Haha, notes at the end again
thewittywhy: Beinf any sort of powerless in this world is a horrifying thought, adding on foreknowledge of monsters to come is worse.
And yeah, using the Dragon Balls is the end goal, but its not just the physical aspect, but also a social aspect that stands in the way
And I'm not gonna say what my plans for the Cell arc arc, though I do have plans
xavex: yeah well...that wouldn't have gotten them there
Hauki: I mean, you're not wrong but also you get a destiny assigned best friend for it. Plus you're not the one physically fighting, unless it's Frontier you're in. Plus, I myself know more about Digimon than I do DBZ so my SI would as well. I mostly made that first in the summary because for the longest time I really thought that if I ever did a reincarnation fic it'd be for Digimon, but well, that changed obviously, and will actually be addressed by the end notes
Though I must once again disagree with the notion of DBZ being any easier. Literally everyone dies, as in, every person on earth in the Buu arc. Most by getting turned into candy and eaten. Gohan in particular didn't exactly have a sunshine and rainbows childhood, despite him literally living in the mountains. Sayains might have an easier way about it, but easier in this world, ain't much
Qinlongfei: one thing to keep in mind, is that physically she is still five. She doesn't exactly have the freedom to do whatever in scheming. She'll be more proactive as more time passes, but any immediate changes will be far more subtle
All I could see was a bright light, that burned through my eyelids even while closed.
And when I opened them Piccolo was standing in front of me, shaking, struggling to remain on his feet.
"Piccolo!?"
"It's ok kid. No sweat."
And then he collapsed.
"Why? Why did you do that?!" I ran to his side, falling to my knees as I checked him over to see if there was anything, anything I could do.
I wasn't like Gohan. In canon Piccolo fell for the pure hearted child who couldn't hurt a fly. Unless that fly was threatened the lives of people. I wasn't like that. I don't understand why.
"Was already dead. Be a waste if you died too." His Ki was fading fast.
"No you weren't! You'd have been fine when Dad got here with a Senzu bean! You still might! Just, hold on!"
"It's ironic isn't it? After all these years of training to defeat your father, I'd go out saving his kid."
"You're not going anywhere! Just shut up and focus on not dying for another couple minutes!" My hands tangled in the tattered remains of his Gi, uselessly.
"Gohan. Thank you. For being my friend." Funny how being on the verge of death made a guy suddenly so talkative.
"…what?"
"When I first brought you here, I had expected you to be a useless, sniveling little child before I trained you. Which you were. But I also expected you to be afraid. Afraid of what happened, of what was going to happen. Afraid of me."
My hands stilled. It wasn't anything Canon Gohan or I did. It was just that he or I were the first person who treated him like a freakin person. Be it through Gohan's childish naivety, or my already knowing he wasn't a bad person.
"So what! If I had been scared or angry you wouldn't be dying here right now?!"
The only reason I hadn't been was because I already knew. Because I cheated.
He chuckled, painfully, "once you got into training your stubborn will pushed you further than I expected. What an odd child you were. Who shot back at insults but flustered at criticism. You're strong now, I'm proud of you."
And then he was gone.
He was smiling.
I glared. Glared at nothing. I soon fixed that as I turned my gaze at the cause.
Nappa.
I stood as I gathered Ki into my palms, and with almost everything I had left-
"MASENKO!" A bright light shot from my hand as the beam engulfed my target. As soon as I cut off the entertainment I shot forward.
Nappa had deflected the attack, his left arm shaking from the effort. He smirked, about to say something, only to be kicked in the jaw as soon he looked back in my direction.
And then I was stuck in midair, probably due to his right hand grabbing me be the front of my shirt.
"Not bad kid. Made my arm numb, and almost broke my jaw to boot." He chuckled.
I shot an arm forward, trying to shoot another Ki blast, only for it to die out in my palm.
"It is a shame. You'd have made a fine warrior someday."
I uselessly punched at his arm instead.
"Stupid, stupid…" mortifyingly, I felt tears fall down my cheeks.
"Now now, Sayains don't cry."
"That explains why you're just a bunch of heartless jerks!" Probably would have made my point better if my voice didn't break in the middle of it.
I shut my eyes as I was once again thrown to the floor.
Except, I never hit the ground.
I was being held again, this time securely in someone's arms rather than dangling openly.
I opened my eyes to see Goku, here finally, too late, as he surveyed the scene. Eyes falling on Yamcha, then Tien, and finally Piccolo. There wasn't anything left of Chiaotzu to see.
All the people he was too late to save.
It wasn't fair. I knew it wasn't his fault. But logic didn't have much place in my heart at this moment.
"Why there you are Kakarot. I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."
Goku ignored Vegeta entirely.
"Gohan, are you alright?"
No.
I didn't say that.
I didn't say anything. I just gripped my hands in his Gi and glared at them.
I was far too aware of my shaking.
"I see, not much for words are we? We were getting tired of beating on these so called fighters over and over again."
Goku didn't even turn in Vegeta's direction. Instead he just hopped off the Nimbus, and walked over to Piccolo, not putting me down.
Every movement caused my shoulder to sting. I barely noticed.
He checked for a pulse.
I just glared at my hands harder.
"Oh sorry, we're those guys friends of your's? They were fun to fight for a while but the all broke."
And finally, Goku turned to Nappa.
"Yeah that's right. I took care of them all. Well, except the little guy I guess. He blew himself up."
Rage clouded over Goku's Ki.
"And the whole time I was pounding them, they were waiting for you to show up! Somehow they knew you were coming, but it didn't matter, you were to late!"
I don't know what it says about my mental state at the moment that the only thought I really had at that statement was 'phrasing.'
Goku walked towards Nappa, and completely walked past him.
He walked over to Krillin instead, who was barely conscious on the ground, unable to move.
"Hey Krillin, are you alright?"
"Fantastic."
Goku crouched down, adjusting me in his arms as he did so.
"Special delivery from Korin." Goku held out his hand, revealing a bright green bean. The sight of it practically mocked me.
"A Senzu Bean! Man am I glad to see that!"
"This was his last one."
That made Krillin pause, "maybe you should keep it for yourself then."
"No, I already had one on the way here. This one's for you."
"I'd be wasting it. You need it if you're gonna try to take down both of these guys," Krillin's voice stutter despite his words.
"It's your help I might need, here take half." Goku broke the bean in two with a crack as he fed one half to Krillin.
"The other half's for you Gohan."
I glared at the bean. It should have been for Piccolo. Sure I was too tired to probably fight anymore and I was hurt just about everywhere, but I could still move. I was fine.
"Gohan, I know you're upset, but you'll feel better after eating this, I promise."
My eyes flickered up and with an annoyed huff I opened my mouth and let him feed it to me.
An overwhelming green flavor is the best way I could describe it.
The effect was instantaneous. My arm and shoulder no longer burned and was only left with a slight residue of the injury over completely healed skin. The cut I had nearly forgotten about from the Saibaman was healed without so much as a hairline scar. I was suddenly aware of how sore my limbs had been since that was alleviated, and any Ki or general fatigue was gone. Heck, even my head felt less fuzzy and while I was still upset, it wasn't overwhelming my stance on the situation.
I still want to kick Nappa in the head a few dozen more times, of course.
There was also something else, while yes my fatigue was gone I almost felt stronger than I had before-
Oh yeah. Duh. It was only really a plot point in the Namek saga but Sayains get stronger if they get seriously injured during a fight.
While I probably shouldn't exploit that too much due to its inherent risks, that could be useful. Of course that's only when we have Senzu Beans, which are notoriously in short supply.
Goku finally put me down.
"You've gotten stronger since the last I've seen you two."
"Yeah, I was doing great until the fighting started," Krillin joked.
"That's not true, you took out half the Saibamen by yourself," no self deprecation Krillin allowed in my books.
"I guess that's true. Wasn't much use after that though."
"Well neither was I!"
"Hey hey, that's enough. You're both much stronger which is what's important," Goku thankfully interrupted.
"I assume Kami trained you guys Krillin, what about you Gohan?"
"Piccolo did," my voice lowered as my eyes flickered back over. It felt wrong to be so far away. It also felt wrong to be close. It just felt wrong.
"He's taught me a lot."
And he'll continue to teach me later. Once we get to Namek. And then back home.
Home. I don't, I don't know where that is here. There's the house, which is closest I guess. But the roundness of of it was off putting. Which I guess is a petty thing to be off put by, but still. I always felt out of place. An intruder when no one else knew I was intruding.
Being with Piccolo was the closest I've gotten to feeling comfortable. I didn't have to watch what I said as much. If I said something odd or too smart for a five year old either he didn't know or care enough about humans to comment on it. The only thing I had to watch was not saying anything future related. Or at least anything that'd be noticed as future related.
"We'll figure out a way to bring him back, and everyone else," I glanced up at Goku, I don't know where he got that confidence from, but as long as we're on the same page I don't really care.
"You've done your part for now," Goku was once again speaking to Krillin, "maybe it's best if the two of you sit out. I think I'll take these two on myself."
Nappa, yes, certainly. Vegeta, not so much.
Goku was unfazed by Krillin's protests as he turned to the two, but mainly Nappa as he was up front and fighting.
Rage filled his Ki, almost overshadowing the sunshine.
"Hey dad?"
Goku turned back to me.
"Kick him in the head for me."
Goku barely nodded as he walked across the clearing.
"I've, never seen him like this Gohan. Goku, might be able to handle this." Krillin placed his hand on my shoulder as he looked on ahead. His grip was tight as if he wanted to make sure I didn't dart off.
And then Goku started channeling his Ki.
It was, almost overwhelming and suddenly I was glad for Krillin's hand on my shoulder. Even so, I refused to look away from the upcoming fight.
"What did you say his power level was?" Nappa's voice was somehow still audible despite the distance.
"It's, over Eight Thousand!" Vegeta yelled as he crushed his scouter in hand.
And I laughed. At what I wasn't certain. Vegeta's pointless theatrics? Nappa's shouts of disbelief? The over 9000 joke? The fact that it went with the canon 8000 instead? Which I suppose makes more sense.
Nappa threw caution to the wind as he charged at Goku.
He grabbed at nothing and received a solid kick to the back of the head instead and fell over flat on the ground.
This was much more fun. Watching Nappa get beat, that is.
Nappa's Ki, loud and brash, clouded with frustration and blind rage.
"That was luck! I'm the second strongest Sayain in the universe!"
Out of the three of them? Or, three and a half I suppose. Or four, and a half, actually. Tarble was probably out there somewhere. Maybe more, I don't know if Broly actually exists here or not. Movies tended to be fickle on how much, if any, of them are canon.
"If your friend is stronger than you, then I'd say that makes you the third strongest."
Nappa gave a short, humorless, laugh, "Kakarot. I'm going to rip you a part!"
He charged, and suddenly I was reminded of his fight with Tien, except the roles being reversed, and multiplied.
Every punch and kick was dodged with smooth efficiency, until suddenly Goku was on the other side of the clearing.
"Did you see how your father did that?" Krillin asked from beside me.
"Not really."
And this time it was Goku who charged forward, until he vanished from sight.
When he reappeared he was standing squarely on Nappa's head.
I stifled a laugh.
He vanished again when Nappa, enraged even further, reached up to grab him.
He landed right in front of Nappa and delivered a single solid punch to the gut.
Nappa doubled over in pain.
He stumbled forward.
"I was Commander in Chief of the whole Sayain Army. You're nothing compared to me."
Nappa raised his eyes, Goku's smaller frame and softer face stood juxtaposed to Nappa's features to an almost comedic effect.
Rage completely engulfed Nappa's Ki.
He howled wordlessly as he continued his useless onslaught. Each punch and kick dodged seamlessly before he was once again kicked away, through a rock before he managed to land on his feet against the side of a mountain.
"I'm through with you! Ka-Ka-Rot!" Each syllable of Goku's birth name was extenuated as Nappa charged the attack he had sent to me, and ultimately Piccolo.
Goku didn't even block it. He let it hit dead center.
His clothes didn't even get scratched.
Nappa charged up another attack-
And suddenly Goku was behind him.
A fact I only noticed after he had volleyed Nappa at the ground.
He dove down and before Nappa hit the ground Goku kicked him in midair into a rock face.
Goku landed and waited for Nappa to get back up.
Personally I'd just barrage him with some Ki attacks but sportsmanship or whatever.
Nappa got back up, blind rage tensing every muscle, his eyes bloodshot.
"I HATE YOU!" Was Nappa's clever response as he threw a rock at Goku, who barely bothered to dodge.
"You hate losing. You're just not used to fighting someone stronger than you," Goku replied calmly.
"YOU'RE NOT STRONGER THAN ME!" Nappa shouted, clearly ignoring reality, "YOUR STRENGTH WAS TESTED WHEN YOU WERE A BABY! YOU'RE A THIRD CLASS SAYAIN! I AM A SAYAIN ELITE YOU LOW CLASS DOG!"
"Nappa! Calm down!" My head turned towards Vegeta. Darn, I was enjoying that.
"How do you expect to win when you're so mad you can't even see straight? Now settle down! Use your head."
It took a few seconds but Nappa finally worked himself down from his rage. Once again Goku just let him.
Vegeta was fuming.
"Alright Kakarot. Round two," Nappa was once again standing confident. Wonder how long that'll last.
"You might have gotten lucky with a few good hits," read: completely over powered him, "but now I'm going to rip you apart."
Goku smiled, "I'm ready when you are. It's your move."
Apparently he was unaware that this wasn't a Pokémon game. Wait, is Pokémon a thing in this world? Adding that to the list of things to check once I have free time away from plot, and Chichi.
It was silent for a few moments as the two stood across from each other.
And then Nappa began to roar. A wordless howl as the ground once again shook and lighting sparked from his body.
Krillin curled himself over me as if to protect me. The gesture was appreciated as I just held on to his closest arm as I continued to stare at the two.
My tail coiled tighter around my waist as Nappa's Ki rose even higher. I thought they couldn't raise their power like this before Vegeta did on Namek.
The land around Goku exploded and the two of them shot into the air.
And I couldn't see anything.
Not until they stopped and stood across from each other midair.
Nappa shot a Ki blast from his mouth. From that a short distance Goku barely had time to counter with his own blast.
When the smoke cleared they both stood largely up damage by the two attacks.
"Alright that's enough!" Vegeta called up to the two, much to Nappa's dismay.
"Don't look at me like that! So far you yet to even land a single punch. I think you've embarrassed us long enough."
"Oh that's just great," Krillin held tighter around me, "this guy seems a lot more serious than the other one."
I'd probably have to put a fair bit effort in to get out of Krillin's grip, not that I particularly wanted to.
Still, Nappa did not move.
"I said get down here. It's my turn," why Vegeta didn't think both he and Nappa couldn't fight at once, I couldn't say. Probably ego actually. Yeah turns out I can say.
And Nappa relented. And Nappa descended. And Nappa's eyes fell on Krillin and I.
I don't know if he now considered me a lost cause or if he was projecting his failure against Goku onto me but something in his eyes hardened.
And then he smirked.
And then he was charging at us.
Uh oh.
I barely had time to register everything between Krillin's arms becoming a vice and Nappa getting closer faster than I expected before Goku was between us, glowing with visible red Ki.
He had struck Nappa in the back and was now the only thing holding him up from below as Nappa coiled in pain.
"How'd he do that?" Krillin asked as his arms vanished from around me.
I took a breath. While human contact was nice, it being in the form of a vice grip, albeit a protective one, was not my definition of ideal.
Goku threw Nappa to the other side of the clearing.
Next to Vegeta.
My stomach fell as canon memories set in.
"Wow Goku, I think you really hurt that guy. He's not getting up," Krillin commented off hand.
Yeah, after getting hit in the spine like that, Nappa wouldn't be getting up any time soon under the best of circumstances.
Which these, were certainly not.
"He won't be fighting anymore. I suggest you get him back to wherever you came from and get him some help," Goku called over to Vegeta.
Somehow, I don't think that's what's going to happen here.
"Hey Goku, how did you do that?" Krillin's voice was pure astonishment, "that was one of the most amazing attacks I've ever seen. What was it?"
"Oh, it's the Kiao Ken Attack," Goku then explained how the power multiplication of the Kaio Ken worked. His words sounding like a mix of his normal self and a wiki entre.
"Why didn't you use that from the start? You could have taken him out right away!"
"That's true, I could have. But the problem is there's the chance the power increase could destroy my body," Goku didn't sound too concerned, "but hey, I'm still here so all's well."
"It could kill you?" Krillin was concerned, as if Tien's signature attack didn't have similar stakes, if for different reasons.
Goku confirmed Krillin's fears but I wasn't paying attention anymore, I was looking, no, glaring to the other side of the clearing.
Nappa was reaching up to Vegeta for help.
And for a moment it looked like Vegeta was going to help him as he reached out his hand. Only to turn his palm against Nappa.
Annoyance surged in me and I had barely began to register Vegeta charging Ki to his palm before it was knocked away by a Ki blast.
I blinked. I looked down to see my own hand extended towards the two.
Um…oops?
I did not mean to do that.
I really did not mean to do that.
Why did I do that?
And suddenly all eyes were on me.
From Goku and Krillin's confused eyes, to Vegeta's annoyed, to Nappa's, I don't know what that was, shock?
"I- um-"
I stuttered and stumbled back, my hands brought close to my chest as my gaze shifted between the men and-
And then they fell on Vegeta.
And suddenly annoyance filled my heart once again.
My feet stabilized as my hands fell to my sides.
"What are you, stupid?" I called out, bolder now than I thought possible. Something about Goku being here to protect me made me feel better, as if I was calling out someone for being rude and not a genocidal jerk.
It was one thing when it was a Saibaman, who while clearly sentient, and I was probably wrong for thinking this way, I could at least put up a wall of separation when Vegeta had killed one. But his partner for who knows how many years, at least since he was a child. Who had trusted him enough to reach out a hand for help?
"Excuse me?" Vegeta turned towards me, eyes downcast.
It was strange, I knew Vegeta was stronger than me. Stronger than Nappa. And stronger than Goku. And yet, he was somehow the least intimidating of the three.
"It's just, you're not gonna have a lot of men by you if you kill all of them for a mistake or two. What will you do if you lose this fight?"
Vegeta laughed, as though the prospect was funny in of itself.
"Ignoring the sheer impossibility of your statement, are you already forgetting who it is you're defending? You are aware this is the man who killed your little friends. The small one, the three eyed one, and the long haired one, by proxy I suppose.
"Oh I see, those weren't really you're friends now were they? No, one of them had questioned who you were when they had first shown up." I clenched my fists. That wasn't, that wasn't true but it didn't take a genius to see where he was going with this.
"But the Namek was, now wasn't he? He all but doted on you. Protected you. Gave his life for you, and here you are defending his killer?"
I closed my eyes and took a breathe. I forced my shoulders to relax and my stance to shift.
"I'm not defending anyone. I'm defying your idiocy." I leveled my gaze and forced any emotion out of my tone.
Besides, how could I be angry at him if he were immediately killed?
"You know, for a supposed Prince," I winced, "or king, or high up, or whatever, you have the same name as your planet so I assume you're something." Of all the times for Vegeta not to spout off his being "Prince of all Sayains" twelve times a minute.
"Prince was correct," he replied, sounding too curios to catch my mistake.
"Right, so, for a supposed Prince you sure don't seem to care about the longevity of your race. What, did you intend to leave here the last Sayain? The proud warrior race dies with you? Some prince they left behind."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. He didn't respond.
Until he did.
"And what is it that you know? You're but a child who has only known a single, weak planet unknown to the universe."
"Not much, just that killing people who help you is stupid," I shrugged my palms pointed outward.
"You sure do talk big for someone who can't hold their own in a fight." And there was Vegeta's baseline stance.
I scoffed.
Vegeta took step forward.
And suddenly Goku was I front of me and Krillin was pulling me back.
"Ok, I know I praised you earlier for being brave, but maybe don't be that brave," Krillin spoke quickly into my ear as he backed us up almost against the rocks.
I was vaguely aware of Nappa's eyes on my as he finally lost consciousness.
"Let's take this fight somewhere else, I know a better place," Goku called to Vegeta.
"Wherever. Just lead the way." Was his arrogant reply.
Goku paused, before turning to Krillin and I.
"Krillin, I want you to take Gohan to Master Roshi's. Anything else can be dealt with after I beat this guy."
He and Krillin seemed to have a conversation without speaking.
"I see. Alright, I'll get him somewhere safe."
Oh. Right. The child in danger. Also known as me.
I sighed, but didn't protest.
"Oh! Goku! Don't rely on grabbing his tail! We already tried that and it didn't work. At least not on the big guy."
Goku looked over, startled, but nodded, "alright, thanks."
Then he turned to me, "Gohan, I bet your mother's a Master Roshi's place. Be sure to give her a big hug for me," he ruffled his hand through my hair.
I nodded, fully aware I wasn't going to be seeing her any sooner than he would.
"You can waste all the time you want with your pathetic goodbyes, but you're simply postponing the inevitable!" Vegeta called.
"It's too bad. It seems he's totally determined to end things here. He sure would make a good sparring partner though," I promise I at least tried not to send a withering glance at Goku.
"Goku," he turned back to Krillin, who was now holding his hand towards him, "you're my friend. We grew up together. Just, make sure we grow old together too."
Goku grasped Krillin's hand as he agreed.
"Right. I couldn't ask for a better best friend than you."
I couldn't help but feel like I was intruding on a private scene.
Goku turned back to Vegeta.
And then they were gone.
Yeah so I had played with the idea with this fic idly during my initial rewatch of Dragon Ball and then Z but when I realized I could just make Nappa not die was the moment I started actually writing it. Not because I particularly like Nappa or anything, just because Vegeta killing him for no reason was really stupid.
Oh also, Tax school (ew) will be ramping up soon so I can't really promise I'll be able to keep up weekly uploads. I'll try to keep it up, but if I miss a week, that's why
I'd say it should be fine after the year's over, but after that Tax season (double ew) starts, which was busy enough when I was just working front desk, let alone if I actually get a license