Another three months have gone by for our heroes while they train for the fate of their planet. Time is running out as the looming threat draws closer and closer to Earth! This day in particular is the day that the gravity gets set to 50g, the final setting they will be training under until Nappa's arrival. In addition to the rise in gravity, our heroes will all be wearing weighted clothing that equates to 500lbs as a whole! With only three months left before Nappa touches down, Son Goku and his fellow martial artists must prepare themselves while they still can!

Tale 190: The Final Leg of Training!

"It will obviously take some getting used to," Piccolo muttered as his body attempted to adjust to the new setting of the gravity. He glanced down at Gohan and was pleased to see that the boy seemed to be handling it better than him.

"Yeah, but it will be worth the training!" Gohan replied cheerfully. Goku approached the two of them with a grin.

"That's right, kiddo! I am looking forward to finally being able to fight this Nappa creep!" he laughed heartedly. Piccolo shook his head slightly, though he bore a small smirk.

"Why am I not surprised that you are looking forward to a fight that may kill you?"

Goku grinned at Piccolo, "What can I say? I love a good challenge!"

"Kakarrot."

Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo turned to see Vegeta approaching with a serious look. Goku's smile faded slightly, for he wasn't quite sure what Vegeta wanted. It was hard for Goku to read him sometimes.

"Wazzup, Vegeta?"

"Tomorrow, you and I should test our limits on that fighting square that has adjustable gravity," Vegeta said in a serious tone. Goku's eyes grew serious as well, though he bore a small grin, "Seeing Nappa will be here soon, we should push the boundaries of our limits while we still can."

"How high should we set the gravity to?" Goku asked. It was Vegeta's turn to grin.

"70g."

"Shouldn't you two try to get used to this gravitational level first?" Piccolo asked, clearly flabbergasted by their hasty decision. Vegeta laughed at Piccolo's suggestion.

"Oh, we will, by the end of today," Vegeta replied with a cocky grin. Piccolo turned to Goku to see that he, too, was bearing a cocky grin. Piccolo shook his head.

"Saiyans…" He muttered as he turned and walked off. Goku chuckled in amusement before turning his attention to his son.

"Want to join us tomorrow, squirt?" He asked. Gohan frowned, looking unsure.

"I want more time to get used to this gravity first. How about a week from today?" Gohan suggested. Goku nodded with an understanding smile.

"No problem, kiddo! Now, why don't cha go and see if your mother needs any help back at our quarters?"

"Will do!" Gohan chirped before sprinting off. Goku turned to Vegeta.

"How do you think we will fare against Nappa?" He asked quietly. Vegeta frowned.

"We have come a long way…but I am not sure if, at this time, it will be enough. I am sure that Nappa has been making stops along the way here to get his "exercise" in." Goku looked down and pondered for a moment.

"How does he even know that you guys are here?"

"By using Freeza's tech to track the emissions from our ships. Freeza's engineers and scientists developed tech specifically for hunting down Saiyans who escaped Saiya's destruction. Nappa found us seven years ago on the planet we had been living and training on after Saiya's destruction. We barely escaped with our lives."

"I take it that he's the one hunting the escapees?" Goku asked.

"Yes. He is an expert on Saiyans, in Freeza's eyes. He had bragged about killing ten other Saiyans who had escaped when he had found us," Vegeta spat as his eyes darkened from the memory, "Being cocky, though, he did let it slip how he had tracked us down. Heh, I guess he wasn't counting on us escaping from him."

"…so he was going to come to Earth regardless? Because of me?" Goku asked softly. Vegeta nodded solemnly.

"Yes. It would've been a lot further in the future if we hadn't come along but you would not have been aware or prepared for him."

Goku smiled slightly, "Well, it's a good thing that you and my bro came when you did!"

The following day, Son Goku and the Saiyan Prince prepare for their extra training upon the fighting mat that Bulma had installed in the Gravity Room…

"Yeesh, they really are going to set it to 70g…." Yamcha remarked. He and the others had gathered around to watch the fight. Goku and Vegeta were already on the mat. They were in the process of removing their weighted clothing.

"It seems so," Tenshinhan replied, "I am not surprised, especially with how Son can be."

"Yeah, Goku loves a good challenge!" Kuririn chuckled.

"Awright, Chi-Chi! Set it to 70g for us please!" Goku hollered across the Gravity Room. Chi-Chi nodded and made the appropriate adjustments the fighting mat's gravity. The two Saiyans took a minute to adjust to the new setting.

"Good thing we decided to ditch the weighted clothing, huh?" Goku chuckled heartedly as he did his stretches. Both he and Vegeta were shirtless for their bout.

"Indeed," Vegeta replied as he cracked his neck, "Now, let's not waste any more time…" He lunged for Goku.

"Ah!" Goku dodged Vegeta's attack, "O-o-o-kay, then! Right down to it!" Goku slammed Vegeta with a counter attack with his tail.

"Ugh, nice one, Kakarrot!"

SLAM!

Goku staggered back from Vegeta's blow. He wiped the blood from his lip before grinning at his opponent.

"Okay, now I am serious!" Goku lunged forward with blinding speed, catching Vegeta off-guard, and slammed his elbow into Vegeta's stomach.

BWACK!

"Woah…!" Gohan gasped, "I was not expecting father to move that fast!"

"Nor was Vegeta," Piccolo remarked quietly as he studied Vegeta's shocked expression.

"You will regret that, Kakarrot," he growled before launching himself at Goku. Raditz frowned as he watched the fight; his tail was twitching at the tip in irritation.

Don't you dare lose your temper and kill my brother, Vegeta…

"It's like they are on a whole different level from the rest of us!" Chaozu noted in awe as he watched Goku and Vegeta hammer each other silly. Raditz smiled at Chaozu.

"My brother has been blessed with my father's strength and then some, it appears…" He then turned to Gohan and place his hand on his nephew's shoulder, "…and so have you. Your grandfather would be proud!"

Gohan blushed slightly, "Thank you, uncle."

Raditz turned his attention back to Goku with a bittersweet look on his face, "I wish I was on his level of strength as well…."

SLAMMO!

Vegeta staggered back from the latest blow that Goku had dealt on him. He had a slightly panicked look on his face, but it was quickly replaced with a snarling smirk.

"It seems that your true saiyan strength is finally being realized!" Vegeta laughed.

"Y' really think so?" Goku chuckled, though he still kept his guard up. Vegeta noticed.

He is learning to not be as trusting…good.

"Yes…" Vegeta's face suddenly grew serious, "…now I know that I no longer have to hold back with you!"

Goku's eyes darkened as he grinned at Vegeta, "Good."

Vegeta disappeared from sight! Goku's grin disappeared and his expression grew very serious.

"Shoot! He's really gonna let Goku have it now!" Kuririn gasped. Within a moment, Goku disappeared from sight as well.

DOOOOM!

"…huh?" Kuririn stammered. The others were flabbergasted as well, for it was not Goku who was being sent flying out of bounds from the mat…it was Vegeta!

BWAM…!

Vegeta landed harshly on the grass just outside of the mat. He looked completely stunned by what had just happened. Goku calmly approached the side of the mat and regarded Vegeta with a calm smile.

"If this were the Tenka'ichi Budokai, you would have lost for landing out of bounds."

"H-how? How have you gotten this far with your strength?" Vegeta asked shakily as he got to his feet.

"I have been doin' some extra training at night. Been doin' it for the last few months," Goku replied with a cheeky grin. Vegeta had a conflicting look on his face; it was a mix of annoyance and proudness. Goku cocked his head to the side, "Y' still wanna spar?"

"I think my pride has been wounded enough for one day, Kakarrot," Vegeta spat, though he was wearing a small grin.

The others watched Goku and Vegeta gather up their discarded shirts in a confused silence. Goku looked over at his wife, who was still standing by the control panel for the Gravity Room. She, too, looked confused and shocked.

"We're all done with the mat, Chi-Chi!" Goku called out. Chi-Chi snapped out of her shocked state and gave her husband a proud and amused smile as she adjusted the settings again.

"You hungry, sweetie?" She called back to him. Goku laughed.

"Boy, am I ever!"

After a filling feast, our heroes go their separate ways for the evening…

"What a fight that was earlier, huh?" Yamcha remarked to Tenshinhan and Chaozu while they were playing a game of cards. Tenshinhan nodded in agreement while cautiously looking around for Vegeta.

"Vegeta is outside in the pool. You don't have to worry about him hearing us," Chaozu reassured his friend. Tenshinhan relaxed slightly.

"I think we can all agree that Son may have surpassed Vegeta in strength," he said quietly.

"Judging by how shocked Vegeta was during that fight, I think that was obvious!" Yamcha laughed.

"I am sure that Vegeta will now be doubling his training as well. He seems like one who does not like being bested," Tenshinhan remarked.

"That's the impression I am under," Yamcha replied with a smirk, "But we are ones to talk!"

"Indeed. Son just keeps on getting better and better. He is an astonishing fellow," Tenshinhan smiled as he spoke of Goku, "He was more powerful than all of us when he was still just a boy. Now look at him!"

"Yeah…" Yamcha frowned slightly, "I was very jealous when I first met that runt. He was a pain in my butt and he embarrassed me with his skills as a fighter…," he then smiled warmly, "…but now he is one of my closest friends. Heh, he's not even a runt anymore. He's about my height now! Who wouldda thought?"

"…do you think him and the other saiyans will be enough against that Nappa guy?" Chaozu asked quietly. The others looked at him nervously.

"I don't know, Chaozu. We all have come a long way…but this Nappa sounds like a monster. The fight will, no doubt, be a close one," Tenshinhan said gravely, "There's a good chance that there will be casualties."

"W-well, there's always the Dragon Balls!" Yamcha piped in with a nervous chuckle. His face suddenly light up, "—the Dragon Balls!"

"Eh?" Tenshinhan turned to Yamcha in confusion, "What about them, Yamcha?"

"We could use them against Nappa! We could just wish for Shenlong to kill 'im or something!" Yamcha exclaimed excitedly.

"Of course!" Tenshinhan patted Yamcha on the back, "Brilliant idea! We should fetch Kuririn and Piccolo immediately!"

"I'm on it!" Chaozu piped up before floating quickly out of their quarters. Yamcha and Tenshinhan were giddy with excitement.

"And if that Freeza guy shows up, we could use them on him as well!" Yamcha continued with a smirk.

"Indeed! We may have single-handedly saved the world without any casualties! And seeing Piccolo seems to have mellowed out, I doubt we'll have to worry about him anymore!" Tenshinhan added. After a minute, Piccolo and Kuririn came in with Chaozu.

"Yo! You wanted to speak to us?" Kuririn asked curiously.

"What are you two smirking about?" Piccolo grumbled, "I was in the middle of meditating…."

"I came up with a brilliant plan for taking down Nappa and Freeza!" Yamcha answered with confidence. While Kuririn looked intrigued, Piccolo did not. He crossed his arms and regarded Yamcha with a blank stare.

"Well? Let's here this plan of yours," he stated cooly. Yamcha was slightly taken about but he was quick to compose himself.

"We will gather the Dragon Balls and use our wish to kill Nappa! And if Freeza ever comes-"

"No."

Yamcha blinked in confusion, "…eh?"

"You cannot use the Dragon Balls to bring death upon someone," Piccolo answered stiffly, "Kami is the grand master behind what they can and cannot do. It would be very ungodly and sinful for them to bring death to a person or group of people."

"E-even if they are evil murderers?" Yamcha asked in utter disbelief. Piccolo's eyes narrowed.

"There is no exception, Yamcha. And even if they could…do what you wish for in that regards, they would not be able to kill beings as powerful as Nappa and Freeza."

"Huh? Why?" Kuririn asked.

"Because the Dragon Balls were crafted by Kami, meaning they are only as powerful as him," Piccolo stressed, "With the exception of everyone in this Gravity Room, Kami is very powerful…but he is an ant in comparison to Nappa and a speck of dust to Freeza."

Yamcha's face was pale and he looked down in defeat. Piccolo's gaze softened slightly as he approached Yamcha.

"Don't get me wrong, it was a clever plan. It just wasn't to be," Piccolo said as he placed his hand on Yamcha's shoulder. Yamcha looked up at him in shock before smiling sheepishly.

"Heh, thanks…that means a lot coming from you!"

The all-powerful Dragon Balls are not as powerful as our heroes first thought! It seems like they'll have to fight Nappa fair and square! …well, on their end, at least… Up Next: The pride of the Prince!