Vegeta:
Panicked, Vegeta looked around at Kakarrot. "Something is happening on Earth. Piccolo must be mortally wounded. That's why she's in such pain."
"We have to get out of here!" Kakarrot motioned towards Whis's staff. Probably the only connection to the outside world there was. He fired blasts of energy from his hands, hitting the orb with pinpoint accuracy. With each hit it glowed brighter and seemed to increase in size.
Vegeta picked Kera up in his arms. She writhed in pain. Sweat beaded down her forehead. It seemed she was fighting to keep her soul from leaving her body.
"Keep going, Kakarrot," he cheered the other on.
By now the sphere had reached a diameter of three steps and a green-blue vortex had formed within it. Vegeta hoped that if they stepped into the vortex, they would rejoin Whis and Beerus. But he did not get that far. A maelstrom took hold of him. Kera threatened to slip from his arms and he clutched her tighter. Caught by the suction, he crashed into Kakarrot, who now also lost his grip and flew towards the staff.
Blinded by the sudden bright light, Vegeta closed his eyes. For a moment it felt as if someone was tugging at him from all sides. He concentrated on holding Kera tightly. Then he felt solid ground under his feet.
He had landed with one knee on the ground, the other leg up, Kera still firmly in his arms. Kakarrot was on all fours, shaking his head as if trying to recapture reality.
"How did you get out of the staff?" Whis stood in front of Vegeta, his staff again in his right hand, looking down at him.
"I don't know. You have to help Kera."
Whis' eyes widened in astonishment. "What happened?"
"I don't know. She started cramping all of a sudden."
Whis leaned down to her and let his palm pause over her forehead. At that moment Kera opened her eyes and stared up at him.
"Show ... me ... my ... mate," she said haltingly, struggling for every word.
Whis frowned and looked questioningly at Vegeta.
"Show us what's happening on Earth!" Vegeta hated himself for the begging undertone in his voice. But Kera needed to be helped. He felt another emotion. Fear. He didn't want to lose Kera.
"I want to know first how you managed to open the portal in the staff," Whis said.
In a flash, Kera's hand shot up and grasped Whis' forearm. "Show me my soul mate!" It sounded like a growl that seemed to come from the depths of her throat. Surprised, Whis looked down at Kera's hand, which had tightened around his arm like a tight vice. There seemed to be a glow under her hand. Narrow clouds of smoke rose from his skin.
"This is extraordinary," Whis murmured to himself. Without breaking away from Kera, he grasped his staff tightly and let it tap the earth lightly once. The ball at the tip of the staff changed colour and then they could see Bulma's face.
"Hello Bulma! What happened?" asked Whis.
"Whis! Finally! You have to come here right away! Frieza's back!"
"What?!" Kakarrot, who had been sitting on the ground until just now, jumped up. "This can't be happening!"
"It is!" replied Bulma with slight impatience in her voice. "He's come with an army. Tienshinhan, Krillin, Gohan and Muten Roshi are fighting, but they don't stand a chance. Piccolo ... He's ..."
Silent tears ran down Kera's cheeks. The brief burst of strength that had made her reach for Whis' arm had died down again and her hand slumped to the floor.
"Alright then, let's get going," Whis said in a professional tone, ending the call without waiting for a response from Bulma.
"Whis, please help Kera!" begged Vegeta quietly, not taking his eyes off his sister. He could barely hear any breathing sounds. What he did hear was rasping, halting. As if every breath was a struggle. As if the next breath could already be the last.
"What about her?"
"If Piccolo is dead, she will die too. They are soul mates."
"That's interesting. A rare connection that ..."
"Help her!", Vegeta yelled at him. He didn't care at that moment if there were any consequences to this disrespect on his part. Whis had to help Kera. Now.
Whis sighed and let his staff tap again. A small wave of energy came off the sphere and hit Kera. She sighed in relief. Her body tension returned and she slowly straightened up.
"I shielded the connection because ..."
"... you can't disconnect it, I know," Kera finished the sentence. "Thank you."
"Please take us to Earth, Whis," Vegeta said.
"That would take thirty-five minutes."
Shocked, Vegeta looked at his counterpart. "That long? Kakarrot!" He turned, "Teleport us. Now!"
Kakarrot closed his eyes, put two fingers to his forehead and was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head in resignation. "I can't sense any familiar aura. They are too far away."
"Put more effort into it! Our families and friends are in danger!", Kera barked at him.
"It's okay," Kakarrot muttered, seemingly slightly intimidated by Kera's gruff manner.
The seconds stretched. Vegeta paced restlessly. He kept looking at Kera, who stood transfixed beside Kakarrot, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Her lips were pressed tightly together. What was going through her mind right now? The news that Frieza had reappeared and the physical and emotional pain that accompanied Piccolo's death must have brought her to the brink of despair.
"Quick, give me your hands!", Kakarrot suddenly shouted and stretched out his left hand. Kera responded immediately and placed her hand in his, Vegeta hesitated and then placed his hand on Kakarrot's shoulder. "I sense Gohan's aura. See you later, Whis!"
The air shimmered. Vegeta saw Whis' and Beerus' stunned expressions. Blinking again, he saw a beam of energy hurtling towards him. He reacted instinctively and fought it off.
"Vegeta!" He turned around. Standing a few yards away was Bulma. Next to her were Goten and Trunks.
Vegeta gave her a quick nod and tried to take in the situation as quickly as possible. Hovering above them was Frieza. The energy beam must have come from him, because he still had his right hand raised and seemed surprised that Vegeta, Kera and Kakarrot had appeared so suddenly. Behind Frieza floated a large part of his army.
"Piccolo!" Kera ran towards the lifeless body of her soulmate lying directly behind them. Right next to it lay Gohan.
"Gohan!" Kakarrot recognised his son at the same moment and now ran forward as well. He dropped to the ground and took Gohan in his arms. A rattle could be heard. Surprised at himself, Vegeta felt relief welling up inside him that the boy was not dead. Strange.
"You have expended too much energy. Just to show me the way. That was a good idea," Kakarrot said.
"Worked," whispered his son.
Kera had thrown herself over Piccolo's body and was sobbing. Vegeta squatted down to her and stroked her back. "Kakarrot can take his body to Dende and we will revive him with the Dragon Balls of Namek."
Kera nodded weakly.
"Here, Gohan. Take the second to last bean." Krillin landed next to them and put a Senzu Bean in Gohan's mouth. Momentarily regaining his strength, -Gohan rose and now knelt beside Piccolo's body as well.
"Kera?" Slowly, Kera looked up. "Piccolo has protected me again. Just like he did back then. It's my fault. I should have trained more."
"It's all right, Gohan. Piccolo just can't stand to see anything happen to you. You're like a son to us."
"I'm bored with this emotional stuff!" yelled Frieza from above.
Startled, they looked up at him. Vegeta growled. This time he would destroy Frieza. For good. Twice he had already passed up the opportunity to kill him. Now he was stronger than ever and he would wipe out this vile creature.
"I'll be right back." Kakarrot put a hand on Piccolo's body and disappeared. A few moments later he reappeared in the same place. He nodded curtly to Kera and Vegeta. Piccolo was now with Dende.
"Who ...?" began Kakarrot, but Vegeta interrupted him by turning around once more.
"Trunks! Fly to Dende and stay there."
"I want to watch!" his son exclaimed in a querulous voice.
"Don't argue!"
"But...!"
"Goten, you fly to Dende too. It's too dangerous," Kakarrot now helped him.
"But ...!" now Goten also put in.
"Do what your fathers say!", Kera snapped at them.
Resigned, the two boys looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and finally flew off.
"Bulma, where are Menka, Reyak and Gine?", Kera still wanted to know.
Bulma shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."
"Shit," Kera cursed.
"What is it?" asked Vegeta.
"I don't know where they are. I can't sense their energies. I hope nothing happened to them."
Vegeta searched for a moment for the children's auras, but he couldn't find them either. "Let's sort out this little problem here first, then we'll look for the children. You don't have to worry. They can take care of themselves pretty well."
"Will you guys be done already?"
One of Frieza's soldiers approached them from the air. His slender purple figure was drawn wide at the shoulders by the breastplate of the soldiers in Frieza's army. His face showed a snide grin.
Vegeta's breathing stopped for a puff. That voice. Could that really be him?
"You are Ginyu. How did you get here?"
Kera's head jerked around to face him. "Ginyu? That's impossible. He was with us on Namek, you said."
The grin on the addressed man's face widened even more. "Yes, I was, I am Captain Ginyu. That was a long story. I came to Earth as this toad from Namek. I never understood how. I was always looking for an opportunity ..."
"You talk too much!"
Vegeta raised his hand, concentrated his energy and shot at the soldier with Ginyu's soul inside. He was pulverised. Satisfied, he noted that some of Frieza's soldiers' mouths dropped open and they took a few steps back, frightened.
"Man, Vegeta, that was totally unnecessary," Kakarrot grumbled at him.
"That guy was in the way."
Kakarrot started to retort, but was interrupted by Frieza, who landed in front of them.
"You guys are really exhausting, you know that? If you just want to entertain yourselves, you can go somewhere else."
Kera:
Frieza. He really was alive again. No halo hovered over his head. There were no more metal plates in his face and body, like when he had come to Earth to take it with his father and when the Trunks from the future had finally killed him. He looked the same as he always had. His normal form. Two long pointed horns, his face set in pink. The army breastplate with the broad shoulders. How Kera hated that shape of him. It reminded her of everything he had done to her and she felt her throat tighten. It became harder to breathe. She had been so sure that she would never have to see that disgusting face again in her life. That it would finally be over.
But now he was standing in front of her again. His eyes were level with hers and fixed on her.
"Kera, how good to see you." Sarcasm dripped from every word that passed his lips.
Vegeta shifted half a step in front of her, thus shielding her a little from Frieza's gaze. Moving forward, he stroked her hand unnoticed. This gentle touch released Kera from her stupor.
"Don't you dare get too close to her," he growled, clenching his fists.
"Vegeta. Still the big protective cousin. Didn't help much then either though, did it?"
Kera quickly placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. She could feel him tensing. How he would love to go after Frieza without a thought of tactics or all that he had learned. He just wanted to beat this creature up.
"Why are you alive again?" Kakarrot stood on Kera's other side, not taking his eyes off Frieza.
"Dragon Balls," he replied tersely, fixing his gaze on Kakarrot. "I've underestimated you before. That's why I'm going to fight in my final form. I've been training too, by the way. Shall I show you sometime?"
Without waiting for an answer, Frieza got down on his knees slightly and began to focus his energy. He planted his feet firmly into the ground. Loose stones flew up. He cried out. A swirl of dust formed around him. Kera saw his army, still hovering behind him, terrified at the power unleashing of their leader, recoil.
"Take cover!" shouted Kakarrot to her friends, making a great leap backwards herself.
He had realised a moment earlier than Kera that Frieza was now thrusting out his power in the form of a pink sphere. It grew more and more and now dazzled so much that they all had to close their eyes. Frieza let out a bloodcurdling scream and then Kera felt what he was doing. At that moment the auras of several people went out.
Blinking, Kera opened his eyes. Kakarrot and Vegeta to her right and left, made startled sounds. They, like Kera, realised what Frieza had done.
"You show us your power by killing all your soldiers? You are pathetic!" shouted Kera. None of his soldiers were still to be seen. As if they had never existed. Frieza's energy sphere had wiped them out.
"You think so? I'm just stronger." Frieza laughed snidely. He hovered a few yards away from them. Below him, the ground had faded away, carving new edges into the rocky landscape. He had taken his other form. The final form he had already shown on Namek.
Kera growled. So did Vegeta beside her. They both took a step forward, but then Kakarrot pushed in front of them both.
"My turn now."
"What, why?". Kera looked at him angrily.
"Vegeta just killed Ginyu. So ..."
"What about me?", Kera interrupted him.
"All you think about is revenge," Kakarrot said simply. "You're too single-minded."
Kera growled. She took a step towards Kakarrot. Vegeta grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.
"For once, I have to agree with Kakarrot. You need to cool off a bit first. You would fight too rashly now," he said softly.
For a moment Kera tried to wriggle out of Vegeta's grip, but then she gave up. Her rational side whispered to her that she would be acting far too overheated if she fought now.
She sighed and gave in. Vegeta and she retreated to the elevated position with Bulma and the others.
"I'm doing this reluctantly," Kera revolted once more.
"I know. I understand," Vegeta reassured her.
Kera wanted to retort that no one could understand her, but then she swallowed her retort. If anyone could relate to how she felt, it was Vegeta. He had suffered just as much under Frieza's reign. Even longer than she had, because he had helped her escape.
Vegeta seemed to notice her relax a little. "I'm curious to see if Kakarrot will show us anything else we haven't seen in training."