The most interesting thing about the Saiyans isn't our natural toughness, or our versatile reproduction. It's not our ability to transform into great beasts of folklore. It's not even our resilience or incredible recovery skills. The Monster that lurks at the bottom of the well is terrifying, unexpected, and earth-shatteringly powerful - but it's just a footnote to the real reasons Saiyans are so dangerous.

Interesting in itself really, that we'd hog so many interesting abilities.

When a Saiyan heals, its body does so in a way that make the body more difficult to injure in the future. Muscles become more dense, bones because harder, skin becomes stronger We become just a little tougher, just a little better, a more efficient killing machine. Compounded over a violent lifetime? It was how you could get powerhouses like Vegeta and Goku. That was why Saiyans are special, not because we're big and strong, but because we have the capacity to be the biggest and strongest things out there. Unless exterminated outright, we can and will eventually grow to tower whatever threat looms against us.

Frieza must have realized this at some point, at least in a crude way. To be scared enough to vaporize the Saiyan's homeworld, and purge the rest of the galaxy of the remnants. Why he kept Vegeta around if that was the case is a mystery.

But... "If I'm right." Gohan whispered to himself. "We haven't even scratched the surface."

Gohan relaxed. He extended his hands in front of him and let a token amount of his internal energy flow forth a few feet beyond his body, becoming detached from the well within. Detached, but still loyal, still obedient. He let it coalesce into something resembling solid heat and light. A sphere that glowed as a pinprick, a mere ember. He fed this ember with more energy, letting it grow larger, burn hotter and brighter. He fed his hungry pet until it was almost as big as he was, visible as sphere of brilliant bluish white energy. Powerful, but controlled. Submissive. Waiting for instructions.

"We don't have to be reactionary, and we don't have to be patient." Not with miracle cures like Dendi and sensu beans lying around.

He felt more of the tendrils within him uncoil and reveal themselves, flowing through his muscles and organs and bone, filling evenly the whole volume of his body. Normally, he'd let the energy soak into his entire being, every cell. This ki was what gave fighters like him durability and strength. The stronger the physical body, and more ki it could generate and handle. The energy would in return strengthen the body to degrees impossible otherwise. It was a beautiful harmony, the body producing and housing the ethereal energies and the energies imbuing the body with incredible strength and durability.

Regardless, this is stupid.

It was with a mix of rational confidence and primal fear that Gohan banished the energies from most him, leaving his body incredibly exposed. He directed the ki to bind with the parts of him he absolutely couldn't lose; his heart, his lungs, his brain, and everything above the bottom of his neck. Perfectly invulnerable. Safe. He placed two of the little green sensu beans on a rock a safe distance away, and put the last one in his mouth.

Seriously, this can't possibly be worth it.

He summoned the sphere of manifested ki, burning like a ball of eldritch fire. He inched it slowly towards him, cautiously, fear and doubt washing over him. The fear was boiling as the sphere got closer. It became almost a physical thing, pulling at him, kicking him, screaming at him to stop this stupidity. Eventually, Gohan couldn't take it anymore. He pushed out at the sphere. Not pushing it way, but bringing it straight through him. Pounds of flesh evaporated immediately, no smoke, just utterly destroyed.

Mommy?

Pain. PAIN. Excruciating. PAIN. Searing. PAIN. Burning. Consumption. PAIN. PAIN. Annihilation. Nothing. Numbness. Worry. Doubt. Shame.

You deserve what's coming to you.

He dismissed the orb, which dissipated harmlessly into the air. It didn't matter. The damage was done.

As a final thought, he bit down and swallowed the bean, and fell into the welcoming embrace of nothingness.


Author's Notes:

It's clearly not over, so please feel free to reign in with suggestions/critques.