Sorry for the long wait! Classes started again and it's been a little hectic. Thank you all for the lovely reviews!
Gohan's blue aura flared dangerously around him. Tears dotted his eyes.
"That's enough! Leave them ALONE!" he screamed, the ground around him cracking further.
Vegeta threw the remains of the scouter away from his face, staring at the boy with anger and incredulousness.
Nappa lowered his foot to the ground and cocked his head in curiosity. Piccolo took the opportunity to scramble to his feet and distance himself, moving over to Krillin, but the giant paid him no heed. "Vegeta? Vegeta! What did the scouter say?"
"It maxed out at over 8000!" Vegeta snarled in response.
"What? 8000? But he's just a little kid!"
"I know that, imbecile. Finish the job. We're done here."
Piccolo hastily dragged Krillin to his feet. "Get up. We aren't out of this yet. The senzu beans for Yamcha, Tien, and Chaoutzu. Do you have them?" he murmured.
"Huh? Yeah, I do," Krillin coughed.
"Let us each eat one then. They don't need them, obviously."
Krillin looked at him, a little stricken, before nodding. "No need to be so blunt about it," he muttered. "They fell for us."
Piccolo grunted in response. As if sugar-coating the truth made any difference. He popped the bean in his mouth and instantly the healing power took its course and he was back to full power.
"Well well, where were we? Come on, Namekian. Let's finish this," Nappa taunted, throwing Gohan's anger to the wind.
Big mistake.
"NO!" the boy said forcefully. "We're already done! Leave!"
Nappa laughed. "What are you going to do about it, little boy?" he teased as the boy dropped into a fighter's stance.
In the background, Vegeta snorted.
"Piccolo?" Krillin hesitated. "Gohan can't... He's not ready..."
Piccolo did not answer, his gaze unwavering as he watched Gohan. The timid little boy was very much gone, and in his place was a determined young warrior.
But Nappa was just so big...
So above what Piccolo had been training him for...
So, when the giant Saiyan began to hurtle himself at the much smaller boy, Piccolo instinctively snapped into action, trailing him, prepared to protect the boy at all costs...
WHOOSH
Nappa's body skittered past him, creating a dust track in the ground. Piccolo snapped his head around to look at Gohan, who was looking rather bewildered himself.
Vegeta cackled as Nappa picked himself up angrily. "Lucky shot, kid. Bet you can't do it again."
But Gohan was far from done. Angry beyond reasoning, Gohan launched himself back at the giant, driving his small fist sharply in Nappa's stomach, causing him to stumble back and cough heavily. He flung his arm out to smack the boy away, but Gohan easily dodged it, crashing his elbow into his forearm.
Piccolo could hear the crack from where he stood.
Shit.
Nappa reared back with a howl of pain, clutching his broken forearm to his chest. In rage, he tapped into his ki reserves and kicked Gohan hard in the stomach, sending him back several feet, and then backhanded him, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Gohan whimpered in pain, and just like that, lost his anger, and became a small, frightened child once more.
But the damage was done.
Nappa was now raging, and beyond reasoning. In his hand a gigantic ki blast formed.
"Nappa, don't you dare!" Vegeta snapped loudly, voice commanding.
No response. "You stupid little brat! You'll pay for what you did to my arm!" he snarled, rearing his arm back, the blast shimmering brightly in all its glory, promising death.
"Gohan! MOVE!" Piccolo shouted in panic.
But the boy was frozen in fear.
Piccolo began to sprint for his student.
He had to save him.
"Kid, I won't let anything happen to you..."
Piccolo phased in front of the boy, outstretching his arms...
And was promptly forcefully shoved out of the way.
The beam of light that was the blast spiraled over him before he could do anything.
Time seemed to stop as Piccolo slowly, hesitantly turned his head to look at the boy. He was on the ground, eyes closed, hair singed, skin darkened slightly.
He was dead.
Piccolo couldn't breathe.
Before him, the air shimmered slightly and then Tsuki was there, sorrow etched on her pale face. She clapped her hands together once, and separated them out to her sides.
Time literally did stop then.
Piccolo stood shakily, and moved to the boy's body in a trance-like state. "You... you said it was supposed to be me..." he whispered in shock.
"I'm sorry Piccolo," she said softly.
"It was supposed to be me!" he shouted, turning to her now, his eyes glassy.
"There was nothing I could do, Piccolo," she explained neutrally.
"You could've done something! You're the goddess! You can change the fates! You could've changed this!"
"There was nothing I could do!" she shouted back. "Nothing! As much as I wish I could. I couldn't control his fate. I've told you that," she finished calmly. "I told you it may be him who passed. He changed your fate. Gave his life for yours."
"I know that," Piccolo snapped, looking back down upon the boy.
"And he's the son of a god."
Piccolo's head snapped back to look at her. "What are you saying?"
Tsuki smiled. "I'm saying, there is a way to bring him back."
"What?"
"Earth was not the only planet with dragon balls. The planet of Namek was actually the first."
"Namek?"
"Yes, Piccolo. Namek. You are no demon king. You are a Namekian. Kami and your sire were once just one Namekian who left his planet in search of more, and split. Namek's dragon balls are still intact."
"Does this mean we can wish back everyone who was killed by the Saiyans? Including Gohan's parents?"
Tsuki's smile vanished and she shook her head sadly. "No. Their fates were already written. There is no possible way to bring them back. Other World will not be able to allow them to come back, no matter the power of the dragon balls, or my will. But Gohan will not be in Other World."
"Where will he be?"
"He will be in the realm of god and goddesses past. My mother will be there, and keep him safe until you can wish him back."
"How will we get there?"
"I will assume Bulma will gladly fund your trip, so long as you take Krillin along." Piccolo raised his lip slightly. "Get used to his presence, Piccolo. He will become one of your closest allies."
"What about them?" Piccolo asked, jerking his head at the frozen Nappa and Vegeta. "Once you return the time to run again, what are we supposed to do? There's no way Krillin and I can defeat them. The boy was our only hope."
"Trust yourselves. Neither of you will die. This will sort itself out. Now I must guide Gohan to the new realm. When this is said and done, his body will disappear to join him in the realm."
And with that, she was gone, and time came back into play.
He could hear the gasp that escaped Krillin, followed by an "Oh my god. Oh, no... Not Gohan..."
Nappa was breathing heavily, looking oddly pleased with himself.
"Nappa! You idiot!" Vegeta hissed. "I told you to keep him alive!"
"I...but, Vegeta, he... he broke my arm!" Nappa stammered.
"You imbecile! He was a kid! Don't tell me you couldn't handle a puny kid!"
"Sorry, Vegeta..."
"Hm, yes. Sorry indeed. Not as sorry as I am for keeping you around so long. You've slipped up for the last time, Nappa."
"Wait, no... Vegeta, I can make it up to you! I can... Vegeta, what are you doing? Vegeta?" he questioned as the much smaller Saiyan approached him, grabbing his hand, almost in a friendly handshake.
"Goodbye, Nappa," Vegeta said easily. And then, like lightning, his grip on the giant turned to iron and he threw his companion high into the air effortlessly, and then threw a large ki blast in his wake. Nappa howled in disbelief and pain until there was nothing left of him.
Vegeta turned his attention to Piccolo and Krillin.
"We're done here," Piccolo said evenly. "We have nothing of interest left here for you. Consider your revenge taken."
Vegeta looked as if he were about to say something until he was interrupted by a rapid beeping coming from Nappa's discarded scouter.
Then, a tiny, muted voice. "Nappa? Nappa, are you there? Come in, Nappa!"
Vegeta bent down and picked up the scouter, adjusting it to his ear. "This is Vegeta."
"Vegeta! We have been trying to contact you for several minutes now! Why weren't you answering?" a shrill voice questioned, causing the Saiyan to pull the scouter slightly away from his ear, and allowing Piccolo to hear everything.
"There was a scouter malfunction, Pui Pui. Maybe if you actually did your job, it would work, hm?" Vegeta said irritably.
"Shut up, you little monkey. Where's Nappa? Lord Frieza requests your presence immediately."
"Nappa is out of commission."
A sigh. "You killed him? One would think being the last of your kind, you'd try to maintain the species. Only one monkey left in the barrel now, huh?"
Vegeta growled. "Shut up, fish face, or you'll be next."
"Whatever you say, Vegeta. Now hurry up. Lord Frieza isn't very pleased you went on a rogue mission and have been gone for so long. Where have you been?"
"None of your business."
"Sure. Just don't blow up any more planets while you're out. You destroyed Arlia and King Cold is pissed. That was a rather valuable planet in the planet trade. You know no one is allowed to destroy planets without expressed orders."
"I'm aware."
"Good. Then you'll get back here immediately. And bring Nappa's pod back too."
Vegeta grunted, and threw the scouter away from him, clearly fuming. "Well, it looks like you and your little planet have caught my good graces. I suppose I'll be back, and we'll finish this as it is meant to be finished."
"Whatever you say," Piccolo responded.
Vegeta nodded and rose to the air. With one last glance around him, he took off in the direction of where the pods had landed.
The battle was over.
Krillin fell to the ground on his backside with a heavy sigh. "Oh my god. Done. Game over. Phew."
Piccolo grunted in agreement before heading over to where Gohan lay. He knelt beside the boy, brushing his hair out of his face.
At least he looked peaceful.
"I'm sorry, Piccolo," Krillin said softly as he approached.
Slowly, one by one, the fallen bodies of Yamcha, Tien, Chaoutzu, and Gohan began to fade away, to join their souls in the other realms. Piccolo stared at the spot where Gohan had been.
"Hm, just like Goku and Chi-Chi. Guess that means Yemma thought they were worthy. Bye guys. I guess we'll meet again sooner or later. Hopefully later," Krillin mused.
Piccolo got to his feet.
"No, sooner. At least for Gohan. Come on, we have some business to attend to."