Chapter 33: Blood over Water (Part 2)
Two days of peace, that was the small respite granted to the team after arriving on planet Yokan, a peaceful lush world at the furthest edge of the cluster. This of tranquility was short lived, because that day came all too soon.
Gohan had been forced to spend his first day on the world submerged in the world's antiquated version of a healing tank. The injuries he had received from Recoome had been among the most severe injuries he had ever suffered.
While the child was out of commission the rest of the team would patrol the planet every few hours. If only to quell the intense fear they held for the unknown monstrosity they had heard rumors about. A monster they hoped the remnants of a resistance force would be enough to stop.
They had discovered on the first day that the locals actually had no idea what was coming for them, just a complete conviction that something was coming. In all honestly it made their job easy. If nothing came then it provided the perfect world for them to get in some more training before it was time to leave.
It was during Gohan's first training section since exiting the hospital that trouble had found them.
It had started simply enough, a message from the planet's orbital control came over their communication devices. The controllers were in a panic about an unresponsive ship coming through the atmosphere. Shizen and his team immediately took off towards the apparently intended landing site.
It was on the far side of the planet though, and by the time the team had arrived the ship was empty.
"This is Shizen. We've found the ship. Whoever was flying it is already gone though." He reported in.
"Find them! Find them now please!" The controller on the other side shrieked.
"Uh...ok will do." Shizen answered unsure of what else he could say in that situation.
Turning to his team Shizen began to speak. "Alright men you know the drill. Pyros has decided to guard the capital which leaves us to find the occupants of the ship. I want us to stay together though at least until we know who we're dealing with." The team nodded in affirmation.
"Good now-" the ground beneath their feet began to rumble worse than any earthquake they had experienced. Every crack in the dirt quickly revealing something strange though, what appeared to be tree roots the size of skyscrapers swimming out through the surface.
They had never seen anything like it in their lives. "Men... follow the root." Shizen ordered his voice shakier than expected.
Raditz just chalked it up to the insanity they were seeing at the moment.
Roughly a quarter of the way around the world they found the source if the roots, a tree the size of a decent sized moon.
The entire group could only gawk at it. It was mind numbing that something so large apparently grow so fast, they had been all over this planet several times now and had never seen a tree even close to its size.
"Wow...how big do you think it is?" Gohan asked completely in awe.
"No clue but I think it needs to come down." Shizen responded. "Shinga get some of your acid on the roots." He ordered.
"We can't let you do that." Came a gruff voice from behind.
Standing there were a group of 5 fighters varying from Gohan's size up to as large as Nappa. All of them eyeing the group of defenders with a look of contempt.
"I take it you're the ones who planted this monstrosity then?" Shizen asked although the answer was clear.
"Yeah we are. Now then go ahead and step away from the tree. Wouldn't want you to get hurt." The large orange alien who was obviously the leader said with a chuckle.
"Sorry we're going to have to remove it. We were hired to keep this planet as is." Shizen responded stepping forward an air of cool confidence radiating off the leader.
"Well then might as well get started." The orange giant said cracking his fist. "Who wants to die first?"
"Hey not fair Almond, you always get to have all the fun. Why don't we split them up this time?" The most human looking of the group said taking a step forward.
"Fine we'll split 'em up this time I guess. Who do you want Diaz?" Almond asked his smaller counterpart as the group was divided up.
Pyros has seen the report of the arrival of an unknown ship, at the moment though he didn't care as he relaxed at the local spa. His men would handle whoever was here, and if they didn't then he might have to get involved, but that wasn't an immediate concern for the leader. His massage on the other hand was of imminent concern.
Even as the ground outside the building shook as massive roots took hold he ordered his masseuse to keep working as soon as he was convinced the roots were not a threat to him. The masseuse reluctantly agreed that is until his pleasure was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" The general asked gruffly irritated at the continual interruption.
"Your afternoon appointment." Came a smug voice from the other side of the door.
"Afternoo-" Pyros began to ask before the door glowed brightly for an instant before exploding violently inwards.
A figure clad in armor similar to that of the Planet Trade, scouter and all stepped through the door. "Well then Mr. Highest power level on the planet I think we have some business to discuss."
Pyros rose from his table looking markedly unimpressed. "You know interrupting my massage isn't the best way to begin a negotiation with me. I think I may have to beat that fact into your thick, hairy skull." His voice grew dangerous at the end.
"Well then, you're welcome to try." Was the response given before the entire building vanished in a brilliant explosion.
While they were busy Shizen and company were waiting for their scouters to finally load, a nervous sweat breaking out on their collective foreheads as they saw the numbers continuing to rise.
Before the discussion between the mysterious duo could even be finished all 6 scouters shattered seemingly in unison. The company of mercenaries were left speechless, eyes wide in shock, every single one of the five fighters before them had power levels over 13,000 with three of them over 20,000.
Shizen's voice was frantic in Raditz's mind, 'Moon Ball now!' He ordered, it was too late though.
In a flash their fates were decided as the 5 mystery warriors rushed forward ready to begin the slaughter.
Shinga threw his mask off as fast as he could, firing a stream of acid at his metallic would be attacker. Said Cyborg tanked right through it, the acid not even scratching the finish of his chest plate.
In one swift movement the Cyborg has delivered an uppercut shattering all of Shinga's teeth in one blow, and sending the dinosaur-like alien flying backwards his eyes already rolled back into his shattered skull.
Yubi clung to Suma their combined powers barely able to produce an illusion strong enough for the two short attackers to miss them with their initial barrage of attacks.
The pair were observant though and began unleashing spread attacks over the entire area they had been.
After a few seconds of the barrage, the illusion faded and Yubi and Suma lay still at the bottom of a crater.
Raditz threw his hastily formed moon ball into the air, only for the air in his lungs to be forced out by a body bending kick to his stomach before the moon ball could even activate fully.
Shizen was fairing equally bad as he was hoisted high into the air, Almond's massive hands squeezing down on his throat.
All of this exploded around Gohan in the blink of an eye. By the time his eyes refocused on the movement around him half of the squad as down likely for good and another third was just about to join them. 'I have to stop this!' He shouted inside his mind.
Rage flooded the child's system at the sight of his friends, the only people he had left in the universe dead or dying. His rage exploded outwards in the form of a massive yellow blast aimed for right for Almond. The later of whom could only manage a "What the-" Before the blast collided with the orange giant before washing him away like flood waters can wash away a boulder.
The city was on fire all around them, but such things were not of concern to either of the warriors duking it out far above the city. The only thing that mattered to either of them was the sound their adversary made when a fist found its mark.
A sound Pyros was rewarded with at that very instant as a right hook made it through the Saiyan Warrior's considerable defenses and crashed into his jaw.
Turles' head whipped to the right as blood shot from his mouth for not the first time that battle.
Just by looking at the two fighters it was clear who was winning the engagement. Turles's armor was cracked in several places, blood was dripping from both his nose and mouth, and one eye was swollen closed, his scouter somehow was still intact. Pyros on the other hand had several bruises and a few cuts, other than that though he seemed fine.
"Not so cocky now are you monkey?" Pyros sneered at his huffing enemy.
Turles though seemed unaffected by the insult. "I have to admit. You're strong, just the type of fighter I was hoping to run across actually." Turles responded with a bloody smile.
"Oh and why's that? Do you get off on being beaten to a pulp?" Pyros quipped.
"No just looking for a good fight is all. Besides if you could learn to take orders well enough I might have just found myself a new crewmen." Turles smirk nearly caused Pyros to explode, his infamous rage threatening to boil over at the thought.
"And... just how did you come to the conclusion that I would be taking orders anyone in the universe? Let alone you? In case you haven't noticed I can kill you at my leisure." Pyros's teeth were threatening to crack as his jaw refused to unclench any longer than to speak.
Turles's smirk was unabated. "Wow you definitely have some pent up anger." He said with a laugh that nearly sent Pyros over-board. "Anyway you're stronger than me right now but..." Turles stopped mid-sentence and revealed a strange slightly smashed, orange fruit from inside his armor. "You see with this I am invincible."
Pyros was just starting to move forward to beat his skull all the way in when he stopped suddenly convinced the Saiyan had already lost his marbles from the beating he had given him.
Turles noticed the confused look and with smirk bit into the fruit. The effect was instantaneous. His wounds closed almost immediately as an aura formed around him, his muscles visibly straining for a moment before returning to normal size.
Pyros was stunned silent unsure what he had just witnessed.
"So then, how about we get on with things, you know, you trying to kill me like you were so confident you would be able to do." Turles' sneer was unmistakable.
"Why you-gah" Pyros began to shout when he suddenly found a fist lodged in his stomach. His mouth working helplessly as he gagged on his suddenly rearranged internal organs.
Turles backed away, "What couldn't follow me?" Turles asked with a taunting look as Pyros's hands helplessly wrapped around his stomach as if it would offer him any sort of relief.
"H-Ho-How...How did you get so strong…what...what was in that fruit..." Pyros managed as blood began to drip from his mouth, his eyes struggling to stay open as they were still adjusting to being back inside their sockets.
"That's going to be my little secret for now." Turles said with another infuriating smirk.
Pyros slowly rose from his hunched over position in the air, gingerly wiping the blood from his face as he stared at his adversary with a look of hate. "DIE!" He shouted firing a barrage of blasts at the Saiyan warrior he phased out before the blasts could reach him. Appearing behind the General and delivering a one handed chop to his back.
Pyros could do nothing has be rocketed to the ground, forming an impressive crater when he hit.
"So you have anything else you feel like trying?" He taunted again as Pyros struggled to rise from the indent in the ground.
The General stayed silent waiting to be finished off.
"Good you're finally learning to be quiet once in a while." Turles continued to test how far he could push Pyros before he would finally snap again.
Pyros stayed silent, he knew at that moment he was completely outmatched. Turles descended towards the ground suddenly, Pyros continued to watch from his position on the ground as his fate approached him, desperately trying to think of a means of escaping the situation he found himself in, but unless his few surviving men showed up soon to serve as a distraction it appeared he was doom.
"Well it appears you fully understand the situation. You are a strong warrior, I admire strength in general, so I will make you this offer, and I will only make it once." He paused a moment as a look of intrigue crossed Pyros's face. "Get down on your knees, beg my forgiveness and swear utmost loyalty to me, knowing I have spared your life. If you do this I will allow you to join my Crusher Corps." Turles finally made his offer.
Pyros was slightly shocked, he had used the same method for growing his own rebellion group but to be on the receiving end of such an offer was a strange feeling. Especially since it was clear he wouldn't be in control of his fate no matter what he answered.
Turles's eye's slanted dangerously as time continued to tick away. Pyros knew he was out of time and began to speak, dropping to his knees. "Please I-" He was interrupted by the sound of Turles' scouter beeping.
The Saiyan warrior's eyes moved to the number in curiosity, wondering what he had picked up. His eyebrow immediately raised in curiosity. "24,000...It looked like you have some useful backup here after all." Turles said with a smirk.
Before Pyros knew what was happening Turles' hand had already chopped down on his neck rendering him unconscious, "Let's go pay them a visit." He said as he lifted his unconscious hostage at took to the air in the direction of the new large energy signature.
Shizen hung in the air where he had been hoisted for an instant before falling to the ground, his hands quickly wrapping around his damaged airway.
Gohan stood still panting, he used most of his strength in that attack, things weren't looking good for him though, all eyes were on him, whether they be in shock or of thanks, he was now the center of attention, and outnumbered 4 to 3.
"AHHH!" A voice rang out from the pile of rubble in the distance, the rubble exploding off a burnt and battered Almond. "You little shit...that hurt…" The Giant said as he quickly made his way towards the stunned child. His power always seemed to come through for him in the past, so he wasn't sure why it hadn't worked this time.
That was when he realized the noticeable exceptions to that rule, his father being murdered, Vegeta leaving to kill his mother, the two worse experiences of his life he had been powerless to stop. And now, with this third failure he would die. Were the morbid thoughts swimming through his mind as the giant suddenly came to a sudden fearful stop.
"What...no...you've got to be kidding me…" His voice was wavering his eyes locked up onto the sky.
At that very moment a massive roar shook the landscape, Gohan tentatively turned around and saw his uncle, transformed into his Oozaru form with Shizen standing on his shoulder.
Gohan then followed his uncle's eyes locking onto the moon ball he initially had assumed had failed to form hanging proudly up in the sky. Immediately he couldn't look away as the transformation took hold.
"Damn it Gohan why'd you have to look." Shizen shouted into his mind as his Captain attempted to keep Gohan from losing control.
'40,000...that's stronger than the hot head...and now the first power level is spiking back up. Where are these powers coming from? This is starting to get interesting.' Turles said with a smirk at the thought of not only another chance at a good fight, but also a chance to expand his team further.
'What...What is happening...everyone is so small…' Gohan thought to himself as he looked at the ant sized warriors standing before him.
"Well that worked better than I expected. Good job Gohan." Shizen's voice said somewhere deep back in his mind.
Gohan suddenly realized what was going on, he had transformed, his power had grown dramatically he could feel that now. A sinister smirk crossed the Oozaru child's lips as he stared at his prey. "THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS!" He tried to yell, it came out a mighty roar instead. It didn't matter to him though the meaning was the same and he lunged forward; for one of the few times in his life wanting to kill his opponents.
Raditz let out a roar of his own and followed suit, his rage at his comrade's demise magnified by his transformed state.
Within seconds Almond and one of the two purple aliens were in pieces as the two Oozarus went to work., the second of the small purple aliens found itself in Raditz's massive grasp the very next instant, his death was equally as brutal as his sibling's had been.
Diaz and his cyborg compatriot could only stare on in horror as their team was cut in half in an instant.
Before either could move they were suddenly both caught in the Saiyans' dreadful sight.
Turles was about a mile out when he noticed it out of the corner of his eyes, the moon ball. It took a considerable amount of willpower to avoid looking at it. 'What the hell?' He thought to himself as he picked up his pace, there hidden by the roots of the Tree of Might stood not one but 2 Oozarus with Diaz and Cacao in their grips.
"Other Saiyan survivors!" He actually said out loud as he picked up his speed, he wasn't sure if he was happy with the discovery that he wasn't the last of his race or distressed at the men he had obviously lost on this raid.
He didn't have time to think through it though and instead dropped his new perspective recruit and went into action. A quick blast into the center of the moon-ball took care of part of the issue, now though he had to come up with a way to keep the two Saiyans distracted long enough for them to turn back. Turles knew just the way to do it too.
Bringing his full power to bear as he cut through the air like a meteor he crashed into the back of the smaller Oozaru's head with a two footed kick.
Gohan let out a pained roar as he tipped forward, Cacao flying free from his grasp as he crashed face first into the ground.
Raditz noticed the newcomer just a second too late as Turles was already shouting "Kill Driver!" a ring of pure energy exploded into Raditz's stomach sending the second giant hurtling backwards, his previous victim now freed.
"Daiz, Cacao. I want a report now, and make it short." Turles ordered as the two landed near their leader.
"Everything was going fine until this kid attacked Almond. If he was any stronger Almond would've died from just one attack." Diaz explained much to Turles' shock in the few seconds they appeared to have.
"So the child had already transformed?" Turles asked.
"No he didn't change into this until a few minutes ago." Diaz responded quickly.
Turles was convinced he was missing something. The child sized Oozaru he was still standing on was weaker than Almond as it was; if this was the same kid he should be essentially unstoppable if he was able to nearly kill Almond in his normal state.
"But how-" the rest of the conversation was cut off as Raditz righted himself ready to kill everything. "We'll talk later. If the kid moves keep him busy." Turles ordered. Though he was confident the child wouldn't be moving for a while after the hit he had delivered.
Raditz let out a roar that shook the landscape as he swung his arm wildly lost in the rage of his transformation once more.
'Obviously a low level. Can't even control himself yet.' Turles noted as he dodged under the beast's arm.
The comparatively nimble Saiyan warrior then went on the offensive launching straight at Raditz throat he landed a powerful two fisted blow right on the Oozaru's windpipe.
He then followed up this debilitating blow by transitioning into a somersault kick straight upwards into the bottom of Raditz's chin dropping the giant back down onto his back a second time.
"And for good measure." Turles announced as he delivered one final blow to Raditz's temple rendering the giant unconscious.
"Alright Diaz, go ahead and finish your report now. We'll have awhile till they wake up." Turles said just before noticing a panting Shizen pulling himself out of the crater he had been embedded in when Raditz had fallen back on top of him the first time.
Shizen stopped and looked at Turles for a moment before his strength finally gave out and he, like the others fell into a dreamless slumber.
Several hours had passed and both Raditz and Gohan had returned to their original states. Raditz was the first of the duo to awaken, immediately confused by his dark, dank surroundings, the memories of his transformed state eluding him for the time being.
"Ah so you're finally awake. I was wondering when I would get to speak with you." An unfamiliar voice rang out from the darkness.
Raditz rose slowly, his eyes scanning the shadows carefully for the source of the voice.
"No need to act so hostile, we're practically related after all." Turles said appearing from the darkness as if he was a ghost.
"Kakarot?" Raditz shouted, his mouth suddenly very dry as he stared into the face of his dead brother, the brother he himself killed. 'How...you...you should be dead!" Raditz shouted his eyes wide with shock.
"Kakarot?" Turles repeated confused.
Raditz's yelling also had the effect of waking Gohan who sleepily sat up much less alert of his surroundings than his uncle was.
"What are you..." Gohan started to ask Raditz as his gaze shifted from his uncle to the elephant in the room that was Turles at the moment. His breath was sucked in sharply as he stared at his father's doppelganger, tears forming in his eyes. "D-D-Daddy?" He asked tentatively afraid the ghost would vanish.
"Huh?" Was Turles's response as his confusion grew worse by the second.
"Daddy!" Gohan suddenly shouted as he sprang from the ground gripping the shocked Saiyan warrior tightly in a hug. His sobs echoing throughout the crevasse.
Raditz continued to stare his face getting more ashen by the second. 'I killed him. I know I killed him. His organs were strewn across the ground. What the hell is happen?' He panicked inwardly.
Turles shock quickly gave way to disgust as Gohan continued to cling to him sobbing. "Enough!" He shouted grabbing Gohan by the back of his neck. "Have some Saiyan pride damnit!" He snarled, his face just inches from a stunned Gohan.
Turles then proceeded to toss Gohan to the ground, his glare shifting to the other Saiyan. "You did a real shitty job of raising that one." Were the first words from his mouth. "And who the hell is this Kakarot you think I am anyway. My name is Turles." He said officially introducing himself.
"Wha?" Gohan exclaimed a sound of hopeless confusion.
"Sorry for the confusion. Your resemblance to my brother...and my father is amazing..." Raditz responded still stunned by the sight before him.
"Interesting…" Turles responded, his mind going to the same place as Raditz at that moment.
"Care to tell me the name of your father?" He asked.
Raditz's response was immediate "Bardock, and yours?"
Turles began to chuckle, "Toment."
Raditz let a smirk of his own. "It is good to meet you cousin." His tone that one of pleasant surprise.
"Yes it is." Turles smile equally bright, like that of someone greeting a long lost friend.
"I...I don't get it…" Gohan added looking back and forth between the two adults in the room.
Turles gave Raditz a hopeless look, "You really haven't taught him anything of our people have you." He muttered. "Ok kid it is like this, as Saiyans the second son of a family always looks like the father's father. I have no idea why, that's just how it has always worked." Turles explained.
"Oh...so your Uncle's cousin?" Gohan asked as he tried to work out what that would make him in relation to Gohan.
Turles went back to ignoring Gohan again for a moment instead turning his attention back to Raditz. "I think we should be finishing introductions now don't you." He prodded an amused look on his face.
"Oh...right I'm Raditz, and this is my nephew Gohan. It's nice to know there was another survivor, I was thinking we were on our own these last couple months." Raditz responded.
"That's when the boy's father perished?" Turles asked. "Also Gohan isn't a Saiyan name." He observed
"I'm aware of that fact, the boy's father had gone native. His death was over a year ago that was when I and the brat met. I was stuck working under Frieza with Prince Vegeta and General Nappa since the destruction of our world. They finally pushed him too far and died when the bastard took a whole planet out." Raditz explained.
"So the Saiyan Royal throne is vacant at the moment then?" Turles eyes lit up slightly as an idea crossed his mind. He'd save it for later though. He had business to attend to at the moment. "Anyway back to the task at hand. I couldn't help but notice you took out some of my men today defending this world Cousin." He added just a hint of venom on the last word "Protecting isn't exactly what our race is meant for you know." He scolded eyeing the duo carefully both seemed nervous.
Raditz swallowed and spoke. "We've been taking whatever work we can to survive at the moment this world means nothing to us other than that, we lost comrades in the fight too."
That was the answer Turles was hoping to hear. "Normally I don't take the deaths of those working for me lightly. You did fight valiantly though, even though you have no ties to this world besides your honor. I'm really impressed that you were even able to survive the run in with my men at all. So I'll make you a deal. Drop to your knees and beg my forgiveness and I will allow you both to join my Crusher corps." Turles tone left little to be imagined what the consequences would be if they refused.
Raditz hesitated for a second before dropping to his knees, "Please forgive us Cousin; we were serving our commanding officers faithfully like we will serve you." He said, Gohan after short delay followed Raditz, mimicking his movements perfectly.
Turles smirked, "Good enough for now, but as for that second part I think I'm going to need to see an example of your faithful service."
Raditz paused as Shizen's strange words replayed through his mind again. Keep the boy alive, do whatever you deem necessary to keep his power growing, even if you have to raze a thousand worlds to accomplish it. In the long run, that is a small price to pay when we're talking about the fate of the universe."
'A thousands worlds...' Things suddenly made sense to Raditz he would have to raze what was left of this world to prove their loyalty. "Sure whatever you want."
"Good answer Cousin." Turles smile suddenly had Raditz less sure that the request would be as easy as he originally thought.
'Seriously...' Raditz asked in his mind as he stared at Shizen standing before him still as a statue, he couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of dream he had fallen into, or one of Yubi's illusions.
"What's the matter you said you would do whatever I ordered you to do just like you did when you worked for the Fishman didn't you? So I can't have you serving other loyalties while working for me." Turles responded, noting every bit of weakness that seemed to emanate from his cousin. It wasn't as bad as the child though, Turles had had to knock the boy unconscious as soon as he revealed what their test was to be. Whatever the child's father had mated with sure hadn't done the boy many favors. He was softer than any Saiyan he had ever met.
"Why him then, Pyros ran the whole operation." Raditz asked as Pyros gave him a deadly glare standing near Turles arms crossed in contempt.
"You killed three of my men, I need three replacements and to be honest Pyros here would be more useful in a fight." Turles response was ice cold, the rules of this test were simple, Raditz killed Shizen or he and Gohan would die.
"Shizen is more useful than-"
"Raditz I won't let you kill me!" Shizen shouted as soon as he realized what Raditz was about to say, rushing forward a ball of yellow energy charged in his hand apparently ready to finish the Saiyan warrior in one blow.
"What?" Raditz's eyes were open in shock as the one being he could almost consider a friend continued to close on him, his body was sluggish to respond; it was as if he had lost his killers' edge.
Just as Shizen was about to strike him though a blast shot out catching the Kanassian in the torso and ripping a hole clean through. He dropped to a kneeling position once more, coughing up blood.
"See this is what happens when you go soft. You have a long ways to go before you can be a real Saiyan again, if you ever were one." Turles' tone was much darker than before as he nodded to the smirking Pyros, who's hand was still outstretched from the last attack. "Now go on show me you have the killer's edge that defined out people. Show me the power of the Saiyan race." He ordered.
'It's ok Raditz...I already gave you permission...no more than that remember I ordered you to do this...' Shizen's voice suddenly sounded in Raditz's mind.
'What?' Then he remembered "By the way Raditz I want you to remember this you have my permission. Ingrain that into your memory so when the time comes you'll remember." The sentence that had been haunting him for these last few weeks. His fist tightened involuntarily. His mind suddenly awash in indecision once more.
"Well get on with it. Are you with us or not." Turles called from behind, his patience about gone at this point.
Raditz's throat constricted as he painstakingly formed a powerful purple ball of energy in his hand and spoke. "Stand up Shizen." He ordered, his decision made. Whether it was the right decision or the wrong, there was no going back now.
Turles' eyebrow rose in curiosity, was the fool was going to try and stick it out with his old commander against impossible odds. 'I suppose some Saiyans did love impossible odds.' He told himself as he prepared himself for the coming disappointment.
'No Raditz you mustn't-' Shizen started to protest.
"I said stand up Shizen. I will not execute you like a dog. You've done more to earn my respect than just about any warrior I've met, you at least deserve to die like one." Raditz's voice was shaky, something in that moment he hated himself for, not just himself but Shizen as well. He had allowed Shizen to make him soft and this was his punishment for committing the crime of forming an attachment to someone else, the pain of loss.
Shizen understood the importance of Raditz's words, and forced himself to rise. Using the last bit of strength he had.
Raditz fought back tears for the first time since he was a child as he shouted his goodbye to the first friend he had made in his life. "Saturday Crush!"
The explosion shook the ruins around them leaving a massive crater at its epicenter.
Raditz let out a sigh before falling back onto his back, completely drained.
"Well that was interesting…" Turles managed after the display was over. "You're one for dramatics aren't you? Going to all that over some walking frog who was in charge of you for a couple months." Turles added with a laugh.
"I'm sorry Cousin, but you're wrong in this regard." Raditz's voice was suddenly resolute. "He was as much a warrior as any Saiyan I've met. More of one than most, he deserved a warrior's death. The brat and I would've been dead long ago if it wasn't for him."
Turles looked over the Saiyan on the ground for a moment. "You really have gone native haven't you?" He said before chuckling to himself. "Whatever it's fine, I'll get you toughened back up in no time." He added with a sinister smirk.
"Anyway get up the reason we came to this backwater will be done any minute now." Turles ordered as he began to walk back towards the giant tree, scooping up Gohan as he went.
Raditz nodded knowing everything would become clear in a moment.
"Well here we are boys, the key to all our dreams coming true." Turles said with a loud laugh as he looked at the 6 hanging fruits near the center of the tree.
"Fruit?" Raditz asked flabbergasted.
"Not get any fruit, but fruit of the Tree of Might, food to the gods themselves." Turles' smile was sinister. "Not only can it heal any injury but it grants those who eat in a massive boost in power. Eat enough of it any even Frieza himself would've trembled before you might."
Raditz stared at him disbelievingly.
"Tastes pretty good too." Added Diaz from the back of the group.
"So that is how you were able to get so much stronger." Pyros said his voice barely restrained, "You somehow obtained the forbidden fruit; you ate the strength from an entire world."
"Not an entire world, most of the energy the tree takes goes into growing the tree itself. Only a small fraction remains for the fruits to be made. Besides you helped make my boost even bigger with that beating you gave me before hand." Turles added before plucking the largest of the fruit and eating it up. The same sort of aura that had appeared before flashed across his skin again as his power shot even higher.
"Here Diaz, Cacao take your cuts." Turles ordered as his henchmen each snagged a fruit for themselves. Similar auras enveloping them both. "Wow these are much better than the shit the first two worlds gave us." Diaz said with a booming laugh as he stared on his own hands. Cacao stayed silent like always.
After another moment Pyros had had enough "So we are to watch you eat all this magical fruit...sire?" Not completely hiding his tone at the end.
"No, not all of you. Raditz catch. Squeeze some of the juice into the kid, you can have that one yourself afterwards." Turles added infuriating Pyros even more.
"And do I get some fruit?" He asked angrily at apparently being the last to taste this supposedly magic fruit.
"That depends." Turles added as Gohan sat up fully healed and confused. Raditz quickly ate what was left of the fruit and felt its effects.
"On what?" Pyros asked about done with the games his new 'employer' was playing.
"On whether you keep pissing me off." Turles deadpanned. Before eating a second fruit, while tucking the sixth and final fruit into his armor.
"Well that's it for today boys, back to the ship." He ordered.
Pyros eyebrow twitched. "YOU EXPECT-" He was silenced by a quick kick to the stomach doubling the fiery tempered warrior over in an instant.
"I expect you to obey silently when I give you a direct order. Other than that at this point I don't expect anything else from you besides you not surviving long. You really know how to piss me off don't you." Turles snarled fierce enough that Pyros visibly flinched.
"Uncle Raditz...what happened...where's Shizen?" Gohan asked suddenly completely oblivious to what was going on around him.
Raditz's mouth went dry, he kept seeing Shizen's body vaporizing before his eyes. He had never taken a kill this badly before; not even his first one. And now he had to tell his dangerously unstable nephew he killed their commander. He wasn't sure he could survive the explosion that was bound to follow.
"He's dead brat, I finally got to see that smug bastard blown to smithereens." Pyros gloated, some blood from his earlier kick to the guy still hanging on his mouth as he forced himself up.
Gohan's rage burst forth like usual as he rocketed towards the one he assumed to be his friend's killer. He managed to land a powerful kick to Pyros's chin before any of the fighters, even Turles, could react.
Immediately the child back flipped away and began to charge up a blast he hoped would finish the monster he had sworn to the day of his first mission those several months ago.
Gohan's second attack though never materialized as Turles was quick to diffuse the situation, by putting the child in a bone bending arm lock. "Enough! I won't have members of my team fighting, unless we're having ourselves some fun. Got it?" His voice was absolutely stern and left no room for discussion.
Gohan tried to continue the discussion anyway. "I...He...He...He killed my friend." The child pleaded.
"No he didn't. That distinction goes to you Uncle, who killed the weakling on my orders understand?" Turles bluntly stated as Raditz suddenly felt a chill go up his spine when his Nephew looked at him.
"Why! Why'd you do that! He was our friend!" The Child yelled his anger spiking again, this time high enough that Turles scouter was on the verge of overloading, completely ignoring the pressure on his arm.
"I said enough!" Turles yelled as he switched tactics grasping the boy by his tail instead of his arm. Immediately the child dropped limp, his former power spike completely evaporating.
With things quieted down for the moment Turles continued, "I gave the order to kill him because he was no use to us, he was weak and I'm not looking to replace my more powerful warriors you killed with weaker replacements."
"But he could see the future! He could've helped us." Gohan sobbed as Turles looked bewildered first to Pyros who looked stunned and then to Raditz whose defeated look said it all.
"So...you to let me have an actual psychic in my grasps and then killed him!" Turles was furious.
"I tried to tell you, right before he rushed me and Pyros blew a hole in his gut. At that point he was going to die either way." Raditz muttered quietly still looking upset at the whole situation.
Turles's anger shifted more to Pyros now, Raditz had good points; the Saiyan had been reluctant to kill the psychic and had attempted to protest, though those protests had ended rather abruptly.
"And your excuse for robbing me of my psychic?" His tone was icy.
Pyros seemed to not hear him though. "That bastard...that's how he survived all those suicide missions. I should've killed him myself- huh?" Pyros suddenly asked realizing Turles was speaking to him.
"So you're going with the incompetent angle huh?" Turles tone darkened further.
Pyros had no response.
"Fine, then because of your incompetence you will not receive a single fruit the next 4 worlds we hit." Turles's voice left no room for discussion.
Pyros growled in frustration.
"What was that?" Turles asked dangerously.
"Nothing...sire." Pyros already considering blowing the planet up just to kill his tormentor.
"Good, then we're out of here unless anyone else wants to do or say something to delay us?"
The entire group was silent so Turles began to leisurely float back towards the distance where their ship was parked, still holding Gohan by the tail.
It only took a few minutes for the new crew members to be shown their rooms and for Turles to set a course to some desolate corner of space.
Gohan stayed in his room once he knew which was to be assigned to him, refusing to come out even to eat. Instead he lay curled up and sobbing quietly to himself.
He stayed in this state for several hours before a knock came from his door.
"Go away." He muttered just loud enough for whoever was on the other side to hear him. He didn't get the response he had hoped for.
"Not going to happen." Raditz's irritated voice sounded as he forced his way into the room anyway. "We need to talk." He added.
"I don't care that you want to talk to me! You killed Shizen just like you killed my dad." Gohan growled his power spiking again.
Raditz resisted the urge to take a step back although he appeared calm on the inside he was anything but. He knew how dangerous his nephew could be. "Look I need you to understand I didn't want to kill Shizen. He was the best commander I've ever served under and-"
"Shut up!" Gohan shouted clearly still angry. "He was our friend, and you killed him. It doesn't matter that you didn't want to, you still did. You're just a murderer!" Gohan snarled.
Gohan's words hit a nerve with his uncle. The word murderer had been floating through Raditz's mind since he had finished Shizen off. It was the first time he had ever thought of that title in a negative light. The fact his nephew was calling him one too immediately set Raditz off. "Alright fine I am a fucking murderer we all know that. But did you ever stop to wonder why I am? Why I killed him?"
Gohan was taken aback by Raditz's admittance, and his sudden anger and stayed silent.
"I did it so we could survive. Turles would've killed us along with him if I hadn't. What would that have accomplished?" When no immediate answer was given. "That's right fucking nothing. If we die then everything we have ever done will be entirely worthless, all those we've killed, all those planets razed, and before you get all and mighty about only killing Planet Trade troops remember you helped me wipe out a whole planet in pursuit of the same power we still are so close to achieving now" Raditz finished his tone hot enough to scorch planets.
Gohan was shocked silent for a moment, his mouth moving but no words coming out. Finally he found his voice. "You should've tried harder to save him. If Turles knew he could see the future then he'd still be-" the child was cut off.
"You think I didn't fucking try? Shizen didn't want me to tell Turles about his power I guess. When I was trying to he rushed me and then Pyros put a hole in his gut..." Raditz voice which had quieted to a whisper already began to get shaky. "The bastard begged me to finish him.
"Why...why would he want to die...?" Gohan voice began to crack too he was beginning to believe his uncle.
"He...he said it was the only way we could survive." Raditz lied for the first time, while shaking his head trying to physically banish the weakness that was in him. He was still a Saiyan warrior he shouldn't mourn the dead.
Gohan stared at the floor for a minute trying to collect himself, and sending a silent thank you to his friend who apparently had saved his life yet again, at the cost of his own. 'I won't let you down.' He promised him. Then the child, with a look of determination in his eyes well beyond his years, asked "What now?"
Raditz too had calmed down, some of the internal walls he had built around himself at a young age finally were able to resume their role of allowing him to be a Saiyan warrior. "We help Turles however we can for as long as we can." He decided. "He does hold the key to making our dream of power come true." He added. "And once we're strong enough to be his equal we rule the universe as we please."
Raditz immediately picked up on his nephew's confused look. Gohan didn't understand how Turles could make them strong other than being strong himself.
"While you were out Turles showed us the fruit from that giant tree. It apparently has the ability to drastically increase your strength when you eat it. So as long as we help Turles plant more of those trees we can gain strength much faster than just razing worlds and training could ever hope to gain us. Surely you feel the strength you've gained. Your power has nearly doubled and all your got was the juice from the fruit." Raditz explained as Gohan looked at his hands in amazement. He hadn't noticed his spike in power until Raditz had mentioned it. But now it was as clear as day, he was strong, much stronger than before.
"Oh so it's like how carrots are good for your eyes?" Gohan asked excitedly thinking he understood. Before Raditz, who was clearly confused by the statement could respond Gohan spoke again. "And we're not going to attack worlds anymore? We're just going to plant trees instead?" The hope was very evident in his voice.
"Sort of. From what I understand the tree itself drains the energy from the life on the planet to make the fruit. So we'd kill less people but we're still purging planets." Raditz explained his wits now fully back to him as he began to explain things specifically trying to appease the child's sense of morality at least to a degree.
Gohan's shoulders slumped forward. The child obviously wasn't looking forward to going back to a life of razing planets even though his previous experience was short lived.
Raditz got one last idea to get the child on his side. "Don't think of it as razing the planet. Think of it this way every planet we plant the Tree of Might on means a dozen or more planets we don't have raze get the same gain. In reality we're saving planets." Raditz deduced with his twisted sense of reason.
Gohan stared at him for a minute trying to come to terms with what his Uncle had said. "I...I guess you're right..." He finally admitted.
Raditz nodded. "Just remember. It is all about getting stronger so we can truly live as Saiyans should." He added before turning and leaving.
Silently Gohan had a different motive still. 'No one else...I won't lose anyone else.' He reaffirmed his promise to himself. His uncle was right getting stronger was the only thing that mattered anymore. And working with Turles it appeared he'd have the perfect opportunity to accomplish that. The rest of the night was spent in his head as the child listed off the names not only that he would be fighting for in the future, but also those who would suffer his judgement.
2 months of travel and when they arrived rubble was the only thing there to greet them.
"Well this place is depressing." Muttered Nappa as he kicked a decomposing skull laying at his feet.
Vegeta let out a frustrated growl. "It appears a Planet Trade shock troop team came through here recently. The boy is obviously dead..." He concluded angry at the amount of time he had wasted on the search only to have nothing to show for it.
"Come on Nappa we're leaving." He ordered as he made a compete about face and headed back towards the ship that had been their de-facto home during their trip.
Nappa silently followed the Prince. Once the duo and re-boarded the ship and set it on a course back to Earth Vegeta decided he had better alert the Earth woman of his discovery so Kakarot could meet him on Earth when he arrived. Entering the code for Bulma's house he waited for the connection to be made.
Minutes ticked by, and there was still no answer. 'Damn it of course that foolish human doesn't answer when I have something important to report...Probably off fooling around...' He thought to himself as he hung up in frustration. Nappa would end up bearing the brunt of Vegeta's mood now.
Little did the Saiyans know a dark shadow had fallen over the entirety of the Earth.
Hey everyone hope you enjoyed the end of Gohan's mini arc series. I have one more mini arc planned for the characters still on Earth before moving onto the next arc. While on that subject I just have to say I am extremely pumped to get to the next arc, it was among the first parts of this story I put together while planning for it, (along with the Saiyan saga) so finally getting close is starting to wear on me lol. For that reason I haven't decided if I will be completing the next mini 'arc' in just one chapter sticking with the 2 chapters I originally had planned.
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, it was kinda a grind to write and even now I'm less than 100% happy with it but I felt like I needed to get it up soon. If you find any major issues with it please let me know.
One other issue that may complicate things further is the rapid approach of finals. I have no idea whether studying will kill my ability to write during this period or fuel it as a means of disconnecting from reality temporarily. Because of this I have no idea what-so-ever when the next few chapters will be posted. It could stick to the regular 2 week schedule or I could disappear until after my last final (and my birthday) next month. It kinda stinks I've had my hardest final on my birthday for at least the last 3 years and this years isn't bucking the trend either lol.
Anyway I will get stop ranting now and get back to more important things, such as a power level list that I feel like could be controversial.
Gohan-2,400
Raditz-5,500
Shizen-8700
Yubi-3600
Suma-4100
Shinga-5200
Almond-22000
Diaz-20000
Cacao-20000
Rasin-13000
Lakasei 13000
Turles (Original)-35,000
Turles (post Tree of Might + Zenkai)-52,000
Pyros-37,000
Gohan (Tree of Might juice+zenkai)-5000
Raditz (Tree of might)-9000
Turles (second round of with 2 Tree of Might)-70,000
Diaz (Tree of might)-29,000
Cacao (Tree of might)-29,000
as you can see I have the boost from the Tree of might as more of an addition than a multiplier, the multiplier aspect of the movie never really made much sense to me so that is why I went ahead and did it this way.
Reviews:
anonymous-
Well first of all congrats on getting the gr8 amount of reviews last chapter, this story really deserves way more attention and reviews it had got till now and I am hoping it'll change soon(I have read this fic 5 times)
Next this was a good chapter and all
And I guess they have run into not too friendly people obviously, maybe nappa and vegeta(I think u meant pyros when u mentioned the gaping hole in the commander and I hope it is he who has it)
And r u talking about Brolly as the being with titanic power? Well that would surely be interesting however gohan has got a long ways to go before he catches up with even the weaker human fighters, let alone vegeta, nappa and well lets nt even say goku
Update soon, the suspense is killing me
Thanks I'm glad about all the reviews as well. That's awesome that you've read it 5 times, that is a ton of reading, I am glad you enjoy it so much.
Yup they ran into someone less than friendly in a way I guess, in some ways it was a chanced meeting. Brolly is one of the possible villians, he was just the one I was surprised no one mentioned last time and I was kinda surprised because I figured he was one of the two that would be mentioned the most. Yeah Gohan has some catching up to do to everyone, it'll be a fun ride seeing if he manages to catch up.
wheathermangohanssj4-
Wow this is a pretty good chapter, but a little less then I would of like to happen, but considering you broke it up it's fine.
Oh don't you dare Cold is not stronger then Frieza in his "second" Form and just yesterday looking over the chapter that Frieza and Daddy Cold appeared in and it's clear he was only there as backup. Dragonball Multiverse got that wrong and is perpetuating that wrongness.
Also just a thought I had, that I feel like sharing, that power feels kinda works that what you're exposed to is what you can reach then the increase tappers off to a slow rate e to the power of x maybe divided or multiplied by something, because that is the growth rate of everything. But only when you are actually able to sense that energy which would explain why they always seemed to match what came before and why sayains didn't match friza as soon as they were 'kept alive' by friza but couldn't match any of the stronger people in the PTO and why Raditz and Nappa weren't able to match vegeta either. Also why Future Gohan couldn't match the Android's when every other zenkai instantly made you strong enough to beat the person that inflicted it, and it didn't work for Vegeta when he got a sensu bean after being beaten by 18 either. Now this isn't entirely my idea and read it in a story but can't remember where.
Yeah all together it would've been almost a 14,000 word chapter otherwise so I just broke it up where I thought the best stopping place would be.
I believe Cold in his second form is stronger than resting energy Frieza final form, I wasn't implying he was stronger than the 100% final form Frieza if that is what you are angry about. So His final form 100% would be in the range of 300-400 million, I don't have the math in front of me at the moment.
I usually think the Saiyans didn't over take Frieza as fast because of one of three reasons, 1. there is a sweet spot in which a Saiyan's zenkai is maximized. 2. Starvation under Frieza slows their growth. or 3. The Saiyans just lucked out on Namek and were able to suffer worse injuries than they normally did on missions and still have a chance to survive and get the Zenkai. As for Future Gohan his was a weird case, I suppose it is possible he was reaching his limit before going to either Ascended Saiyan and or mastering his Super Saiyan stage. Without either that transformation or that training I believe it is possible he just couldn't get any stronger anymore until he reached one of the two escape mechanisms.
In a way it is kinda like how fusion works as a star goes into its Red Giant phase, it runs out of Hydrogen to fuse, without that energy generation it cannot support its weight anymore and the star begins to contract, it will continue to contract and heat up until it finds some other way to support itself again, either by fusion Helium or through electron degeneracy. So I kinda think of the Super Saiyan transformations in the same way.
I haven't forgotten about your private message you sent me a few days ago either, I just haven't had a time to respond yet, expect a response soon.
RKF22-
Awesome work can't wait for more
I hope you enjoyed it.
super mystic gohan-
oh man what a chapter I cant wait till whats instore next chapter maybe turles will be in it aye!
Good guess, I hope I didn't disappoint with his introduction.
Blue Cat-
Ginny Force? At first I thought you had written a new captain for the Ginyu force, but now that I'm taking a closer look at the letter placement on my own keyboard ... could it be that you intended to write Ginyu, but instead somehow (and consistently) typed Ginny? Auto-correct spazzing out, maybe? XD
Thank you for catching that, it was an auto correct issue, I accidently pressed change all I guess, i caught one of the ones it changed, but I thought that was the only one it changed. All have been corrected now.
DBDBZ-
Turles and his crew are the ones destroying planets
Yeah they got two planets so far. Thanks for the review.
Super Vertigo-
Ch 4
I like how you made Chi Chi fight. I feel she never got a chance even though her attitude was right for it.
Yeah that was something that always annoyed me about the show, so I tried to fix that issue somewhat in my story.
Ch 32
You sir, are a fan fiction god
Thanks, I try my best to keep the story entertaining, I hope enjoy this latest chapter.
Well thank you everyone for your reviews, I hope everyone enjoyed this latest chapter. I look forward to hearing from everyone again this chapter :)