Chapter Thirty Two: The Legend of a Dragon

The weights went up and down with laborious effort. Deep within his lair, one of the most ruthless members of the Red Ribbon Army sculpted his body to deadly perfection. Slowly and with meticulous precision, he pushed himself towards the limits of his physical prowess, which seemed as boundless as his lethal intellect. He was more than just a soldier for hire, he was ambitious, he was brutal, he was Colonel Silver, one of the driving forces behind General Red's acquisition of the seven dragonballs. He would stop at nothing to reach his goal, even now he was no doubt hatching yet another fiendish scheme to secure the next ball, and demolish anyone who got in his way.

With a cry of anger he pulled the weights with such force that one of them broke free of the machine and flew through the air to crash into the floor. It was so heavy that it broke a hole in it. Sweat dripped from the Colonel as he finished that stage of his training.

Later he stood before a punching bag, fitting on boxing gloves as he shoved it away from him. The bag swung backwards, then forwards again. General Silver unleashed a flurry of punches against it, bending and warping the bag with the force of his blows until one final jab sent the bag spewing out sand. It was now useless.

Still later Silver lounged against the ropes of a boxing ring, as three massive men prepped themselves for a round. The first man, massive with dark skin, loomed over him and launched a bunch which was easily batted aside. His second was likewise defeated, and finally he was jabbed upside the head with an easy strike that sent him reeling unconscious out of the ring. The floor beneath his back broke.

Silver looked to the other three with easy confidence. 'Next.'

With a cry the other three surged forwards. A blue haired man swung a flurry of punches, and hit nothing but air. A bald man struck, but in vain. Silver dodged their punches with absolute ease, sidestepping their every movement. At last he turned his back to them and began to walk away at a leisurely pace.

Enraged the Boxers charged as once. Yet Silver turned round to face them. A tawny haired one was punched out before he could launch a strike. The bald one was knocked out in a moment later, and with his final move Silver defeated the third. There was a moment as the boxers stood still, Silver standing beyond them.

Then they fell down with a crash. Silver scoffed in contempt and hoisted himself easily over the ring, to walk away.

'Yet another magnificent performance, Colonel Silver.' said a guard.

'I expected more of a challenge from professional boxers.' replied Silver, before drawing off his gloves.

'Commander Red is waiting to see you, sir.'

'Mmmhmm.' said Silver.

From where he was watching through the spy cameras he had planted throughout all the Red Ribbon Army compounds, Dr Gero, a lean white haired man with a mustache, wearing a black top hat, leaned back in his chair, and looked to his son. 'Barracks, come away from that animal. It has nothing to do with our business here.'

Barracks, a massive man with a ginger mohawk, looked up from the balcony. On his fingers was perched a bird willingly. He whispered calm words into its ear, before setting the bird free to fly away. 'Nature has everything to do with us, father. You should learn to appreciate life more.'

Dr Gero sighed. 'I have no time for such pleasantries. I have been observing Colonel Silver. I believe an individual of his physique and ability should suit our purposes well.'

'Shall I approach him then?' asked Barracks, coming into the room.

'No, not yet.' said Gero 'Let that fool red alienate him a bit first. Then we'll make our move.'

Very few people had the courage to speak with such open disrespect of General Red, whose cruelty and ruthlessness were known throughout the world. However Dr Gero had the benefit of being invaluable, and besides that, actually competent. He made no secret of his contempt for their leader, because Red was scarcely aware of his existence. To Red, Gero was just a scientific leader.

For his part, Barrack's had little care for the complications of Red Ribbon Army politics.

The sun shone down upon far more tranquil surroundings as wind blew through flowers. In the shade of a tree, Kakarot observed as Yamcha, Bulma and Launch continued to train. Since their narrow escape from the Red Ribbon Army, they had gotten a new set of wheels and driven to more appealing locations in their pursuit of the next dragonball.

Bulma was learning martial arts well, she figured out the stances easier than Launch did. It was probably because Launch had her own ideas of how one should do something as simple as throw a punch and on reflex resorted to them. It messed her up. Meanwhile Bulma had a fresher mind on how to approach things.

Though if it came to a fight, it would be obvious that Launch would win.

More to the point, however, Kakarot noted with satisfaction that his friends had by this point adapted quite well to their weights. They now moved as if they weren't wearing weights at all.

As he thought about this, he noticed that Launch and Bulma had begun to spar. It lasted only a few moments before Launch proved the victory, and knocked Bulma flat. However it was a few moments longer than it would have been before. Bulma had gone from merely in shape, and gradually gained a more toned physique than before over the past few weeks. She looked like she was having fun with the practice.

After a moment, Kakarot arose and begun to practice his stances.

General Red was in a foul mood. A very foul mood. Fouler than he'd ever been in, in fact. For the good General had a policy of giving no second chances, no toleration for failure. No forgiveness for lapses of judgement which cost the Red Ribbon Army its prize.

Given recent revelations, he looked like a hypocrite.

'Enter!' snapped General Red.

The doors opened and Colonel Silver entered the room. Even as he did so, Red's pet surged forward, claws bared. Red stepped aside, and it passed him, before kicking off the door, then the wall and came in for another pass! Silver moved aside, and for his trouble got a thin line of red across his cheek.

Red laughed as Silver drew out a cloth and wiped the blood. 'Hehe, nicely done, quick reflexes, unflinching nerve. Yer instincts serve you well. The last person to walk through that door lost an eye. Needless to say, he's no longer with us.' His pet snarled.

Silver stiffened.

It was only now that Red allowed his displeasure to be known. 'My officers have discussed the matter of Bulma Briefs. We have concluded that since there are only seven dragonballs showing up on the radar, the likely hood of that wench creating a false signal is very low. She was deliberately baiting us to draw us away from her allies. And she succeeded.

Since the failure was one of command, I have decided to overlook your inability to kill her and her associates.

Do not fail me again.'

By this he meant, I screwed up too, let us never speak of this again.

'Of course, General.' said Silver 'I am pleased to serve.'

'And so you shall,' said Red 'for now we are turning our attention away from seizing the dragonballs already claimed. We will instead focus on those yet to be found. Five dragonballs are all that stand between me and global domination.' He pressed a button and an ornate picture drew itself back to reveal a map of the world with five blinking dots. 'Look closely, each dot marks the location of the remaining dragonballs. I must have them!'

Silver turned around. 'Well, unfortunately it seems there are other interested parties that feel the same way.'

'Those that disturb our efforts are to be eliminated with extreme prejudice!' snapped Red 'I don't tolerate opposition! By anyone!' His pet screeched and Red hurled a dagger through the air. It spun over Silver's head and imbedded itself into the skull of a priceless statue. The piece cracked and shattered into fragments.

Red laughed heartily. 'Ya get the point?'

'Yes General,' said Silver, before saluting.

Thirty minutes later the gates of the Red Ribbon Army HQ opened wide and out of it stormed a great host of heavy machinery. Tanks, cars, digging tools and power equipment were among them. And many more capsules were available for their use. Heavy weaponry was theirs to command. As the dust cloud kicked up from their efforts faded into the distance, General Red dreamed of world domination.

They were now driving along a series of rocky highlands. Between the hills were many trees, where countless creatures dwelled. It reminded Kakarot of his home, but it was a bit more arid, a bit less wet and airy. Kakarot examined his dragon radar. 'Alright everyone, keep alert. The radar says we're getting near the ball.'

'Its probably in this forest somewhere,' reflected Bulma 'just what I wanted to spend my time on, more wilderness adventures.'

'I'm sorry is there something you'd rather be doing?' asked Kakarot.

'Robbing a bank,' said Launch.

'Practicing martial arts.' said Yamcha.

'Eating pork.' said Puar.

'Going to school.' said Bulma.

'I thought you finished school early,' said Kakarot.

'Yeah but I go there anyway for the social life.'

'Really?' asked Kakarot 'Because I was under the impression that you didn't have any friends because of your eccentric genius.'

'Erm…' Bulma paused. 'well I may have been exaggerating there. I'm kind of the most popular kid in school.' Kakarot gave her a look. 'What? I'm beautiful and obscenely rich! It comes with the territory.'

'Yamcha, Launch, do you have to go to school or something?' Inquired Kakarot.

'Actually no,' said Yamcha 'where I'm from there isn't a public education system. We mostly just learn from our parents and village elders. You didn't really think that public education was a world wide phenomenon did you?'

'And girls aren't allowed to go to school where I'm from.' said Blue Launch 'We're talk to cook and clean and keep an orderly house. I think thats why my other self likes blowing stuff up so much. She hates being looked down upon.'

Kakarot suddenly became aware of a groaning in his stomach. 'Hey, can we stop to eat? I'm starving.'

'Yeah, I'm a bit hungry myself.' said Bulma. 'Alright we'll pull over, and we can get some more training in.'

They pulled over and got out their food to begin eating. Kakarot quickly finished his share and went looking for more in the forest. Scaling a high tree, he came across a tree with a tasty looking fruit in it. Plucking it he opened his mouth to chow down. However at the last minute a small furry hand reached down an snatched it from him.

Looking up he saw a little monkey scampering up the nearby tree, fruit in hand. Kakarot's eyes narrowed. 'Tonight I dine on monkey soup.'

He stalked after the creature, clambering with ease after it. Yet it proved swift of foot indeed. He came up silently behind it, and prepared to devour it and the fruit. However then he saw the little creature, dancing before its mother in joy. Its mother looked down on it with pride, and he found himself touched, and unwilling to ruin the scene.

'…Keep the fruit,' he said at last. 'I need it not.'

Then he began to climb down. As he did so, the monkey jumped with such enthusiasm that it fell off the branch. Its mother leaped down after it, and both landed. The mother was on her feet, while the baby landed hard. The mother picked up its baby and began to lick its bruises as it lay around bruised.

Kakarot wondered what his own mother was like. And if she ever thought of him. He suddenly felt very vulnerable, and he hated the feeling.

At that moment a black panther appeared out of the bushes, teeth bared. It snarled as the monkey cowered before it, unwilling to leave its child, but unable to escape without doing so. The beast lunged, but then Kakarot appeared and kicked it away. He used less power than he could have, after all the beast was only looking for a meal.

After a brief stare down, the beast ran away.

Then the little monkey came forward and offered him the fruit it had stolen. 'You are offering me tribute?' inquired Kakarot 'Very well I accept.'

Then all kinds of monkeys came out of the woods with all manner of fruit to offer him as tribute. Kakarot ate of it gratefully, and vowed to himself that if he ever had a chance to return the favor, he would.

It was rather nice being regarded as a monkey god.

Meanwhile General Silver's forces had made camp at the borders of the forest. Silver stood atop a cliff and scanned the surroundings for anything of note. No one could be seen on the horizon, and endless green stretched all the way to the mountains. 'Its out there.' he said 'I know it is.' He turned to his men. 'I want the entire jungle searched! Dig it up! Burn it down, I don't care! Just find me that dragonball!'

The tanks moved forward, followed by Silver's jeep.

A monkey god had come among the monkeys and helped their kind in their hour of need. In gratitude, the monkeys had offered the god fruit, and he had been grateful and eaten of it. Now the monkey god slept, and they surrounded him.

At that moment one of the monkeys appeared and called to the others, drawing their attention away. A strange presence had made itself known in a tree, and the monkeys now clustered around it curiously. One of the bolder males scaled up it as the others looked on.

Then he found what he was looking for. Caught between the fork in one of the branches, an orange orb with five stars within it glowed alluringly. Three monkeys looked at it curiously, sensing its importance. Fearfully, one reached out to touch it. As soon as his finger made contact, he felt the magic and recoiled. The tree shook as they fled, and the ball fell out to land on the ground.

The monkeys screeched at it angrily, yet among them a child stepped forward and held it in two hands. Shaking it, he seemed more fascinated than afraid. Then he slipped, and sent the ball rolling forward. As it did so, the monkeys closed in around it, their fear slowly eroding.

In the clearing above, two birds flew overhead.

'Kakarot!' came Puar voice. 'Kakarot where are you?!'

Kakarot's eyes opened as a chill wind blew across him. He arose, and found himself sitting amidst a series of gnawed on fruit cores. 'How long have I been sleeping out here?'

At that moment Puar came through the trees. 'Kakarot, there you are! You had us worried. You can't just run off like that.' Suddenly there was a beeping noise. 'Is that the dragon radar?'

Kakarot brought up the radar. 'Yeah, it says the dragonball is moving. We'd better get a move on now. We have no idea who found it.'

'Lets meet up with the others and continue the search.' said Puar.

Meanwhile the monkeys had begun to toss the dragonballs back and forth in a game of catch. They laughed amongst themselves as one caught it and was nearly bowled over by its weight.

It was a bright sunny day at Kame House, and Krillen was training. 'Ninety one, ninety two, ninety three,' he shoved himself up again. 'ninety four,' the three massive turtles on his back, combined with Master Roshi weighed him down. 'ninety five, ninety seven,' Master Roshi fanned himself absently. 'ninety seven!' Krillin was beginning to get tired. 'ninety eight,' the weight was like a mountain. 'ninety nine!'

He collapsed, and Roshi leaped off the turtles. 'Nine hundred and ninety nine? Is that all you got in ya boy?'

Krillin panted painfully.

'Well,' said Roshi 'why don't we break for a snack and then we can talk.'

Later as they eat their way through a great bowl of ice cream, Master Roshi relished the delicious strawberry taste. 'Yeah, feel the breeze!' he cried. 'Aren't you going to dig in Krillin?'

'I'm kind of tired.' admitted Krillin.

'Tired?' asked Roshi 'If Kakarot heard that he'd be laughing his head off!'

'Yeah, but Kakarot isn't exactly ordinary is he?' asked Krillin, before his expression grew thoughtful. 'I wonder where he is? Do you think he's still searching for those dragonballs?'

Roshi took another scoop of ice cream and downed it. 'Its a worthy pursuit, but he'll be busy for quite some time. Those balls won't fall into his lap like the one I gave him!'

'Do you know about the dragonballs?' asked Krillin 'Where they come from, I mean.'

'Why yes,' said Roshi 'I remember hearing the great legend once. But I doubt you're ready for such a heart wrenching tale. This is powerful stuff we're dealing with.'

'I think I can handle it.' said Krillin.

'Yes, I'll bet you can.' said Roshi 'Anyway, the legend, as I was told, goes something like this: In the beginning there was only one dragonball and it was huge! I mean really huge! It had to be, it held all of the mystical energies of the universe! An ancient shrine discovered it and were awed by its magnificent power. They built a shrine around it, and protected the orb by placing it in the mouth of a giant dragon statue, said to be its eternal guardian. You should have seen the detail on this thing! It was incredible! Scales made of rubies! Teeth of pearl! And speaking of pearl, they say there was this one native girl-'

'Get on with it!' said Krillin.

'Hrm, yes,' said Roshi 'well the tribe enjoyed years of prosperity until one day, evil paid a village in the form of a band of thieves. These agents of darkness stormed the temple in an effort to steal the dragonball for their own selfish gain! They were shocked to discover the true power of the ball! To ensure that something like that never happened again, the dragonball was divided into seven smaller orbs and scattered across the globe! Separately the dragonballs were useless, but when all seven were united then a single voice could summon the eternal dragon for one wish. And one wish only.

Some wishes were pure, but others were tainted by blind ambition. This led to pain and suffering as an unjust few wished for power and dominion over mankind. But, as the story goes, there will one day come a hero who will use the dragonballs for goodness, and bring peace and unity to the world once more!'

'Master are you making this up?' asked Krillin.

'Of course not!' said Roshi.

'So I'm not going to run into some ancient wiseman who will tell me a completely different version of the dragonballs history?' Krillen pressed him.

'If you did, they'd be lying.'

There was a long pause as Krillin and Master Roshi met each others gaze firmly. '…Can I get that in writing?' asked Krillin after a moment.

'Why don't we change the subject,' said Roshi quickly. 'what would you wish for if you got the dragonballs Krillin?'

'Ultimate power.' said Krillin. 'What would you wish for?'

At that question, Roshi's eyes grew distant and his mouth hung open as he thought of what he would wish for.

'How about a napkin?' asked Krillin 'Master you're drooling.'

'Hmm, yeah, lets see what could old Roshi ask for?' said Roshi 'A piece of something, thats for sure!'

'I guess all that heroic stuff is out the window.' reflected Krillin.

'Don't you have something you should be doing right now?' asked Roshi.

'Like what sir?' asked Krillin.

'Like going outside and earning your muscles the old fashioned way!' snapped Roshi.

'Yes sir!' cried Krillen, before leaping out the window.

'One wish…' said Roshi 'easy.'

Krillin in the mean time was carrying a giant turtle around the island while wearing his usual weights. 'One things for sure, if I had the dragonballs I'd never have to play taxi to a turtle.'

The group made their way through the forests, having met up again and begun following the dragonballs through the woods.

The monkeys tossed the dragonball back and forth between each other, until one of them was conked on the head by it before it could catch it. The others laughed, and the game went on.

Elsewhere tree after tree was felled by the machines of the Red Ribbon Army. Ancient oaks were torn up by devices of metal. Vast swaths of underbrush were consumed beneath flamethrowers. Men with guns searched throughout the forest.

Two in particular made their way onwards while speaking with each other, each wearing a red ribbon. 'So then accounting tells me that they'll have to take it out of my next paycheck, and I'm just like 'Wait a minute man, the ribbon should come with the uniform, free, end of discussion,'

'At least ya didn't let him walk on ya.' said his friend.

At that moment something flew out of the trees and conked him on the head, before flying into the underbrush. 'A dragonball just hit your head!'

'Huh?'

They made their way through the trees and saw the dragonball lying unguarded on the ground. 'I think I smell a promotion.'

At that moment a baby monkey came by and picked the dragonball up, before running over to its fellows. They snarled and hissed at the soldiers lowered their guns and opened fire without a word.

The monkeys fled into the underbrush, though one was struck with a bullet and fell dead. The others escaped.

Silver got a priority call on his communicator as he lounged in the jeep. 'This is Silver?'

'Colonel we've found the dragonball!'

'What?'

'The- the monkeys have it sir!'

'Have you caught them?!'

'Well… not yet sir.'

'Idiot!' roared Silver, before throwing down the communicator. 'Incompetent morons! Must I do everything myself?!' He looked to the driver. 'What are you waiting for?! Drive!'

Chaos engulfed the woodlands, as creatures fled from a fire started by the Red Ribbon Army. Smoke rose up as the soldiers destroyed everything in their path trying to flush out the monkeys. From a hilltop, Kakarot and his friends looked down. They could see figures causing untold destruction.

'Thats the Red Ribbon army!' said Kakarot.

'We'd better go.' said Yamcha 'Bulma, Puar stay here!'

As they rushed through the trees, Kakarot realized suddenly that what the Red Ribbon Army was doing was his end goal. This thing he was fighting was the very thing he meant to do once he achieved his goal in wishing for the dragonballs. Though he tried to shove the knowledge from his mind, it would not leave him alone.

The flames and carnage which had claimed so many lives already were somehow not enough for Silver. It would never be enough until he had achieved his goal, and gotten the dragonballs!

'Fire!' cried Silver, motioning with a hand. 'Get them, now! Fire!'

Bullets raked the woodlands, killing countless creatures which scurried for cover. Monkey corpses lined the ground, dragged into a clearing. Screams could be heard as a flamethrower crew torched the underbrush.

Birds were shot out of the sky to land dead on the ground, and then were crushed underfoot by the implacable advance of the Red Ribbon Army.

Amidst and outlying force of Red Ribbon personal, they were hard at work destroying everything they found.

The a spiky haired boy in red surged out of nowhere and snapped a flamethower wielding mans neck without a word. At the same time a man with dark hair clad in green rushed into view, knocked the weapon from another mans hands, and with one kick slammed him against a tank.

Two men lowered their guns into firing position. 'Hold it right there! Hands up or else you're barbeque!'

'Barbeque this!' snapped a voice.

They turned to face a blonde haired women, carrying a pistol. They raised their guns, but there was a sound of eight gunshots before they fell dead. Sheathing her pistols, Launch cupped her hands. 'Kamehameha!'

A beam of blue light obliterated a nearby tank.

Two soldiers stepped back in fear, their guns shaking in their hands. Then someone crept up behind them. As they turned they were knocked out by two swift chops to the neck. Bulma stepped forward, looking at her hands.

'Bulma,' said Yamcha 'I thought I told you to stay behind.'

'Yeah, but we didn't want to stay behind.' said Puar.

'Yamcha, I know you are teaching me martial arts, but don't think you can order me around.' said Bulma 'I wanted to see you guys in action, and then I figured I'd get in on it.' She pumped her arm. 'Oh yeah, no one is keeping this girl down!'

'We don't know what these guys are capable of!' snapped Yamcha. 'And- Hey, where's Kakarot?' Kakarot was gone.

'I thought he was with you.' said Bulma.

The group realized they had been ditched again. 'Why does he keep doing this?'

Five dead monkeys lay strew on the ground by a stump, one of many trophies now riddled with bullets around the camp. Silver looked at them with narrowed eyes, then turned to his officer. 'Well?'

'We searched all of them sir.' said the soldier 'Still no sign of the dragonball!'

At that moment a rock hurtled out of nowhere and crushed a tank, driver and all. A spiky haired boy with black hair emerged from the shadows of the flame. Silver's soldiers looked on in awe, but Silver kept his cool. 'Hey you, monkey boy.'

'Red hair,' said the boy 'blue trenchcoat, you fit the description the Ox King gave me. Your going to pay for all the destruction you've caused here. These creatures were mine.'

Silver cracked his knuckled through brown gloves. 'I'm Colonel Silver, pleased to kill you.'

'You think I'm afraid of you, fool?' snapped the boy, taking a stance. 'You severely overestimate your ability.'

At that moment a shadow leaped off the rock sitting on the crushed tank and raced by them for the trees. Their battle forgotten, for a monkey mother was clutching its child and leaping through the trees. And in that childs arms was the five star dragonball.

'The dragonball!' cried Silver.

'You, drop that artifact at once!' snapped the boy as he ran after the creature. 'Quickly before its too late!'

'Soldier your rifle!' snapped Silver 'Now!'

The soldier tossed him the rifle and Silver aimed at the fleeing monkey. It was a moving target at a great rang. Yet Silver kept his mind clear.

'But sir!' cried a soldier 'Their too far away! Thats an impossible shot!'

Silver fired, and the bullet was away. It caught the mother in the back to his satisfaction. Less to his satisfaction was the fact that the mother was now tumbling down a gorge with the dragonball in hand. At the very least the boy followed and went over the edge as well.

Kakarot caught the wounded mother by the tail and caught himself by a crevasse in the rock. The child let go of the dragonball, and clung to its whimpering parent. Holding himself up with one arm, Kakarot hoisted the mother up, noting the blood dripping down from her into the river.

'Get me that ball!' cried Silver from the cliffs. 'Move it!'

Then they rushed away.

All this for nothing? Countless animals dead, and a fair share of humans as well, numerous beautiful trees laid to waste. Even now a forest fire raged, consuming so many more lives. All for what? A single round orb with five stars?

Kakarot was beginning to think that the dragonballs were not a force for good in this world. Especially given why he wanted them.

Yet Kakarot found he didn't care about any of that right now.

All that mattered to him was whether the mother and its child would live.

Authors Note:

So yeah, this chapter was way darker than the original episode. In the original episode Silver's men only succeeded in breaking a few trees and inflicting a few comical injuries on the Monkeys that are healed offscreen. The result is that the red ribbon army comes across more as bullies than in monsters.

Not here. In this thing, because he is really killing people, and really causing mass destruction, Silver comes across as completely axe crazy. And hey, Bulma actually got a fight. I'm almost certain she won't end up becoming a common fighter, but at least she won't get held hostage as much.

To be perfectly honest, I'm kind of glad I made this chapter darker. In the original it was a boring filler episode which featured a bunch of stupid monkeys doing nothing of any importance. Meanwhile in this version, its a chilling explanation of the Red Ribbon Armies cruelty.

Oh and Doctor Gero is here. Whats this? The supposed Mastermind behind the Red Ribbon is actually showing up in the Red Ribbon Army arc? Who would have thought!

In all seriousness the big problems with the Red Ribbon Army Saga are twofold. First, Goku gets almost all the spotlight at the expense of other characters. Second although the story is filled with strong villains, the overarching villain is incredibly weak. I mean to fix both those problems.