Chapter 3:
"Hey Roshi, Bulma's getting up." The pig yelled from the bedroom. Master Roshi had been meditating looking for the ki of Chaozu but couldn't find it.
That could mean either he's dead or he's up at the Lookout with Dende. The old man decided to go with the second option. He realized once again after all the years of sitting on the sidelines that he was the third strongest person in the world, he had to take some responsibility.
"What happened?" Bulma said sitting up from the bed. Oolong was standing many feet away to make sure he wasn't hit by the backlash of Bulma remembering what had happened at the Integalactic Tournament. "Oh no," the realization hit her, tears welled up in her eyes, "Vegeta, Trunks, wait Trunks!"
"Don't worry Bulma your baby is fine," Roshi calmed her down walking into the room. The old man walked over to the other bed where Chi Chi was lying still asleep before carefully shaking her awake.
Chi Chi's first reaction was to punch out but Roshi caught her fist. Her second was to start sobbing, Roshi pulled her head into his shoulders. The old turtle hermit would have used this as an opportunity to get a squeeze but he knew he had to be respected now. "Chi Chi listen to me," he commanded grabbing her by each of the shoulders. "You are pregnant and have another child to worry about now so any ideas you have to go take on these guys I want you to forget about them right now."
The woman knew he was right but all her heart kept telling her was KILL KILL KILL, "It's alright Roshi I'll be fine." She said holding back her tears now.
"Oh my Dende, guys come look at this," Oolong called from the other room. The adults rushed in to see the television flashing the breaking news symbol. Images were coming in from all over the world of fires raging through cities and blue aliens shooting beams everywhere.
"If you are just tuning in, these images have all been taken within the last twelve hours." The picture changed again to show West City looking perfectly fine. The leader Bojack appeared flying above the middle of the city. Capsule Corp could be seen on the video.
"No," Bulma whispered.
"Until your world government has completely surrendered to me," Bojack was cut off by a couple rockets slamming into his chest exploding. As the cloud of smoke dispersed around him he shot two beams to his side and the camera spun to show to fighter jets go down. "As I was saying, until surrender is complete, this will continue to happen to your cities." He charged an extra large energy blast before shooting it straight down into the building below him. Half the city was incinerated immediately, including Bulma's home and parents.
"no" Bulma whispered putting her face in her hands. Nobody could think of anything to say to her to help with the loss of her parents but Chi Chi just leaned in and surrounded her with her embrace. They looked back to the tv to see Bojack thank the cameraman before shooting off into the distance.
"He wants people to see that he rewards people with their lives who bow down and obey him." Roshi observed. Just then Puar burst threw the open window screaming.
"Guys Yamcha, Krillin, everybody's dead!" She yelled before seeing that they all already knew. "And even worse," they all looked at her unable to imagine anything worse. "You all left me at that tournament alone." The cat started to cry. Roshi put a hand on Puar's shoulder but the purple cat just shook it off. "After they left I went back to get the bodies." Puar pulled out a capsule, "I had to drag four bodies into the containers by myself. I couldn't even make out the difference between the humans so I just put all their ashes in a jar in Gohan's container." She popped the dino cap to reveal four body length coffin like freezer containers to preserve the bodies in. Bulma looked inside one to see Piccolo's body with his head resting on his chest.
Damn this cat is going to need therapy for a long time. She thought grabbing the cat and pulling it in for a hug. "What are we going to do Master Roshi?" Bulma asked showing an emotion that they hadn't seen yet. There's been anger, grief, guilt, but now she was afraid, afraid for her son, for Chi Chi's unborn child.
Roshi thought for a second, anywhere they go they have the possibility of running into one of Bojack's gang. They also had a chance that Bojack would come to the Kame house sensing the highest power on Earth since the other two were supposedly on the Lookout. "We have to meet the others on the Lookout, hopefully there is some sort of plan in action." Suddenly the sky outside the window went dark even though there were no clouds and it was nine in the morning.
"Someone summoned the dragon they can wish Bojack and his men away." Puar screeched hopefully but Turtle Hermit shook his head.
"The Dragon doesn't have that much power, Bojack is too powerful for it." Roshi looked in the direction of Korin's tower. "It is time for us to leave, the safest place on Earth is Kami's Lookout because you can't sense energy up there, there is some sort of block that Dende must've put in. Turtle watch Kame House while we're gone." He popped his only capsule outside and it was a four seat helicopter. "Let's go."
At the Lookout
"Let's go," Chaozu said to the fat man.
"Wait," Korin landed and brought over a capsule. "Inside there is every sensu bean left save one that I'll use to keep growing them." The cat tossed the floating midget the capsule. "Conserve, only eat when you really have to there are only about four hundred of them."
"Also before you leave," Mr. Popo ran up to them, "Every year you will have to leave the chamber for at least an hour, then you can go back in. During that time we will try to give you more supplies so that you don't run out anytime soon. For the first couple years you will have a lot of food since I restocked it after the last groups came in during the Cell Games. Also you will be the first full blooded humans to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, it is a harsh environment where the gravity is ten times the Earth's right outside the main room and gets more intense the further out you go. The temperature can go from below freezing to boiling in an instant so don't stray too far from the home or you'll get lost in the nothingness of the dimension. If you do get lost look for each other's ki's so don't try looking for the lost person, wait for them to find you.
Chaozu bowed, "Thank you Mr. Popo we will try our best."
"Yeah sounds like a blast," Yajirobe said sarcastically before opening the doors to the Time Chamber and stepping inside, Chaozu waved back one last time before closing the doors behind him.
Dende walked over to his dark assistant and asked, "Do they have a chance?" Mr. Popo shook his head.
"I don't know, the chances are slim."
"I wouldn't be too sure," Korin said grinning. The other guardians looked at him unsure what to think of his optimism. "A hundred years is a long time, they'll be in there for much over that." Korin walked over and patted the door. "I believe in them and you should too. To be the guardian of the Earth you need more faith in the Earthlings."
Dende smiled and nodded. "I will."
In the helicopter
It wasn't long after the group left Kame House that they ran into the first signs of chaos. People on the streets looting, buildings burning to the ground. They couldn't tell in some places whether Bojack and his crew had passed through the place or if the humans were just going crazy because once again aliens have attacked the planet. "This is why we need our heroes," Oolong commented as they flew over two men beating each other in the street. The whole world was going to shit and it hadn't even been an entire day yet. The police couldn't answer every crime and many didn't want to work believing the aliens would be angry that they're working for the world government.
"Hey turn it up," Bulma said listening to the radio.
The radio crackled a little bit before they heard the reporter. "Now we are going to the live coverage at East Capital City where King Furry has agreed to stand down." The person speaking changed as they recognized the deep voice of their King tremble as he spoke. "People of Earth, I am sorry but today we have been shown our weakness, you must forgive me but I have surrendered, too many people have died already. It is time for us to lay down our arms and show our new overlords that we will be compliant." The voice changed back to the reporter who sounded like he was arguing with his boss.
"I will not say that." A pause as someone else was talking in the background. "I don't care what Furry said I won't betray my fans. People of Earth listen to me, don't give up we will rise up from this." A struggle was heard on the other end before a gunshot sounded over the radio. Bulma gasped, a new voice came in over the station, "All hail Bojack, he will be a benevolent ruler and we should all accept him just as the former King Furry has." Roshi turned off the radio frowning.
"Sooner than I expected. I thought we might have been able to hold out at least a week but it hasn't even been a day. They work so fast never stopping their rampage to give us time to strategize."
Chi Chi looked down at her stomach Do I really want my baby growing up in this type of world?
Roshi saw her and knew her thoughts, "Don't worry my dear," she looked up at him, "Good will prevail, it always does." He thought back to hundreds of years before when Demon King Piccolo ruled the world for years before he and Master Wutiyito were able to stop him. Hopefully it won't take that long this time, he thought to himself.
They were out of the city heading into the countryside along with many other people who believed that it would be much safer out there. That is until they saw a blue woman with orange hair fly right over them and stop in the front of the pack of vehicles trying to escape. Cars stopped, helicopters and aircars froze as they wondered if this was their last moment alive.
"Where is everybody going? Don't you know Bojack won it's time to go back to your homes and live out your lives as usual." The blue woman gave a smile making many of the people believe that this was not the end, maybe Bojack would be an okay ruler. "My name is Zangya and you can trust me, now go back to your homes there is no need to be out here." Most of the cars turned around but a few, including Master Roshi's helicopter. "So you dare defy me?" The girls hair stood up as she raised a hand and shot a ki blast at a nearby aircar sending the rest of the stragglers back to the city. All but Master Roshi.
"Roshi let's go we can come back when she's gone!" Bulma shouted.
Roshi stuck his head out the window and shouted over to the beautiful alien Zangya, "Hey our house is that way we were only in the city for vacation can we still go home?" Roshi looked at her and there was a long pause before Zangya put her hand down.
"Very well, you may pass, however..." She flew right up to the copter, "I've noticed that a few of you have much higher power levels than the average human being," Oolong flinched oh crap she found out. I just want you to know that we are all a thousand times stronger than you so don't think of trying anything, or I'll kill you." She smiled and flew off.
"Damn it Roshi you could have gotten us killed what were you thinking?!" Chi Chi yelled.
"I was thinking we don't have time for this and we don't have time for this argument either now lets keep going." Bulma nodded and took the controls steering the helicopter.
At the Lookout
"Do you feel that?" Dende asked Korin as they stood at the edge of the tower.
The cat turned, "From here I can see that," Dende looked shocked. "Such is the power of this place. You need to focus and you will be able to see anyplace on the entire planet from this spot. There's no need to worry about them finding us here as Mr. Popo has put up a shield blocking our ki's from the rest of the world." The little green boy turned and Popo nodded. "Now look closely and focus, do you recognize who it is that you feel coming?"
Dende squinted his eyes and focused on the strongest ki in the group. Slowly a vehicle came into focus, close but yet so far away. He looked closer and saw inside, "Bulma," he looked around, "Oolong, Puar, Chi Chi, Master Roshi!" The boy jumped up in glee, "I thought they would have perished along with the rest of them." Mr. Popo and Korin smiled at each other recognizing the natural skill of this Namek to pick up on such a hard technique so quickly.
Back in the helicopter
Master Roshi saw the tower in the distance for the first time in ages. "Ah I still remember climbing that tower when I was a young man."
Oolong looked at the hermit, "You were a young man once, find that hard to believe."
Roshi ignored the comment however and continued, "Hope I still have what it takes." He cracked his neck back and forth before what he said sunk in with the others.
"What do you mean? We won't be flying up there?" Chi Chi questioned angrilly.
"No the helicopter would run out of gas much before that, even if we refilled it at the bottom before heading up we still wouldn't make it."
For the first time Chi Chi really understood the height of the tower. "It would've helped if you knew how to fly," she said before holding her tongue realizing that she too had never learned and shouldn't be so hypocritical.
"Yes I know, but I believe I still have what it takes and I might be able to carry one of you up there with me." I heard that Yajirobe once carried Goku up the entire tower and that was before his training with Kami. Today I will carry Bulma while she carries Trunks." Usually Bulma would argue knowing that the old man just wanted to be in contact with her for perverted reasons but the way in which he said it made her trust him.
"Wow Roshi, it may have taken you hundreds of years but you seem to have matured." They all laughed for a short time forgetting the dire situation that they were in.
Roshi was first out of the chopper and noticed something flying at him very fast so he held up two fingers and caught the incoming spear between them. "Master Roshi?" A voice said coming out of the trees. A young man stepped out in his mid twenties, Roshi recognized him easily even though his height and definitely his bulk had changed drastically.
"Oopa it's wonderful to see you again."
"Oopa?" Puar said flying out of the helicopter.
"Puar," the Indian boy remembered the good times the two of them had fighting Baba's warriors together.
"Puar it is you," the two sped towards each other joining in a hug of two friends who hadn't seen each other in years. "How are you? How's Yamcha and Krillin, How's Goku?" Oopa was smiling so wide it was going to be so tough to break the news to him.
Puar's eyes started to water, "They're all dead," she sniffled, "murdered." Oopa's eyes widened 'how could anyone defeat Goku?' "Where's Bora?"
Oopa smiled, "He passed on a couple years ago. It was a happy death, he was at peace with the world."
Roshi interrupted the reunion after reading Oopa's ki carefully. "Oopa we are going to try to save the world would you like some special training to help us?"
Oopa grinned, "Oh I already climbed Korin's tower and received the Sacred Water." Master Roshi's mouth dropped as first Goku, now Oopa had both managed to do what took him 3 years to accomplish. Oopa remembered something Korin had told him and smirked at the old man's reaction. "And it only took me a year to do."
"Well that decides it, Oopa above Korin's tower is another place, high above the tower." Oopa was surprised, the tower was so far up, how could anything be higher? "On this lookout is the Guardian of Earth and I'm sure he'll be happy to train you to help us save the world from the aliens who defeated Yamcha and the others."
Oopa smiled, "I respectfully decline," Roshi was shocked, who could say no to a request like that? Before he was able to retort Oopa explained, "My place is and will always be at the base of the tower defending it from those who are ill-intentioned. Besides I am also the protector and leader of my village not far away. I have a wife, a son," he looked so happy, "I named him Goku, he will grow up to be strong."
Roshi interrupted him, "The only thing you need to protect this tower from would be the invaders but you are nowhere near strong enough. Your mind seems to be set though and I will not try to coax you into something you aren't willing to do." Roshi turned back to the women who were waiting patiently by the tower. "Alright let's be on our way." He turned and made eye contact with Chi Chi, "You are the strongest woman alive, and I think you can make it up the tower. Now for you two," he focused on the shape shifting animals, "Turn into the fastest thing you can think of and fly up the tower, when your five minutes is up grab onto the tower so you don't fall." He grabbed Bulma and lifted her onto his back. She blushed but didn't say anything against it. "Hold on to the baby tight here we go. Roshi put one foot on the base of the tower before taking another step so that he was standing sideways before running up the tower. Bulma screamed as he was going faster than a roller coaster but quickly calmed herself. Puar and Oolong passed them as rockets but a couple minutes later Roshi ran past them as they held on for dear life panting terribly.
"I wish I could do that," Chi Chi mumbled to herself as she shimmied up the tower.
"Wait!" Oopa called up to Chi Chi, she didn't want to start back over but she hadn't gotten very far anyway.
She climbed back down and asked the boy angrily "What?"
"A long time ago my father helped Yajirobe climb this tower and I would like to help you. I'm going to throw you up ready?" Not waiting for an answer he grabbed Chi Chi around the waist.
"Wait what?" She screamed as she flew into the air hundreds of feet up before stopping at the top of her arc and grabbing on to the tower. "Oh when I get back down that boy's going to wish he never met me. But thanks I guess." She whispered continuing to climb up the tower.