to stay and fight.'
A rounder, stouter Namekian stepped forward. 'A lot of people from my village didn't make it… I had to run.'
'I saw one of you fight before,' a dirty-looking farmer said from his side. 'It was amazing to see such willingness to help others.'
'This was a terrible time…'
'Our debt to you can never be repaid…'
'We've suffered… but, hopefully, we can grow from this…'
It was dizzying for Tien and the others to keep up with the stream of different people and voices. Moori, noting this, stepped back in between the Namekians and them. This silenced them.
'A mixed legacy indeed,' Moori said. 'So; I had an idea a few hours ago. Although I was admittedly angry with King Kai for deceiving me and changing the order of the wishes, once I put that aside, I realized that his actions presented a new opportunity.'
Something crossed Piccolo's face. He let his arms fall to his sides. Of course...
'I made one final request of King Kai.' Moori lifted his gaze to the shuttle. 'I asked him to delay Shenron's last wish from taking effect until the six of you had left Namek.'
Moori deliberately paused upon telling them this. He watched- not with glee, or sadness, or even curiosity; he simply watched- this fact, and all its implications, work its way into their heads.
'Oh,' Bulma said. Around her, the others were arriving at the same conclusion she had. 'That's… what you want?'
'Yes,' Moori answered, nodding. 'If, after leaving, you do not know where in the galaxy Namek is, you would be under no obligation to guard our secret, and we would not have to put our faith in people who have… hurt us in the past.'
'You must understand who we are,' Tsuno, from Moori's side, said. 'We are not travelers; we do not seek out new places and people. We only wish to live within our means, in peace, and cultivate what this planet offers. Connections to the outside galaxy, no matter what quality or type…' his vision flitted briefly to Piccolo, 'they threaten our way of life.'
'I hope this does not come to you as a shock,' Moori added. 'I did not intend it to be if it did, and I apologize for springing this on you.'
Bulma took stock of her companions. Everyone- even Krillin and Piccolo- appeared caught off-guard by this. 'I don't think any of us were prepared to say a final goodbye,' Bulma said, turning back to Moori. 'After all this…'
'After all this, it is the only fitting thing to do,' Moori stressed. 'My people and I simply want to protect ourselves from harm. Being connected to an outside galaxy in any way- with its malevolence, greed, and evil- defeats that mission.'
Tien worked through something in his head. 'Does that mean,' he said slowly, 'that if there comes a day when the wider galaxy contains none of those things, and we can visit you without risking your safety… we would be free to do so? When no armies are running rampant?'
'Do you mean to say if the PTO is gone from the galaxy?' Moori asked, astonished. 'If you can do such a thing… you will be free to go to many planets, I assume, without running the risk of endangering others. If what King Kai says is true, you would be… galactic liberators.'
'Hmm.' Tien wriggled his nose. 'A thought.'
'One thing at a time,' Yamcha said, clapping a hand on Tien's shoulder. 'Let's focus on getting back to Earth first.'
'Krillin? Bez?' Bulma turned and glanced at them.
'I understand why they would want to do this,' Bez said. He opened his mouth to say more but did not.
'It's their decision, at the end of the day,' Krillin said resignedly. 'Their wish, if I understand the deal you struck with them. This wish has the power to safeguard their planet from virtually any outside threat.' Krillin scratched at his nose- something he had never done much of in his previous body. 'To be honest, we should consider doing the same thing for Earth.'
'You all understand?' Moori asked, his voice rising above them.
'I think we do,' Bulma replied, stepping forward. 'So, before we go-' she dropped to one knee. Following her lead, Tien, Yamcha, Bez, Krillin did the same. Piccolo, disdainful of prostrating himself, dipped his head instead. They had discussed this beforehand and were unified in their sentiment to honor the Namekians. 'Thank you for receiving us, helping us, and abiding us,' Bulma said on their behalf. 'We owe you more than what can be expressed in words.'
Moori, blankly, appraised their collective gesture. 'The galaxy has a sense of irony,' he said, chuckling.
Bulma lifted her head. The Namekians were moving closer to Moori 'What?...'
In one coordinated fashion, Moori and every one of his kin dropped to their knees and knelt, closed their eyes, pressed their hands together, and extended their arms towards them. Their grand gesture made theirs look pithy in comparison.
'We will remember your heroism until our time in the galaxy draws to a close,' Moori spoke into the dirt. 'That is a promise.'
0o0o0
Once allowed to, Shenron moved quickly- only a few hours after the battle had been won did the dragon find a suitable place in the galaxy to move Namek. A haze filled the sky, blurred it into cloudy streaks, and out from the ambiguity a new expanse opened up. Gone were the three suns- two binary, one lone- which kept the flame of day always burning in Namek's skies. In their place four blue-yellow stars, smaller and less luminescent, raced against each other. in a never-ending competition.
Krillin, riding in the shuttle's side room which had the only window facing Namek, would have had the perfect seat to watch the initial changes take place as the ship pulled away from the planet. His horns did, however, make it impossible for him to press his face to the glass. He had to be told by Bulma via intercom that Namek had disappeared.
So, not perfect. He might try to grind his horns into nubs once he got back to Earth.
'... is this Krillin?'
'You're giving me this, too?' Krillin bemoaned. 'Come on…'
'Sorry,' King Kai clipped. 'But it is hard to identify a soul when it's been moved into another freaking body… jeez, what kind of day did you have?'
'An okay one. Aren't you supposed to be omniscient? How'd you lose track of my soul?'
'I didn't lose track of your soul, per se. More like your spiritual signature is different now, and I had to spend some time manually looking for you.'
'You mean that my spirit- my soul?- is different now that I'm in a different body?'
'Slightly, yes.'
'Well, that's great,' Krillin said, pouting out the window. 'That's real great.'
'It doesn't sound like you're having an okay day.'
'You're quickly making it a bad one.'
'Ah. Okay... ' Krillin heard some scratching. 'I guess I should get to the reason for why I'm calling you. First off- congratulations on winning.'
'Thanks, I guess?'
'It was pretty close. You had me worried there for a bit…'
'Yeah- you and me both.'
'You got the low-down from the Namekians, right?'
'Yep. Pieced a few things together from conversation. When we get back to Earth I'm going to ask Bulma, Tien, and Yamcha a few questions about their time under the PTO.'
'Mhmm… Well, as for the second thing: this is the last time I'm going to be contacting you.'
Krillin sat up. 'What?'
'I don't think this ever came up in your training... but there's a policy of no communication with the lower realms among the Kais. I've met and trained you, of course, and nothing in the rules could cover all the loopholes something as crazy powerful as dragonballs opens up. But I'm still going to try and abide by that policy. Just know that it's not personal; it's principle. I would try to follow it for any person that trained under me and was revived, for the record.
'Yeah?'
'Yeah. And I like you a lot, Krillin. You're a good person. I'm going to miss talking to you.'
'Oh.' Krillin hadn't expected that. 'That's… that's very kind of you-'
'Of course, I'm not going to miss your annoyingly dog-like enthusiasm for training.'
Krillin half-frowned, half-smiled. 'Of course.'
'Otherwise...'
'What?'
'I think I've run out of things to say. I thought I'd have more time to think of something before we got to goodbyes.'
Well... it's not really a goodbye, right?' Krillin pointed out. 'I could die again and come to you for more training whenever I wanted, right?'
'True. Once admitted, you're always welcomed back.'
'Would be nice, too, because I spent so much time on the Kaioken that I didn't even touch your other techniques.'
'What? You mean the Spirit Bomb?'
'Yep. That's the one.'
'You're smart, Krillin. I saw your attack earlier- the energy construct shaped into a disk. You'll figure it out.'
'You saw that?'
King Kai picked up a distinct sense of... rawness. 'Something the matter, Krillin?'
Krillin, alone in his room, hung his head. 'I… I feel bad about what I did. I couldn't control my energy today. I killed someone when I meant to knock them out, and maimed another person when I meant to kill them. I shouldn't have struggled as much- I shouldn't have made those mistakes.'
'Sometimes you rate your battles by the mistakes you didn't make,' King Kai mused. 'Do you have any idea how many times you could have screwed up in your fights today?'
'Are you about to pull your omniscient card, King Kai?'
'Many times, Krillin, you could have lost. And, in the end, you won. With what I know… the mistakes you made were the best ones you could have made.'
'And what about when I nearly defeated myself right before Ginyu took my body?'
'And yet, if your body hadn't been as beat up as it was…'
Krillin had instinctively leaned forward to hear the end of King Kai's sentence. His horns awkwardly clunked against the window again. 'What?'
'Not important,' King Kai finished. 'I can't force you to enjoy your victory- but you should remember that it was still a victory.'
Krillin leaned back in his seat. '... Okay. I'll try to.' His mind jumped to another topic. 'Is Roshi still with you?'
Shuffling came from King Kai's end. 'He took a flight up and down Snake Way. Want me to throw him on the line when he gets back?'
'No; That's not necessary. Tell him… thank you. For what he said. Even stuck with this body… my life is still moving along. I won't lose sight of what I need to do.' Krillin paused. 'And thank you for teaching me,' he added.
'Thank you for being my student. I'll miss you, kid.'
Krillin nodded, and lifted his gaze to the shuttle's ceiling. 'See you around, King Kai.'
0o0o0
King Kai blinked and looked over his shoulder. 'You got all that?'
Roshi lifted his hand from King Kai's back. 'Every word. Thanks for letting me listen in, King Kai.'
'I still don't get why you didn't want to talk to him.'
Roshi shrugged. 'We had a good goodbye. I didn't want to add anything to lessen that.'
King Kai threw a look at him. 'You were too proud of him, right? So much that you wouldn't be able to talk with a steady voice?'
Half of Roshi's mouth grinned. 'Maybe. And I always grew to love my students the most when I was able to watch them when they didn't think I was around. Those moments confirmed to me the goodness of who I taught.' His gaze lifted to the sky. 'This was definitely one of those times.'
King Kai nodded and walked over to his lawn chair. 'Well- this was a day,' he said, plopping down. 'Not often do you see battles like that happen.' King Kai straightened his shades. 'On a related topic- you can finally tell me about your little excursion into hell.'
Roshi cracked his back. 'Sure-'
'Actually,' King Kai held up a hand, 'hold on.' The Kai pushed himself out of his chair. 'Let me grab something so I can multitask.'
'...Alright.'
With enviable patience Roshi waited as King Kai strode into his house. Every sound under the pink Otherworld skies rung out until the Kai walked out with a watering can. 'Sorry about that,' he said, walking around and sizing up the small garden behind his house. 'You may start.'
Roshi tiptoed to his left to track King Kai's movement to his backyard. 'Since when did you have a garden?'
'Since you left for Hell,' King Kai answered, watering his first plant. 'I was able to plant all this while training Krillin.'
'Okay… anyway; I found the most probable guy who had could have caused what happened, and beat him. He should be spiritual dust in Hell by now.'
'You know for sure he was affecting Piccolo?'
'He was a Namekian, and admitted as much to doing it. Wouldn't tell me why or for what reason, though. Won't be able to get any more information from him now, either.'
King Kai's back hunched. 'Because he's spiritual dust? Because you beat him?'
'Barely. He was strong,' Roshi said, a concerned look crossing his face. 'Stronger than I thought any one person could get. I had to push the Kaioken to its absolute limits to defeat him.'
'There are people like that across all space and time,' King Kai said as he moved to another plant and watered it. 'Those that are so strong that they break the reality people live in. It's only natural for someone who's climbed the tallest mountain around to think they climbed the tallest mountain in the world. But what they don't know is that the world is a very big place and is full of mountains just like the one they just climbed, some taller and others taller than those- the analogy gets lost in itself a bit, but you get it, right?' King Kai, asked, looking back and tilting his head.
'I think you gave up on it a bit too early,' Roshi said, a shadow of a grin on his face, 'but I get it. People conceive a limit, break it, and think they've achieved all there is to achieve until someone stronger, bigger, faster, or smarter walks on through. And, just like that, the limit and the goal it represents is back.'
King Kai nodded approvingly and looked back towards his plants. 'You sound more like an old master every day.'
'Sound like one? I was one.'
'And were you one when you came here?'
Roshi chuckled. 'No, I suppose not. You remember the day I came here- I fell flat on my face, same as Krillin and Piccolo, except that I didn't have a rival to help me get up. No motivation, except learning from an esoteric and otherworldly master on a tiny planet.'
'It's truly a wonder you learned anything at all.'
'I had five years.' Suddenly, Roshi's eyes widened. 'Five years…'
'Regardless,' King Kai said, straightening and surveying his garden at large, 'it's good that this business is wrapped up. At the very least, you saved me a lot of trouble- now I won't have to convene a council of the Kais to discuss how someone in Hell was able to push their energy through the barrier into this realm. You know how much I hate meeting with those jackals.'
'Yes…'
The single tree of King Kai's planet, tall and leafy, swayed in the wind to their left. Roshi watched this unending motion. 'King Kai,' he said, 'I've been doing some thinking.'
King Kai turned away from his garden. From beneath his shades, his eyes studied Roshi. 'I've heard that tone of voice before,' he said. 'From every student of mine, at some point. For every teacher, there comes a day where a student of theirs has learned all that they could learn from their codgity old master, and decides to depart.' He set down his watering can. 'Is today that day?'
Roshi looked hurt. 'It is isn't that,' he said quietly. 'You are, and have been for these past five years, the most talented teacher I had ever had the honor to learn under.'
'But?'
'I need to learn more,' Roshi stated. 'From other teachers and other places. If I'm ever going to beat enemies that, in your words, "break people's realities". That person down there… he broke my reality, King Kai. I had thought I was pretty much at the end of my natural potential- that's why I put so much effort into the Kaioken; I didn't think training my base strength could get any stronger. But that person was so incredibly strong… and that was only their suppressed power. I can't even imagine how powerful they must have been when they were alive. And, that…' Roshi took a breath. 'I can't accept that this is my limit. Not when there are people as evil as him walking around. I want to reach the absolute peak of my power.' Roshi reached for his shades in his breast pocket- and remembered where they were. Lying at the bottom of a battlefield in hell. Damn. 'I… want to get as strong as possible,' he said, refocusing. 'And I want to try every possible method and technique to get there.'
King Kai's face was blank, masking his thinking. 'Hmm,' he muttered. 'I can't comment on the potential of mortals.' He set down his watering can and walking over. 'But I have said before that you, for a mortal, are very strong.'
'That so?'
'And not many mortals, alive or dead, have both a drive to improve and the opportunity to do so.'
'Uh-huh?'
'I think you can do it.'
'Yeah?'
King Kai happily noted the anticipation in Roshi's posture. 'And you have my blessing.'
Roshi gave a warm smile. 'That was what I was waiting to hear.'
'And I made you wait for it,' King Kai said, grinning in return. 'You want to go right now?'
'Yes,' Roshi said, glancing down. 'As soon as my body- woah!' He pinched his shirt- it was in perfect condition again. 'What happened?' He examined his hand. 'I… I'm in perfect health!'
'Otherworld has a way of doing that when you're not paying attention,' King said. 'You regenerate pretty quickly once you're back in friendly territory.'
'Huh.' He patted his breast pocket. 'No shades, though, huh?'
'I can conjure a pair for you, if you want.'
'No,' Roshi said, shaking his head, 'that's alright. They'll probably just get busted in the next fight.'
King Kai shrugged. 'Suit yourself.' He looked towards his left- though he couldn't see it, he knew Snake Way and the path to the other Kais of Otherworld laid that way. 'I won't hold it against you if you decide to train with the other Kais, you know.' King Kai said. 'If they let you train with them, of course.'
Roshi looked at him. 'Really?'
King Kai nodded. 'Really. You might learn something traversing down Dragon or Tiger Way.'
'That's a thing? Dragon Way? Tiger Way?' Roshi scratched his head. 'They're both things?'
'Yes. But you have to promise me before you go: if there's ever some sort of competition or dispute between myself and the other Kais… you'll have my back, okay?'
'Sure, but, uh…' Roshi cocked his head.'...is this situation hypothetical, or?...'
King Kai turned away from him. 'Purely hypothetical,' he said quietly. 'Yes…' He looked over his shoulder at him. 'You better get going.'
'I'll come back soon.'
'Will you?'
'Yes. If only to have someone judge my progress.'
King Kai fully turned back to him. 'Good man. Now get going.'
Roshi, wreathed in his white ki, nodded. 'See ya.'
With that, he blasted into the air. King Kai watched him go from a humanoid shape to a black speck to nothing.
He waited around a minute to make sure he wasn't actually alone- for the first time in five years. For the first thirty seconds, he found it refreshing. For the next twenty seconds after that, it changed to a neutral experience. For the last ten seconds of that minute, he felt incredibly lonely.
When that minute had passed and no one had appeared and no sound but the rustle of the wind passing through the leaves of the planet's single tree had reached his ears, King Kai strode into his house. picked up the handset of his landline telephone, punched a few buttons, and waited.
He heard a click. 'Yeah? Hello?... Hi... I have some news… Yes, he is gone... You can come back now, yes…. what do you mean I have an attitude?' King Kai, twirling in his handset's cable, walked from window to window, closing them. 'I mean- you two didn't have to leave when he came… yeah, yeah... I missed you both, too…'
0o0o0
A clacking sound from behind made Korin turn his head. 'Kami? You're awake?'
Looming over the back of Korin's chair, the Guardian of Earth somehow looked more haggard now than he did before his nap. 'I see no dragonballs,' he said, scanning the Lookout. 'I assume Mr. Popo is-'
'Yes, Kami?' Mr. Popo, hands folded behind him, appeared at Kami's side.
'Hmm.' Kami frowned at Mr. Popo, then at Korin. 'I can now deduce that Mr. Popo is not presently collecting the dragonballs. Care to explain this fact, Korin?'
Korin scrambled out of the chair he had brought up from his own abode and faced Kami. 'I- well- Mr. Popo's already done that, you see?'
Kami's eyes widened. '"I see"? Are you mocking me, Korin?'
'I wouldn't. He's just done, you know.'
'Well- I imagine that you didn't use the dragonballs without waking me up, did you?'
'He indeed did do that,' Mr. Popo spoke up from Kami's side.
Korin shot a frantic glance at Mr. Popo. 'Why did you say that?' he said, alarmed.
Mr. Popo, their characteristic neutral smile plastered to their face, turned to Korin. 'I sensed that Kami wished to know this fact. Thus, I informed him.' A hint of reflection showed in his smile. 'It is nothing personal, Korin. I am not capable of discriminating in such a manner.'
'By person?' Korin asked, exasperated.
'Correct.'
Korin was tearing his fur out by this point. 'Mr. Popo-'
'I would not direct your ire towards Mr. Popo,' Kami said, his voice low. 'I would, instead, direct that ire at yourself.'
Korin turned to Kami- and found himself looking at an avatar of rage. Instinctively, he shrunk back. 'Kami?'
'You have betrayed my trust,' Kami rumbled, his face a mess of deep creases. 'And you used that betrayal to exploit my power- my dragonballs- as the Guardian. Tell me; did you not think I would learn of this?'
'I didn't do anything bad!' Korin said, clutching to his staff for dear life. 'I- well, you took a rest! I didn't want to bother you because I thought you were tired!'
'Tired!?' The air around them thickened and sank to the ground, and wind blasted across the surface of the Lookout. 'I, a Guardian, who is entrusted to watch over the events of Earth in any weather or condition, was tried?' Air crashed into them, throwing their robes fluttering in all directions. 'Preposterous!
As Korin cowered from this storm, Mr. Popo stood on undisturbed and unbothered by the chaos washing over them. They spared the smallest of glances to Kami.
The local tempest died down as quickly as it came. Kami, however, lost none of his former anger. 'It is not in my power to strip you of your rights and responsibilities as the master of your tower,' Kami seethed, his knuckles turning white on his staff. 'That was a right granted to you by a former guardian and is not to be revoked. But as for what is within my power- you are hereby banned from the Lookout.'
Korin's heart plunged through the tiles he stood on. 'What?' he whispered.
'You are banned, 'Kami repeated, smacking his staff down between himself and Korin. 'You have proven yourself unworthy of residing in this sacred place!'
'Kami-' Korin felt something form around him. A shell, or a wall of some sort. 'This- this is insane! So I used some wishes without you being present- but I only did so out of concern for you! You seemed… well, not well!'
The barrier forming around Korin thickened, and when Kami spoke, his words reached him muddled and distorted. 'You should have spared more concern for yourself,' he said. 'Return to your tower.'
Korin made one last leaping motion at the energy hemming him in. Before he reached it, they both vanished into nothing.
With distant disgust, Kami viewed the spot Korin stood on. An odd feeling touched him, but his anger had given him clarity- what he did was the only option available to him. He could not let others abuse his… weakness.
Oooh… Kami pressed a hand to his head. The aches… they're even worse now…
'Shall we retire to the complex to find something to help your ailment, Kami?'
The Guardian opened his eyes and looked at Mr. Popo. His servant was, as always, helpful. 'Yes,' he said, 'I would like that very much.'
'Let us go, then.'
Side-by-side, the two of them strode towards the complex. Mr. Popo, bound, kept his curiosity to themself.
A/N: Heyo, everyone. I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Chalk it up to laziness, general busyness, an effort to nail this chapter just so, an unusually high attrition rate for written scenes, and me updating my other fic, Victor, two weeks ago. Check that out, by the way! I think it's pretty cool!
In other news, I was doing a re-read of some earlier chapters of this fic, and it struck me how this chapter and this arc served as the conclusion to a bunch of events stemming from the aftermath of Volume 1; Krillin is alive again (kinda), the dragonballs have been restored on Earth, and so on. Also did some quick math and found out the word count balance between Volume 1 and what I've written since stands at 297,000 to 250,000. Considering that there's a whole bunch more I have planned for this volume before wrapping it up, I decided that this would be the last chapter of Volume II: A Wider Universe (which, honestly, is great for my logistical flexibility, because my big VOLUME II doc holding everything was getting THICK). Next chapter, say hi to Volume III: Threads of Time!
Considering that we're coming to the end of a Volume, I wanted to share some other stats with y'all:
To date, Strength of Many has over 63,000 cumulative total views across all chapters. That's quite a lot!
The most viewed chapter outside of the first 14 is Chapter 44: Conscription, which, if I'm being honest, I don't understand at all!
The most reviewed chapter is also, amazingly, Chapter 44! I still don't get it!
As of now, I get around 175 to 200 unique visitors for a new chapter over a week's time. If you're one of them- hi! A lot of you don't leave reviews, but you are seen and are appreciated!
And of the facts I've prepared for you today, the one I'm most proud of is this: if you search Strength of Many on Google (as verified by me doing that many times from many different devices and places in the US, at least) this fic is the first result that comes up. That's pretty darn cool. So thank you all for making that a reality (or, maybe, it's just from me googling that term so often, lol). Here's to another awesome Volume!
power levels (at peak power!):
Recoome: 49,000
Piccolo: 55,000
Krillin (Ginyu's body): 25,000 ~ 30,000 and dropping fast from that chest wound
Reviews:
Titanfire999: You know… if this fic gave Krillin his hair back… no. I wouldn't read it, at least.
Rowan Citrian: Kaioken, like any technique, has advantages and drawbacks. As whoever uses it gets more familiar with it, they know how to emphasize its strengths and minimize its weaknesses.
Perfect Carnage: You, I'm afraid, will have to give me much internet gold by the time this is done.
LWexe: Ginyu got a little… body hungry. Got the madness real bad.
Tienfan99: I miss Kakarot too… in some ways. In other ways, he's a hard character to write. Cool to hear you're doing a re-read, though. I'm curious- what arcs, chapters, or characters stuck out as you went through it? Anything you found cooler on reread? Lamer?
Cityracer: Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad Jeice's progression came off that way! He had a really stressful day!- He still never got to pose!
Yep. Moori was doing some shady shit that he does acknowledge in this chapter. Not a lot of time to think things through when you're struggling to accommodate a people's worth of knowledge and you're naturally a guarded and cautious person with risks (of which Piccolo is a big one).
Martial Artists got it good in Otherworld, for sure. Techniques always come down to fatigue in the mortal plane, though…
I'm glad you liked the water scene! I really pushed myself to try and create an environment which would frame a memorable and vivid fight scene for them and showcase their tactical thinking at work. Call it the Bringer of Death approach, lol.
Yeah; if Ginyu was 100% himself, he probably wouldn't have done that. Though he couldn't have been faulted for thinking that throwing his opponent into a mortally wounded body would be enough to make them beatable.
A ? Which fanfiction writers are being paid to write fanfiction?
In all seriousness- yeah, I don't think I would ever set that up. I would have to get myself to a consistent enough schedule with chapters to even begin to justify taking people's money. Considering my inability to write one chapter a week but my unwillingness to update every two weeks… yeah, that's not in the cards right now.
I checked out that vid you recommended and a bunch of other videos from that channel! They were all pretty useful in connecting a bunch of lore-building nuggets I had scattered around in my brain! So thank you for that!
