Yo! Son Goku and friends! Babidi Saga (Chapter 25)
Gohan
"Tsk. I really need to get a new phone."
"Whatever for, Bestie?"
"The…" She mimed, pointing at the back of her cellular device. "The thing just doesn't want to stay shut all the time. Sometimes it just-"
Clicc. Pop!
"Pops out." She said with pouts, resting her elbows on the table and squinting her eyes at the electronic instrument, battery strewn onto the table. Her worries faded away as more food was placed down in front of her, hot and ready to eat. "Thanks." Videl said with a smile a Chi-Chi nodded with motherly approval.
"Man this shit is bussin'!" Sharpner howled on the lawn of Capsule Corp. as he chowed down on all sorts of meats, kebabs, dogs, and eggs. He bumped and jumped on the wooden seating of their picnic tables.
"Tcheh. You think that stuff's good, you should try the slaw bunnies."
"Wha're slouw bunnies?" Shaprner asked through chews, looking up at The Green Man as the sunset sun cast rays over the horizon line, glinting off the many tube tunnels of West City's metropolis.
"...Don't worry about it."
"You really do have a big family, huh?" Erasa stated as she, her Bestie, and Gohan sat at the main table on the front lawn. Despite the lawn being packed there weren't very many others at the table however besides Chi-Chi and The Briefs, pretty much everyone else was eating somewhere else, that or:
"Come on, Goku! We both know you ain't tryin'!" Tien hollered from across the way.
Fwofff~
A hawaiian shirt tore across the front lawn as Raditz shedded it from his shreddedness.
"Kakarot is just too kind to mess up an Earthling gathering. I think his Missus has started to chip away at his Saiyan savagery."
"Hey! I want to fight~ but shouldn't we go do it in that little, you know, training chamber?'
"Ever since Gohan and his little friends painted it up, it hasn't been the same. I mean look at it!" Gohan's uncle claimed, pointing across the way at the various designs, blocky letters, and cats, lots of cats.
"What!? You don't like my cats!?" Erasa shouted across the way, only to receive a lazy shrug from Raditz. "That's a You problem, dude!"
"I guess it never seemed all that big to me. It just seemed… normal, you know?" Gohan claimed, looking out at all his friends with a smile on his face and sauce on his lips.
"That makes sense." Videl remarked as she chewed modestly on a kebab.
"You did phenomenal as Romeo, Gohan." His mother claimed, the girls on either side of him cheesing and nudging him with elbows.
"Thanks, mom." He laughed out.
"Hey! Gohan's friends!"
"Hmm?" Sharpner looked back, hotdog hanging out of his mouth before he chomped it.
"This dent wasn't here before. You have anything to do with it!?" Raditz barked across the way as he held his hand up to the warped metal.
Goten and Trunks shot wide eyes at each other before making a break for the electronic double doors of Capsule Corp.
"I gotta give it up. You didn't do too bad, kid." The Pig stated as he brought his own plate, settling down next to Chi-Chi.
"Thanks, Oolong." Finished with his food, Gohan just leaned over the table with elbows crossed and smiled.
"So what are you gonna do after this one?" The Pig asked before taking a bite of his steamed kebab, chomping on the pepper.
"..."
Fwmp.
"Oh shoot, my fault, kid."
Everyone at the table, Mr. and Mrs. Brief, Bulma, Chi-Chi, Videl, Erasa, Puar, Launch who just got her supper.
"Finally! Took me long enough to get some suppa'! What are we all lookin' at Gohan foa'? Hmm!" She mean-mugged him hard just to follow suit with the crowd, slamming her food and subsequently her hands down on the table for good measure.
Gohan, despite all the eyes on him, looked towards the clouds for advice, watching them crawl across the aether as he thought.
"I think I want to publish something."
"Publish? What, like a book?" Oolong asked before digging in.
"Ooh~ A research paper?" Erasa added in with a raised index.
"Youa' smart, Gohan. What, youse gonna be a lawya' or somethin'? Don't come out hea' and make some stupid ass laws or nothin'."
"Yeah. I'm thinking a book."
"So a writer?" Chi-Chi asked, head askew, and brows narrowed downward in intrigue.
"I mean… not exactly. I know I just want to write at least One book."
"So what are you gonna write about?" Erasa asked as Videl kept quiet, just staring at Gohan while she ate.
"I don't know. I think I'd want to publish something on Saiyans, that or if I actually got around to it, maybe… write a book about dad's adventures."
"That'd sell for sure." Bulma replied between chomps as she watched Tien, Goku, and Raditz dance around the lawn in tight and light steps, clashing with deliberation and careful contact.
"But…"
Everyone leaned in as Gohan spoke, the son of Son Goku sparing a few more passing moments to the clouds above as he pondered.
"I think I'm just gonna go to medical school."
"YES!" Chi-Chi shouted, raising her arms up high as everyone shifted their focus to her, instead of her son. "... I mean… you can be anything you want to, Gohan. I'll support you whatever you choose."
"..."
"...I wouldn't think less of you if you chose anything else…"
"..."
"..."
"Sure, mom." Gohan said as the rest of his friends burst into familial giggles.
Cell
"What is this place?" Cell posited to the group as Krillin unlocked the cuffs chaining together his pale hands. The Free Man looked about the grassy plains, only rocky formations and green groundscapes stretched out for miles.
"This…" Krillin responded, gazing out into the lush prairie the same as his captive. "Is Paprika Wasteland."
"Huh…"
"We fought a banger of a battle here a couple years ago. Huh-Hah!" The father of two replied as he got low and loosed up his lower body.
"I wouldn't call Chiaotzu, Piccolo, and I dying a 'banger of a battle', Goku."
"Oh. Hah. My fault." He snickered, bringing an unwilling grin to the forefront of Tien's scruffy salt and pepper face.
"It's not exactly your fault, but it was a poor choice of words." Is all The Three Eyed man had to say as he too participated in the limbering up of sorts, his limps popping strange, and loud too, drawing not ire but intrigue to his location from everyone involved.
"You got pop rocks in there, Three Eyes?" Raditz laughed as he took off his hawaiian shirt, throwing the pink garb on the ground, discarding his sandals along with them on the packed prairie dirt.
"Eat a dick, Raditz." He retorted right back, twisting his back and shoulders to the left, resulting in a cacophony of cracks, sounding off like he were crushing a bag of chips into nothing but atoms.
"HAH-HAH-HAH!"
"You sure you wanna try your luck, bruh? There's like six of us and you ain't got no backup. You're not gonna win." The Wolf claimed as he stepped forward, hands on his hips like a cowboy, still in his casual Capsule Corp. getup, sweatpants and all.
"..." Piccolo stood far away, just watching the only other six people in the prairie gab it up.
"Is Piccolo participating?" Cell asked in earnest, mirroring The Green Man's positioning by flexing his chest muscles and then crossing his arms, smirking a bit as he said it.
"That Is him participating." Krillin replied as he popped a capsule:
Bom!
and put on a long orange kung fu jacket. Yamcha's eyes widened as Krillin all but made it clear. Baggy blue pants, and steely black kung fu shoes. The left socket hung limp on the slight spring air traveling through the plains. Streams of energy spawned into existence and Krillin cracked his knuckles.
"Krillin." Goku spoke plainly, drawing all the attention to him.
Krillin looked back.
Goku nodded, a smile as wide as the sea.
Krillin smiled too.
"So are you ready, Cell?" The New Turtle Grandmaster questioned, a high brow.
"To finish what I started, and declare this planet unfit to house me? Why yes, yes I am." He answered, a devilish toothy smile, teeth bright enough to cast a Solar Flare off of.
Cell VS The Z Fighters
Objective: Survival of the fittest!
"Step aside, Earthlings. Let me take this green sack of shit. I haven't really fought in quite a long time."
"You? Of all of them? Your job was just to sit on commentary and look pretty at the tournament, wasn't it? I don't even remember your name."
Raditz furrowed his brow sharp, cutting edge. There was something about the way the skin folded when a Saiyan was angry, as if there was something more, despite them looking very close to Earthlings in most aspects.
"I'm gonna make sure you remember it."
"Sure." Cell responded before taking flight, flapping his wings with a gusty dragonfly gusto, bellowing out winds in all directions as the other Z Fighters parted and watched on, Cell flying all around Raditz, cutting his flank, soaring above, then on either side, a breakneck pace.
The ground heaved at Cell's command, the true power of his training on display, whipping up wild strokes of both earth and air as he spiraled, looking for just the right angle. With a keen eye, Cell struck, clean, knocking Raditz for a loop as he drug his bare feet across the land, ripping up a cavern as The Free Man went to town, throwing strike after strike, most too fast to be blocked or deflected by The Saiyan. When all was said and done, Cell delivered a flurry of kicks with his left and sent him packing with a haymaker of a right hand. It landed right in the middle of his face, redding Raditz' nose and sending him sliding. The man kept to his feet, let his head hang, and then looked back with a smile.
"Looks like if you can't even finish me when I let you, you're not going to have so easy a time as you hope."
"My my, you've got a lot of balls to assume I was going full gas." Cell chided back with a chilling grin.
"Let me in, Raditz. You don't got what it takes." Tien clamoured, sighing and shaking his head.
"Don't got what it takes!? You're on one, Three Eyes!"
ZOOONN! WHAMM! FOOOSHH!
Raditz tumbled in a full backflip as Cell made contact with his jaw again, a dastardly left elbow. The Saiyan caught the air and flipped out, stalling and spreading eagle.
"Ahemn~" Krillin cleared his throat a single time and leapt into action, dashing off the grass in pursuit of the black wings fluttering behind Cell.
Yamcha's nose perked up and he followed suit.
"We're supposed to be fighting this guy at the same time. Aren't we? Come on!" The Wolf shouted to the rest of the group, Tien, Goku, and Piccolo clearly content to sit it out.
Cell's eyes shot back, drawing a red tron line with his vision.
"We don't even need the whole crew, and we're still gonna put you on your ass!"
AWOOOOO!
"Damn!" Cell shouted as he barely ducked the slashing strike, Yamcha's shoes making contact with the ground enough to blow up a titanous cloud of dust. "He's Still faster than me-"
Fsht! WHAMM!
Cell reeled from the flying kick, Yamcha shuddering his shoulders, holding the pose with his flight as his foe rocketed away. Before Cell could stop his momentum, Krillin appeared from up above, sending out a loose beam. The Free Man pressed his yellow foot deep into the earth and kicked out to the left, only to meet Raditz face to face. He ducked The Saiyan's left overhand and punished with a left hook, slamming it into the man's thick cheekbone. Raditz smirked, going nowhere.
"What?"
THOOOOMMM!
The wind clapped and a sonic boom burst in a wave, destroying anything taller than Raditz' arm height as Cell barely scraped by untouched, forced to fall onto his ass to avoid the wind's entirety. The Free Man shot to his feet only to meet the:
"WOLF, FANG, FIST!"
SwuScuSuuFuFwuScuFwuSuuSwuScuFwu~
It was less about dodging punches and more about trying to weasel his way out of 10 scythes slashing each and every way.
"Dynamite Monday!"
THOOOMM!
Jumping into the mix, Krillin flew above their paths of action, as soon as Raditz landed a single time.
DMM!
It was over. Not because it really hurt The Bug Man so much but because he simply had no answer, not even able to draw either of his arms up for an Instant Transmission, just too much pressure for the pugilistic offence of two attackers. They felled The Bug Man, leaving him in an oozing, green and purple mess of pulpy goop. Yamcha winced and flicked off the soupy liquid from his nails, sticking out his tongue and shuddering, but from gross-out this time.
"Eugh~"
"How..?" Cell said as he looked down at his bleeding shell and pale white hands.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Cell shifted his gaze to the small man floating in front of the sun, eclipsing it off his bald head.
"Two on one is an insanely monstrous advantage. Even if you are stronger than us individually. I promise you. You will just Never win against all of us. That whole: 'I'm so strong I can take on all of you' thing, isn't real. Against opponents that are anywhere near your level, the advantage numbers have is weighed so much more in our favour."
"..."
"It won't happen."
"Eghh…" Cell snorted, standing up to his full height and blowing away the cracks and slashes in his skin with a regenerative flex.
Splish!
"If that motherfucker Yamcha weren't so fast-"
"But he is."
"..."
"We each have our own strengths and weaknesses that compliment each other when needed. Maybe you might even be strong enough to defeat all of us eventually, but I'd only wager on that being the case when we're all on death's door."
Cell let the soft pressure of the air current whisper onto his pale face as Krillin brandished the handcuffs.
"And you're sure of that?" Cell asked as the tiny metal apparatus clinked around the spotted insect plate of his wrists.
"Yeah. It's not fair for us to fight you at the same time. You're clearly stronger than we are. It'd be dishonest to claim otherwise-"
"-Stop giving Bug Man so much credit, One Arm. It'll go to his head." Raditz said as he squatted down and threw on his pink vacationary tee.
"Hmm. So you hunt in packs but enter tournaments as separate entrants?"
"Well that's the only way to do it right?" Yamcha fired back right away as he crossed his arms behind his back. "If you want to find out who's the strongest."
"Not the strongest, Wolf. Who's martial arts are superior. That is all. Strength is relative."
"But that's still not true. If it were only about your so called 'martial arts', then there wouldn't be separate divisions." Cell said, locking ethereal eyes with the three Tienshinhan possessed, the man standing tall and holding firm in both conviction and stature. Cell's lips parted in a sickly smirk. "Your silence tells me I'm right."
"Well if that's the case, I'm stronger than you aren't I?"
Cell's smile turned upside down real quick at Tien's remark.
"You Know that's not true."
"Most of the world doesn't know that. All they saw was that I kicked your ass. My martial arts were superior to yours when it counted. Nothing more, nothing less."
Fwoooomm~
Wind rushed and a pulse of air reverberated through the plains as Goku put a hand on Cell's chest, stopping him just short of throwing a shot onto his three eyed friend's dome.
"Easy, Buddy."
The handcuffs somehow withstood Cell attempting to throw a right hand but Goku's assistance likely made Krillin's job easier as The New Turtle Grandmaster wiped his brow and let out a sigh of relief.
"Of course…" Cell said with a drained cantor. "A model inmate wouldn't dare strike someone out of fear of a longer sentence. Take me away Krillin before I try my luck. That or I can't control myself next time Tien decides to say something that piques my fighting spirit."
"Sorry for dragging all of you out here, guys. It wasn't really a good use of your time."
"No it wasn't, Mongrel."
Vwa-Vuish!
"I appreciate the invite." The Crane said.
"I always got your back." The Wolf remarked, slapping said back.
"Anytime, Buddy." He said with his two finger salute.
"Make sure to put this one in solitary. There's no telling when this fool's going off the deep end." Raditz stated while putting back on his sandals.
Just like Piccolo, Krillin disappeared into the aether with his use of Instant Transmission, leaving the other four to contemplate if not leave immediately after their friend's absence.
Gohan
"This isn't quite what I expected."
"Were you expecting something greater, brah?"
"No. I mean… what I'm feeling right now." Gohan replied as he watched the various members of his class strolling up and receiving their diplomas, handed off by the staff with bright smiles, some fake enough to work at a distance, some true, and some not caring enough to put in the effort to be believable.
"What are you feeling right now, brah?" Sharpner shot back as he crossed his arms behind his black gown, the two of them drowning in a sea of shimmering shadowy robes.
"Kind of… empty. I feel like I just started this whole public school thing and it's already over. I spent most of my studying at my house so going to school with you guys was a really welcome change of pace. I'm kind of sad that it's over to be honest."
"Are you serious? I can't wait to get the fuck out of here. Been in public school my whole life, this shit sucks ass. I could have got to Konkichi's on time pretty much everyday but screw that, I'd rather get 30 extra minutes of sleep."
"I'm worried about you, Sharpner. I know what your GPA looks like and it's not especially impressive."
"..." Sharpner's cocky grin slacked into a neutral line and his view of the on-stage recipients faded into a blurry image.
"I think I'm just gonna commit to medical school. Grades are good, job security, and great pay. I think I'd rather study bugs but it is what it is. I can still do that as a hobby. What are you gonna do, Sharpner?"
"I don't know man… I don't know."
"Is there any way I could help?" Gohan asked with furrowed brows as he leaned over and gripped tight onto the folder in his hand.
A teacher shushed them from across the aisle and Gohan gave her the type of glare Piccolo would be proud of, forcing her into submission and then turning back his attention to his friend.
"Just let me live my life. I don't need you hounding me, brah."
Gohan's face fell and he looked at the tile beneath their feet.
Babidi
Va-Vuish!
The cold winds and righteous gales of black clouds and vicious lightning strikes beat into the trio as Babidi held up a bubble spell for his small frame. Buu was torn to shreds but he yawned at the arcing electricity as his bubblegum body pieced together over and over despite the rampant damage. A man decked out in a navy blue bodysuit and white armour scoffed and moved out of the way of the piercing blasts as they came. The Wizard cleared his throat as he brought up a magical incantation. The magic echoed out into several circles of power before a giant key locked into position and turned on the air.
Gunk! Cla~
"..." Babidi's brows sharpened immensely, the wrinkly skin lining his frame scrunching up even more than it already had as lightning struck. Thunder accompanied.
KAH-KOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW! Clicc.
The lock finished and just like that, the entire span of thunderous roars, ripping gusts, and rain was swept away into nothingness. It didn't make sense. There was no longer any storm and the clouds floated freely underneath their feet as they levitated on the air.
"Whew. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do it more than once. Looks like I got lucky this time." Babidi relayed as he reigned in his ethereal magic ball and floated up to The Lookout.
The view below was unlike anything one could ever get anywhere else, a simultaneous look at the dark blot of night, and the coalescing beauty of a sun's rise at dawn. The spot just below the actual body of The Lookout was a sight to behold, vast expanses of seas, greens, clouds, and stars were out for the three of them to see. Kami's eyes widened profusely as Mr. Popo shot a look his way.
"Kami?"
"Get out of here, Mr. Popo. Someone has somehow… brought down The Lookout's defenses. That doesn't… no one's ever… How did they..?"
"~Goku~"
It was in his soul. He had certainly felt this level of call to action before. His son's kidnapping at the hands of his brother. To defeat the enemy that murdered his best friend in cold blood right after The 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. To stand up against the likes of a tyrant like Frieza. This was no different, or at least, should have been. Never before had Goku felt the urgency leap out of his chest like he did that moment. The man was sleeping, it felt like a dream, one part due to the fact that it was one and another part due to the fact that Kami's single callout brought him to tears.
A potent fear gripped into his chest and ripped him awake. His wife was right there and woke up, disarray and not nearly as cognizant as he was. He breathed out heavy, sweat forming on his skin like no tomorrow, and there might not have been if he didn't go. At least that's what he felt. All that, and only one second had passed before Goku assumed the position.
Va-Vwish! Vwa-Vuush!
"Kami!"
It is kind of impressive just how ready to go Saiyans are, Goku didn't need any coffee or any supplements to already be up and at em' despite waking up mere seconds ago.
Goku was lucky he was wearing his casual sweatpants and white tank top but unlucky enough to not be wearing shoes.
"Young Goku… they~" He pointed, his boney green finger pointing as the trio ascended, parallel with him, Goku, and Mr. Popo.
Goku looked him up and down.
A cruel nostalgia stuck up the hairs on the back of Goku's neck. Perhaps it was because Kami truly was decrepit now. The man was at death's door, no one wanted to say it however. He had seen The Guardian of Earth this concerned one other time but that long ago, he was willing to stand firm and die for his convictions, sure in himself that he could defeat his other half without the assistance from Goku and his friends. This was different. Kami's genuine fear rubbed off on Goku as he saw the timid look in the old coger's eyes.
Goku steeled himself, flaring his arms out and locking eyes with the tiny mustard coloured goblin standing at the ladder's edge of The Lookout. There were two people with him, one stranger in what looked to be a uniform and a pink gummy man in white parachute pants and a flowing blue cape. The morning sun barely lit the skies around them.
"Who are you!? Explain yourself now!"
"Goku… they broke the barrier to The Lookout."
"..!"
"..." There was a slight pause as Babidi lifted his orb and scowled. "Damn it all to hell! He's pure! Completely pure! This one would be absolutely excellent to have under rank and file. His stats might be the most balanced I've ever seen!"
"Kami! Get Piccolo and Krillin on your Telepathy!"
"..."
"Kami!"
Likewise. It went both ways. It had been a long time since Kami had seen goofy Goku so serious.
"Right!"
"Planet Cereal proved to be too much of a hassle. Look. We know The Dragon Balls are here and we want to make this planet a much safer place for all involved."
"..." Goku's brow furrowed as a single bead of sweat dripped down onto the white tile.
Vwa-Foosh!
"Hmph."
Babidi locked eyes with The Green Man as his cape flailed in the wind much like Majin Buu's. Piccolo crossed his arms and stood next to Son Goku, chest high.
Va-Vish!
"Jeez… it like… couldn't wait? I just pulled an all-nighter in North City last night and I didn't think I was gonna hafta~ Eughhh~" Krillin asked, heavy bags under his eyes, letting out a yawn before even comprehending the strangers standing in front of him. He had nothing on but some turtle boxers. "Hmm?"
"By the Gods, this is perfect. You'll do excellently. Parrappapa!" Babidi shouted to high heaven, waving his fingers over the orb and near Piccolo.
The Demon waved his cape and dashed out of the way, but whatever it was, it wasn't something you could really dodge. The Madjinni Lock locked in, a seraphed black mark of an M etched into the middle of Piccolo's forehead. His veins took centre stage and pulsated behind his turban.
"Grrrruhh~ What the he-"
Goku shot a fervent look his rival's way before his eyes darted back at the man across The Lookout. Babidi's bubble turned into a cube as the father of two shouted:
"Stop right there! I'm warning you! Whatever you're doing I'll-"
"You'll what? Prevent the world from being saved? I have great use for this troublemaker. If anything, I'm trying to make him as pure as you are." Babidi claimed as he tucked away, hiding in his electric blue safety box, his allies standing outside the cube.
"Really?" Goku's pose lost its ferociousness as Krillin rubbed his eyes and slapped his face awake with his only hand.
"What's happening, Goku?"
"I… I don't know."
"Rrrrrrrr~"
"What are you doing to Piccolo!?"
"Enough of this!" Krillin shouted as he spawned the second witch and strided forward with vigour. "You're doing something to our long time ally. If you don't stop right this second I'm going to have to put you under arrest."
"Arrest? You're with the police?" Babidi questioned as he turned his hands which felled Piccolo to his knees in hefty, coughing grunts and sputters.
Krillin said nothing, bursting forward off the tile and meeting face to face with the eclectic blue barrier blocking his foot from Babidi's wrinkly mug.
DWANN!
The New Turtle Grandmaster backflipped off the wall and landed quick.
"I didn't want to have to hurt you…" Krillin thought to himself in the brief moment before he landed. His bare foot touched the tile and then zipped off the second time, blowing back breakneck winds Goku, Popo, and Kami's way. Krillin exploded forward with a left hand.
Whapp!
The pink gummy giant loomed down on Krillin's small frame, a yellow boxing glove lining its fist.
Tzzzu~ZZZATTT!
A turquoise beam shot from the tip of the pink man's antenna and came straight for Krillin's wrist. His left arm dissipated into bubbles and both beam and grasp released as Krillin laid in an epic jumping left roundhouse, forcing Buu into the palm treeline. The small man stanced up and back thrust kicked as hard as he could into the ethereal blue glass but:
DUNN!
No dice.
"I kicked that as hard as I could." Krillin thought to himself as tiny little scriptures ran the course around the aura filled box. "..!" The New Turtle Grandmaster watched as the leftovers from his foe's turquoise beam shifted a segment of The Lookout's white tiles to chocolate.
The other man dressed in navy blue tights and white armour stepped forward and cracked his knuckles.
"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. And you want to make it hard for some reason. We're trying to make this planet a better place, see? But you baboons wouldn't know nothing about that." He stated with sass, also looming over Krillin's small frame.
"Korin."
The White Cat's whiskers stood up on their ends as he gazed skyward, jumping up to the railing as the morning sun peeked out of the horizon line. He hopped out and The Dark Nimbus caught his feet, bringing him up in nothing but a jiffy.
"What issat!?" Korin asked out loud as he breached the top and saw the strangers occupying The Lookout.
Buu dusted himself off and locked eyes with the cat, staring into his soul with the piercing red irises and black everything else. The cat's furry hairs stood up and his tail stiffened at the cold glare the pink humanoid so easily pulled off. Goku tightened the loose white belt around his midsection into a double knot and walked forward.
"What? You're going to save the world? How so?" Goku asked as he stepped ever closer, meeting up with Krillin as they stood tall and parallel with one another.
The pink gummy man walked next to the one in armour and let his neck crane over, his stance was goblinesque, but he was tall, looming over most everyone on The Lookout even while hunched over.
"First order of business. I have to use The Dragon Balls. We've got off on a bad start, my apologies for that."
"..!"
"How do you know about The Dragon Balls!?" Krillin shouted.
"I am a wizard. There's very little I can't find out if I'm willing to put in the elbow grease."
Goku shot another look at Piccolo as his forehead steamed through the white cloth covering his dome.
"I'm giving you one last chance to stop what you're doing to Piccolo before I-"
"But it's already done, Goku."
"..!"
Piccolo stood up to his full height, eyes sharp. He looked down at his big hands and flexed.
"I don't like you, Upstart."
"Well that's too bad. Get over here."
With careful strides, The Demon walked over, his footsteps echoing along the face of The Lookout.
"Piccolo, are you okay?"
"I'm feeling mixed." He answered back with a simultaneous mix of bubbling malice and uncertainty as he shed the turban and cape. The Demon spawned the classic navy blue and purple look from his fingertips, the kanji bright red over his chest once again. "On one hand The Demon King isn't supposed to be controlled by anyone else but on the other… I haven't felt this good in ages."
"I don't want to have to hurt you two." Babidi reiterated as he wiggled his fingers in front of the crystal ball over and over again. "But I will if you insist on standing in my way. I know The Dragon Balls are here and if you do not comply, we'll have to steal them from you."
Korin touched down on the opposite end of The Lookout, running his little cat body into the temple halls where Popo and Kami resided.
"Korin, you finally made it."
"What's goin' on out there? It don't look too good from my end. They've got my whiskers goin' haywire!"
"You have to do it now."
"What?"
"Become Kami in my stead."
"You serious!? Right now!?"
"Yes."
"Buu! They're doing something back there! Put a stop to it!" The Wizard shouted, his voice booming, truly. Whenever Babidi said something, he meant it, the clouds surrounding quaked as his voice echoed.
"Krillin, you can use Telepathy now, right?"
"Yeah~"
"Call everyone, now!"
"Right!" Krillin yelped as Majin Buu blitzed past, dashing headlong towards the entrance to the temple.
Before Buu could breach the door, Goku flared out his arms in front of the temple. The Madjinni did not care in the slightest, gooifying and slurping into the hall with the consistency of a smoothie before materialising into full shape once more.
"HYAH!"
Kuh-KOOHMM!
Dust and chalk littered the air as Buu weaved under Goku's full commit right foot into the wall.
"Go!" Goku shouted. "Get out of here!"
"The Pendulum Room! Hurry!" Mr. Popo bellowed, skittering past Goku and Buu's frantic flurry of punches and kicks.
"Thanks a lot, kid!" Korin shouted as he hopped from side to side above the pair, jumping from wall to wall.
"Good luck, Young Goku."
Buu reared back his head as steamy fog built up in his orifices. His throat bulged up to insane diameters but Goku punked him out before he could let it loose, jabbing it with a knife edge left hand, causing a cacophony of billowy white smoke to flare out in every direction.
"Kuhuuu~Kuhuhh-KuhHAHH!"
Goku backdashed clean down the hall, kicking off the walls with expert movement to clear the wash of hot sticky steam clinging and then melting into either side of the hallways.
"..?" The father of two just raised a brow at the insane temperatures coming out of the pink gummy foe before sparing a glance at Krillin in the middle of The Lookout all by his lonesome.
"Yamcha! Wake up!"
The Wolf turned in his sleep, arm previously over Bulma now the other way.
"... five more minutes…"
"Wake your ass up, Yamcha!"
"... Knnnnnnnnn~"
"YAMCHA!"
"Huh..? Wassat..?" He asked to the nothingness occupying the room, eyes barely creaking open.
"We're in trouble! Get to The Lookout right now!"
"I'm comin'... let me put on some clothes an' stuff first." He responded, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
"Hey, I didn't put on any clothes or nothing and I'm gonna be real mad if I'm the only one that looks like a goofball up here!"
"Tien!"
Fwuuuuuuuu~
"Krillin." Tien answered back plainly as he mimed some crane school katas in the frosty mist of a blazing blizzard.
"The Lookout! Now!"
"On it."
Krillin stanced up and stared the other two down. He eyed the small wizard behind the blue cube with intensity.
"You can't use The Dragon Balls. They're not safe to use."
"Not safe to use? What nonsense are you on about?" Babidi cackled back, his voice echoing out into the rising sun.
"If you put a hand on any of them, it's not gonna just end badly for us, it might end badly for you."
"Well I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Before he knew it, Babidi was conjuring energies in his hand and lifted the bit of tile housing the small alcove. Krillin's head snapped on back to watch as both sets of Dragon Balls lifted into the air.
"Two?" Babidi let out louder than he probably should have. "They have two whole sets?"
Goku shot alive, he dashed along the tile at ferocious speeds, the gales coming off of his feet monumental, blowing back against both Buu and Babidi's accompaniment.
Wsht!
The 2nd Black Star Ball.
"HYAH!" Goku shouted as he absolutely Sent it, driving it through the air like a baseball.
"Not so fast!" Babidi shouted out as magic warped off his left hand and made its way across the aether.
"Nimbus!"
Vyuuuuuuuuuuuuu~
"What!?" Babidi shouted as an orange cloud pierced the veil, stole The 2 Star Ball and zipped out of the skies at Goku's command.
"Nimbus! Get The Dragon Ball away from here!"
"Pui Pui! The Dragon Ball is getting away!" Babibi berated.
The Nimbus saluted Goku and followed orders, leaving an orange trail in its wake. Pui Pui posted up.
"Do I go after it, Master Babidi?" The man in blue armour asked as he took on an emphatic salute.
"Yes! Did you not just hear what I said!?"
Pui Pui zoomed off The Lookout, Krillin looking to give chase before Goku caught his shoulder.
"Not yet."
"Right!" Krillin shouted back as he looked at both sets, one incomplete floating towards Babidi's location.
Goku dashed in deep but Piccolo met him in stride, his brown wizard shoes peeling out onto the tile like tires as they stood opposite.
"Come on, Piccolo!"
Piccolo said nothing, only taking an old stance, knife edge hands on both sides, weight pressed over his front knee. Buu blasted out of the palace, sending a furious beam their way. Krillin cartwheeled into position and slapped the pink energy away with his right palm before landing right behind Goku.
"Buu!" Babidi shouted over the commotion of battle. "Get after The Guardian! We don't need you here!" Hands still wriggling and wringing over the crystal ball.
Buu dashed out and Krillin landed an epic spin kick on Piccolo's temple as Goku had The Green Man occupied.
DMM!
"Rrrrrrr! Upstart!" Piccolo shouted as his feet tore across The Lookout.
"Krillin! You handle Piccolo, I'll get Kami!"
Vwa-Vuish!
The lines over Goku's frame dissipated but so too did Piccolo's.
"What!?" Babidi shouted as they both disappeared into thin air. Before Babidi could issue any more orders Krillin was already on top of him with another full commit kick onto the glass.
DMM!
"No good~ Destructo~Disc!"
A saw blade of yellow conjured into existence at the insistence of The One Armed Man and he threw it. The whirring sound that rippled through the air sent chills down Babidi's spine and he ducked instinctively.
GWERNNNN~Zyuuuuu~
The blue glass finally separated and Krillin shook his fist in victory. There was no time in between The Destructo Disc flying off into the air and the Kiai coming to impact his bare chest. Babidi screeched as he conjured roaring winds to punch into his small foe. With a flare of his arm, Krillin spawned an impressive glass structure of his own.
After rigorous training and practicing many Ki techniques, Krillin had finally mastered The Tri-Beam variant. Though to be as accurate as possible the technique had basically nothing to do with The Tri-Beam. It was a move inspired by the technique, rather than a branch of it. As you can see Babidi basically knows the same skill albeit executed differently. But Krillin had been practicing, he called it: The Turtle Shell.
The glassy hexagonal shapes glittered as wind petered off on all sides. While Krillin held the line, The Dragon Balls were only moments away.
"Eternal Dragon! Arise!"
"Crap~" Krillin let out dumbly, his eyes bugged.
KOWWWWWWWW!
Fraying rainbow lightning like Krillin had never seen before rained down and cracked the tile. Black fog pulled in on all sides, not just above. Krillin darted along The Lookout as Babidi put his hands up. A ward prevented the righteous haymaker from connecting fully but the hand still blasted him back, even through the guard.
Babidi looked up at the vitriolic electricity prancing in rampant arcs and then descending off the face of the palace in the sky as more thick black and blue smoke permeated the area around them. Krillin backed out wide and looked up high into the sky only to realise:
"The clouds are usually way higher than this… What's going on..? I was just bluffing but it looks like Kami was right after all. Is this what happens when The Dragon Balls are damaged?"
The orange sheen that should have shot out of the orbs turned a sickly blue on a dime, along with the spheres themselves.
"Whoa!" Krillin just about shouted his head off without thinking.
The Dragon Balls cracked another time under the weight of the energy piercing the veil and Babidi screeched:
"Buu! Get over here!"
Vwa-Vish!
The pink gummy man's angry mug turned even more sour as he appeared in front of The Wizard. Buu stared down Krillin from across the way who took a knee at the eruption and earthquake shaking the foundations of The Lookout. The brilliant blue hue coalesced and Babidi finally eeked out another glassy box barrier to protect himself. The dragon appeared but he was not as he always was.
His whiskers were shorter, his frame not as large, his body more humanoid. And the most striking difference, he matched the steely colour The Dragon Balls now inhabited. A puff of grey tobacco blew out. The Eternal Dragon was smoking a cigar, its beaming red eyes glared down at the figures before them.
"Good grief! This took far longer than expected. Eternal Dragon! Grant me my wish!"
Krillin faltered for a moment, totally taken aback at the appearance of what was surely not Shenron. He shook himself together and got to his feet. The Dragon Balls floated into the aether and spun like mad as they made their way toward the top of the skyline. The New Turtle Grandmaster's brow furrowed as they made their exit, absolutely blasting out in all different directions.
"But that was only six..!" He kept to himself before setting his eyes on the fractured five starred orb sitting in the creature's chest, housed by a defensive combination of muscle and scale. "Shenron, wait!" He clamoured before Babidi went for broke.
"I wish fo-"
"Wish?" The dragon chortled out, smokey vapour spilling from its jagged teeth and disgruntled maw. "Fuck a wish. You got here way too late, you little yellow imp."
"What!? That's not how it-"
"That is how it works. You have negative energy, neutral, and positive energy. That's the only way Lord Zalama could figure to make The Original Set of Dragon Balls in the first place. Just like the three alignments of Ki." The dragon answered, cutting him off at the pass and blowing hefty wafts that cracked the glass he stood behind. "I've been waiting a long time for this."
"What!? Enough of this! If you refuse to grant me my request I'll~" Babidi screeched, his voice shaking with rage as his hands warped with aura and that same aura impacted the smoking dragon.
The would-be Eternal Dragon vanished into nothing but black clouds only to walk out as something else, a human. He had slicked back mat black hair and a somewhat full goatee, just a few hairs shy of being a bushy sort. His suit matched the deep royal blue colour he previously had on his scaly skin and was accented with black. The cigar scaled down to size too and he took another long toke before spawning The 5 Star Ball in his other palm, grinding the cig to dust against its scarred, starry surface.
"How can you resist me!? I can feel the wicked beat of your heart!"
"Eternal Dragons have a natural resistance to magic. You're gonna have to do better than that." He replied while wiping the bottom of his sharp nose.
"Who are you, to ruin my plans like this!? Did you set me up, Earthling!?"
Krillin's eyes widened just the same as Babidi's as he watched the suave man shelve The 5 Star Ball inside his skin and then place his hands in his slack pockets.
"My name is Black Smoke... Since this Eternal Dragon's name is Shenron that means that as a natural extension, that will be my surname."
"What the hell is going on?" Krillin thought a thousand times over in that brief period of time. "Kami didn't say anything about this… Should I help Goku and Kami? I don't know, if I leave this guy what is he gonna do? Is he a good guy, and who is that over there? I… I don't know what the move is. Do I stay here and wait? Do I ask questions? Is he even gonna stand still long enough for me to do that? Should I attack? No, hell no. I'd be open from the other two, I have to wait for an ambush opportunity if I'm all alone up here. I guess I wait." Krillin finally settled on as he conjured another left arm and rooted deep into the messy tile, no thanks to the lightning strikes from earlier.
"It is my right as ordained by Lord Zalama that I should be freed if any single set of Dragon Balls are filled with enough negative energy. I won't let this opportunity to finally stretch my legs pass me by. I have no quarrel with you but if you insist on being a drag, I'll drag You-" He reinforced his point by aiming his polished blue nail towards the eyes of The Wizard. "-down to Hell."
"Ahh, I see. You're just another stepping stone. I've done well then."
"Hmm?" Black Smoke Shenron raised a brow as he put his hand back in his pants pocket.
"If I've released that much potent negative energy stored up in The Dragon Balls then all I have to do is make my wish on the second set. It's better that the world be cleansed of your evil."
Black Smoke just smiled wide, looked to the clearing black clouds at dawn and laughed.
"That'll work, sure. That set ain't busted to hell or anything."
"What did you say!?"
"You got Telepathy, right? Why don't you just go ahead and read my mind?" He stated, pointing his thumb into his temple for good measure.
"..! Gah!"
"HAH-Heeeh-HAH! Dumbass." He cheesed, Babidi falling right on his ass as a gnarly vein rose to the surface of his wrinkly forehead. "I don't have to tell you that. That's not in Dragon Law. The only things I do have to tell you as ordained by Lord Zalama are these three things:" Black Smoke claimed as he held up three fingers, his index, middle, and ring. "One: My name. I've already done that. Two: Informing you of the existence of negative energy that can be stored in The Dragon Balls, and Three: My designation of negative energy stored up in wish form."
Black Smoke looked at the scuffed tile and scratched a little bit loose with his black dress shoes.
"I am the culmination of negative energy brought forth into this world from wishing everyone back to life from the arrival of what you would call-" He turned his head almost a clean 180 degrees towards Krillin. "-Saiyans."
Snapp!
"Now there wasn't a whole lot to go around seeing as you guys have become saints but it was enough. The greed fed into these things over their existence alone is pretty crazy. There have been countless people after these things for years. But know this. Wishing someone back to life, even a pure man, has negative energy, because the one granting the wish often does so for selfish desires, a negative reasoning. The only wish on The Dragon Balls that were used on this planet that maintained true positivity was the resurrection of Upa's father, Bora. An honest man from an honest tribe with an honest son, and wished so by an honest boy who would be rewarded with nothing but gratitude. I can't hate that."
Babidi dusted himself off and glared up at the figure in between him and Krillin.
"I don't have time for this. Buu! Destroy him! My utopia cannot exist with him in the way!"
Fervent steam barreled out of every hole in Buu's body, the sound of a freight train blared out in all directions, forcing Krillin to take stock to not be blown away. Black Smoke Shenron rubbed his temple with his thumb and laughed.
"Not a good idea."
A sweat broke out onto Krillin's frame as the previously non-existent Ki burst to life into the highest signature he had ever felt before.
"What!?" Krillin yelped out by accident as Black Smoke Shenron blocked Buu with ease.
Fog poured out of Buu's head, chest, and arms in droves, fogging up the air around them until he himself batted it away with rapid movement.
Wsht! Wsssahh! Fwuff! Fooosh!
Buu ran wild but missed by margins every time as Black Smoke Shenron weaved his hits with calculated head movement. It was as if a child were swinging at a world champion.
"Gotta do better than that. See ya." He commented, landing a cruel backfist that turned the gummy man's head on backwards. Black Smoke sharpened his brow however as the foggy steam of his own persuasion lifted off his fist but Buu stayed put. "He's got a jaw." Black Smoke kept to himself, raising a brow in curiosity. "I'll give him that."
Buu's face twisted into a gyrating grimace torn asunder by a combination of embarrassment, excitement, and undeniable, clearly visible fury. Black Smoke's eyes widened, unable to comprehend the level of anger piling out of the strange taffy-like individual standing across from him.
"Aight, look. I'm not in it for the whole: 'Lemme take over the world shit.' Nah. Nuh-uh. I'm just here to get outta my fuckin' cage. All of us Shadow Dragons are. If you want to tussle I'll fold you like an egg and scramble your guts all over the floor but if I don't have to then I'm willing to let bygones be bygones."
It was increasingly apparent that it went in one circular ear hole and out the other, as if adding steam to the proceedings with each word was the only thing he accomplished.
"Whatever, bozos. Just don't act like I didn't warn ya." Is all The Shadow Dragon had to say before he stepped right off The Lookout and fell into the clouds below.
"GET BACK HERE!" Buu's vicious vocal chords bounced off the sky as if it were a pinball machine and he looked to lunge over the edge only to be stopped short.
"Buu, he's not our objective. We have to make our wish on The Dragon Balls." Babidi relayed as he stared down the only one left with the pair.
Buu's serious steam started liquifying the tile floor beneath them and he shook with rage.
"I HATE WHEN YOU DECIDE FOR ME!"
His voice practically blew Krillin's ears out and he wasn't even the one in the line of fire. The New Turtle Grandmaster spared one look for The Black Star Dragon Balls and teleported out with one as they bickered.
Vwa-Vizh!
"Hmm? What's this now? You just teleport into people's cells, Krillin?" A familiar voice called out from a darkened bedspread.
"I hate to put the pressure on the guards here, but… this was the first thing to come to mind. Remember this?"
The low light of the prison shimmered off the golden orb as a pale ghost grey hand touched base on the item.
"I don't remember them having black stars."
"That doesn't matter. Can I trust you to hold onto this?"
"Where else am I gonna go?" Cell chimed back with a wicked smirk.
"Thanks, Champ."
"Oh you jokester, I didn't win the tournament."
Va-Vwish!
Taptaptap. FwuuFuuShoo-KLONKK!
The foundations of the hallway shook and caved under the immense fighting pressure and prowess of Piccolo.
"Stop!" Goku shouted as he backpedaled and kicked off the walls while descending the stairs.
The Demon only smiled as Buu filed in and gummied around the outside to get the father of two's back. Goku barely noticed at the last moment and limbo'd low before committing to a backflip and shooting down the stairwell to the bottom with a swimmer-like launch. Piccolo's brow furrowed as too did his veins and he threw a furious blow onto Buu's temple, causing a steam vent to shoot from the hole.
THOKK! TWUUUU!
"HEY!" The Madjinni screeched, his voice alone tearing through the construction of The Lookout.
Buu's voice ricocheted in the confines of the small crawlspace and Goku opened up the door to The Pendulum Room.
Tik. Clocc. Clicc. Tok.
Kami, Popo, and Korin all huddled in the back of the empty blackened, marooned, and sometimes purpled room. It glittered ever so faintly but soon enough the duo fought their way inside and Goku raised a brow at their pugilistic pummelings towards each other. The father of two backed up what should have been his friend with a mean back thrust kick, the classic, only to be caught in a tight, Namekian snake tight chokehold for his troubles.
"TRASHH!" Buu yelled before building his chest up high and leaning back.
"..!" Goku saw the devotion he had to whatever Buu was going to do, recognising the attempt from earlier.
"AAAAA-"
Silence. Blood fell from Piccolo's ears. Piccolo's eyes. Piccolo's nose. In any case, they fell from Goku's ears as well as despite the fact that steam shot into the room and he was definitely still hollering. Goku wobbled around like a drunkard as Buu dashed forward but he 'deftly' ducked under as Piccolo fell to the floor, totally out of it. The Saiyan stanced up, breathing heavy and not aware of it due to his smashed out eardrums. He anticipated Buu's forward dash but The Madjinni assumed the position and vanished.
Vwa-Vish!
"..?"
Goku blinked a few times to get his bearings and fell over, both himself and Piccolo's long legs simply trying to walk. He fished the blood out of his ears trying to come to his senses before he:
"Wait…" He thought to himself, drawing in the air around him. He breathed in deep through his nose and out through his mouth. "Hnnnnn~ Huuuu~" After a few more renditions and the slight bubble of Pure Ki floating around his frame he looked about the room. "Popo..! Kami!" He rushed over to see just how fried the other Namekian was.
Of course. Having such potent hearing is a curse. That is why Southern Style Kaio-Ken has the possibility of being dangerous despite technically being the safest of all variants. You're not going to take much damage assuming the form but elevating the senses as high as you do with that comes at a cost, eat something like a Solar Flare or Vice Shout and it'll do you in no question.
"Are you guys alright?"
"..?"
The other two conscious individuals in the room seemed to have trouble hearing him.
"Are you guys alright!?"
"HAH!?" Korin yelped back.
"I see you guys are alright!"
"Kid! I ton't know nothin' about rice! How's that melevant!?"
"..." Goku furrowed his brow as he looked down at Korin's bouncing whiskers and narrow squint.
"Kid! Can yoo go geht tha Senju Neans!?"
"On it!"
Vwa-Voshh! Shuu-Vuup!
Goku's lines drew into the glistening darkness and he handed off the brown baggy into the white cat's tiny paw. He delicately picked one out and massaged it into Kami's throat.
"... Kuh-Huhhgh! HUGHHH!" He croaked out, Goku jamming a fearsome hand into his backside. "Oh! Great heavens!"
"You alright, Kami?" He asked, kneeling down to his level as he looked into The Guardian's olden yellow eyes.
"I'll be alright."
"I'm gonna be honest, Buddy. You don't look alright."
"Heh." He spared a glance for Piccolo's groaning and sweating figure, rubbing up against the warping backdrop of The Pendulum Room. "It's not like it matters now."
"Hey, ya with me?"
"Yes… let me complete the rite." Kami replied as Goku stood him up and kept his eyes locked on Piccolo.
Popo swallowed harsh as the old incantation swarmed about the room.
"It is by the power vested in me that I declare the newest generation fit to pursue the duties of Earth's Guardianship. With no heirs but one, Korin of The Sacred Land will take my place as Kami starting~"
"..."
"~Now~"
An ethereal golden yellow aura flowed from Kami's staff into his weathered, wrinkled hand. He stepped forward and pressed his energy onto Korin's head. The power sucked even the symbol off Kami's white robes and The Ex-Guardian just about fell over.
"Kami" Goku shouted as he caught him on the way down.
"Young… Hahh… Gokuu~"
"What is it? Talk to me."
"I… just…. get meehh~ over…" He couldn't even finish his sentence, only lazily pointing towards Piccolo.
"On it."
He picked up the old man in his arms like a newborn and strided towards his rival.
"Goku."
"Yes, Kami?"
"It's easier this way. Being Kami has allowed me to live far longer than I should have. I'm going to merge with him now. I loathe to do it without his consent like this but our fusion might break the spell he's under. So there is one silver lining."
"..."
"..."
"I'll never forget you, Kami."
"Heh-Heh. Shut up and put my hand on that Mongrel's forehead."
Another lightshow swam out into the dark nature of The Pendulum Room and almost blinded Goku as he made sure to watch it happen in real time.
"..." Black Smoke Shenron pulled The 5 Star Ball to the forefront of his left palm again and smiled. "Too late, Guardian. If you were gonna croak you should have done it before they summoned us in." The ethereal blue ball glistened, not turning to rock this time before receding back into the man's skin as he flew away into the last hurrah of dawn's early light.
Vwa-Vish!
"Shit… I'm almost already gassed." Krillin thought before he touched down onto the empty void of darkness that was The Pendulum Room. "Goku?"
The brilliant light forced Krillin to shield his eyes and he opened them only to find Piccolo stand at attention.
"... What?" He furrowed his brow and looked over at the others occupying the room with him, and of course Goku's goofy smile.
"Huh-Hah! Knew you'd come back to us."
"Shut up, Mongrel." Piccolo replied as Goku stood him up.
"How do you feel?" Popo asked as he stepped closer.
Piccolo looked down at his open palms. It took everyone a second but Goku shouted once he noticed.
"Piccolo! You're…" The goofy dad grabbed his bicep, much to the dismay of 'The Demon?' He wiggled it and laughed. "It's not pink anymore." The Saiyan giggled, poking at the yellowish ribs of flesh.
"What? Oh for… crying out loud. Tcheh. That old fool…"
"You resemble Kami far more now. It's as if I'm seeing him for the first time since he stepped into The Room of Spirit and Time."
Krillin sharpened his brow but let out a sigh of relief as the last flutters of black ink jutted off Piccolo's forehead.
"I don't mean to be a bummer, guys, but…"
"You're right." Goku answered back with a nod.
Piccolo cracked his neck on both sides and then his knuckles.
"Let's get to work." The Ex-Guardian, Ex-Demon stated dominantly as he assumed the position.
Piccolo teleported out, Goku following suit as Krillin spared a glance for the new Guardian of Earth and Mr. Popo.
"See ya." He waved, dashing off into the hallway.
The five Dragon Balls floated daintily in the air as Babidi examined them only to be cut off short as the two bodies appeared before him. Goku stared him down as Piccolo smirked with intensity.
"I'll make you pay for what you did to me." Oozed out of Piccolo's throat more like a spell than a statement. "If I have to beat Son Goku's ass it's going to be of my own accord, got it?"
Goku's brow shot up unintentionally as he felt the lashback of Piccolo's slow burn of Ki.
Having now finally fused with his other half, Piccolo's full power was released, making him by far the strongest of The Z Fighters.
Babidi stowed away The Dragon Balls in a suitcase that disappeared into nothing but glitters, much to the dismay of Goku.
"Hey!"
"No worries, Goku. They only have five." Krillin stated as he ran up from the temple behind the pair. "I put one of the other Dragon Balls somewhere far away for safekeeping."
"You think I can't find it?" Babidi cackled.
"You think you can defeat who has it?" Krillin chimed back.
Babidi shot a look Buu's way and the gummy man shook The Lookout off its hinges with his sheer malice. The train steam bellowed out once more and the tile turned to goop under his feet.
"Come, Buu. Fighting them accomplishes nothing."
Vwa-Vish!
"Phew~" Goku sweat out, wiping his brow.
"Not phew, Son Goku. We have a record breaking high of unknown Mongrels scouring the globe as we speak."
"We do?"
"Dumbass." Piccolo barked back as he shoved Goku's head from the side. "Use your Ki Sensing."
"..."
Krillin, Piccolo, and Son Goku all focused up, closing their eyes and letting their minds wander to the forces below.
A place high up like The Lookout is perfect for Ki Sensing and will naturally lend a helping hand to one's range when enacting the technique.
"Whoa… do you guys feel that?"
"Yeah… whoever that is… I have no idea how we're going to beat him."
"I saw him up here, I think he called himself Black Smoke Shenron."
Piccolo's brow furrowed as Krillin went on.
"No, not that one. I'm talking about that… spiky energy." Goku countered, eyes still closed.
"... That?"
"Yeah. Huh-Hah!"
Syn Shenron.
"Apparently these new guys spawned from The Dragon Balls are called Shadow Dragons."
"If they're all this strong we have our work cut out for us, Huh-Hah!"
"Tcheh. Do we divide and conquer?"
"Well I don't know, who's to say they're all bad?"
"You always say that, Mongrel."
"I don't know, Goku. That guy specifically said that Shadow Dragons are born from the negative energy stored in The Dragon Balls. That uhh… I don't know how they're all gonna be good guys if they react to negative energy."
Piccolo smirked as he crossed his arms with more fervor.
"Well that one guy you said was up here, what did he do?"
"... Uhhh… he left because he didn't want to fight."
Goku smiled this time.
"Then I guess the only appropriate course of action is to talk to each one directly and gauge if they're a threat or not."
"We don't have time for this." Piccolo retorted as he opened his eyes and glared at his rival.
"What we don't have time for is that little guy who tried to make the wish. If he really does want to make this world a better place though, we should probably see if we can talk to him."
"Fat chance." Krillin remarked as he stepped forward and looked over the edge.
"Agreed. That Mongrel is up to no good, there's no way he's not lying."
"I don't know…" Goku replied as he plopped down criss-cross and put his index to his lip.
As they were thinking out loud a harsh snap rang out and Yamcha front flipped onto The Lookout.
"Alright guys, what I miss?"
A sly smile broke out on Piccolo's face as his previously closed off body language opened up.
"Young Yamcha."
"..."
Everyone on The Lookout stared at Piccolo, turning his green skin red and he crossed his arms again.
"What are You, doing here, Mongrel?"
"Well, Krillin yelled at me to get my ass over here so I did. What's up?"
"I uhh…"
"..."
Everyone looked at Krillin this time as he raised an index finger and then blanked.
"Uh oh."
"What?"
"I didn't contact Raditz."
"Hmm." Goku shot to his feet and hummed out as he put his hands on his hips and scouted for the many foreign energies that now inhabited the planet. "I wonder what's in store for us this time? This is exciting."
Raditz
A slight rap at the window forced Raditz' keen senses aware. It hit again, and then again. The Saiyan didn't quite comprehend the little touches against the glass so much as the wet tongue and head bops Icarus laid on Raditz' forehead.
"What..? Do you need to take a piss or something you old fool? You know how to open the door, I'm trying to sleep."
Icarus yelped, headbutting him for real this time as he attempted to deflect and fling the covers back over himself.
"Oh for Yamoshi's sake! What!? What is it, Icarus!? I'm dying to know!" He pointed with an accusatory finger, flinging the bedsheets off, wearing nothing but some compression shorts.
"Rawww!" Icarus claimed as she grabbed the uncle of Son Goten and Gohan by the hand and dragged him to the window. "Craw!" She howled, pointing her purple claw hand at The Nimbus.
Tink. Tink.
"..."
The Nimbus waved at Raditz through the glass with an orange cotton hand. Raditz waved back before opening the sliding glass door. Before he could say much, The Nimbus released the hold on The 2 Star Ball and The Saiyan looked down at it. As soon as his attention was on The Black Star Ball, it was stolen once more by The Nimbus as he nudged into Raditz with his cottony frame and then pointed its fantom limb at the glass.
"..?"
A strange man, clearly not an Earthling, floated outside the Sasebo apartment complex. His attire almost resembled a Saiyan's but his piercing yellow eyes glowed in the early morning, matching the sunrise's combination of vibrant oranges and golds.
"I think you have something that belongs to me."
"Heh… you want it?" Raditz relented, presenting The 2 Star Ball to Pui Pui from across the loft, the beginning light of the day glinting off of its pristine rounded surface.
"Yes. I'm glad we can come to a peaceful resolution."
"Take it."
Wsht! THLOKK!