28: Basil The Super Saiyan!

Gohan swung his leg to the left, nailing Basil in the shoulder. She winced, biting down on her bottom lip. Jumping to the left, she quickly used her momentum to tackle Gohan, sending the two crashing into the pure white ground. It cracked, large zig-zags of broken concrete spreading in several directions. The two were a storm of intense kicks and powerful punches, as if nothing else around them mattered. Basil was determined to keep up with her mentor, but as they tumbled over each other, she felt he was far ahead of her. Like an item she wished to attain, but it was on a high shelf she couldn't reach. His quick movements and planned out attacks far surpassed her own half-thought-out punches.

Gohan rolled out of the way as Basil punched the ground, creating a crater the size of a basketball. He got to his feet, landing a hard punch to the side of her head. She flew backwards, landing onto the ground hard on her back. She felt the air leave her lungs and lay there, gasping. Sweat dripped down her forehead, giving her skin a glistening appearance. Her chest heaved, and her tail lay limp on the ground.

Gohan approached her, wiping an arm across his forehead. "I forgot what it was like to fight in here." He held out his hand, and Basil took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "You're doing good, but you're not thinking about your attacks."

"I'm trying!" Basil panted, rubbing the spot where Gohan had punched her. "It's hard."

"Yeah, fighting is hard. It's all about practice." Gohan said. "When my father and I fought in here, I thought it was hard. But I kept going. That's what you have to do, Basil. If you want to be ready to fight Turles and Frieza, you need training. You need to be strong mentally and physically."

Basil slumped, closing her eyes. This place makes me feel heavy. Moving is hard, and breathing is even harder. Gohan has been in here before, so he had extra practice, but not me. This is too hard. But I can't give up. I wanna fight for Goku and Vegeta and Pan and Gohan and Krillin and Piccolo. My friends. Turles and Frieza are meanies. I hate them. If I had known I'd need to learn how to fight to help save my new best friends, I'd have trained myself back on Planet Vegeta.

Gohan placed a hand on the top of her head, bending down to look her in the eyes. "Hey, you're doing great so far. You really are. But we need to keep going."

Basil nodded, straightening. Letting out a deep breath, she ripped the over-shirt of her Gi off, letting it fall to the floor. White spirals of electricity swirled around her feet, shooting up her legs and coating her flat stomach. An aura of white flashed around her like a force field that Gohan couldn't break. She charged forward, ducking low when he threw a wide swing, flipping around to kick him under his chin. He stumbled back, leaving him open for Basil to fire a large Ki blast at him. It hit his chest and sent him flying backwards, his arms pinwheeling to catch himself. He landed on his feet, a grin on his face.

There she is, He thought with a slight laugh that hurt his stomach. All she needed was a push.

Basil flew to him, making sure she didn't give him an opening, and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him up until their faces were inches stared at each other, both panting heavily as if they had run a marathon. Gohan saw in Basil's eyes a true determination that was fueled by impatience and eagerness. Her desire to be like Goku and Vegeta was like the coal underneath a roaring inferno. Her face portrayed nothing but the will to fight and keep up. He admired her. She had much to learn, but she was in it for the long haul.

Her tail was unfurled, flicking back and forth in anticipation. She didn't hit him, she just stared at him. As if she were trying to read his mind. He didn't move, reading her face for any signs of confusion. Is she nervous? Why isn't she hitting me? Is she thinking about something?

As if in answer to his mental questions, Basil let go, taking several steps back. She was breathing heavily, a hand placed gently on her chest. For a second, Gohan thought she was hyperventilating and started to panic. "Basil, are you okay?"

"I...I just realized something..." She said in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.

"What?" Gohan asked, taking a small step towards him.

"There...there are no other female Saiyans." She said, looking deep into Gohan's eyes. "That's why Turles wants me, right? Because I'm the only one."

Gohan opened his mouth to answer, but found he had nothing to say. She was right. Turles wanted to rebuild the Saiyan race, and she was the key to that. He couldn't imagine how she felt, being the target of so many villains. She was so new to everything, so all the weight was being pressed onto her too fast for her to process it all. He felt bad for her, but didn't know what to say.

She stared at the ground, her chest barely rising. "This whole thing...is my fault. Vegeta was right. They should have left me back on-"

Gohan grabbed her by her shoulders, shaking her gently. "No, it's not your fault. You have nothing to do with Turles's intentions. You understand? Nothing."

"But...if Goku and Vegeta hadn't rescued me, Bulla wouldn't have been taken by Frieza." Basil said with a sniffle.

"Frieza does whatever he wants, Basil. He's cold-blooded." Gohan wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her forward until her head rested against his chest. "We'll kick their asses, okay?"

Basil laughed, then winced when a shooting pain erupted in her stomach. "Yeah. And then we gotta get some food, 'cause I'm starving."

Gohan chuckled. "Yeah, me too."

...

Goku paced back and forth in front of Mr. Popo and the entrance to the Time Chamber, tapping his chin. "Okay, so their year should almost be up by now, right?"

"For the hundredth time, yes." Mr. Popo said with a heavy sigh. "They have just one more hour."

"I'm gonna kill your son." Vegeta grumbled. "He's wasting our time."

"True, but Basil did need some training, so he's helping us out, too." Krillin said.

Goku plopped down on the small steps leading to the Time Chamber, resting his chin in his hands. Gohan better know what he's doing. He hasn't been in the Hyberbolic Time Chamber in years. But I will admit, he's a pretty good fighter. It's good that he decided to teach her, but what if it isn't enough? What if Basil doesn't go Super Saiyan?

Dende patted Goku on the head, giving him a tight smile. "Do not worry, Goku. I have a strong feeling that Gohan's training for Basil will aid you greatly."

"I'm worried," Goku said, fidgeting with his fingers. "Basil needs to get stronger, and she needs to get stronger now. Gohan is a great fighter, but what if he's not the best teacher?"

Dende frowned, his dark eyes evoking patience and concern. "You've fought beside Gohan for many years, Goku. So you tell me, do you think Gohan has the ability to share what he has learned from both you and Piccolo and everybody else with Basil?"

Goku thought for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess so, but-"

"Then that already makes him a teacher." Dende smiled. "Gohan is smart and wise. He's the perfect candidate to show Basil the ropes of combat."

"But Turles is way stronger than us," Yamcha chimed in. "When we fought him before, Goku nearly died. What if that happens again?"

Goku let his mind fall back to his fight with Turles. With the Tree of Might, and the Crusher Corps in all their infamous glory. With Gohan nearly dying, the Earth nearly dying, the Z Fighters nearly losing their intense battle with the unrelenting foes. It was the first time he had seen the evil Saiyan, and he had hoped it was his last. That fact that Turles was even still alive confused Goku. He could have sworn he had killed him, but yet here he was, with the same smirk of overconfidence. Goku hadn't been sure he'd be able to beat him on their first meeting, and that same uncertainty flared in his chest. He felt fear for Basil, and also a tinge of regret.

We brought her here only to force her into combat training, and now she's gonna have to fight real bad guys who will punch to kill, not teach. She hasn't had any time to actually enjoy all the cool things Earth has to offer. She's been rushed around to so many different places that she hasn't been able to actually sit and rest. I feel terrible.

Piccolo stood with his arms crossed, a stern expression on his otherwise unreadable face. Dammit, Gohan! Rushing her into the Hyberbolic Time Chamber? She doesn't have the physical strength to withstand the amount of pressure the Chamber brings! You can't possibly teach her all she needs to know in such a short amount of time.

Then it hit him. The sudden realization of what Gohan was trying to do. He understood now, and a small smile spread on his face. Now I get it. She's been whining about going Super Saiyan since she got here, and the Hyberbolic Time Chamber was the first place you went Super Saiyan, under your fathers instructions. You're doing what your father did for you. I must admit, Gohan, you never cease to amaze me.

Mr. Popo cleared his throat, seeking their attention. "They should be out in a few moments. Let's keep the yelling to a minimum, shall we?"

"About damn time." Vegeta growled, a scowl on his face.

"I don't blame Gohan for wanting to get some quick training in for her," Tien said. "I mean, if you think about it, the more training she gets before the big confrontation, the better."

"But quick training never helped anybody." Krillin said pointedly. "Training needs to be thought out and planned ahead of time."

"Who knows how long Gohan was planning this." Yamcha said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Suddenly, the brown doors opened wide, gaining the attention of everyone on the Lookout. Goku jumped from his seat on the steps whirling around to see Gohan emerge, his shirt and pants ripped in several places. Scuff marks and scratched littered his face and arms, and bruises danced along his slightly exposed chest. But despite all these injuries, he wore a bright smile as if he had just won the lottery.

"Damn, what did she do to you?" Yamcha asked, eyes wide. "You look terrible!"

"Everyone," Gohan said, raising his voice so everyone could hear him. "I give you...Basil the Super Saiyan!"

After the hearty introduction, the once childish bundle of energy emerged from the Time Chamber. A long, golden tail was raised triumphantly, accompanied by flowing golden hair that had broken free of its braids and now lay in wild, spiked waves reaching all the way to her heels, and seemed to blow in her own wind. Her eyes were a bright green that flashed with pure, raw energy. She somehow looked older and more mature. Well-defined muscles decorated her stomach, arms, chest, and through the rips in her Gi bottoms. Much like Gohan, she had bruises and scratches on her body, but she walked like it meant nothing. Electricity swirled around her, touching every inch of her body as if it needed to. Her eyes cast over each of the Z Warriors as if she were a queen deciding which one to have executed. Her hair billowed behind her like a great golden cape donned on a victorious combatant.

Goku stared at her with wide eyes, finding himself at a loss for words. The only readable expression on his face was pure shock. Holy crap! Gohan did it!

Piccolo was the first to speak, and even he couldn't hide his surprise. "Congratulations, Basil. You are now a Super Saiyan."

"YAY!" Basil leapt into the air, twirling around like a kid in a sugar rush.

"Her silence didn't last long," Vegeta muttered, but he was just as surprised as everyone else. "How the hell did you do it, Gohan?"

"I did the same thing my dad taught me." Gohan said with a modest smile. "That's all."

"Great!" Goku threw his arms around both Basil and Gohan, giving them a tight hug. "Turles won't stand a chance against us now!"

"Look, Goku! My hair is yellow, just like yours was back on Planet Vegeta!" Basil cried happily, gripping handfuls of her hair and shoving it in Goku's face. "I feel so powerful and awesome! Piccolo, look!" She darted towards the Namekian, giving him a good eyeful of her flowing hair that was longer than Raditz's.

Piccolo chuckled. "Yes, I see. But the Super Saiyan form is not just a toy. You must use it only when you have to."

"I understand. Gohan told me aaaaaaalllllll about the rules of being a Super Saiyan." Basil said with a nod. "He also gave me a bath."

Yamcha and Krillin whipped their heads around and stared at Gohan in shock.

"What?" Gohan said, holding up his hands defensively. "She was dirty, I didn't do anything bad!"

Basil giggled. "The soap was fun to play with. I'd never had a bath before, so it was weird. Do all humans clean themselves that way?"

"Yes," Vegeta huffed. "Now we need to get going, or we'll never find Turles."

"Oh! Right! Turles!" Basil said, then took Piccolo by the hand, holding tightly. "Let's go, come on!"

Goku smiled. "Are you sure you're ready, Basil?"

Basil nodded firmly, puffing out her chest. "You bet."