Yo! Son Goku and friends! Saiyan Saga (Chapter 48)
Krillin
The year is Age 764.
"Why do those pesky mortals insist on alluding that all of existence is only 700 years old?"
"I don't know, I'm not them, Beerus."
"Pretty fucking bold of them might I add."
"You're hard to listen to sometimes, you know that?"
"I literally sit in my bed all day almost everyday listening to you do your silly narration about stupid mortals who will never in their life even come close to hoping~ not doing~ hoping to hang with someone like me. I don't even train, I'm past all that and they still can't hang. I hear you go on and on about them and their rigorous studies and battles but at the end of the day…"
Beerus hopped off his cozy little cot and poked at the crystal ball atop my staff.
"I could blow their shit to kingdom come by sneezing."
As brazen as it was, he was right. That's what separates a God of Destruction from a mortal. Even someone as powerful as Frieza is only capable of destroying a planet in golden forme while also expending all of his ki. Gods would have no point in existing if just anyone could blow up a planet willy nilly, how ridiculous would that be? That's beside the point, do you even know how much force it takes to blow up a planet? I think people often forget just how durable they are.
"Can I get on with it?"
"Ahhhh~ suit yourself." He joked back as he hopped onto the cot. I turned my nose at him defiantly.
"As I was saying."
The year is Age 764. It's been almost 3 years on the dot since Raditz arrived on October 12th. Krillin has been training the overbearing Yulin and her eager sister PaoPao for about 5 months or so now.
"You've taught us so little! Are you really saying that running around with these goddamn turtle shells on our backs is training!?"
"I love my job." Krillin made sure to keep to himself as he held a cocky and punchable smile.
"Be patient."
"I've had enough of being patient, Pao! Where's my results!?"
"Be cool, I've taught you hand to hand combat and sparred with you many times."
"Pardon me but I don't feel too good going all out on a cripple!"
Krillin smiled.
"Would you feel better going all out on me if I had both arms?"
"Maybe I'd feel inclined to try a little more, yeah But how the hell are you gonna do that!?"
Krillin held the ninja handsign Tien had performed many a time. Yulin raised a brow as her 'master' brought it in close to his chest. A wave of windy ki reverberated out and another arm appeared on his left side, flying out and cracking it's knuckles in the left sleeve of his orange kung fu gi before it met in the middle and finished the prayer with a declarative shake.
"What!?"
He waved her in with a smile.
"You got what it takes, Yulin?"
She just blinked in awe of what just happened.
The new adventure just over the horizon was going to be the first and real test of The Z Fighters as a crew, not just some people who are friends and have known each other but an actual team that has their own goals and that they would trust each other to formulate tactics and jobs on their missions going forward.
Yulin swallowed harshly and got out one of her thin papers.
"Nah, we're seeing the fruits of your martial arts."
"What the hell do you mean baldie!? I'm not gonna be able to compete with that rat unless I can beat him with an unpredictable technique."
"You might be right, but you came to learn from me, remember? We do things my way for a while until I've fully assessed your skills then we can branch from there. You have a lot to learn if you think it's gonna be easy to hit your opponent with a special technique. Raditz isn't just gonna stand there while you charge it up, Yulin. You're gonna have to set it up by dealing damage with your martial artistry first, that's where it all starts. Now."
He took on the turtle stance with invigoration.
"It's been a while." He thought to himself as he looked at his left arm out in front of him.
Yulin huffed out through her nose and stomped her foot on the grass, scuffs of green blew every which way as she took her stance, her crane leg rhythmically tapping on the ground. She took off her turtle shell and it impacted the ground with an upheaval of the earth around it.
50 or 100 pounds is not enough anymore. Yulin and PaoPao had to carry around 300 pound turtle shells for their training.
Dm~DMM!
"Whenever you're ready.
Jeice
The room was pretty nice, blue tile was spread out on the ground, punctuated by white rugs and white furniture. There was a large white couch in the middle of the room facing the flat screen TV high up on the wall. Jeice took a long drag from his beverage before setting it down on the glass table in front of him and putting his hands on a controller. There were three couches total, one on each side of the TV and one opposite it, he sat in the middle of that one. To the left of the TVs and couches was a hallway and at the end of that, a door. Ginyu and Guldo walked in with steady strides.
"Evenin' Cap'n." He greeted with a wave of his hand.
Ginyu nodded and b-lined over to what looked like a fridge at the end of the room. Guldo came in for a backhanded fistbump and Jeice met it as he sat down next to him.
"What's this one?"
"You don't know about Foiya Emblem, bro?"
He just raised a brow.
"You must be mad!"
Guldo shrugged his shoulders and leaned back into the white leather of the couch.
"Cap'n, you hea' this cunt!?"
Gunyu scanned the fruits satisfactorily.
"Cap'n?"
"Just looking at our liberation." He replied with a deep and charismatic smirk which in turn ushered out a wide smile from Jeice as well. "Where's Turles?"
"He's on mission roight now. Won't be back for a woil."
"Bardock?"
"Same diff… I think..?"
"Hmm."
Ginyu nodded with respect as he closed the refrigerator door and sat on the left couch near the hallway.
"You're still stuck on chapter 7?"
"It's hard Cap'n! Boinding Blade is kinda peepee!"
"Nah, you're supposed to use the units with high bases. Who's your team?"
"Oi'll just restaht, these woiverns are kicking moi ahss."
The game reset and Jeice was at what looked to be a menu of some sort, words and little caricatures littered the screen.
"You're using Wolt?"
"You said 2 range is good idn't it?"
Ginyu put his head in his hands, clearly disappointed.
"It's okay Jeice, everyone's a little retarded." He put a soothing hand on Jeice's bodysuited shoulder.
"Reel nicea' ya thea' Cap'n." He flashed a jokey smile and kicked him in the shin which ushered a laugh.
"Heh." Ginyu leaned back onto the leather upholstery and closed his eyes meditatively until they all heard the familiar sound.
Wsht!
Burter was already on the right couch, shaking up a tall glass with a lid vigorously.
"Hey Burter." The Captain called out with a lazy salute.
Burter nodded and returned the salute before he went back to jerking off the can.
"How long we ssaving them up, Cap'?"
"I'm thinking until we're needed for a called upon operation."
"But we alwayss do that."
"It's cause it always works. Makes sense for our BP to increase when we fight, and if it's on record, all the better."
"Hmm." He grunted with a furrowed brow, draining what appeared to be a protein shake.
"Nah." Jeice called out as he started the level. "Oi don't care all that much about our poweh ups, when are we gonna make moves on Frieza's bitch ass?"
The room turned silent except for the little tune that played from the game on the TV. Ginyu breathed out hesitantly, pinching the bridge of his nose with his right hand.
"We're waiting until Recoome and I's BP is over 500. Around 400 is when the Cold Estate Model 6 starts malfunctioning. I'd hazard a guess that Frieza and his father are at least over 500,000."
The rest of the crew audibly swallowed.
"You can be underprepared but you can't be overprepared. Overprepared just means that you'll win easier than you thought."
"Aye aye, Cap'n. But... if tha scouta' cain't read ova 400, howa' we supposed to know when we'll get thea?"
"Turles, Recoome, and I have done the math." Ginyu responded as he wrote on the air with his finger. "We've come to the conclusion that once we reach the threshold of no return, it should take about 10 full fruits each, give or take."
"Noice! But ehh, Cap'n?"
"..?"
"That'll take a long toime."
"Yeah, but we're in it for the long con." Ginyu kicked Jeice's left calf for good measure. "Remember, we're The Cold Estate's longest running squadron with no casualties. We're 9 years now, boys. I'm not gonna let our sick run end due to negligence and that's~" He stuck his arm out for dramatic effect.
"NO CAP!"
"Good."
Ginyu watched Jeice move around the level with his little game characters until Recoome shook the room as he entered.
"Recoome."
Recoome just subtly nodded and sat next to The Captain.
Fwomp!
Ginyu stretched out his arms and scratched at his neck as he watched Jeice play.
"Ooh~"
Ginyu wore a silly duck face that caught Jeice's attention.
"W~what?"
"Ranges."
"... Ah crap."
"Yup."
"It's those damn woiverns."
"Why are you putting Roy so far up?" Ginyu had the biggest and cheesiest smile on his face as he pushed on Jeice's shoulder.
"He sucks. He's the lord so he needs the levels."
Ginyu smirked and shook his head.
"Whoiy are you smoilin' Cap'n?"
"Better hope that wyvern doesn't connect because that mage can also hit Roy."
"He can?"
Jeice looked back with fear as the words 'Enemy Phase' played on screen. Just as Ginyu called out, the mage hit Roy and then after that the wyvern with a guy riding it slammed a lance into the blue hero's sprite, draining the last of his HP.
"Bugga all this."
Ginyu chortled out a deep chuckle as Jeice turned off the console and stomped to the door at the back. Ginyu gave a suggestive look at Burter as he sunk lazily into the couch.
"Don't look at me, Cap. You know I'm terrible at those gamesss. DDR is the only sshit I'm even good at."
"I mean I don't even understand how you have a winning streak on Uno. That shit don't make no sense. You could probably get through Binding Blade on pure luck alone."
"Well I'd usse up all my favour with the higher powersss on that and not on Uno."
"I'm breaking your streak next game."
"Wanna prove that?"
Ginyu sat up with a smirk.
"Jeice!"
"Oi'm takin' a shit!" His snarky voice echoed through the walls.
"We're playing Uno!"
"You betta wait or Oi'm shitting on the table instead!"
"Heard!"
"You ain't catching me lackin' Cap."
"You sure he not cheating, Guldo?"
"Positive."
Ginyu shot a furrowed brow at his large blue comrade as he disappeared and reappeared with a deck.
He really wasn't.
"Look, I would know. Angels are even more powerful than Gods of Destruction."
"Ah-hem."
Tien
Launch lined up a bunch of targets far off in the snow, medium sized snowmen with intricately laid red circles on all three of them.
"Okay! You ready to light em' up!?"
"We'll see." Tien replied with a frantic, yet enthusiastic cantor.
"This is gunna be great! I can just tell youa' gunna be a natural!" Launch bobbed up and down excitedly as she placed her grey mitts on his shoulders.
Tien breathed out an icy cold mist as he lined up the shot with the hand cannon he had.
"Is this right?" Tien questioned as he looked back, trying to determine the correct positioning of a firearm.
"I mean I neva' read tha books, Sweetheart! And I ain't neva' lost a fight neitha' so I musta been doin' somethin' right!"
"You-hoo mean you don't know!?" He laughed out stupidly.
"I mean, why learn the form if you can hit em' anyway!? Come on, shoot!"
Tien smiled wide and rolled all three of his eyes. He fired the first round and missed by a mile, not even coming close to the middle man.
"Whatayou aimin' at, hah!? Hee-hee." She giggled with exuberance and life and hugged his big frame tight.
Tien had never seen Launch so excited.
Tien shook off the nerves, tongue in cheek as he lined up the next one.
BLAMM!
It didn't miss, but it didn't even hit anything in the red circle, instead he shot off the tree twig stuck on the middle one's right side.
"Ayy! You coulda' shot a cop's gun off with that one! Nice job!" She kissed him on the cheek and he just smiled.
Tien sharpened his focus and his third eye went to town, expertly scouting the next shot.
KOMM!
Dead center.
BLAMM! KOWW!
All three of them.
"Kyaaaaa~" She tackled him over onto the snow. "That was so sexy!"
"H-hey~ Ha-Ha!"
They embraced in a warm moment while submerged in the freezing cold.
Raditz
Raditz walked past the robots that littered Capsule Corp. He scratched his broad chin as he made his way up the staircase to the loft.
"Yo! What's happenin', Raditz?"
"Not much, 4 for 5."
"Dayumm." Is all Yamcha said as the pair passed each other, going opposite ways.
The Saiyan walked in on Piccolo and Gohan watching a program as usual while Bulma worked on something on her laptop on the counter. Oolong was there as well watching the program for some reason.
"The Roman aqueducts were some of the most advanced architectural feats of their time… blah blah blah, blah blah blah~" Is all Raditz heard as he stood on the opposite side from the scarred blue haired executive.
"Sup?"
"I'm going to be frank, Bulma. I need you to build me a device that'll be able to contain me when I transform into an Oozaru."
"The Oozaru?" She replied half-heartedly, tinkering with a small device on the counter.
"The great ape transformation."
"Heh~ … I can do it, but man, Raditz, you're asking a lot." She stopped what she was doing and met his eye line. "Why in the world would you intentionally go into that scary ape mode?"
"That's why I need you to build some sort of containment room."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Oozaru can be conquered."
Bulma gave him the meanest stink eye.
"Elite Saiyans don't lose their temperament when they transform."
"Get out of here."
She was definitely intrigued now.
"Saiyans with royal blood have the easiest time reigning it in but there are records of non-royals conquering the form. Nappa was one such example."
"Who's Nappa?"
"That big bald Saiyan that we fought."
"Oh."
Gohan looked at the pair with intrigue, his face hidden by the back of the couch.
"We were incredibly lucky that Vegeta didn't land at night or during the full moon. I guess in his overconfidence he assumed he wouldn't need it."
"So you can really control that thing?"
"Yes. I mean… I can't. But a Saiyan can definitely get in control with enough practice. I want to try."
"Why do you and Goku always have to try so hard?"
The question left Raditz in a mixed state.
"It doesn't feel right to just sit down and relax."
"Is there a reason you're asking now? You've been on Earth for a while now."
"It's a big burden. I'm effectively asking you to build me a prison and then keep me in jail. I didn't want to have to ask that of you, but I don't really see any other way that's safer, especially considering your expertise in mechanics."
Bulma's jaw hung open in disbelief.
"Yeah… I guess I can try."
"These are the amounts of Bluntz Waves needed to trigger a transformation. There has to be a tangible light source in the room for the Bluntz Waves to work also, so you're going to need to figure that out too."
"So am I sending you the bill or..?"
"Well…" Raditz laughed and scratched his cheek.
"Wow! That's bold, dude. You came all the way here to ask me to build you an entire compound, FOR FREE!?"
"More or less."
"..."
"Yeah I got you, just don't expect it to be done by the end of the month or anything."
"Fair."
Raditz turned around and waltzed over to the couch.
"Me oh my, the aqueducts made the city not shitty, what an invention."
"They did all this crazy building without the internet and limited architectural studies, Mongrel. This shit is impressive."
"Whatever you say, Green Man."
"Tcheh."
"Later, Uncle Raditz."
Raditz waved goodbye to his nephew with a limp right hand as he went to exit down the stairwell.
Goku
Chi-Chi and her husband sat in a steaming spring, the water bubbled to the surface and Goku got out to check something as the grass and shrubbery around them rustled with the movement of the wild.
"Honey!?" She called out, wine glass in her hand, taking a steady sip after the fact.
"Just trying to make sure there aren't any sabertooths... saberteeth!? Saberteeths!"
"When a noun is already a plural you just add an s anyway! But that's like conjecture because you don't do that for everything! English is a terrible language!" She waved her left index in the air, full teacher-mode, taking another drink from her glass.
"So sabertooths!?"
"Yeah!"
Goku looked feverishly for a moment before leaving it alone, cannonballing into the water.
"Goku!" She yelped as he caused a torrential uproar, amazingly, it didn't make contact with her. "How did you~"
"Relax, hon, it was a test." Goku smiled as he waved his hand to manipulate a Kiai.
"You really never stop, do you?"
"Well Tien's never gonna stop and I'm the reason he trains so hard so why do I get to have all the fun?"
Chi-Chi bit her lip hard and looked at her man's firm chest. It was musculare for sure but packed in tight on his frame. She let down her well groomed bun and shook out her deep black locks.
"I want you to take me, right now."
"Wow!" Goku laughed out like a dumbass as he went for it, submerging the two of them in the water.
"Uh~huh! O~kay! Maybe we do it inside instead, that's way too hot." She proclaimed with fervor as she rose out of the steaming spring like a hair commercial.
"Really?" Goku questioned as he wiped away the water and matted hair from his face.
"I'm not the crazy alien, Goku. This temperature is a little too much." Goku shrugged and stood her up, walking her back to the house hand-in-hand, not a swimsuit in sight. "I don't like that your ass is better than mine now."
"I think it's from all the squatting I do for Kaio-Ken." Goku flexed his left leg out in an Olympia pose, the muscle striations an impossible fullness and leanness.
"Damn!" She proclaimed as she took her right hand away, smacking his ass with determination.
"Huh-Hah!"
She smiled and Goku just picked her up like a damsel.
"Thank you, I was kind of hoping I didn't have to Walk through the rocks to get back home."
"Hey, you know what, maybe you'll get your butt back if you rough it out in the woods for a while."
"You're so stupid I could kiss you." She leaned in closed and bopped his left cheek with her wine glass.
The pair giggled like school children as they walked back to the humble capsule home.
Piccolo
"Piccolo."
"Old Man."
"I was not expecting a visit from you, friend."
"Hmph." He crossed his arms with the same angst as usual.
The night was beautiful on The Lookout. The stars were so clear and uninhibited by the smog, pollution or the worldly disruptions below. The constellations were in full swing as The Namekians conversed.
"You seem like you have questions?"
Piccolo nodded with intention.
"Well, go on." He motioned his staff forward at the younger Namekian.
"Why'd you wait a year to revive everyone? Can't you just make new Dragon Balls? Wouldn't that have been faster than~"
"Well, Piccolo." He interjected, peering out into the stars. "There is a reason The Namekians are one of the sole proprietors of such magics. Well… as far as I know."
"Hmm."
"The Namekian life force is one of the most potent magical elements this side of the galaxy. Creating a new set of Dragon Balls takes an inordinate amount of magical prowess and energy. Namekians can skip this process by using some of their extremely lengthy life as fuel. It's what I did when I granted Goku the usage of the Dragon Balls after I revived Shenron. I'm only middle aged as far as Namekians go but look at my skin."
Kami beckoned to his younger half and presented his wrinkly and faded green right hand. Piccolo turned his full body language towards The Guardian of Earth. There was a clear difference in pigmentation between the two. Piccolo's skin looked a lot sharper of a green.
"You said that the guy who tried to take over Earth when Krillin and the others left for Namek created a set of Dragon Balls, didn't you?"
"Very right. This way." The green god walked with slow strides back to just in front of the palace. Popo spared a wave of his hand at The Demon.
"Hello, Piccolo."
Piccolo acknowledged him.
"It is just under here." Kami claimed as he waved his staff, the turquoise telekinetic magic shifting the tiles out of the way to reveal a set of Black Star Dragon Balls.
"Was that guy a Namekian then?"
"No. He was not."
"Then how did he..?"
"Ancient black magics crafted by the Garlic Clan. Instead of sacrificing one's own life force for the creation of the Dragon Balls they would sacrifice another's."
"Ahh."
There was a moment of silence before Piccolo jumped to the next logical conclusion.
"So how powerful are these? Are these better than the ones you made? Why didn't we use these instead of waiting a year?"
Kami chuckled.
"I am not using Dragon Balls created with blood sacrifices. You have me ~ fucked up ~ as they say. Besides, the creator of the Dragon Balls gets to set the terms, there could be dire consequences for using them. I know the dastardly condition set for these and the results are not favourable. Better left up here where they will go unused."
Piccolo furrowed his brow at the Black Star Dragon Balls.
They had no way of knowing at this time but the Black Star Dragon Balls would be an adventure for the next generation.
"Well why don't you just destroy them?"
Kami stared at his other half for a long time.
"You cannot destroy the Dragon Balls. They are far too powerful."
"Hmph. Oh yeah?"
"Be my guest, I wish for you to prove me wrong."
Piccolo floated down to the room, lifting the three star ball off of the table and floating back up. He cracked his knuckles and flexed his ki.
TWOKK!
"Well I'll be…" Piccolo smiled as the ball was still perfectly fine after the ordeal.
Kami smiled and Piccolo threw it down with the rest of the pot. Kami waved his staff high in the air and the tiles on the side shifted back into position.
"Any other burning questions?"
There was a bit of silence as the younger half stared down The Guardian of Earth.
"How well does water work to sustain wounds afflicted against our kind?"
The wind blew as if to hype the question and Kami meditated on it. He flexed his brow as he met the young one's eye line.
"I thought it was only Namek's water that had healing properties?"
"No. I did my own studies during the years between the 23rd Budokai and Raditz' arrival. I can go over a month without water and only need water to survive."
"That so?"
Piccolo nodded.
"Heh-heh. I never cared to try. The food Popo makes is good enough to not want to I guess."
"I just wanted to ask in case you knew but it looks like I know something you don't, Old Man." He stated with arrogance, turning to the side as his cape shifted slightly in the light winds.
There was another long pause as Piccolo looked to the skies, formulating his next line of questioning.
"You didn't answer my question."
"How so?"
"You never told me how beat up we Namekians can be while still being able to resuscitate. I know we can at least grow arms back."
"Forgive me, Piccolo."
"Tcheh."
"I have not done the rigorous study you have in suit of where my limits lie. I cannot say where the line is. I suppose you will have to find out on your own."
"I suppose I will." Piccolo responded, the light night breeze hitting on his white cape with a small flicker.
"Do you remember all those years ago when you were just born?"
"Why are you bringing this up now, Old Man?"
"You ran away from a dog." Kami smiled like a bastard.
Piccolo shook his head and his green cheeks flushed red in embarrassment.
"I should kill you just for bringing that up."
"I am beginning to think Yamcha's right."
"..."
"You put up this harsh exterior yet you are just as silly as the rest of us, that is all."
"I've had enough of this…"
"It was nice seeing you, Piccolo."
"..."
The gust kicked up one last time and Piccolo was nowhere to be seen.
Goku
Goku laid asleep restfully with his wife tentatively wrapped in his left arm before he was awoken by the sound of a ringing phone in the middle of the house. He woke up sharp and alert before the grogginess hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Deaugh…" He groaned as the phone continued its ring.
Goku threw off the covers lightly and pranced around the house with quick and quiet dashes.
"Huh...hello~" He yawned out as he answered. "Oh, hey Raditz. Yeah."
"..."
"Yeah, for sure. I'll meet you out there in like one minute."
Goku slammed the home phone receiver into the holster and hopped back to his bedroom, opening up the sliding closet and picking out a loose pair of blue parachute pants, a white belt, and a white tank top.
It was the same fit he wore during his training for the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, adjusted for his new physique of course.
He tied it tight around his waist and shot out the door like a bullet. Raditz had to dodge the door frame as it almost smacked him.
"Sorry! Hee-hee-haugh!"
Raditz didn't say much and it immediately caught Goku's attention.
"Hey… What's goin' on?" He put his hand on his brother's shoulder for reassurance, the door creaked closed behind him.
"I need to talk to you about something."
"Well duh, that's what we came out here for."
"Do you mind if we go for a walk?"
"Not at all, I love it here." Goku looked out into the sprawling wilderness of Mount Paozu, smiling at the prospect of a night walk with his brother.
The pair walked the dirt road for a long while, a soothing stream of water ran down their right side as they conversed. Lightning bugs punctuated their conversation with bright yellow pockets of light. Goku smiled and daintily touched the little insects while on his way.
"There is one more of us, Goku."
"..?"
"His name is Turles and he's a year older than I. You, Turles, and I were all born from different mothers."
"Oh."
"But our father Bardock is the same for all three of us."
Goku frowned and let a lightning bug escape the delicate cupping motion he made with his hands.
"But isn't marriage supposed to be just between two people?"
"Hah…"
"..."
"Marriage doesn't really exist for Saiyans outside of royalty."
"..."
"And even then, under the Cold Estate's rule, Saiyans aren't really allotted that level of peace to be able to celebrate something like that. You just catch your lay and maybe have a kid. Bardock did that three times with different women."
Goku didn't look pleased.
"Why are you telling me this?" He balled his fists and looked down at them under the deep blue surrounding punctuated by brief flashes of yellow.
"I just want you to know the truth because you are my brother and~"
Raditz turned to stop Kakarot in his tracks and stared him down.
"You seem to have this uncanny knack for making friends, Kakarot. I want to try one last time to make good with our father and our brother."
Goku's mood turned on a dime and he wore a bright smile.
"But how are we~"
"We'll wait for Bulma and her father to complete their new spaceship design. They're improving the fit after having studied and making schematics out of that Namekian ship. We'll go right into the homeland of the Saiyans. Planet Vegeta. And we'll find out where they're stationed by using their filing computers."
The lightning bugs seemed to agree with Raditz' resolve, shining and buzzing brightly around the older brother.
"Sound good?"
Fsht!
They slammed their forearms against each other like they were doing battle, both of them wearing an unmistakably excited smirk.
"I've always wanted to meet my real parents! This'll be exciting!"