Chapter 4: Served Cold
Greetings #Dragonball fans and welcome to Part 4 of What If: Kami had Kids, where the Guardian of Earth takes a page from his ex-evil half's play book and starts his own colony of Namekians.
#DragonballZ #WhatIf #Kami #Piccolo #ScratchyAudio
Previously, Kami hatched a few eggs and the Warrior Clan duo Fujin and Raijin were born. When he had recovered from that life shortening exertion, their Dragon Clan-mates, Suijin and Ryujin were created as well.
The pair of rapidly maturing Piccolo lookalikes initially shocked the nascent Z-fighters at Kame house, before being shocked themselves by the arrival of Raditz. Lacking some of the more potent techniques of Goku and Piccolo, they were not able to save their father's previous protege but they were able to take his son's training away from their brooding sibling from another source. And things were slightly better for it.
Gohan was given access to not just them, but Kami, the lookout and the other Z-Fighters, who had their own vaguely unique skills that the boy soaked up like a sponge. The Z-fighters also benefited with these additional training partners, the reluctant Piccolo included, with Chiaotzu being the only casualty to Vegeta and Nappa.
Once on Namek, the Trio de Vert, along with Krillin and the stow-away Gohan met Moori and his village then made their way to Guru, who was tickled pink, or a brighter shade of green to see the descendants of Katas doing so well for themselves, despite the circumstances of their reunion. Even Piccolo had somehow overcome his worryingly evil nature. Being surrounded by Fujin and Raijin, little Suijin and Ryujin and of course Gohan, had done him a world of good. Guru sealed the deal with the gift of 13 Namekian centuries of memories. A pot sweetened with the promise of knowledge and techniques along with the minutiae of daily life were handed to Piccolo on a silver platter.
Unfortunately, their attempt to wish Frieza away from Namek didn't work and with Kami not on hand or willing to risk Earth's Dragon Balls, Piccolo could not become the ultimate, super Namekian. However, after a brief bout of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Fujin and Raijin, with the guidance of their other brother, underwent the fusion instead and both having had their potentials unlocked, proved too much for Frieza, despite him managing to achieve his second form. Honestly, they could probably have tanked the initial stages of his Final Form, but the usual cockiness that accompanies such a power-up was missing. Raijin had effectively just lost his brother, his best friend in all the universe. He was not in the mood to play.
When all was said and done, they tried to get Porunga to separate them but in order to maintain existing lore, where Namekian fusion is, for reasons, forbidden, this iteration of Porunga cannot defuse them. Presumably Moori will solve that issue by the time Kibito Kai is a thing, post Majin Buu.
Porunga was not completely useless however. Aside from restoring Chiaotzu's body and then reviving him, when asked by Gohan about fission, he had several suggestions. Multiform, which it's worth noting, would result in 2 people at a higher overall potential than the fusees, being a divide by 2 not 10 or whatever Namekian fusion usually comes with. Asking a different dragon perhaps that has different powers though it's doubtful that Kami made Shenron with this in mind. Finally there are the natives of Planet Yardrat. The confusion over where they could find it was short lived as the bound, but sole surviving Jeice was willing to trade his freedom from these fools for the location.
Once on Yardrat they passed Pybara's test with flying colours. Well all but Vegeta, being too caught up in his pride. Being outclassed by everyone here was too much to take. Kakarot, who had barely landed, only to up and leave again, having gained little in the way of Zenkais from the likes of Ginyu, was the least it.
Retribution
They had plenty to do on their trip to Yardrat too. Goku was as eager to show them all the Gravity training as he was chomping at the bit to test himself against the somewhat downcast behemoth, Raijin. There's always someone stronger right? And this guy? Wowza! This fusion thing is intense!
While Vegeta continues to train relentlessly on the ship, somewhere in the 100G and higher ranges, the rest of them are busy sitting atop their poles, bringing their spirits under control. Your average TV level smart kid, Gohan, would have been making the best progress under the guidance of one of Pybara's clones if not for Raijin's single minded determination to see his brother again instead of only vaguely feeling him within. Krillin and Goku then bring up the rear, the latter of which can only marvel at how quickly his son was adapting to things. Maybe there was something to Chi-Chi's insistence on studying.
When Goku receives word from King Kai that some big bad is once again heading Namek's way, he is still a while away from completing even the basic training. Raijin's pursuit of Forced Spirit Fission, has allowed them to separate themselves already but Fujin had to start his training from scratch since all that knowledge was kept by the host.
The small group of them that are ready, and willing to head off are Raijin, Piccolo, Gohan and to the mixed feelings of everyone else in the group, Vegeta. When asked why he wants to go, the former Prince of the Saiyans keeps his own council and while he's no fan of the whole shoulder grab method of travel, if he took the spaceship, well, he'd probably miss out on his chance so he allows Piccolo and Gohan to make physical contact and the 4 of them vanish from Yardrat.
Appearing back on Namek, at what is now Moori's tower, they nod to Nail before looking up to see King Cold and his forces spreading out through the upper atmosphere. Without a word, Vegeta powers up and blasts off to meet the incoming throng of fodder soldiers with wanton abandon.
Gohan shares a glance with Raijin and Piccolo then follows suit and while he doesn't strike to kill, he still works his way through his fair share. It's not that hard when there's 4 of him after all. Raijin and Piccolo look on approvingly. They've only managed one clone each so far and here's Gohan fielding 3 with ease.
When it's down to King Cold, no one is overly surprised to find the orange skinned Jeice in tow. His current state, though, does give them pause. Well, everyone but Vegeta, who knew enough about King Cold to know how he treats his men and worse, their failures. Jeice is alive, sure, but he has clearly seen better days and the chains that bind him do not look comfortable.
His armor is in shreds, his beautiful space-Australian face is bruised and scraped and his locks are anything but luscious. He is also quite literally in tow, with that rusty metal collar around his neck and arms leading back to Cold's hand. Vegeta smirks at the orange man before turning his attention to Cold. He'd known where Jeice would go running and had been hoping to see just how well that went for the apparent deserter.
While Vegeta's initial strike is enough to shock King Cold into letting go of Jeice's chain, it's not enough to do more than annoy the oversized icicle. Vegeta's just not quite there yet and Cold is happy to show him just how wide the gulf truly is.
Said gap does not go unnoticed by Piccolo and Raijin however and after letting the Saiyan have his fun, with him now in a heap at their feet, they share a glance before shrugging. Nail, who is also in attendance, along with a few other prominent Namekians all gasp in shock as these 2 casually start a round of rock paper scissors. Gohan then reminds them that Piccolo maybe shouldn't be taking the back seat, for, um, reasons?
After the flash, King Cold rolls his eyes and starts to comment on how utterly unimpressive that all is. Expecting the middling results those ancient and now extinct Metamorans had been catalogued to show, he goes to tap his scouter. Still a race that can fuse is just bad for business. Sure, it starts small but his ancestors had wiped the Metamorans out for the same reason his son had decided to take out the Saiyans. It's not worth the risk, is it?
Well he tries to tap his scouter but having sensed a power level as high as this in the immediate vicinity, it activated all on its own. Then promptly exploded when the energy sampling inductance coils started sucking down the rather excessive number of electron volts, thus blowing the usually impressive capacitors. Man, they REALLY need to work on their over-current protection. Not even Mecha Cooler, rebuilt numerous times by the electronic monstrosity of a Big Getty Star could come up with a good one. A simple fuse for example? Or, maybe, and bear with me here, a circuit breaker?
King Cold unfortunately was not paying attention so didn't notice the number that flickered on the screen moments before the entire assembly popped. Vegeta, however, has come back around just in time to hear Cold's little revelation about Frieza and the Planet Vegeta. This is of course the first he's heard of it, having never bumped into Dodoria or ever encountering Frieza directly on his first trip to Namek.
He makes a good showing but promptly gets a bit too much sense knocked into him by the back of King Cold's hand so biting back the tears, after decades of pent up rage and regret at the loss of his planet and throne, he looks over at the recently upgraded Piccolo and with a strange expression on his face and in a somewhat strangled voice, he says simply, that if he could please kill that man, Vegeta would, well, he would owe him. The last of the Saiyans would owe him.
Piccolo smiles at Vegeta then looks away as they all feel a shift in King Cold. Apparently Vegeta's recent, rage fueled punch had given Cold cause for concern because they all now see that Cold has discarded his 2nd, most comfortable form, for his own version of their race's supposed final form. Vegeta shrinks back slightly but Piccolo smiles. He has Raijin's memories after all and King Cold, it seems, even in this form, is not quite up to Frieza's scratch.
The slightly more compact King Cold then gets to experience that lacking first hand as Piccolo's fist slams into his gut. A couple of minutes later, Vegeta is smiling bitterly at the beaten and bloody face of Cold as the life fades from his eyes and the ex-Frieza force Soldiers that Gohan had so generously spared, are bidding a hasty retreat, the ship fading out into the upper atmosphere as they head off.
Back on the Menu
Nail is the first of the locals to approach Piccolo, post defrosting and while he is happy about the whole saving the planet thing, there is something else he is desperate to ask. Piccolo smiles knowingly and then in a move that is very reminiscent of Marvel's Multiple Man, he punches his own palm and promptly splits in 2.
Raijin looks around at the growing collection of Namekians and then over at the remains of King Cold, whose body is doing what his name suggests. Nail meanwhile is all smiles and he steps forward with Dende and Cargo. These 2 younglings, can they take them to Yardrat to learn this technique? Piccolo says that courtesy of Guru, whose dying remnants are still within, he could teach it to them directly but Moori points out that such a boon should be earned the old fashioned way.
To be able to fuse and defuse at will, will, well, it could change much in their society. Raijin nods over at the 2 remaining Gohans who are trying to convince Vegeta to sit still while they or he rather, tries to heal him, and Raijin says that that's only the beginning. With Cargo's potential also unlocked courtesy of Piccolo, they depart as rapidly as they arrived and the assembled Namekians are left whispering in amazement at their vanishing from sight and sense.
Back on Yardrat they head in to introduce the 2 new recruits to a Pybara clone. After Cargo and Dende are led away, Pybara turns to look at Vegeta, who's been standing in the background not saying a word. Not even his trademark tisk. They lock eyes for a moment then Pybara shakes his head. Soon, perhaps, but not yet. If he can discard more of his pride he may yet be trusted with these gifts.
After returning to Capsule Corp a year later, they go their separate ways. Vegeta of course still enjoys the gravity deck of the ship so hangs around, much to Bulma and the somewhat unfaithful Yamcha's irritation. The 5 Namekians, Piccolo, Dende, Cargo, Fujin and Raijin all head off to the lookout to meet and reunite with Kami, Sujin and Ryujin. Kami is as thrilled to see his sons as he is to see these other Namekians. Piccolo though, throws him for a loop. The guy is utterly changed from when they were last in each other's company.
There is still an edge of darkness about him but it is contained, balanced. Well more than balanced to be honest. Clinging to the edges at best. Just what has he been up to? Piccolo just smiles and after his brothers have finished their reunion with their father, Kami and Piccolo adjourn to some random chamber in the lookout to chat.
Chi-Chi is just about as thrilled as Kami was, to see her Gohan back and better than ever. When that happiness gives way to worry about how much studying he's missed out on, Goku pipes up to say that that's not true at all. Gohan has been drowning in knowledge from the Yardrattians. He'd actually finished the training parts just before leaving for Namek again and the rest of the time was spent split between their sages, quite literally, and at least one of his noses was also constantly buried in Chi-Chi's favourite thing, books.
Gohan looks a bit sheepish but says that yes, he's been studying. He's really sorry for slipping on board the ship, but he had to help Mr Tien be reunited with Mr Chiaotzu. And wow, the things he's learned. Not just fighting and techniques but other stuff. Physics and Math and Biology and the fact that he can now remember what his clones learn.
"C-clones?" Chi-Chi stammers, then leaps into Goku's arms as another Gohan comes in the door with a dinner that Goku would approve of, slung over his shoulder.
Cardiac Event
Things carry on for a time of general peace until Goku's encounter with that old chestnut, the Heart Virus. While training with only a single clone of himself, he collapses, as you do, clutching his chest and the clone vanishes as he tries to heal himself. But just as he can't maintain a clone, he also can't focus enough to heal. Even Gohan who arrives on scene pretty quickly is struggling with it so they call for help.
The quintet of Namekians, all of Kami's kids and Piccolo appear in the room along with Krillin and his new student, Tien, and we get a nice ring of people around Goku all doing their healing thing. An hour later, they're all thoroughly worn out, but Goku is back up and sitting on the edge of the bed, poking himself in the chest, searching for any trace of the pain. With nothing showing up most of them breathe a sigh of relief. Everyone except Gohan whose frown draws the attention of Piccolo.
Gohan is worried about what just happened though and after considering for a moment, he touches his forehead and vanishes. 10 minuter later, with everyone else having left, Gohan returns with a blood sample kit and we get the comedy of Gohan chasing Goku around the house trying to stab him in the arm to get said blood sample. Goku is not a fan of being stabbed, but Gohan's argument about how they have no idea what's happened and that it could happen again, eventually gets even Chi-Chi in on the chase.
End Chapter 4
And as they corner him in the kitchen with Chi-Chi stern-wife-ing the man, Gohan sneaks in for the jab and we will bring part 4 to a close.
Yeah, I know, that's not how taking a blood sample works, but it's TV land after all, so just roll with it, OK?
How do you think things will go when the Androids or Cyborgs 17 and 18 show up?
Has Goku's Kaioken been tweaked by the Yardrattians like in What If: Vegeta Killed Gohan?
When do you think we will see the emergence of the Super Saiyan of Legend?
Has it yet to even occur to Vegeta who has been labouring away in the Capsule Corp 1 space ship?
Find out next time on Dragonball, What If: Kami Had Kids.