The flames had died down as Kakarrot stood over Tien body. Tien's nose was broken he was bleeding but he was still breathing.
Kakarrot was unclear in his expression. He didn't look happy or sad by this turn of event. His earlier grinning had given way to an unsure posture. He more looked disgusted like there was a fowl taste in his mouth.
"Well why didn't you kill him?"
Kakarrot spitted "Because I told him I would destroy his world first. I haven't done that yet so therefore I cannot kill him yet." He said annoyed his eyes rolling.
Piccolo not buying this statement for whatever reason "Whatever you say munchkin."
Kakarrot growled at that "You know I could kill you right now. No sweat."
Piccolo looking at him sideways "But would you get the challenge, that you have been dying to get after all these years?"
To that Kakarrot had no real response. He made a sour face and then said practically spiting "You going to make your kamidamn wish or not?"
Piccolo hearing that word looked pissed to both of them this victory just became ash in their mouths and both had the other to blame for that fact.
Kakarrot took they balls had and chucked them at Piccolo. He with a grumble took them and searched the spot for where Roshi had been trying to hide the balls. He found them and they had all seven.
Kakarrot meanwhile looked back at Tien form. He sneered then looked at Launch dead body.
"Well there is the kind and benevolent Kami for you. Kindness gets you nothing in the universe Tien. You are either the strongest or on the side of the strongest. I hope you have fully enjoyed your choice friend. If you had only been on my side."
A wind came by. He said as softly and quietly as he could. "Sorry."
He stopped then continued at a slightly louder voice. "If that means anything to you it would have had more dignity if I had killed her." And with that he left him alone his body fighting for air.
Piccolo with ease found the rest of the dragon balls. They glowed slightly as they were gathered together. Kakarrot watching right behind the tyrant felt a chill come to him. He couldn't exact put his finger on it, but this energy felt wrong strange. It wasn't ki that was for sure.
Piccolo yelled out "Arise Shenron I summon you to grant my wish!"
A with that the sky went blacker. Thunder could be heard, and lightning struck nearby them. The balls glowed as they crackled with unearthly energy.
Piccolo seemed unaffected by it, to him it was nothing. A light shot from the balls and into the sky above. The light as it when seemed to grow and take shape as it began to curve down and around.
The light then took form in a flash. It was a dragon a massive tube-like serpent with red eyes green scales and a cream-colored underside. It was bigger than any animal that Kakarrot had ever seen. Sure, the coral reef was much bigger but that was more like multiple animals put together. The blue whale had nothing on this dragon.
In it deep booming voice Shenron spoke to him "You who have summoned me speak and tell me your wish so that I can return to my slumber. Oh, wait dad is that you?" Shenron looked closely as Piccolo looked positively livid. "Heh? I guess not. Weird. I won't think that somebody else on this planet would have that face. Okay so what's the wish?"
Piccolo calmed it wouldn't matter shortly anyways. "My wish is this. Shenron I wish for you to grant me eternal youth so that I will be back in my old fighting shape."
"Very well." And with that said suddenly the tyrant began to become younger before Kakarrot own eyes.
The leathery dark green skin marred by darker spots and imperfections disappeared. Replaced by a firmer smooth healthier colored green skin. Piccolo even grew taller. Shenron's magic was plain for Kakarrot to see and even he was in awe of it.
Meanwhile, Piccolo busied himself looking at his arms in happy awe at his transformation.
"Your wish is granted. I will take my leave now."
Piccolo looked at the dragon and said with a cruel grin "Sorry but there was one more thing. Die."
Out of his mouth shot out a beam of energy that struck the dragon. Shenron gave out a pained roar as the magical creature was ripped apart by the tyrant's energy. The energy was dispersed and in a terrifying light show it was over. Shenron the 'eternal' dragon was no more, and the sky cleared of clouds.
The dragon balls now turned to stone laying there lifelessly. The crescent moon shown down on the seen as Kakarrot was even taken a bit back.
Kakarrot thought about it. He hadn't seen it coming but it the more time he thought about it the more it made sense. Piccolo wanted no one the ability to just wish him away.
Yes, it was a good move straight out of Machiavelli 'Prince'. While Cheech and company kept making the same errors Piccolo was proving to have a strategic mind. It was going to be a lot of fun killing him.
Kakarrot began to loudly clap to this sight. Piccolo turned around to face him. His hand when to his chest gave a quick bow like he was an actor receiving the adulation of his audience. Which only made Kakarrot clap louder and cheer.
Above the rest of the audience was stunned. Pilaf and company had just seen the dragon of legend die and the evilest thing on the planet just become that much stronger. Pilaf had found himself wishing for the girl on the cloud would just show up and make this horrid nightmare come to an end.
Kakarrot stopped clapping as the two stared each other down.
"Well I did promise you a fight and you're going to get it."
"I've been waiting."
The two took stance as the world around them grew silent. The air grew heavy. Both were anxious for this fight Kakarrot had been waiting for it and Piccolo desired to avenge himself on the boy. The rest of the world could wait time was to decide how the world belonged to.
The two charged one another neither wanting the other to make the first move. It looked like their fist were about to meet between them in a replay of the first fight but instead Piccolo fired beams from his eyes.
Kakarrot dodged the strike by dropping to the ground and then found himself below the tyrant who had jump up. Piccolo went to step on him only stomp on dirt. Kakarrot had dodged that stomp too. Kakarrot got back to his feet smiling this was more like it.
Piccolo charged him and the two fists clashed. They battered one another. Kakarrot fist repeatedly striking Piccolo's stomach and Piccolo's fists using the saiyan teens face a punching bag. Kakarrot was forced back but Piccolo didn't follow.
Kakarrot nose was gushing it had been nearly smashed into his face. Piccolo's punches had hurt a lot more than they had the first time.
"What's wrong tiny? Regretting anything?"
Kakarrot smiled at this "Nay if I wanted it easy, I would have killed you earlier. This is much more fun."
"Losing is fun?"
"No! But kicking in the teeth in on self-absorbed tyrants is."
"Hey kettle meet pot."
Kakarrot nodded his head to this and said, "Fair enough."
Kakarrot charged at Piccolo but as he went to punch him, Piccolo grabbed his fist. Before he could register this Piccolo level a good punch to his gut and then tossed him away. He was tossed into the side of one of the plateaus.
The rock behind him crack as he smacked into it. He coughed up blood as he fell to the ground. His vision became dizzy.
Quickly though he got back to his feet. His mood having changed from confident to frustrated. He spit up some blood then went back on the assault. His blows become weaker and weaker the longer it went on with Piccolo only having to absorb them instead of having to dodge or block them. He was taking them without a scratch before Kakarrot jumped back in retreat.
"Guess you overestimated yourself kid. I'd call that a stupid error."
Electricity crackled around Kakarrot as his eyes grew bloodshot. His muscles grew tighter and veins became more prominent. His hands cup as in a rage as he said the words. Piccolo to this merely grinned. Kakarrot yelled of the "ha' as Piccolo fired a beam from his hand.
The two streams of energy met and a struggled ensued. The light from them lit up the burned and body filled area. Kakarrot's white versus Piccolo's purple.
A tug of war began. To which Kakarrot was slowly but surely being overpowered by Piccolo. Kakarrot wildly pushed what he could into the Kamehameha with reckless abandon. He then suddenly began to overpower the tyrant sending the surge of energy right towards him.
In an earth rocking explosion, the tyrant disappeared. Kakarrot's eyes lit up as he saw the tyrant's body disappear. He was about ready to begin celebrating when he heard a clapping from the dust and ash of the crater that had been created.
The dust cleared to show the tyrant hovering there. His clothing was gone and their appeared to be some wounds on him. But it was nothing close to what should have happened in Kakarrot's mind. After this should be over right now but it wasn't.
"Was that all you got?"
Kakarrot's eyes shrank his lips quivered a bit. His tails grip on his waist relaxed as the appendage grew weak. Bumps showed up on his arm and face, like he was cold. And it was official the Lord Commander was scared.
Piccolo grinned clearly the boy was realizing what he already knew. But at the sight of this latest grin Kakarrot began to foam at the mouth with rage. Yet again another was wielding his power over him.
Whether it was his fellows that had decided he wasn't good enough, yet they were ruled by another or Commander Red and now this tyrant. Everyone always thought they were so much better than him.
Kakarrot aura swirled around him as in a blind rage he jumped from his spot and flew towards Piccolo. Piccolo had to then struggle to hold off the assault from the enraged saiyan teen who only seemed to be getting stronger with every attack.
Kakarrot's punches were now actually starting to hurt him as the tyrant then had to struggle to gain back control of the situation. Piccolo elongated this arm then used it to strike him in the back of the head. Piccolo then as Kakarrot yelped out in pain he went back on the offensive.
Piccolo grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. Kakarrot tried to yell out but the hand on his throat prevent him. He thrashed around violently and mindlessly. He was now an animal trap, no longer and a brutal saiyan warrior, if there was much of a difference between the two.
Holding the teen below him, Piccolo went hurdling towards the ground at max speed. Holding his throat in his hand as he slammed the teen into the Earth. He let go as the teen in his newly build crater merely twitched like a bug that had been crushed might do.
Kakarrot gasped for air as Piccolo chuckled asking "Having fun?"
Kakarrot said breathlessly between his gasps for air "Go fuck yourself."
Piccolo angrily said "You don't know when to shut up. Do you boy?"
Kakarrot again breathlessly "Never mastered it."
Piccolo grabbed him by the leg then tossed him at another rocky part of the crater. Kakarrot hit it with an unhealthy squishing noise then a scraping noise. His suit with its shields had kept his torso safe but everywhere else their seemed to be wounded gushing blood. His skull was more than likely cracked but despite all of this he was getting to his feet.
Piccolo looked impressed seeing the teen getting back to his feet. He had assumed that this was all over, but it appeared to not be.
Piccolo grinning asked "Why are you bothering to get back up? This is over."
Kakarrot bleeding from his mouth and coughing spit up "I'm a saiyan and a Gero."
"And let that be your epitaph."
"Bitch mine's going to be, I came. I saw. I conquered and it will be in about a hundred years from now."
"Evidence seems to says otherwise child."
Piccolo charged Kakarrot who tried to defend himself but was too slow. Piccolo grabbed him by the hair and then sort of punted him away with his foot. In midair Piccolo continued his assault treating the boy almost a ball in a game.
Smacking him up and down, forwards and backwards. But Kakarrot mustering what he could, he fired a dodon beam at the tyrant slicing his cheek. The tyrant gave out a pained grunt but followed it up by punching Kakarrot as hard as he could into the ground. He then kicked him into a wall of one of the plateaus.
After this the teen stopped moving. He had hit with a large thud and when he landed, he was limp.
Piccolo had expected him to get back to his feet but instead Kakarrot reminded lifeless. Cautiously Piccolo came to the body and felt for his pulse. There was no pulse. Kakarrot was dead. The slamming on the plateau must have either cut up his brain or stopped his heart. Due to the shock, but either way it was over and Kakarrot was dead.
Piccolo triumphantly raised his hand to the air and exclaimed in his booming voice "I've done it the world is mine!"
Piano above was dancing in joy soon joined by Pilaf gang anxious to show their support despite then full knowledge that this was a monster's victory.
Piccolo looked at the teen and said "In another life child I think we could have been partners. You were stronger but luck for me I was the stronger. So, I get to walk away. Enjoy this. I hope it was all that you wanted it to be."
Happily, Piccolo began to float away leaving the dead Kakarrot alone and in the dark. Airborne Piccolo flicked his wrist and his clothing appeared along with his red cape as he came to the deck of his airship. There he was greeted by the four Piano out of genuine love the other three out of fear.
"Congratulations father. We had done it. Now let he help you with those wounds."
"Go right ahead."
Piano when to work healing his father as Pilaf chimed in.
"My congratulation also King Piccolo. And may I ask what our next move will be?"
"Simple you see tiny. I take the rest of the world."
"What?"
"You told me this planet has a King, right?"
"Yes?"
"Well its time I 'succeed' him you see."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"There's no one left on this planet that can stop me now. Tomorrow the world as these filthy human's knew it comes to an end. To be replace by another world. A world in utter perpetually darkness."
In his apartment Bill got himself ready. He put on his bullet proof vest as he stared at picture of his Fiancé. He put on a knife holster on his ankle. And a gun holster around his chest. Quickly filling them with the appropriate weapons.
His mind was for some reason brought back to his youth. He remembered watching a cowboy show and a cartoon about a military special fighting a group of terrorists. He loved watching them with his father. Not that they really interested him.
It all seemed very childish to him now. He was about to go to try to stop the devil with a knife and a revolver. He felt the need to remind himself that the white hat doesn't always win, and the bad guys don't all have shrill voice commanding a retreat. How many had he seen Duke waving the flag above the statue of Liberty?
The answer was he hadn't because Piccolo had destroyed the statue of liberty. It might have been dumb luck that saved mankind the first time. Bill knew he was beyond out gunned in this fight. And that his had a pop gun was about to go up against a nuke. But maybe the right shot would do it or maybe he could help some other way.
Running wasn't an option. Not that it would do any good anyways. Last time he covered the world in death and destruction. He'd do it again. All life would after this would be a feudal struggle to stay alive for just one more day.
He wanted no part of that. He kissed the photo and said to it "I'm sorry. I can't see myself making my way out of this alive. Find someone else and be happy."
He finished putting on his clothing designed to hide his weapons. Even going with a trench coat in the middle of summer. It would be mourning soon.
Suno had spent the night sleeping peacefully after the long plane ride when she was woken up by Eight.
The young red head had been woken up by the cyborg saying "Come on Suno we got to be a there ceremony early. So, you can present the flower to him."
She groaned as she woken to see the sun wasn't even out yet.
"Sorry but it needs to be done."
She nodded her head and went about getting on her niceties. As Eight stared out on to the skyline view of the Palace.
"I have a great feeling about today." Said as he turned from his view of where the world was unified.
In a field the dead body of Kakarrot laid motionless when a beeping noise chimed in. A robotic male voice sounding like Gero said "Automatic medical treatment system activated. Heart stopped. Activating revival system."
Kakarrot body tense and jerked as a shock came through it. "Deliver second countermeasure." He twitched again. "Delivering the third." The third was delivered and in seconds his eyes opened, and his breathing resumed. He looked confused as the suit piped in. "Congratulation son you are alive."
