Dragon Ball: Insurgent
The Dead Zone
"The people of the universe better hear my voice now! From this day forward, I, Garlic Junior, will rule over all. A new dark age has finally begun! Vengeance will be mine! All who live shall fear my wrath! Let this world be drenched in the blood of the righteous. Now that I'm immortal, I will rule the universe forever! All creatures will obey me or perish. With every power I posses, my reign of terror will be everlasting."
- Garlic Jr.
Kami had been quite vague on the details of Garlic Jr.'s castle. As Yamcha flies towards the location given to them by the Guardian, a feeling of dread comes over him. The sheer lack of palpable information is what makes this coming battle a daunting one. It is bad enough that the four earthlings are going in without Goku's help, they are also going in blind. Even though they are to deal with this new threat swiftly and promptly, Mr. Popo had insisted that they only remove their weighted clothing in an emergency. Training for the Saiyans, the jinn had argued, was more important than comfort in a battle such as this. To his right and left respectfully, Krillin and Tien betray none of their emotions about the task placed before them. Even Chiaotzu is quiet, though Yamcha had heard some complaining as they were leaving the Lookout.
Oh man, I have a really bad feeling about this, Yamcha thinks as they fly above a small mountain, If something goes wrong we can't even use the Dragon Balls without stranding Chi-Chi in the Otherworld forever. Maybe we should go get Goku first, I mean he usually has these kind of things under control.
"Yamcha! You okay man?" Krillin asks with a smile, "Not getting cold feet are ya?"
"If you're scared, you can leave the fighting to me," Tien taunts, giving him a cocky smile, "Wouldn't want my rival getting hurt after all."
"Oh very funny you guys. Don't worry about me," Yamcha tells them, feeling his confidence rise, "Just try to keep up. If I end up clobbering this Garlic guy all by myself I would feel bad for stealing the spotlight again."
Deep down, Yamcha knows that their little quips to each other are not marks of antagonism. Over the years, the earthlings had been thrown into situations that were beyond anything they could have imagined when they began their journeys long ago. Along the way they had learned one simple fact; every battle has the potential to be life changing. One slip, one bad move, and Yamcha knows that it can all end in tragedy. So, being able to laugh with these friends had become the cure for that. Simply being able to joke around with these guys is a reminder that everything is going to be okay and return to normal.
As Yamcha begins to contemplate this further, Garlic Jr.'s castle comes into view. In the light of the full moon, it seems even more ominous. Its twisting archways and strange spires remind Yamcha of Shenron of all things. Whereas enemies like the Red Ribbon Army and King Piccolo had used a sense of organization, Garlic Jr. appears to favor chaos. The structure is imposing if only because Yamcha cannot see where it begins or where it ends. All of the shadows dancing about in far off torchlight and silver moonlight give it a sense of being anti-corporeal. It is incredible to Yamcha that anyone would chose to make such an ornate building their hideout, especially considering the fact that it looks like a place you could easily get lost in. If Garlic Jr. is going for a god motif, he's certainly is doing a good job of it, Yamcha thinks as they fly in slower and lower. On one of the lower courtyards, the humans land, making sure to hide in the shadows in case anyone had seen their descent. Yamcha also makes it a point to repress his energy as much as he can, with the other earthlings following his example.
"Okay, so we figure out what this Garlic Jr. is up to, and then we're gonna go home right Mr. Tien?" Chiaotzu asks as he moves closer to his lifelong best friend, "I don't like this place."
"I know Chiaotzu, we'll try to finish this quickly," Tien assures him, closing all eyes but his third eye, "Yamcha, Krillin, I only sense four people in the castle."
"How strong are they? Please don't say incredibly strong," Krillin asks, taking point as he moves forward from shadowed archway to shadowed archway, "I was hoping that we could actually beat this guy without any trouble."
"One of them is pretty weak, not much stronger than your average human," The triclops answers, his tone becoming more grim as he examines the rest of them, "Two of them are pretty powerful themselves, I'd say they're on our level."
"And the last one?" Yamcha asks, "I'm guessing he's the boss?"
"Bingo, and I thinks that's Garlic Jr. himself. He not that much stronger than the last three I mentioned, but I can't shake the feeling I get from his aura," Tien tells them while jumping onto a platform above them without making a sound. Yamcha has to strain himself in order to hear him whisper, "He's hiding a lot of power. That's going to give us trouble."
"Trouble is an understatement for the kind of stuff we usually get ourselves into. At least they haven't noticed us yet," Krillin jubilantly responds while following Tien's example.
As if on cue, the bald monk is smack to the ground by an invisible force from the darkness around them. Yamcha had not seen anything beforehand, nor can he sense the energy of Krillin's attacker. He moves to catch his friend, but is kicked in the back by the same phantom creature. Forgoing all pretense of secrecy, Tien leaps into action in order to intercept their assailant. Yamcha can only hear wind and the occasionally footstep as Tien gives chase to the phantom. With a yell of concern, Chiaotzu flies off after Tien. Yamcha yells for him not to go, but is bull rushed by a second enemy before he gets a chance to really get anything out.
Bruised, but more angry than anything, Yamcha and Krillin drop into their fighting stances as they finally get a good look at this new enemy. The creature, a misshapen grey demon with small horns and yellow eyes, easily lords over the humans by a head. Locks of black, wild hair, falls into his face and the shoulders of his makeshift armor. Its joints can be seen just beneath the surface of his skin, as he walks' towards them. It looks painful.
"Oh gross, he smells too," Yamcha complains as the creature's odor assaults his nostrils, "How come baddies never use soap? You'd think they were allergic to it."
"Careful, Yamcha, I don't like the look of this guy," Krillin warns him as they both take a step back.
"Good call, to bad it's too late to save yourselves," The monster says in a surprisingly high pitched voice, "You should never have come here, humans. Lord Garlic Jr. is not as easily fooled as you might think. He knew you were coming the second you left the usurper's palace."
"Oh, the wordy type huh?" Krillin jokes, "Well you don't seem so tough."
Snarling, the creature begins gathering his energy. With a yell, he bulks up considerably. Besides appearing physically stronger, its energy also increases to the point that Yamcha feels sick to his stomach. His theory is put to the test as the now bulked up demon charges them, laughing sadistically at his prey. Even weighed down by the training gear, the two Turtle School students are able to deftly leap away from the attack and reengage on their own terms.
The three of them become a web of limps. Yamcha lets loose a volley of his Wolf Fang Fist, clawing at his opponent in a seemingly random pattern. In the spaces between his attacks, Krillin takes pot shots with energy blasts. Where Yamcha does not land a physical blow, Krillin hits his mark with the energy attacks. The demon cannot seem to even defend, only using his arms to protect his face. Seeing an opening, Yamcha cups his hands together and begins charging his energy in his palms. The familiar feeling of a wolf howling in his ears overtakes him as he pushes forward.
"Wolf Fang Howling Fist!" He yells for flavor, sending the demon back a few yards.
Now growling like an animal, the demon takes a step towards Yamcha with a glowing fist. He does not get far. Blue light begins to cover the area. Unable to help himself, Yamcha smiles at the bewildered monster in front of them.
"Take this! Ka-me-ha-me-ha!" Krillin yells, sending the powerful energy wave straight into the unsuspecting demon.
The creature disappears as the beam goes upwards at an angle, crashing into Garlic Jr.'s castle in what looks like a blue arrow. Yamcha turns around to see Krillin grinning, a little worn out from the attack but otherwise ecstatic. His short friend flashes him a "V" for victory. There is a satisfying crumbling sound as a ton of rock falls down from the intricate castle that serves as their battleground.
"These guys aren't too bad," Krillin comments as he looks up to where Garlic Jr.'s energy is coming from, "So, should we help Tien or go after Garlic Jr.?"
"If we can take these guys, then Tien isn't going to have much of a problem," Yamcha assures with, "Let's go after Garlic Jr., the sooner we clean this mess up, the sooner we can get back to training."
As the humans prepare to take flight, the sound of moving rock alerts them to a threat behind them. In awe, they turn around to see the grey demon getting up from the rubble. While the creature's armor is smoking and damaged, there does not appear to be any real damage done. Nervously, Yamcha moves back to a fighting stance, raising one of his fists and Krillin does the same. The demon looks more amused than angry, squatting down and putting its hands on its knees. In a grotesque fashion, the demon yells and materializes two pus covered swords from his own body. Yamcha nearly does a double take as the creature begins swinging them around. Their handles are made of white bone, which does not really surprise Yamcha or Krillin in the slightest. An odd quirk about the weapons though is the smell. Rotting eggs seems to fill the air the more the demon continues to show off his skill with his chosen weapons.
"Awesome, they know tricks," Krillin dryly says while gathering his energy, "Let's put him down for good this time okay?"
"Oh I agree," Yamcha says, cupping his hand together, "Ready?"
"Ready."
They take a deep breath to synchronize and begin chanting, "Ka…"
The thing that had attacked Tien is not so far ahead now. Evidently, whoever it is must not have done very much research on the fighters of this planet. Had they done even the slightest amount of investigation, they would have learned that of the two schools descended from Master Mutaito, the Crane School has a unique edge. Flight is something fairly new the Tien's friends, but for the triclops he has been doing it since he was a small child. Zipping through the sky is as easy for Tien as running would be for a regular human. So it is no surprise that Tien not only catches his assailant, but is able to out speed him enough to greet him with a powerful kick to the back. Their assailant crashes into the castle, landing in an airy but dark vestibule. Not willing to give his opponent a chance, Tien forms points his finger towards the hole he had created. His third eyes easily picks up on the creature's energy signature, and Tien quickly gathers his energy. With a yell, the three eyed human lets loose a powerful ray of yellow energy. A satisfying release of yellow light tells Tien that he got his hit.
"Now to go help the others," Tien says to himself, "I hope Chiaotzu's okay."
"Tien!" His friend's voice answers him.
Turning around, Tien does in fact see his lifelong partner flying towards him with a smile on his face. What surprised Tien though is the sudden change, as though Chiaotzu were afraid of him. Realizing what it means, Tien faces his enemy just in time to avoid being punched in the back of the head. Forced into the random melee, Tien is unable to properly defend against the demon's attack. Only now I she able to even get a good look at it, though judging by how hideous the creature is that may not be a good thing. The monster's skin is a sickly looking brown color, accented by glowing red eyes. What makes it worse is that the creature has clearly bulked up since their last encounter, with evidence pointing to the conclusion that is is a side-effect of a sort of power-up. As if the demonstrate his newly acquired strength, the demon brings a kick into Tien's side. Even blocking it sends pain through Tien's body. Only Goku and the demon Drum had ever been able to hit him with so much force, and it is a pain that Tien is not eager to revisit. With a yell, Tien is able to send him back with a wave of ki energy, and he reengages with a series of quick strikes. Both his fists are caught by the demon, and the creature's knee connects with his abdomen as a result. It is all Tien can do to begin putting up a defense against the brutish blows of his adversary.
A missed punch gives Tien the opportunity he needs. Bracing himself for the inevitable backlash, the triclops head-butts the demon. While not an overtly powerful attack, the nature of the tactic is enough to stun the demon long enough for Tien to get some distance. Floating next to Chiaotzu, he waits for his enemy to reorient himself.
"It's cowardly to attack from the shadows," Tien says to his enemy with barely concealed contempt, "You deserve whatever you get now."
The demon begins laughing, quickly pulling out a pair of bloody swords from his knee joints. Flourishing them about, the demon flashes his teeth, "Coward? Call me what you want as long as I get to call you dead!"
Pointing his bade at Tien's throat, the demon begins to fly towards him at an impressive speed. Or at least it looks like he should be flying at an impressive speed. Looking over his shoulder, Tien can see his little friend with his arms outstretched, training his mental capabilities to perform his unique form of telekinesis. Chiaotzu's psychic powers are the strongest on Earth, and this sword wielding demon is feeling the brunt of it. The creature's face is distorts from the pain he must feel from Chiaotzu forcefully twisting his mind and body to immobility.
"Sorry, but you shouldn't have sucker punched us like that," Tien taunts, forming a triangle with his hands. He locks onto his enemy, feeling the familiar hum of energy beginning to form in his hand, "Tri-Beam!"
A square of overwhelming energy slams into his enemy, vaporizing him instantly. Beads of sweat begin to fall from Tien's head as he tries to relax his body. Having put all of his being into that attack, the triclops now feels sick to his stomach. Even flight seems so taxing, though he is able to shake of his nausea and resume a more stoic position. Nothing remains of the demon, and Tien cannot sense his energy anywhere. Only smoke remains for the strange sword wielding creature.
"Wow Mr. Tien, you sure have gotten a lot stronger," Chiaotzu compliments, "I've never seen you hit someone that hard."
"You should give yourself some of the credit as well. If you hadn't paralyzed him like that, I never would have been able to finish him," Tien says with a smile, "So really, it is me who should be thanking you, Chiaotzu."
As the two Crane students begin to fly back towards their friends, they feel a powerful presence coming towards them. Looking up, Tien sees an imp like creature flying towards them. While no bigger than Chiaotzu, this creature seem to be totally at ease. Still, Tien feels floored by the amount of power this guy is exerting. It is clear that this is Garlic Jr., and that he truly is leagues above the demons that they had been fighting up until this point.
When he gets closer, Tien tries to get a good look at him. The demon reminds Tien of the would-be 'Emperor' Pilaf in terms of height and color of the skin. Garlic Jr. has two fangs, which are currently formed into a cocky smile. His nails are slightly curved, and green spots accent his bald head. An ornate cape flows behind him as he examines the pair of martial artists.
"Well, it looks like you lot are insistent on dying here today," Garlic Jr. says in an almost childish voice, "Defying a god is a serious offense you know."
"So, you're Garlic Jr. You're a lot shorter than I expected," Tien says as he moves between his friend and the demon.
"And you smell too!" Chiaotzu yells out from behind him.
Garlic Jr. seems amused by their comments, cracking a smile but making no move to take a fighting stance himself, "I'll admit that you have a lot of nerve. Since you killed Ginger, I appear to be in the market for new henchmen. The job's yours if you want it."
He pauses to give them time to answer. When the earthlings say nothing, he shakes his head, "No? Well that's too bad. You should know that if you chose to fight me, you will stand no chance. What is a mortal to a god after all?"
"Cut it out, tell me what you're after," Tien demands.
"Oh, you want to know my plan do you? Well it's actually rather simple. I'm going to use the Dragon Balls to wish for immortality. Once that's done, I'll be ready to kill Kami and avenge my father."
"I can't allow that," Tien tells his enemy, bringing his hands together again, "This planet will soon be visited by terrible monsters that dwarf both of our powers. My friend's wife is currently training in Otherworld, and we're going to need to wish her back in a few months' time. If you use the Dragon Balls now, you may damn this planet. Please, do not act out of selfishness."
"Once I wish for immortality there will be no force in the entire universe that will be able to stop me. Your friend should be honored to give up his wife for his future god," Garlic laughs manically, "I've already gathered six of the Dragon Balls, and my minion Cinnamon is on his way to collect the seventh. In a few hours I will be a god, and you will be dead!"
Tien shakes his head, charging all of his energy into the palm of his hand, "If you won't see reason, then I will be forced to stop you."
"Tri-Beam!" Tien yells.
"Super Dodon Ray!" Chiaotzu screams as well as their attacks crash into the tiny Garlic Jr.
There is no denying it. Bulma checks the Dragon Radar a few more times before putting her little gadget down and picking up a steaming cup of coffee. While certainly not the first time she has seen it in her life, the fact that someone is gathering the Dragon Balls again is disquieting. Racking her brain, the blue haired woman tries to think about which of their enemies both would want to possess, and have the means to gather, the seven magical orbs. Since Piccolo's tentative conversion to their side, a feat that continues to surprise Bulma every day, the only antagonistic force that even really knows of the Dragon Ball's power is Emperor Pilaf. That thought makes her smile regardless. As if that little runt would ever dare to show his face after he helped revive King Piccolo, Bulma thinks as she takes another sip of her rather bitter coffee, Maybe we should have gathered them sooner, guess that would have made what happened to Chi-Chi too real though.
Luckily for her friends, Bulma had had the common sense to hold onto one of the Dragon Balls for just such an occasion. And although she cannot stand the old man sometimes, staying with Master Roshi at least provides the Dragon Ball with some protection. Dodging his ass-happy hands is a pain, but it is better than allowing whoever is gathering the Dragon Balls to simply waltz up and take the last one from her. At times like this, sometimes Bulma wishes that she had taken up martial arts like Goku or Krillin. Still, if she did that no one would be able to help fix up all the junk they threw at her feet. Like the scouter Olve had when he came to her. She was already able to read the power levels of her friends in a script she could understand. Despite all her prodding, Olve had not provided any clues on how to translate it the more common Earth writing system. In fact, there was no indication that Olve knows how to write or read at all. That part of his education is with her during the evenings, though their progress is slowed by Olve's more anti-social tendencies. Last night he had managed to read an entire children's book before getting bored and going to sleep, so at least something she is saying is getting through to him. Basic tasks like teaching him how to dress and eat with a fork had fallen to her, but does she ever receive a thank you? No sir!
She mulls over the bit of coffee left in her cup with a frown. That boy...something is just off about him. The way he kicks and talks in his sleep for one thing points to some serious issues. Repeating the word 'Leek' over and over again, but never showing any signs of recognition when asked about it. On top of that, he had not told them anything he knew about the Saiyans. He only used the word 'pride' to describe about his people. The only way Bulma could even tell that he was on their side was the agitation that would come across his face when they were mentioned. If only she could get just a little more out of him...
"Oh dear you still look exhausted," Launch says, interrupting her train of thought with another cup of coffee, "Worried about Yamcha?"
"No, he can take care of himself," Bulma tells her as she graciously accepts and happy to think of something else, "It's the fact that the Dragon Balls are being gathered. Maybe we should see about finding Goku, I know we shouldn't interrupt his training but this is kind of important."
"Master Roshi says that we should let him be for now," Launch says, sitting down across from her, "I feel terrible for the little guy though. I hope he's okay."
"Little guy? Goku hasn't been a boy for a long time Launch," Bulma says with a smile. She looks out the front door to see Olve gathering his energy in the surf, "But I think I know what you mean. Sometimes I have trouble imagining Goku as anything other than the little monkey boy I found in the woods."
Launch looks like she is about to say more, but Roshi yelling interrupts her. The two women run out to see what could have startled the elderly martial arts master, but almost immediately regret their choice. As if it were a bad nightmare repeating itself, an ominous figure is flying towards them. Realizing what it could mean, Bulma runs to collect the scouter she had been reappearing. Activating it, she clocks in the stranger's power level at about 180, roughly as strong as Yamcha was before he left to train. Master Roshi looks nervous, though he at least seems to be ready. Olve seems to be the most on edge, and Bulma realizes that he might not be able to sense power levels yet. The boy looks at each of them, probably a bit frightened by their worried expressions. The Saiyan's tail is standing on end, and Bulma can almost make out a sort of growling sound coming from him.
"Collect yourself," Master Roshi tells his pupil, causing the boy to look up at him in confusion, "Do not let fear or anger cloud your mind. If you want to defeat this opponent, you must remain focused. Unfocused anger will lead only to your own defeat."
For a moment it seems like Olve is going to snap at Roshi, but the boy only silently relaxes his muscles. As he does, the fighter that is heading their way lands on the beach, surveying them with a sort of amused look on his face. Bulma had seen that sort of look plenty of times throughout her travels, the face of an opponent that is clearly hiding most of his power. Though worried, part of her is actually ecstatic. This creature had proved one of her theories about power levels, the fact that they can be unreliable. Though, for the sake of her friends, she hopes that it is not that much higher than 180.
"Well, it wouldn't be my luck if this had been easy," The effeminate looking demon says as he scratches his head. The monster has yellow skin with odd blue colored hair. it reminds Bulma of cotton candy. It's long nails are painted black, and he is wearing mascara, "The legendary Master Roshi and another monkey boy. Wonderful. Not to mention these two girls who have obviously never heard of fashion before."
"Says you! You're nothing more than a fruity blood sucker," Bulma yells, having to be held back by Launch so as to not get herself hurt, "Let me go! I'm gonna kill him!"
"Adorable. Now that the shrew has been taken care of, I am Cinnamon. I come on behalf of my master and future god of this planet, Garlic Jr. One of you has a Dragon Ball on them, please kindly hand it over."
When none of them move, the demon known as Cinnamon lets out a long sigh and places his hand on his knees. With a small squirm, he draws out a sword and points it at them.
"That's disgusting," Launch says, covering her mouth as several drops of blood fall onto the sand.
"Yes, not exactly my most fabulous technique but it gets the job done. Now, I'll ask again nicely. Please hand over the Dragon Ball," Cinnamon demands, moving his sword to point at each of them, "Guess I don't have much choice. Prepare…"
He never gets a chance to finish his sentence. Like a wild boar, Olve crashes into the demon and knocks the two of them to the ground. Doing a reverse hand-spring to get some distance, Olve waits for his enemy to stand up before rushing towards him again. The demon drops his blade over his shoulder to counter Olve's next attack. Instead of attaching though, Olve swipes some sand from the beach and throws it in Cinnamon's eyes. The demon howls and swings blindly with his sword. Seizing his chance, Olve savagely punches the demon. The sheer force of the blow causes their enemy to slide back onto the sand. To cover the distance, Olve charges again. Ready this time, Cinnamon brings the butt of his sword into Olve's stomach, doubling the boy over. With a flourish, Cinnamon winds his sword up to decapitate Olve.
The blade bounces off the boy's heavy turtle shell harmlessly. Thrown back by the reverse of momentum, the demon leaves himself open for Olve's attack. The child brings himself forward, though he still manages to keep his feet balanced.
"Rock." Olve says as he slams his fist into Cinnamon's chest.
Ignoring the spray of purple blood now on his face, Olve brutally jabs his fingers into Cinnamon's eyes, "Scissors."
Temporarily blinded, the demon begins to swings around wildly. The unexpected attack had thrown off the demon's composure, and he begins swearing and yelling like a madman. Undeterred by Cinnamon's chaotic sword, Olve runs towards the demon at a speed that Bulma would not have though possible with that heavy turtle shell on his back, "Paper!"
With a yells that surprise everyone, Olve sends the demon crashing into the ocean. The demon skips like a pebble across the waves before sinking to the bottom.
For the first time since meeting them, Olve is actually smiling at them. It is the same genuine smile that Goku would get on his face every time he defeated a powerful adversary. On the normally stoic boy, it seems to make him glow even brighter. The child steps back to see if he can spot where he had sent Cinnamon, his tail moving from side to side like a happy dog. He even lets out a small laugh, though it seems awkward in his throat. As though he was not used to producing the sound.
"Well, at least you learned the footwork," Master Roshi says to his students, giving Olve a thumbs up as the boy moves to rejoin him, "You've come a long way from when we first started, I'm proud of you."
Olve looks like he wants to say something, but before the words can leave his mouth there is an explosion from the ocean. Evidently Olve had not killed the demon, as Bulma can see from the growling and spitting monster racing towards them. In an instant, Olve crashes into Kame House, a fresh cut across his eye. Cinnamon had bulked up considerably, and clearly has the power to back it up according to the scouter. The demon's power level had jumped up to 310, or around Tien's level. Launch is already on the boy, trying to help Olve stand up.
"Now, give me the Dragon Ball," Cinnamon threatens, walking towards Bulma with a deranged look on his face, "No more tricks."
"How about a surprise?" Master Roshi yells, Bulma's scouter indicating that the aged Master had increased his power as well, this time to about 300.
Arcs of yellow and orange electricity races out from the hermit's hands, constricting the demon like a thousand snakes. The hissing and biting of the tendrils is being brought up to an intensity that Bulma had never seen from the old man before, evidently he had been holding back much of the technique's power when he had fought Goku over ten years ago. Sensing her opportunity, Bulma runs over to Olve's body and rudely slaps the boy awake.
"Hey, get your butt in gear," Bulma yells, hitting him again until the boy blinks at her, "The old man's not going to be able to hold him off for long!"
"Too strong," Olve says, closing his eyes again, "No point."
"Don't you give me that!" Bulma lectures him, pointing towards Roshi, "You're going to have to work a lot harder if you want to be able to beat those Saiyans. I don't really know or care if you even want to or not, but you agreed to help my friends. No one goes back on that kind of promise around me. So get moving mister, or I'm going to make you regret the day you were ever born!"
Bulma's lecture gets the results she had been hoping for, though it nearly knocks her and Launch over. Olve throws himself into Cinnamon once again by driving his shoulder into the demon. Gritting through the pain of having briefly felt Master Roshi's strongest technique, Olve hits the demon with the force of a freight train. Panting heavily, Olve pursues his now airborne enemy with a leap. Grabbing the monster's face, Olve lets out a yell and with a disgusting squishy sound, the demon falls to Earth with its neck snapped almost in two. As Olve's feet touch the sand again, he turns his back once again to the demon's corpse.
Bulma sees him twitch before she has a chance to yell out a warning. Though now at a grotesque angle, the demon begin blinking and worse yet begins to charge up another energy attack in his mouth. Aimed directly at Roshi's heart, the yellow energy lances towards the Turtle Hermit. Surely he would have been killed, had Olve not unexpectedly moved to intercept the attack. It pierces his left shoulder, searing a hole into his flesh and the wall behind them. The smell of burning flesh fills the air. The boy drops to his knees, holding his now bleeding shoulder. Master Roshi moves to protect his student, but is forced to stop when the demon fires another energy wave towards his feet.
"Oh, does my Tootie Fruity Attack hurt you little guy?' Cinnamon asks as he reanimates his body. With his head still turned the opposite way from his body, the demon smiles at Bulma and Launch in turn. He lets out laugh when he sees Launch turn away. The demon examines the bulkier muscles of his arms, "I know it's not pretty but it's a helpful little buff wouldn't ya say? Now, monkey kids seem to be giving me the most trouble today. But I'm a nice guy, how about a little off the top?"
Swinging his sword like a sort of mad puppet, the demon brings it down onto the shoulder he had struck Olve. The boy scream out, lashing about violently as his arm is severed from his body. Bulma nearly vomits as Olve continues to wail as he tries to apply pressure with the one arm he has left. The blade had cut through his flesh and bone easily. Launch throws herself into her arms, turning away as the little boy continues to scream. Now it is Olve's blood mixing with the sand on the beach. The demon puts his boot on top of the boy's head, applying more force with each passing second. Bulma screams out as Olve continues to claw at the dirt with the hand he has left. The demon begins laughing at the boy's struggles, but everyone on the island falls silent when a flash of brilliant red light begins to form in Olve's hand.
Kami could not have simply stayed in his palace while his pupils dealt with his enemy. This had been conflict that was caused by Kami and Piccolo's original self, and was not a battle that should be totally fought by the humans. From his Lookout it had become clear that his power was nothing compared to his former rival. Where Garlic Jr. is pompous, he is still driven by vengeance. The aged guardian knows that should the humans fail in their battle waging outside, Piccolo would be their next target. Or at least he hoped so. Garlic himself had never been the best tactician, and Kami hopes that lapses in judgment ran in that particular family. If Piccolo were mistaken for himself, they might kill him. Should that happen, and assuming Master Roshi can keep the Dragon Ball safe for long enough, the dragon would turn to stone. And if the worst were to happen, he could always take his own life. Should one of them die, so to would the other. And if they die, then Shenron dies with them. Better to lose Chi-Chi than let Garlic Jr. get his wish granted. Not that he would like to accept this solution.
He had traveled to Garlic Jr.'s castle with a different mission in mind. No matter what, the Dragon Balls would not be allowed to fall into the demon's hands. Whereas his fear of death had held him back against King Piccolo, Kami had no such fears against this adversary. Even he is more than capable of handling any of Garlic Jr.'s minions, and can likely hold his own against the spawn itself should the need arise. He had sensed that his creation had begun to be gathered in one location, and his suspicions had proven correct.
Walking into the throne room, Kami only senses one presence to greet him. Though much lower than Garlic Jr. or his forces, it is still above that of a normal human. It reminds him of when he had sensed the young Goku arriving on Earth from his doomed home world; though even he had not put the connection between that weak presence and the strong young man he would become. Still, the feeling had recently been awakened when Radtiz had come to Earth. Evidently, being the god of Earth gave him certain abilities in regards to more extraterrestrial visitors. The same sort of feeling reveals the identity of the small figure hiding behind Garlic Jr.'s throne.
"Son Gohan?" Kami asks the child, extending a hand.
Sure enough, the monkey tailed son of Goku comes out of hiding. The boy is shivering and clearly scared senseless. For all intents and purposes this boy is nothing more than a crying child, nothing betraying the awesome power had apparently used against the Saiyan Radtiz. Clearly his appearance frightened the boy, who lets out a squeak before running behind the throne again.
"Calm yourself child, I'm not here to hurt you," Kami assures the boy, walking slowly over. He tries to smile, and the child does come out to greet him, "I am Kami, I trained your father before you were born."
"You know my daddy?" Gohan asks, evidently this revelation causing the child to begin trusting the guardian, "Is he coming to get me?"
"I'm afraid not my boy. Goku is training to face a threat that you have already encountered in your own short life. Though I shall take you from this place," Kami tells Gohan, picking the child up. At that moment, he can feel the ocean of power just beneath the surface of this boy's waking mind. This titanic feeling is almost enough to make him drop the boy, and it is all he can do to keep his composure. This child's strength is beyond anything I have ever felt before. If it could be harnessed, we might be able to even challenge these Saiyans in one year's time and win.
"Boy, I mean Son Gohan. Have you ever been trained in martial arts?" Kami asks, "Has your father shown you anything?"
"No, my mommy didn't want me to fight," Gohan admits, hanging his head, "And my daddy left before he could teach me anything."
"How would you like to learn?" Kami eagerly asks, the potential of this child exciting him, "I could train you, begin your martial arts training. Though I warn you, it will be harrowing."
Gohan seems hesitant, the child's own insecurities preventing him from giving the answer that Kami know the planet needs. Despite this, Kami knows that he cannot simply whisk the boy back to his palace. If their training is going to be successful, it must be Gohan and Gohan's choice alone to begin the journey to becoming a warrior. All it will take is a single push, "Do you want the power to avenge your mother?"
That is all it takes. Gohan's docile eyes seem to become ablaze at the mention of his mother's death. The small boy nods, gripping Kami's cloak tighter as he does. The aged guardian smiles. And, as though Fate were smiling on him warmly today, the Dragon Balls are also in his room. They sit on a table, unguarded as Garlic Jr. and his minions fight. He telekinetically calls the nearby Dragon Balls to him before disappearing with a twirl of his cloak. While he could simply tell the humans to disenage, dealing with Garlic Jr. is still something that must be done. Better to tell them after the battle.
Darkness. Darkness...
A man...I know him. Gigantic...wait no...I'm just small. Smaller. Yes, a child. Me. I remember. Dust in my mouth, blood in my spit. My arm hurts, a lot. And I can't feel the other one. Hurt?
Kick. Punch. I hit him.
Gigantic, why can't I see his face. His tail is like mine, covered in brown fur. Smells like smoke. Darkness on his face...I want to see his face. Big and strong, tan skin. His voice...like music. Laughing, I lo...lo...lov... his laugh Deep. Itchy beard when he...what's the word...hug? Kiss goodnight?
Father? Father, I yell. I yell father again and again. Bare feet on the dust. Yelling. Father!
His hand moves back, red. Red sparks. Lightning. The darkness lights up. I''m, smiling. Or crying, or yelling, or...
Why does my arm hurt?
God.
Saiyan.
Wrath.
Lov...
I am angry.
Roshi's sunglasses are blown off his face as Olve's aura suddenly flares up in a shimmering red. The demon Cinnamon jumps back in surprise, giving Olve the opportunity that he needs. All around the boy's hand is crackling red lighting, the smell of burning flesh accompanying it as Olve's small body struggles to contain the power coursing through him. Though the physical effects of Olve's power-up can clearly be seen from the sudden typhoon the humans find themselves in, the child's power has not changed at all. It reminds Roshi of nights spent listening to the ocean inside of his little hut; all of the sea's destructive power is outside his door even though his eyes cannot see it. Something should change in his aura, especially the way it is acting now.
The demon tries to scream some insult or another, but they cannot hear him over the winds and waves crashing onto the island. Shaking, Olve aims a clawed hand at the demon, aiming for the monster's head.
"GOD'S WRATH!" Olve screams at the top of his lungs, sending the beam towards the helpless demon.
The laser simply melts the demon. There are no screams or final cries, the top half of the demon is nothing but molten slag. The energy beam continues into the sky, splitting the clouds and going into the oblivion of space. Master Roshi tries to see if the beam would leave the atmosphere but is unable to follow it that far. As soon as his shock wears off, the aged master removes his shirt to create a makeshift bandage for the young Saiyan. Launch runs into the house frantically to find something to help, only Bulma remains transfixed.
"Bulma, what does the scouter say about Olve's power-level," Roshi asks out of curiosity.
"It's only 105," Bulma tells him with a confused look on her face, "But how?"
"HAA!" The two crane students yell in unison as their attacks slam into Garlic Jr.
The small demon's defenses are too feeble to resist the attack, and like his follower before him he is obliterated by the yellow light. All that remains of the would-be god is a cloud of smoke, but Tien does not rest easy. While his companion is content to begin early celebrations, the triclops knows that battles like this are rarely won easy. Hesitantly, he flies into the fog to see if anything remains of the tiny king. Seeing nothing, Tien slips into a meditative state in order to feel out Garlic Jr.'s energy.
THUMP! Tien finds himself through one of the castle walls before he has a chance to collect himself. Sitting up in the debris, he flares his aura to begin a counter attack but never gets the chance. Titanic green fists begin pounding him again and again without mercy. Each blow crashes into his chest. The image in front of him offers him no comfort. Garlic Jr. had transformed, becoming a darker and bulkier version of his former self. Garlic. Jr's face had been twisted into a sadistic, bloodthirsty smile. Along with the new muscles, the demon had also obtained a level of power that Tien had never felt before. Somehow, this creature had even managed to surpass Goku and Piccolo in terms of raw strength, and now the triclops martial artist is paying the price. The pressure is too much for Tien to even scream out as this new monster continue to beat him as though he were a helpless child.
"Fool! How dare you defy ME?! Your death will not be a painless one!" The brute says with the still ludicrousness of Garlic Jr., "This is my full power you insignificant insect!"
As the demon prepares to deliver the death blow to Tien's head, the creature suddenly stops. Having closed all of his eyes to brace himself for death, Tien tentatively opens his third eye to see why the demon had showed him mercy. As if held back by invisible strings, Garlic Jr. is frozen in place. Tien can see the monster trying to move as his muscles strain themselves beneath their skin. Realizing what this opportunity means, Tien brings his hands together charging as much of his life energy as he can into his attack. With a yell of "Tri-Beam!" Tien is able to draw out enough power to send the newly transformed Garlic Jr. flying.
"Chiaotzu! You did an awesome job buddy I'm so proud of you," Tien congratulates his little friend with a rare smile, "You saved my life."
"Aw Tien it was nothing," Chiaotzu modestly answers, looking at the floor while laughing, "This guy was strong but he wasn't strong enough to stop my attack."
"Oh? You think so?" Garlic Jr. yells from a distance.
To their horror, Tien and Chiaotzu's combined efforts had been pointless. Garlic Jr. appears to be unfazed by Tien's legendary Tri-Beam attack. The fact that he can shake off an attack of that magnitude makes Tien angry at his lack of progress, and he regrets having ever taken a day to slack off during the recent years of peace. More than anything though he feels exhausted. Everything had gone into that last attack, and now the triclops realizes he has nothing left. He begins to fall to the ground, laying on one of the obsidian archways as he glares at Garlic Jr.
"Giving up you pathetic worm?" Garlic Jr. taunts him, charging a red energy wave in his hands and points it towards Tien, "I'm going to enjoy killing you."
"No!" Chiaotzu yells, charging at Garlic Jr. in a desperate attempt to stop him.
It is no use. Garlic Jr. simply backhands the tiny warrior away without a second look. Wishes that he had something left, gritting his teeth to even force himself to stand. Seeing Chiaotzu's motionless body only a few yards away fills him with a sort of white-hot rage that the triclops has only rarely felt. Though it feels like he is destroying his very soul, he begins charging up another Tri-Beam. This will be my last battle, Tien thinks to himself as he aims at the laughing Garlic Jr., I do this to protect you, Chiaotzu. And Goku, I'm sorry that I never grew to become the rival you needed. I hope this will be enough to bring your wife back.
Garlic Jr. fires his energy wave at Tien, filling the triclops' vision with blinding red light. Having not even the time to finish charging his attack, Tien smiles as he waits for death.
At the last second, Tien sees a blue arrow racing to intercept Garlic's attack. The beam is enough to deflect the attack, causing a detonation of purple energy that destroys the platform that Tien had been standing on. Regaining his ability to fly, Tien looks to where the beam at been fired. Never before has he been so happy to see Krillin, whose hands are still smoking from firing the energy attack.
"You guys look like you could use some help," Krillin says with a cocky smile on his face.
Whew, that was a close one Krillin thinks as he squares up the big green giant in front of them. He wishes he had not instantly. The demon that Tien is fighting is leagues above his minions, and his appearance twice as frightening. Still, Krillin readies himself. Realizing something important, he carefully takes off the weighted shirt that Kami had provided to them. Along with the boots and wristbands, Krillin feels infinitely lighter, It all happened so fast that we didn't have time to take these things off! Maybe…maybe we can win if we fight at full power now!
"Krillin! We have to do something! Garlic is planning to use the Dragon Balls to wish for immortality!" Tien warns him, the triclops struggling to stand, "He's powerful too, be careful!
"We'll worry about that later, we have to focus on the here and now! Why haven't you taken off your weighted clothing?" Krillin asks the triclops, grinning despite himself, "Come on man, I thought you were smarter than that."
Nodding, Tien removes his own weighted shirt. If the triclops is anything like Krillin, his friend is feeling a sort of feeling of rejuvenation just from removing the cumbersome training equipment. Though still battered, Tien regains that smile he always have before an exciting battle. He gives Krillin a thumbs up, "Thanks man, I don't know how much more I can do though."
"Stop ignoring me!" Garlic Jr. suddenly interrupts, racing towards Tien with his arm outstretched, "You earthlings have lived long enough. Face the wrath of my…"
"WOLF FANG HOWLING FIST!"
An orange blur moves past Krillin, slamming into Garlic Jr.'s side with a wolf's howl. Thrown off his course, the fighters look up to see a shirtless Yamcha grinning at their adversary. Seeing his chance, Krillin also charges in, launching a flurry of kicks and punches at Garlic Jr. The human's movement is so fast that even Krillin is having a hard time keeping track of what he is doing. Years of training at the Orin Temple and under people like Master Roshi or Korin had turned the short monk into a fearsome warrior in his own right. Now that he is out of the shadow of Goku he is ready to prove it. Taking advantage of their difference in size, Krillin dodges under the demon's hammer like strikes and responds with head-butt to the monster's stomach. Unwilling to relent now that he has the momentum, Krillin kicks off of Garlic Jr. and begins charging up another energy wave. The Kamehameha slams into Garlic Jr., sending him towards Yamcha.
The scar faced bandit does not relent as well. He claws at Garlic Jr., slapping him with open palms while howling like a wolf. Whenever Garlic Jr. does see an opening, Yamcha simply moves out of the way with an outlandish twist of his body. In a particularly flashy move, Yamcha actually spins around and sends Garlic Jr. towards Tien with a kick.
"Volleyball Fist!" Tien yells, flying towards Garlic Jr. with renewed resolve. He 'sets' the now helpless demon, throwing him further into the air before 'spiking' him with a mighty punch that leaves a Garlic Jr. sized crater on the floor below.
"Ready guys?" Krillin yells, charging his energy one more time.
Garlic Jr. does not know what hits him.
"Kamehameha!"
"Dodon Ray!"
"Spirit Ball Attack!"
The three techniques combine into beam that seems to be on the verge of bursting part. Their combined energy is unruly, chaotic, and powerful. All of this hits Garlic Jr. before the demon has a chance to form a defense. When the attack does touch the Earth, massive shock waves seem to rock the planet. In an instant a good chunk of Garlic Jr.'s castle is nothing more than rubble in a crater that makes Piccolo's destruction of the World Tournament stage look like a pothole.
"Think we over did it?" Krillin asks as he wipe some of the sweat off his brow.
"He deserved it, little bastard," Yamcha spits, allowing himself to drop to the ground. Tien moves to retrieve Chiaotzu, the little guy still unconscious from his own encounter with Garlic Jr. They all join Yamcha, allowing themselves to reveal in a sort of euphoric high. For the first time in what feels like forever, Krillin actually feels like he has beaten someone. Not just some untrained thug or overconfident brute at a tournament, but a real test of his abilities. Ever since Goku had defeated King Piccolo, all of the humans had felt on some level that they had been overshadowed, a gap that Krillin had realized he could never bridge. Now though, it was the earthlings who had defeated this threat. On their own and without Goku's help. It brings a smile to his face to know that he is not totally beat by the Saiyan yet.
Something feels wrong though, Tien being the first to notice, wearily getting to his feet. Easily the best at sensing energy between the three of them, Tien looks alarmed. Now nervous, Krillin tries to imagine what kind of horrible surprise awaits them now that Garlic Jr.'s attention would be all on them. He does notices that some of the smaller pebbles around him seem to be moving, as if beginning pulled by something. Where Garlic Jr. should be, a sort of distortion is visible. It looks like a black ripple in the air around the demon's body. Continuing to grow Krillin watches in horror as a battered and bloodied Garlic Jr. stands up. Above his head, maelstrom begins to form. Large chunks of the castles walls can be seen disappearing into the black hole. Worst yet, Krillin can feel a sort of tugging sensation on his own body.
"Fools! Behold my ultimate technique. I will ensure that you are trapped forever in this prison that contained my father! Everything will be consumed by the Dead Zone!" Garlic Jr. rants, with little concern for his own safety, "Even if it costs me everything, I will make sure that your hell is particularly awful. You will be condemned to travel its wastes for all eternity, only the monsters that inhabit that plane of hell to keep you company. You will lose your minds then your lives! Even your souls will be trapped in here, doomed to never ascend to the next world!"
The storm continues to suck everything into it. Not willing to go down without a fight, the exhausted Z-Fighters fire another round of energy at the demon. Whether it is due to an increase in power or euphoria caused by the summoning of the Dead Zone, Garlic Jr. does not flinch in his madness. Next to him, Tien is desperately holding onto Chiaotzu and using what remains of his strength to keep the small warrior safe. Yamcha, normally confident to a point, simply drops to his knees and staring at the void with a dead look on his face.
"He just keeps getting up," Yamcha says with a hollowness in his voice. Krillin's friend punches the ground and tears begin to fall from his face, "Why is it always like this? We're going to die here, damn it why can't I get stronger!"
In that moment, it becomes clear to Krillin what he has to do as the last one standing. Gathering his resolve, he steps past Yamcha and stares at Garlic Jr. The Dead Zone had grown to the point that, had it not been for their advanced uses of ki, the four earthlings would have been completely consumed by it. All of this feels like the day that Krillin had watched his best friend's wife die before his eyes. At that moment he had felt exactly like Yamcha does now, useless and weak. For some reason, being weaker than Goku, Piccolo, or Tien had never bother him until the fighting started. Against King Piccolo he had been taken out of the fight before it even began, and against Radtiz he had been little more than a punching bag. These thoughts fill Krillin's head as he begins to lift off the ground.
"Yamcha, promise me that you'll get strong enough to protect everyone," Krillin says, a somber edge to his voice, "You guys are the only family I've ever known, I love you all."
"Krillin! What are you saying man?" Yamcha says through sobs. The scar faced bandit meets his eyes and realizes what his intentions are, "No way! Krillin you can't! The Dragon Balls can't…"
"If that thing gets any bigger, the Dragon Balls he does have could be lost forever. I owe Goku this much, he's done so much for us," Krillin tells his friend with a smile, "Just promise me that you won't tell Goku or use the Dragon Balls on me."
"Goodbye."
Flaring up his white aura, Krillin charges at the demon without expression. Slowing down is not an option, even if he wanted to. The Dead Zone is sucking him in the closer he gets to it. Still, keeps eyes locked onto Garlic Jr. Faintly, he can hear Yamcha and Tien screaming out for him to stop, but he ignores them. Krillin knows that if he tries to stop now he won't be able to do what he needs to do now, fear would ruin everything. Instead he thinks back to the good times, smiling as he throws himself into Garlic Jr.'s body. With strength that he did not know he even had, Krillin lifts himself and the demon up. The surprise attack is enough to get eh demon close to the portal he had opened. With a yell, Krillin throws the monster into it.
Thank you all, Krillin thinks as he feels himself being pulled in behind Garlic Jr., Thank you all for loving me.
Krillin is granted one last look at his human friends before he disappears into the void that Garlic Jr. created. Without a word or ceremony, the bald headed warrior vanishes from the world he had given everything to protect. Only the distraught sobs of his friends remain to show that the greatest of them had paid the ultimate price.
What makes Krillin's sacrifice the most painful to Yamcha is the knowledge that Garlic Jr. had evidently had the Dragon Balls stolen during their fight. The earthlings had searched through the ruins for hours before giving up. They had returned to the Lookout, their hearts heavy. Even as Mr. Popo begins to congratulate them on a job well done, Yamcha cannot help but feel like a failure to his friend. Just as he contemplates leaving the Lookout forever, Kami emerges from his chambers. The elderly guardian seems too cheerful, and it is all Yamcha can to not lash out at him in anger.
"Well done, you have prevented a great evil," Kami says, smiling at each of them in turn, "You have proven yourselves worthy and we will now begin the next phase of your training."
"Who care about any of that? Krillin's gone, and there's no way to bring him back," Yamcha says, clenching his fist. He flies right up to the guardian's green face, ignoring the cries of Mr. Popo and Tien, "How can you just stand there and smile at us! He may have just been another earthling to you, but he was my friend!"
The only thing that stops Yamcha from striking his teacher is something he had never seen from Kami's people. A single tear is rolling down the guardian's face despite his smile. The act of empathy, this show of humanity, stuns Yamcha, who had never expected Kami of all people to react in such a way. The scar faced bandit stands down, unable to hide the tears forming in his own eyes.
"Do not mistake my smile for one of joy. I realize the loss that you have suffered, I understand your pain. Imagine how it must feel for me, the guardian of this planet, to see my people slaughtered before my eyes as I am unable to do anything. But, I realize that we must forge onward. So today we will both celebrate and mourn," Kami says, a quiver detectable in his voice, "Use this pain Yamcha. It is all we can do to honor Krillin."
Yamcha nods, hiding his eyes from his teacher. They are not close enough to embrace one another, but a new understanding had been reached between them. Kami clears his throat, motioning for the earthlings to pay attention to him.
"By now I have contacted Master Roshi. He and the Saiyan Olve will guard the last Dragon Ball. The remaining six will remain here with us. Had Garlic Jr. succeeded in his plan, all would have been lost. I see now more than ever that Chi-Chi will need to complete her own training if we are to stand a chance in the battles to come. And for that reason, I am here to introduce to you a new student," Kami tells them. He moves to the side so that the earthlings can see the new pupil.
"No way!" Yamcha yells.
"Are you insane?" Tien asks, his third eye dilated in shock, "Kami you can't be serious."
"I have never been more serious in my entire life," Kami says, smiling at their shock, "Son Gohan will be joining us as we prepare for the Saiyans."
Confirming Kami's words is the small hybrid's nods. Dressed in a dark purple gi with the kanji for god on his chest, the young Gohan awkwardly waves at each of his father's friends.
Goku finally collapses. For the past twelve hours, he had been doing push-ups and other drills on the top of his mountain home. The thin air of this mountain range is perfect for the Earth raised Saiyan. It made every one of his movements more difficult, straining his body time and again. Every day he had trained under the most intense conditions, only stopping when his body was too battered to continue and he is forced to take a Senzu Bean. His progress had been significant, but still he knows that he is nowhere near Radtiz's level. The only exercise he had stopped performing was sparring against his Multi-Form counterpart, a handy training technique he had picked up from Tien. Every time he throws a punch at his doppelganger it had turned into Radtiz, and that had made him lose control more than once. A new feeling of bloodlust had infected him, and Goku's dreams filled with inflicting pain onto his brother.
"Stop it!" Goku yells out loud, forcing himself to push through his work-out, "I'll get stronger this time, this time I'll be able to protect everyone.
Had he been paying attention, he would have noticed Piccolo approaching him sooner. The green warrior interrupts Goku's training with a small grunt. Rolling over, Goku looks up at his rival's scowling face.
"Piccolo, now is really not the time," Goku tell shim, standing up and taking a handful of snow to put in his mouth, "After we stop these Saiyans, then I'll fight you again I promise."
"I'm not here to challenge you," Piccolo tells him, dropping down and assuming a meditative stance, "If we continue to train on our own we'll never advance fast enough. But maybe together we just might be able to beat them."
Goku smiles at the idea. He had thought of trying it himself, but he would have never thought Piccolo would be the one to approach him. Though he is content to train in isolation for a while, the Saiyan still finds himself longing for someone to spar with.
"Odd coming from you, I thought you hated me," Goku jokes as he begins a series of squats, "But I'm open to the idea! We could learn a lot from each other."
Piccolo nods, "My thoughts exactly. Though, it still sicken me on some level. Also, I might be the only one who can help you through your own problem."
"What problem?" Goku asks, even though he already knows the answer. His nightmares are proof enough.
"Don't play dumb with me Goku. I can practically smell it on you," Piccolo says, smiling at his rival, "You want revenge. For the first time in your life, you're willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal. It's admirable, I'll give you that I personally didn't think you had it in you."
"Maybe your right," Goku admits, staring at his reflection in the water, "I do what revenge. If Radtiz had never come here, my wife would still be with me. I've never felt worse about myself, but I can't shake it. As bad as it sounds, I wish I could bury my heart this one time. Just this once."
"Don't apologize to yourself. Here's my offer," Piccolo smirks as their eyes lock, "You're in luck. While I don't think a bleeding heart like yourself could ever fully grasp it, I happen to know a thing or two about revenge. If you'll let me, I can teach you how to use that anger."
It only takes a moment for the Saiyan to realize what this will mean. And in that moment, he is willing to pay that price. With his usual grin, Goku takes Piccolo's hand.
"Well, let's get started."
AN: Hello everybody! Hopefully you enjoyed this first attempt at the DBZ films.
As always thank you for reading and please be sure to leave a review! Love you guys!
Power Levels:
Garlic Jr. - 250
Garlic Jr. (Transformed) - 750
Kami - 250
Yamcha - 250
Krillin - 285
Tien - 342
Chiaotzu - 175
Gohan - 8
Master Roshi (Full Power) - 200
Olve (without arm) - 105
Garlic Jr. Minions (Transformed) - 180
Goku - 450
Piccolo - 440