Two weeks had passed since the crew had arrived on Planet Earth. Determined to earn his keep and help prepare for their trip to Fortuneteller Baba's home in the desert, Hasana had politely inquired about finding work, describing his primary responsibilities and daily tasks back on Jae-Ujani. Impressed by his experience and breadth of technological knowledge, Bulma suggested that Hasana join her back at Capsule Corp. and offered a staggering one million zeni if he found a way to fix the ship she'd designed and improve upon its original blueprint. Eager to prove his usefulness and show off the skills he'd acquired over fourteen long years at the bustling spaceport, Hasana agreed, repeatedly thanking the scientist as he traveled with her and her family to their massive home in West City.
Understanding the risks associated with Sanshiva's dangerous transformation, Roshi offered to host the remaining crew members at Kame House until Hasana returned. The Namekian had initially refused, suggesting she set up camp at one of the nearby islands to lessen the burden on the old hermit. Roshi politely advised that he hadn't had company in quite some time – aside from Turtle – and said that Sanshiva could think of her stay as the reprieve before a long adventure, a pleasant seaside stay before the trek into the unknown. He reassured her that neither hers nor her companions' presence was a burden in any sense and was glad to have someone to spend his sunlit days with.
For fourteen days, Sanshiva followed a carefully constructed routine alongside the old master. She trained with him at sunrise, practicing ki control through the ancient art of tai chi, guided with care and patience by the wizened hermit. By mid-morning, they would rest and meditate together until Roshi would excuse himself for breakfast and return to her side shortly thereafter with a pitcher of cold water and a treat she'd come to love just as much as Hasana: strawberries.
By noon, she would practice her materialization through exercises that pushed her imagination to its limits. Roshi, Yumena, and Bowa would describe different objects, clothing, and tools, and the young woman would will her vibrant energy forward to turn their thoughts into reality. Tendrils of energy, like thin rainbows, spread outward from her fingertips, weaving, knotting, and solidifying to create every item in turn. By the end of her practice, the old master would once again give her the space to rest and recharge, entertaining her and the others with card games, movies, and tales of his star pupil, Son Goku.
As the sun set, Sanshiva would watch from the shore as the sky changed colors, admiring the transition from bright blue to black, still in awe each evening as the stars shined from above. She would bury her toes in the sand and savor the cold sensation of the ocean water against her skin. Roshi would join her and talk to her, offering what he knew of the others of her kind – stories of the wise and resolute Kami and his darker, powerful other half, the endearing and watchful Dende, and the strong and stoic son of the Demon King, Piccolo. Each evening, when the old master would retire to his room, and the lights of his island home were finally shut off, the young woman stared at the canopy of starlight, wondering if little Doji was alright alongside his friends and his firedrake.
By the fourteenth night, the Namekian found herself aching for a swim and materialized one of the outfits she'd seen from one of Roshi's strange picture books – a bright pink bikini that contrasted sweetly with the tone of her green skin – before diving headfirst into the ocean. She let the currents carry her further away from the tiny island, watching as the stars shone brightly from above. The sky was alight with glowing embers of the Perseids meteor shower. Sanshiva gazed in awe at the gorgeous and glittering comets that seemed to disappear and reappear between darkened clouds and bright constellations. In the wee hours before sunrise, one particular comet caught her attention – sparking and white, bursting in a different direction from the rest of its stony group – and her gaze followed as it disappeared to the west. For a moment, Sanshiva thought she could feel several frantic energies in the distance but chalked it up to something out of her control and sighed, staring listlessly at the sky. There she remained, soaking in the ocean tides and marveling once more at the transition of color as the sun began its bright and steady ascent. When she returned to the island, she found Roshi sitting atop his lounge chair, humming to himself as he flipped the pages of another strange-looking magazine.
"I'm sorry, I lost track of time," she said, standing tall atop the shore. "Did you still want to meditate together?" She grabbed her hair, wringing it slightly, the saltwater pattering upon the sand at her feet.
"Of course! I would love to—" Roshi looked up from his book, admiring her slender sun-kissed form – the sculpted abs, wide hips, and ample bosom scantily covered by a pink swimsuit – and sputtered in his chair, his nose bleeding profusely.
"Master Roshi!" She ran to him, worried as the old man floundered about. "Master Roshi, are you okay?"
"Oh my," he said softly, reaching in his shirt pocket for some tissue. "You're… rather pretty in pink."
"Uh… thanks," she said, blushing slightly. "Are you… okay?"
"Oh, yes, just fine, thank you," he sniffled, stuffing some tissue in his nose to stave off the bleeding. "You know, I have a question for you… Have you ever heard of… Puff-puff?"
"…What?"
Roshi held his hands by his head, making a slight inward motion as if stuffing his head into an imaginary pillow. "Puff-puff!"
Sanshiva pursed her lips and tilted her head. "What are you on about?" The young woman hadn't realized that Yumena had opened the window, watching the interaction play out, knowing full well what the old man was trying to get at, scowling all the while.
Roshi leaned forward, head just inches away from her chest. "Puff… Pu—"
"AW, NO YOU DON'T, YA DAMN PERVERT!" Yumena reached down, smacking Roshi across the head with a sizeable cast iron frying pan, still warm from cooking breakfast for the others.
"Ack!"
The Atlassian rolled her eyes and stared daggers at Master Roshi, squinting and huffing, "Try that again, and I'll 'punch punch' that face o' yours in, ya deranged coot." She looked at Sanshiva, pleasantly surprised at the change in her clothing. "That's actually really cute on you! All the same, you need to cover up a little, hun."
"But why," she asked innocently. "I thought this is what the Earth girls wear when swimming and… I thought it looked nice on me."
"Oh, it does. Almost too nice, actually," the Atlassian said, motioning to the old master, still reeling, muttering, and tending his nosebleed. "Let's just say… Seein' you dressed like that gave this old man the same feelin' Makeru got when he saw you."
"WHAT?!" Sanshiva punched the old hermit in the same spot, eliciting another shocked cry. "I thought you were better than that, Master Roshi," the young woman exclaimed.
He shrugged and gave her an apologetic look. "It's not my fault you look so nice…"
"MASTER ROSHI! I AM FIFTEEN! FIFTEEN!" She smacked him hard across the face, leaving a distinct red imprint on his face. He whined and rubbed his cheek, horribly embarrassed.
Curious about the commotion outside, Bowa and Turtle joined Yumena by the window, gasping as they took in Sanshiva's sea-soaked and sunlit appearance. Bowa began to change color, going from amber to rose to a thoroughly flushed crimson, the bubbles within his slimy mass popping and reforming as if he was boiling from the inside. Turtle raised a scaled brow and smiled, chuckling as he recognized another version of Roshi's bashful expression.
Yumena slapped him across the head. "BOWA! You're fixin' to catch this fryin' pan, too, you little—"
"B-Bowa not pervert," he cried, waving his tendrils back and forth. "B-Bowa not pervert!" He stole one last glance at Sanshiva, the bubbles within his body popping at an alarming rate. "Captain… So p-pretty in pink and—"
"QUIT STARIN', DAMN IT!" She whipped the frying pan in his direction, and he ducked, slithering quickly to the living area. He was still rosy, bubbling, and shaking as he attempted to busy himself with the television, struggling clumsily with the remote. Turtle followed, hobbling away from the window and settling beside the table.
Roshi laughed weakly, rubbing his head. "Aw, woulda been nice, you know… Just a little puff-pu—"
CLANG. Yumena smacked him across the head one more time with the frying pan, and he passed out, falling away from his chair and face-first into the sand.
"Hmph." Sanshiva backed away, placing a hand across her chest. Her clothing changed with a quick flash of light, and once again, she sported her black and purple gi. She tossed her cloak around her chest and angrily declared, "I'm never showing that much skin again. Even if it is hot as hell."
"Aw, don't do that on account o' him," Yumena said, motioning for Sanshiva to come inside, "You looked nice. You just gotta remember that not every guy is as… restrained as Hasana. Gotta be prepared to smack some sense into some of 'em, you know?"
"…Oh." She mulled over the old woman's remark before asking, "Wait… what?"
"Nothin'," the old woman teased, darting back inside. "Your water's gettin' warm."
Sanshiva rolled her eyes. "Hmph. Restrained or not, I'm certain Hasana wouldn't be asking to stuff his face in my chest," she muttered tersely, flinging the screen door open and slamming it shut.
She plopped down atop the sofa, huffed angrily, and grabbed the glass of water Yumena had set aside for her. Bowa thumbed at the remote, eyes darting away from her as he muttered unintelligibly in his native tongue, and his color began to shift back from a blushed red to a honeyed yellow. He changed the channels a few times before settling on the news, where the image of a brightly dressed woman behind a polished wooden desk sputtered onto the screen.
"The Perseids seem to have left us a parting gift," announced the newscaster, "…as dozens of people from the small seaside village of Yahhoy have reported a strange, white meteor crashing in the nearby woods. Let's see that footage, shall we?"
Sanshiva gasped and leaned forward; the strange white rock she'd seen parting from the cloud of meteors had lingered in her thoughts, and she eyed the television with curiosity as the newscaster's image was replaced by a blurred film of the crash as seen from the ground. Yumena joined them, grabbing the last of her breakfast and chewing loudly as she stared at the screen.
Bowa burbled worriedly, watching a massive, spiked meteor sail by the camera before disappearing amidst the trees, a pillar of flame jutting up into the sky as it crashed heavily to the ground. The camera seemed to shake, and the footage stopped, replaced by a screenshot.
Yumena spat out her toast, and Bowa cried out in shock. "Ship! Hasana ship," the Bollejian yelped. "Hasana ship!"
"Shit," the old woman griped. "That's not good…"
Sanshiva recognized the long legs, large round windshield, and the spikes along its top. "Wait, that's… Hasana's old ship," she asked, pointing to the screen, giving the Atlassian a quizzical look.
Coughing through the last of her toast and shaking from head to toe, Yumena sprang up from the seat and darted to the phone, reaching for the contact list beside it. "C… Capsule… There it is!" She located the main number for Capsule Corp., hurriedly dialed the number, and fidgeted in place, awaiting an answer from the other end.
Sanshiva turned back to the television, watching as the image faded away and the newscaster returned to the screen. "That's all we have for you now, folks. Check back in at noon when we've found more information on the mysterious meteor," the newscaster chirped. Sanshiva pressed the power button on the remote and joined Yumena by the phone, anxiously awaiting Hasana's voice.
A smooth feminine voice answered, "Thank you for calling Capsule Corp. how may I assist—"
"Sorry to cut you off, but I'm lookin' to speak with my son, Hasana? It's a… family emergency," she said anxiously.
"Oh, yes," said the receptionist with renewed urgency. "I'll patch you through immediately, just hold one moment."
Thirty seconds felt like a lifetime. Bowa slithered back and forth, gurgling in a worried and frenzied tone. Sanshiva's leg seemed to shake in time with Yumena's fervent rocking motions, and the three held their breath as they awaited Hasana's greeting.
"M'ateri, what's happened?"
"Hasana! Did you see the news?!"
His tone shifted, slightly concerned at the stress in the old woman's voice. "No, I was preparing the final touches on Bulma's ship so she could test it out and—"
"THEY FOLLOWED US IN YOUR OLD SHIP, HASANA!"
There was a long pause; they could hear the clack of a computer keyboard on the other end as Hasana located a news article with a link for the footage, muttering, "Oh… my… gods…"
"Get your green ass over here, now!"
"U-uh, yes! I'll be right over!"
With that, Yumena slammed the phone back on the receiver, her heart rate quickening and her energy wavering. Sanshiva eyed her companions, pacing back and forth across the small kitchen area. "Um… what's going on?"
"I didn't think they'd really give chase. Makeru wasn't worth all this… was he?"
"Wait… who followed us?"
"Makeru's brothers, Pogi n' Saba. They're a sorry lot. Idiots most o' the time, really, but… Without their eldest brother to hold 'em back, they're dangerous. Always hungry, never satisfied, and willing to kill anybody and anything to get what they want."
Sanshiva remembered the two she'd knocked out before joining Makeru on the bridge of his ship and raised a brow. "You're worried about those two? I could beat them! Easy!" She flashed the elderly alien a determined look and flexed the muscles along her arms. "I'll skewer them, too, if that's what it takes."
"You caught 'em off guard, which is alright, but… When they're on a mission, they're ruthless. Coldblooded bastards, the two of 'em. Just as bad as their old man."
"Who… who's that?"
"Shiro. He probably sent 'em to bring us back to Jae-Ujani…"
"WHAT?!"
Sanshiva gulped, remembering the old woman's warning back on Jae-Ujani. Her stomach curdled, and she reeled slightly, landing atop the sofa and staring vacantly out the window. "You mean… I killed… Commander Shiro's son?"
"Mm-hmm. This means our stay just got much more complicated."
"Doji! Doji, wake up!"
The little boy grumbled, body aching as he felt the crunch of pine needles and dirt beneath his head. "Ugh… What… What happened…"
"We need to get out of here now," Hama urged, prodding his cheek with a shaking finger.
Kiba grabbed Doji's arm, pulling him upright and jarring him awake. Doji winced, the pain from fourteen days of cruel and unusual punishment still thrumming through his little frame. He looked around, noticing the strange landscape spread out around them, heavy with greenery and large, pointed trees taller than ever. The forest's strangely sweet, earthy scent assaulted his nostrils, and he blinked in confusion.
"We're… we're on Earth," he asked groggily.
"Yes! Whatever Himura did knocked out the navigation and the piloting, and—"
Doji snapped to attention, rubbing his eyes before scanning the ground for his little companion. "Himura! Oh, my gods! Where is she?!"
'Here,' she replied, poking her head from beneath Kiba's scarf before leaping atop Doji's shoulder and nuzzling at his neck. He tapped her head softly, relieved that she was alright.
"Oh, thank goodness," he sighed. "Thank you, Himura."
'Don't thank me yet,' she replied. 'I don't think we finished the job.'
"We need to go now," Kiba said tersely. "Those guys are alive. Barely breathing, I think, but… we need to find somebody who can help."
"Like who?"
"There's this really big energy somewhere that way," Hama said, pointing south before trailing his finger along the path of a great stone pillar that disappeared into the clouds above. "Maybe if we follow that big tower, we'll find Piccolo! Or Dende!"
"Go, then," Doji said, gently scooping up Himura and placing her atop Kiba's broad shoulder. "Go get them and tell them everything. We're going to need all the help we can get."
Kiba, Hama, and Himura squinted together. They could feel his life energy flickering the same as it had before he'd performed his minor transformation on New Namek. Hama shuddered and reached for him, but Doji pulled away as if shocked by a static pulse and stared angrily towards the wreckage just beyond the trees.
"D-Doji…? What… What are you going to do? Why won't you come with us?"
Doji paused, contemplating the last two weeks of the trek to Earth. He looked at his hands and patted his chest, realizing that both his brothers had used a substantial amount of their own ki to heal the wounds caused by the soldiers. Gazing at the dark scars traversing his arms, he curled his fingers into tight fists and growled. He'd been beaten relentlessly, bones broken and mouth bleeding, face covered in massive contusions; he'd been cut by sharp knives, poked with electric rods, and they'd torn his left arm off twice, forcing him to regenerate lest they take a limb or organ from his sobbing and shaking siblings; he'd endured wave after wave of electric energy until his heart had given out not once, but thrice, and in a sickening move they'd used the same collar to jumpstart him again, bringing him back from the brink of death. His stomach felt tied into tight knots, and his heartbeat quickened as a terrible cocktail of hatred, sorrow, and dread worked through his body. Something deep within him ached not for justice but for cold and calculated revenge.
"I'm going to give those jerks a taste of their own medicine," he spat.
"B-but," Kiba stammered and tried to grab his brother's hand, but to no avail. "It t-took everything we had j-just to heal you! You're still covered in scars, and now you're going straight b-back to them?!"
"Please, Doji," Hama pleaded, "…come with us. If Dende's up there, I know he could heal you. Grand Elder Moori said his healing powers were the best of our people! He could get rid of your scars and make you feel better!"
"I'd feel better if those fish men were dead," the little one countered. "My scars are nothing compared to the pain they've caused."
"But… Doji," they whined in unison. "Revenge isn't worth it!"
Doji tore his burned and tattered scarf away, revealing a dark scorch mark that coiled around his little neck. "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME PAYBACK'S NOT WORTH IT! NOW GET OUT OF HERE!" He pushed the boys away and glowered at them, wispy tendrils of black energy forming by his arms and face; his fangs seemed longer, sharper, and shinier as he bellowed and bared his teeth.
Himura hissed and leaped from Kiba's shoulder, transforming and landing atop the ground with a loud thud, glowering back at Doji. She let loose an earsplitting shriek, louder than they'd ever heard before.
'I told you, we are never separating again.' She stepped forward, black smoke trailing from her nose and mouth as she breathed hotly and heavily, inches away from the little one's face. 'They can go find those other guys, but I'm staying whether you like it or not.'
He huffed and began walking away, responding wordlessly, 'I will not be stopped. You can help me, or you can stay out of my way. But those… bastards are going to pay."
Himura chuffed loudly and turned to Kiba, pushing his belly with her broad snout. He hugged her tight, and Hama followed, squeezing around her thick neck and crying quietly. For the first time, they felt a strange balmy sensation creep along their arms and to the bases of their skulls, like a warm blanket draped over their skin, and heard the firedrake, soft and solemn, as she explained, 'Something is wrong with him. Something's changed... I'll stay with him and make sure he doesn't… lose himself.' They nodded tearfully before zooming away through the trees, staying close to the ground as they headed for the mysterious skyward tower.
Himura ran and caught up with the boy, who searched in frustration through the ship's debris for the bulky collar he'd barely managed to escape from before losing consciousness during the forced landing. "Where is it," he muttered angrily, kicking aside the remains of the captain's chair. He spotted the collar and pulled it from the ground, grinning as he looked about and spotted the two scaled soldiers propped against what remained of the center console. He reached into his pocket, satisfied that the tablet remained there, even after his brothers dragged him away from the crash site.
The little one closed his eyes and held his hand out, willing his energy forth to create a long, barbed cable that hovered in the air. Himura tilted her head, watching the boy pace toward the unconscious soldiers and drag them to a nearby tree. He stood back and flicked his wrist, forcing the cable to wrap and bind the men to the wide pine tree. Grinning at his handiwork, he reached for Saba, fitting the collar as tightly around the soldier's neck as possible, before going into his pocket and pulling out the tablet. The screen had cracked during the crash but still functioned well enough as he thumbed through the strange icons, locating the tremendous green lightning bolt and smiling as the men began to awaken.
Saba lolled about as the sun peaked through the canopy, casting golden rays across his face. "Wh-what the hell… happened," he groaned, blinking through the sunlight.
Pogi coughed and shook his head, bits of glass and metal from the ship peeling away from his scales. "Ugh… My head…"
"Good morning, little guppies," Doji said. "Have a nice nap?"
"WHAT?!" Saba shook his head, clearing his vision before realizing his movement was limited; bound tightly against the rough bark of a tall fir tree and fitted with the same collar he'd used on the little one, he floundered about. "What the… What did you do?! What the hell is that," he asked, staring at the violet firedrake.
"Oh, you don't need to worry about her. Yet." Doji flexed his hand, and the wire dug into their arms and waists. Though the armor they wore covered their trunks, their arms began to bleed, scales cutting away and falling to the ground. Himura growled and spat a small ball of her acidic saliva at Pogi's shaking feet, and he yelped, several drops splashing across the bottom of his boot and sizzling through the soles.
The little boy waved the tablet about and paced back and forth with deliberate, languid steps. A cruel smile spread across his face, and he answered lowly, "Looks like you lost your ride and the only other way to track my sister. How awful," he finished sarcastically.
Saba raised his voice. "ARGH! YOU LITTLE BASTARD—"
"Ah, ah, ah," the little one interjected, wagging his finger. "I'd watch what you say if I were you."
"WHEN I GET OUTTA HERE—"
"Oh, but Saba…" He paused, glaring into the man's eyes, finger hovering just above the tablet. "You won't."
He tapped the screen, and the man's head reeled back, digging against the tree's bark as he spluttered against the horrible stinging sensation that pulsed through his battered body. Doji tapped it again, upping the amperage, savoring the sound of the man's gurgling cries, the feeling of his ki pulsing and wavering, and the frantic, muffled sounds of a heart ready to burst from within. He swiped down on the screen, forcing the shock collar to stop, and giggled lowly.
"That's actually kind of fun… Watching you flop like the stupid fish you are."
Saba gasped and sniveled, "We'll… g-get out of… th-this… We'll g-get you… and your… stupid sister, too…"
"Oh really? Because it looks like you've nowhere to go and no one to help you."
"S-Screw… you," Saba groaned, "Filthy… little insect—"
The little one held the tablet up and tapped the icon three times, the same amperage that Saba had repeatedly used during the trip to Earth. Just enough to bring him close to his demise but not enough to stop his heart entirely. He laughed, watching the scaled soldier thrash and foam at the mouth, and sidestepped to face Pogi, who shook his head in anguish as he heard his brother's feverish cries.
"Quit it," he pleaded. "Please, just stop! C'mon!"
"How many times did my brothers ask you to do the same?"
"Wha—"
The little one punched the younger soldier hard in the mouth before swiping again on the tablet and turning to Saba again. The older one whimpered and spluttered, cursing weakly all the while. Pogi spat out a tooth and glowered at Doji before turning his head back. "Hey, Saba, you alright?"
Saba mumbled and spat, swaying weakly, his vision horribly blurred and his chest alight with fading electricity. "I'm… still… here… ain't I?"
"Not for much longer," Doji said callously. "Tell you what… I'll give you a choice. I can fry you from the inside," he said, waving the tablet about, "Or…" He glanced at Himura, now staring daggers at the scaled men and breathing loudly through clenched fangs. "My friend here can fry you from the outside."
"We surrender," Pogi cried, "We surrender! Just let us go! We'll never come back! We'll leave your sister and her stupid boyfriend alone—"
"Oh, really now? And you think I'm going to fall for that after all the trouble you've gone through to get here?"
"You'd better… let us go," Saba said. "Or when our commander gets here—"
"Aw, you need your boss to come and save you? Rescue you from the bad little demon and his dragon? Hm?" Doji slapped Saba's cheek and turned to Himura. "Fire," he commanded.
Himura snarled and spat at Pogi's feet, a violet fire forming beneath his boot, and he shrieked and flailed as the flames lapped across his foot.
'No, Himura,' Doji reached out to her, thoroughly dissatisfied with her weak attempt at intimidation. His inner voice seemed strange and dark, ire rising through every word. 'When I say "fire," I mean… burn him to the ground.'
Her eyes widened, and she backstepped. 'B-but…'
Doji turned away to stare at Himura through angry violet eyes. 'Didn't you ask me if you could eat them?'
'I… I mean… I guess I could, but they're not fish, they're people… I didn't think that one through and—'
'Then stay out of my way.'
'But, Doji—'
'I'm not going to repeat myself.'
Himura shrank away, frightened and concerned all at once. She felt a strange and violent energy radiate from his skin and realized the boy was on the brink of another transformation, worse than she had witnessed on New Namek. She shuddered and whimpered, watching the little Namekian trace his fingernail along the tablet's edge before facing the scaled soldiers again.
"Okay, so I guess it's just you and me," he said, cocking his head to the side. "My friend here doesn't seem to have the stomach for what I'm ready to do to you."
"Sick little—"
"SHUT UP!" Doji tapped the icon again, as high as it would go. Saba cried and flailed, once again foaming at the mouth as the electricity thrummed through every muscle and sinew, body feeling frigid and aflame all at once.
"Saba! Saba, hold on!" Pogi struggled against the barbs that seemed to dig themselves tighter and tighter around his middle before he was suddenly forced back against the tree by his throat.
Doji's right hand was now wholly cloaked in shadow, much larger than his other, and wrapped tight around Pogi's neck. He smiled as the man sputtered and wheezed, and Saba continued to wail in agony.
'I could get used to this… I could really… get used to this,' the little one thought, losing himself in fervent thoughts of bloody retribution. 'This feels… good…'
Doji released the man and charged his ki to the end of his fingertips, pressing them against Pogi's armor. "This," he said lowly, "…is for the Elder's sons." He shot forth a bright beam of purple energy, piercing through the cuirass and puncturing the man's stomach. Pogi screamed, long and loud, the heat of his blood and stomach acid tearing through his middle. "This," the boy continued, "…is for hurting my brothers." He pointed towards the man's knee and did the same, piercing through flesh and bone, blood spurting from the wound like pressurized water through a faucet. It splattered across Doji's dark gi and face, and the little one recoiled, slightly shocked, before a strange feeling washed over him.
The darkness deep within his heart beckoned and sent a cold chill through his spine. It spoke of release, reprisal, and righteous fury towards the scaled fiends that had dared harm his people. Doji's heartbeat sped up, and he wiped his face, rubbing his fingers together. The warmth of Pogi's blue blood upon his hands awakened a dark desire to return the scaled brothers every ounce of pain he'd endured a thousandfold; a pound of flesh for every cut, every punch, every violent upturn of the same collar now wrapped around Saba's burnt and blistered neck. Doji grinned as he watched Saba thrash and blubber, eyes rolling back into his head, and swiped down on the tablet.
Saba gasped and shuddered, spitting profusely as he stared at the little one's feet. "Y-you fucking… m-monster… You demon," he cried. "I thought… I was screwed… in the head… But you…?! You're a… monster!"
Doji laughed and leaned forward. "Ooh, say it again," he commanded. "Go on, now, what am I?"
"A m-monster…"
"I can't hear you," he said in a sing-song tone, cupping a hand over his ear.
"YOU'RE A MONSTER, YOU HEAR ME," Saba bellowed back between labored breaths. "FUCKING DEMON SPAWN! STUPID, CRAZY HELLFIRE BRAT!"
"Hehe… Yes… Yes… YES!" Doji laughed hysterically, the malevolent energy of hatred and rage manifest upon his once bright green skin. The scars across his body pulsed and blackened, and his skin darkened before he cackled and raised his head to the sky, his dark ki wrapping around his body and forming a tremendous shadowy sheath. His form expanded and contorted until he'd grown to a staggering height, nearly four times his original size. "Go on, now! Say it again!"
"MONSTER," the men cried together. "MONSTER!"
Doji continued to laugh, every horrible emotion he'd felt between his father's death and his arrival on the strange blue planet now swathing around him and emboldening his newer, darker appearance. The power was exhilarating – endless as the void itself – and he hummed in satisfaction, relishing a rush the likes of which he'd never experienced before. He flexed his long, thick fingers and admired the rippling form of a colossal and beastly phantom. His heart pounded furiously, and his stomach growled; his eyes were wholly aflame as he stared at the shaking soldiers, and when he spoke again, a single ghastly voice emanated from the dark abyss of his vast, sharp-toothed mouth.
"Wanna see something really monstrous," he asked coyly, leaning towards Saba.
'Doji, stop! Stop this! Turn back,' Himura urged, whining and whimpering all the while. 'Turn back, now!'
Demonic Doji huffed, ignoring her pleas as he reached down and squeezed Pogi around the neck. He breathed deep and sensed the man's life force; weak but just enough to stave off the strange hunger that gnawed at his dark stomach. He smiled, stared into Pogi's eyes, and willed his shroud forward, latching onto the soldier's life essence and drawing it out of him bit by bit.
"Hey! Hey, n-no, don't do that!"
Tendrils of green and blue ki worked their way from underneath Pogi's scales, wafting away and sinking into the abyss of the demon's skin. Pogi screamed, his voice growing weaker by the minute. Scales began to fall away from his skin; the fins on either side of his neck seemed to curl and snap away; his skin dulled, his bright eyes darkened and sank inward, and the fullness of his cheeks dwindled.
"Saba," he groaned, "I… feel… so… cold…"
"STOP THIS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM?!"
The demon cackled and squeezed harder, pulling the rest of the energy from the man's body until nothing was left of his frame. The life left his eyes, and his flesh turned to stone, crumbling beneath the grasp of the shadowy hand and the demon inhaled sharply, feeling its energy greater than before with the addition of Pogi's ki.
"NO! NOOO!"
"That wasn't nearly enough," the monster spat.
'Doji, stop this! You don't need to do this!' Himura stomped and whined.
The demonic entity huffed again and reached down, grabbing Saba by his cuirass and letting him dangle in the air. It punched hard into the man's stomach, and the bottom half of his armor cracked and fell away, revealing a chiseled belly mottled with scars and covered in thin white scales. It punched again, and Saba retched, blood and bile splattering across the demon's hand.
"P-please," he sniveled, "I… I d-don't want to die…"
"You did this," the demon said, motioning to his shadow-cloaked chest. "You made this happen. I should thank you, Saba. I've never felt so… alive." It swiped his clawed hand, scarring Saba's stomach, blood spattering onto the ground.
'Doji, stop this,' Himura pleaded, stomping her feet against the ground. 'Stop it!'
"Grr… SHUT! UP!" He threw the bleeding soldier at the violet firedrake, and she toppled backward, shocked at her friend's terrible actions and the weight of the scaled man atop her face and chest. "I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY!"
Himura scrambled to her feet, pushing the soldier away and breathing deeply. The flames along her back heightened, and demonic Doji recognized the telltale signs of a charging violet inferno at the back of her mouth. 'Don't make me do this,' she warned. 'Don't make me set you on fire.'
"Do it," it said, staring through flaming eyes. "I dare you."
At a standstill, they growled at one another, pacing around each other in a wide circle. Himura shuddered and roared, stomping her feet on the ground, hoping the boy would come to his senses and realize what he'd become. Saba dragged himself across the forest floor, grabbing the tablet that had dropped from the demon's hand; he tapped a small lock icon on the screen, freeing the shock collar from his tender neck before scurrying away and hiding between several dark shrubs.
Himura spat embers at his feet, the dried leaves and needles on the ground creating sharp sparks, crackling and hissing as they burned away. 'C'mon, Doji...'
"DO IT, DAMN YOU," the monster boomed, rushing and reaching for her. Himura leaped away, spitting fire in wide arcs around them. It chuckled lowly and stretched its arm forward, successfully grabbing her by the neck and bringing her close to its face.
'Stop! Please!' She flailed and wheezed in his grasp, much more robust than she remembered Sanshiva's, hopelessly caught between its thick and shadowy fingers.
"That's right, you great big idiot," it spat, squeezing hard. "Beg! Beg for your stupid little life!"
'Doji… Please… Don't…' Great tears formed in her eyes, and she roared at its face with all the flame she could muster, a wave of violet enveloping his arm and face. 'THIS ISN'T YOU!'
"ARGH!" The monster threw her away, slamming her against a nearby tree, clawing wildly at its face to keep the dark shroud from fading. It screamed and thrashed about, turning back to her, mouth agape, sharp teeth shining in the sunlight, and thick saliva dripping from its mouth as the rage and hunger overwhelmed it.
Himura shook her head and pleaded, 'Please, Doji, come back to me. I miss my friend… The nice little boy that took care of me and saved me and—'
"Doji," the demon breathed, "…is dead."
It howled and charged, its energy rising like a great and terrible storm fueled by pure malice and thundering with pain and suffering.
Sanshiva fidgeted in her seat, the strange sensation of dark energy in the distance seeming equally frightening and familiar.
"This probably isn't the best question to ask," Hasana began, turning the bright yellow helicopter to the west, "…but are you alright?"
"About as alright as I can be," she answered glumly. "Something's not… adding up. I can feel it in my gut, and it's got nothing to do with Shiro or his crazy sons. It's like… there's another me out there. Another… monster…"
Yumena nodded from beside her, crossing her arms and adding, "I feel it, too. Whatever's out there ain't… natural," she drawled. "Sanshiva, you sure you're the only one who can transform into that demon thing?"
"I think… we all can. I just… did it first."
Hasana's eyes widened, and he put the vessel on autopilot towards Yahhoy, swiveling around and giving Sanshiva a worried look. "You… were listening to Vegeta and me that evening, weren't you?"
"Yes, and… I think he's right, Hasana. It scares the hell out of me, but… I really think he might be right about that."
"I don't think he is."
"Don't lie to me, Hasana. Do you feel that ki out there? What does it remind you of?"
The young man closed his eyes and reached out, clearing his mind of thoughts and sensing the power beyond the horizon. A mental image flashed: two wholly flaming violet eyes, a body covered in shadow, and the echo of a thunderous, anguished roar. He gasped, abruptly opening his eyes and returning to face the windshield, peering into the distance. "But… Who could it be?!"
"I… I don't know," Sanshiva mumbled. "I just hope… it's not Dende or Piccolo."
"You haven't even come into contact with them! That wouldn't make sense," he exclaimed. "They have no idea who you are or what's going on and—"
"Me and you still don't know how this whole thing works," she said, motioning to her body. "For all we know, all it could take is for me to be on the same planet. Either way, we need to prepare for a fight because whatever it is, I… I can tell that it's… hungry."
Bowa gurgled in a questioning tone. "Hungry?"
The young woman nodded. "I… felt it when I beat Makeru. Hungry for more than just someone's heart."
"Ugh! You really thought about eatin' that bastard," Yumena asked, clearly disgusted.
"No," the young woman replied, shaking her head. "His ki, Yumena. I wanted to steal his energy and add it to mine. I wanted… to become darker, and bigger, and… Stronger. It took everything in me not to." She shuddered and stared at the floor.
"If you truly believe Vegeta was correct when he said that we're all capable of such a transformation, then explain why I haven't transformed," Hasana queried. "I feel perfectly fine next to you." He seemed to want to add something to that statement but stopped and sighed instead.
"…Because you're too nice," Sanshiva said, smiling weakly. "You have a pure heart, Hasana. You don't have dark thoughts… bad thoughts like mine."
"What nonsense," he countered. "I've just the same amount of dark thoughts as any man my age."
Yumena tsked and chortled. "Oh yeah? Then tell me, what would you do if someone beat up Sanshiva real bad, hm?"
"W-well, I'd fight for her! You know I would!"
"See, but that's not a dark thought," Sanshiva retorted. "That's the right one. You'd be fighting for a friend, your captain, and that's… that's different. See, when you told me why you wanted Makeru taken care of, and I saw what he'd done to you while I was at the cantina, I… I thought about all the ways I'd hurt him. I fantasized about squeezing the life out of him and gutting him like the worthless fish he was," she said between clenched teeth. "I… I thought of biting his head off at the very end, you know that?" She shook her head and exhaled shortly.
Her shipmates trembled in response and stared glumly toward the horizon. Yumena sighed, watching the landscape zoom beneath them through the round windshield. They were passing over West City, the energy signal getting more prominent the closer they got to Yahhoy.
"Active imaginations, demons, and darkness… This ain't exactly a vacation, but it beats bein' stuck at that spaceport, I guess," the Atlassian mumbled. "Hasana, mind if I stay with the ship? I'd probably get in the way if you two think there's another monster roamin' around."
"Not at all. That sounds like a perfectly logical move. Bowa, would you stick with her while Sanshiva and I check this out?"
Bowa saluted, offering a resolute look to the young man as he declared, "Bowa protect Hasana's m'ateri and keep 'copter safe!"
"Thank you, my friend."
The four sat silently for the next two hours, contemplating the situation. Between their pursuers and the curious energy that lay just over the horizon, their primary goal seemed miles out of reach. Sanshiva tried to meditate and stifle her anxiety but to no avail. Yumena busied herself with the helicopter's manual, listlessly thumbing through it, her mind a muddled mess as she worried for her son and his friends. Finally, Bowa gurgled something in his native tongue, pacing back and forth as if angered by something.
'What's he saying,' Sanshiva asked silently.
Hasana sighed deeply and translated, 'I will protect Yumena, but if those two fish lay a hand on my friends, I will boil them alive.'
They soon reached the western seaside, where a great, deep forest of conifers and thick brush stretched to greet the shore. Hasana inhaled sharply as he spotted the tattered remains of his old ship strewn about the ground – broken glass, spilled fluids, and heaps of metal and wiring – and stared in disbelief at the crash site. Several trees had snapped in the wake of the sudden landing, still alight with embers, and smoke from the ship's remains wafted away with gentle breezes. Hasana landed the helicopter atop the flattest section of the ground, atop a small pile of wires and thick cables, nodding to Sanshiva as he opened the door and jumped out. He held his hand out, and she grabbed it, carefully stepping down and through the wreckage with him, hearts and minds racing in tandem.
"Where… are they," he asked breathlessly, failing to see any bodies among the debris.
Sanshiva glanced about and breathed deeply, recognizing the metallic smell of blood from around a thick fir tree with a heavy barbed chain beside it. She cautiously paced forward to investigate. The soft crunch of pine needles seemed to echo around her, and her heartbeat quickened as the stench intensified, and she located the source.
"What is it, San—"
Just as he walked to stand beside her, the young woman retched and turned away, trembling as tears formed in her eyes. "This is bad… this is very, very bad," she squeaked.
"My gods," Hasana exclaimed.
A near-bare skeleton was propped up against the tree, the recognizable black and viridian cuirass of a GA soldier still draped over its rib cage. Dried bits of muscle and sinew hung from its arms and legs, and the ground beneath it had dyed a deep blue, evidence of a deathly wound. Hasana leaned forward tentatively, trying to read the bloodstained inscription beneath the emblem, but as he reached to clear it up, the skeleton fell apart; its skull rolled down and settled just a few feet away. Hasana could just barely make out a number on the armor.
"Nine… one… four… D… C." He shook his head and muttered, "Pogi… This was Pogi."
Sanshiva shuddered and backed away, shaking her head. She gagged again and looked about, feeling a gigantic malevolent energy just a kilometer away. Beside it, she could feel another creature's robust and vibrant power, fighting with everything they had, fading ever so slightly. Before she could launch above the treetops to locate the energy sources, she heard a voice muttering lowly just several meters away, behind the dense brush and close to the ground.
"Ah damn it."
Sanshiva stepped forward, pushing aside the shrubbery and watching as a burned and bloody Saba crawled about, thumbing desperately at the tablet in his hands. "Damnit… the transceiver… It's not… sending a signal!"
"Give me that," she said, stretching her arm and ripping it from his hand. She crushed it between her fingers, shards of glass falling away as she leaned over him and asked, "What the hell happened here?"
He looked up at her, frustrated that she'd destroyed his only other method of communication with the Jae-Ujani command center. "Sanshiva," he greeted her sardonically, "Just the person we were lookin' for!"
"Congratulations, you found me. Now explain yourself."
Hasana joined her, gasping as he gazed at the beaten soldier. "Who did that to you?!"
"Aw, you care?"
"Only that they didn't finish the job," the young man retorted.
"Tch… Well…" Saba backed up, leaning against another tree, the wound on his stomach still leaking upon the ground. "We paid your planet a visit… You know, to see if you were home. But wouldn't you guess it? The welcoming committee refused to tell us where you were. Had to… dispose of a few of the ruder ones. My favorite was the one they called Kaede—"
Hasana stepped forward and slapped Saba hard in the face. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"
"The hell you think I did, Hasana? I ate him. Sweet, that one. Like a… dewdrop cake."
Before the young man could strike him again, Sanshiva grabbed his hand and asked, "Okay, but that still doesn't answer my question. What happened here?"
"Well, after we sampled the local fare…" Saba paused and grinned back at Hasana, who was seething and shaking beside the young woman. "We picked up your little brothers, and they said they'd guide us straight to you. And so, they did."
"My… little brothers?"
"Stupid little boys," the soldier uttered. "Crazy little—"
"What are you on about," Hasana shook his fist at the soldier, "What about the boys?!"
"Well, the tiniest one turned into the biggest monster. Bigger than your girlfriend here was when she killed my brother," he spat.
The young woman's eyes widened, and she peered about, realizing he spoke of the only three little ones who had ever gotten remotely close to her: little Doji, sweet Hama, and jovial Kiba. Her stomach felt tied into knots as she thought of their parents – Tobi and Motoki – likely beside themselves from having lost their only children and screamed at Saba with all the fury of an army unto herself. She grabbed at his cuirass, shaking him violently all the while.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?! HOW THE HELL DID HE TRANSFORM?!"
She slapped him hard, and he spluttered, shaking his head and smiling weakly. "Ooh, why don't you do that a little harder, baby? Makes me feel all tingly inside," he teased.
Thoroughly disgusted, Sanshiva reached for the fin atop his head and tore it off, discarding it as he spat, cursed, and thrashed in her grip. "WHERE IS HE?!"
"Somewhere over… there," he said, his head lolling to motion to the distance behind him. "Seems he's about ready to filet that thing he brought with him. You know… the dragon?"
She gasped and threw him back against the broad conifer, searching through the trees. A few hundred yards away, she could make out two figures engaged in close combat on the forest floor: one hulking demon, larger than she ever was, and one sinuous, firelit animal, screaming and spitting violet flames in quick, rapid bursts.
Saba laughed hoarsely and said, "You bugs are just full of surprises, aren't you? Who knew that little worm could become a monster, just like y—"
Hasana interjected the soldier's insult with a swift upward kick to Saba's chin; the soldier screamed, having bitten his tongue. Dizziness washed over him, and the tree canopy and glowering Namekians seemed to spin in circles as he collapsed, breathing heavily and muttering unintelligibly before losing consciousness.
"We'll come back for him later," she snarled. "Let's move!" She darted through the trees, heart pounding furiously as Hasana followed just behind. "HIMURA," She screamed, running towards the fighting silhouettes, "HIMURA, STAY AWAY!"
Himura shrieked as the demon grabbed her tail, swinging her in a wide arc, her head forcibly thrown through several trees that toppled noisily to the ground before she was flung against the dirt. Pine needles found their way between her thick black scales, and she cried out, the pain almost too much to bear. The demon opened its hand wide, pinning her to the forest floor and roaring as it used its other hand to slash her scaled underbelly.
She breathed as deep as she could, spitting a violent inferno across the demon's face and chest. The monster grabbed for her snout, digging its shadowy talons between the scales on her face and forcing her mouth shut.
"Your fire is no match for my darkness," the demon growled. "You should have known better than to get in my way."
"Hasana, throw me," Sanshiva commanded, hovering off the ground. Hasana nodded, holding his hands before him; she settled her feet upon his palms, and he willed his energy forward, launching her along the clearest path through the trees. Sanshiva flew through the air at breakneck speed, colliding with the demon and wrapping her arms around its neck. "Doji! Doji, it's me! It's your sister! Come back!"
"SHUT UP," it screamed. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT! UP!" The demon wrenched her away, holding her by her neck at a distance. "DOJI IS DEAD, YOU HEAR ME?! DEAD!" The monster's free arm split into thick, shadowy shoots; recognizing her own moves, Sanshiva thrust her hand forward, shooting a bright blast of purple ki directly at the monster's face before it could wrap the tendrils around her and steal her energy. It dropped her, grabbed for her hair, and she hopped away, readying her fists as she stood at a distance, Himura and Hasana watching from just a few yards away.
Hasana attended to the violet firedrake, helping to lift her up from the ground as he said to her, "It's alright. We're going to try and bring him back," he said softly. "I have to stop your bleeding. Promise not to bite me?" Himura nodded as the young man brought his fingertips to the wounds along her snout and belly, cauterizing each in turn. She fidgeted, whimpered until he finished, and leaned forward, pressing her head against his stomach and breathing deeply. "There, there." Hasana pet her gently before he heard a little voice call back to him, and a balmy sensation crept through his body.
'Please,' Himura pleaded. 'He's my friend… I know he's in there… I don't know how to get him out…'
Shocked, the young man looked into her wide, teary eyes, nodding resolutely before returning his gaze to Sanshiva and the demon. "I don't know how we're going to do this, but… Do you have the strength to help us fight if that's what it comes down to?"
Himura nodded. 'I don't want to hurt him—'
"Himura, he could have killed you," he whispered. "I know you don't want to hurt him, the same way I wouldn't want to hurt Sanshiva if she ever transformed unwillingly again. But you have to fight. You have to give it everything you have because if he's buried under that darkness, he needs you to help pull him back out."
The firedrake whimpered and pushed her snout against his belly. 'I'm so scared…'
"Sanshiva is, too," he whispered, leaning to press his head against hers. "We all are. But right now, Himura," he said, echoing the exact words he'd given to his captain just two weeks prior, "…for your friend, you have to keep going."
'Can you help me make something to help me fly? Doji made a saddle that had these openings on the side, and—'
Hasana stood upright, willing his ki forth as he reached and held a hand over her back. With a quick flash of light, a black saddle with two sizeable slits on either side manifested and settled atop her middle. He snapped his fingers, the buckles wrapping and securing underneath her belly. Her flames parted outwards, and he nodded to her, asking, "May I?" She chuffed and crouched down, and he leaped onto her back. Together, they sauntered beside Sanshiva, the animal's fiery wings glowing on either side as she flapped slowly, heat waves spreading outward across the forest floor.
"Doji," Hasana called out, "We know you're in there. Saba and Pogi can't hurt you or anyone else anymore. There's no need to stay like this. You got your revenge for everything they did to you. Now come back."
The demon laughed, long and low, before staring at the young man. "Do you know what they did to poor little Doji? Weak, stupid, cowardly little Doji?"
"Don't you dare talk about yourself like that," Sanshiva said. "Don't you dare!"
It shrugged and chortled. "They cut him and beat him and broke him, called him every name under every sun, stopped his heart and blackened his soul, and he all suffered all of this," the demon said, raising a hand to point at the female Namekian, "…to save you."
"What…?" Tears welled in her eyes, and her breath hitched. "He… endured that… for me?"
"That's right, Sanshiva," it spat. "All that torment, every drop of blood spilled, and every tear shed was for you. And now, because of you, little Doji… is DEAD!"
The young woman whimpered and covered her mouth with a shaking hand. "What have I done… Oh, my gods… What have I—"
Himura paced forward and roared. Hasana screamed with her, "ENOUGH! DOJI, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE, DAMN YOU!" The demon cackled and hummed lowly, shaking its massive head. Hasana continued, "Doji, your darkness is an instrument of righteous fury, and your task is complete! Saba and Pogi were defeated! Sanshiva will be at Baba's by this time tomorrow, and together, when her training is finished, we will bring your father back from the dead! Now come back to us, Doji!"
As if injured by the words, the demon stumbled backward, clawing at its chest as its shadows wavered in the sunlight. The flames of its eyes sputtered, and it growled.
"Wait a minute," Sanshiva muttered, remembering Dokira's words. 'You are not a mindless beast… but an instrument of righteous fury.' She wiped her tears away and reached out to Hasana telepathically. 'Repeat after me. If Himura can communicate with Doji, ask her to do the same.'
"For every tear of sadness is a smile full of laughter; for every moment of isolation, sweet camaraderie follows thereafter. For every dark and stormy night is a bright and golden day; for every moment spent lost, we come closer to finding the way," Sanshiva recited the poem in her native tongue, every syllable like a great command. Hasana followed her, their voices together like an ardent song between the monster's guttural groans. Himura reached out to Doji, repeating the lines as best she could. The demon thrashed and wailed, covering its ears and shaking its head.
"SHUT UP!"
Sanshiva paced forward, hand outstretched. "For every soul exists a match, hidden somewhere in the great beyond; for every person, two parts, forever joined in a fierce bond. For every light, there is a darkness, against every evil there will be good. Acknowledge the duality within, as always you should."
The monster backed away, shaking as the shadows began to peel away from its arms and legs. "STOP IT! SHUT UP! NO, NO, NO!"
"My humble gift to you, these solemn words spoken; you are warrior and wiseman, head held high and heart wide open. Yours is the power of dragons and of demons; of an emerald people fair and a tribe clever and battle seasoned."
T he creature fell to its knees, wailing loudly and floundering through every word. By now, Hasana, Himura, and Sanshiva were mere feet away, their steady steps and passionate recitation washing through its form like a wave of light to part the cloud of darkness.
"Cloaked in deep shadows and armed with starlight, yours is the soul that illuminates the bleakest night. May you never surrender, never yield to the evil within…" Sanshiva laid her hand upon the creature's trembling face; Hasana reached to touch its broad shoulder, and the firedrake beneath him chuffed and nuzzled the demon's dark belly.
"For you are the justice that stands above the lowliness of sin."
Expecting a horrible shriek, the three were surprised when the creature began to shake and shrink; its shadowy skin peeled away, disappearing into the sunlight streaming from the canopy. The fire in its eyes died, and they were greeted by the sight of a horribly frightened little boy, his violet eyes brimming with tears, his tiny body covered in deep and dark scars. He quivered and hunched over, held his bloodied hands over his face, and wept uncontrollably.
"Monster… I really am… a m-monster," Doji blubbered through his fingers. "A h-horrible… monster…"
"No, Doji," Sanshiva said, scooping and holding him tight. "You are a Namekian. You are… a powerful, intelligent, brave little boy, and I'm so proud of you, little brother. So proud that you held your own this whole time. I never meant for you to be hurt anymore than you already were. More than I'd already hurt you." By now, Sanshiva had let her tears fall and buried her face in his shoulder, squeezing and rocking him back and forth.
"I p-pushed my brothers away," he sobbed. "I almost k-killed m-my friend… I… wanted to… I wanted to d-destroy everything."
"Because you were upset, little one," she said sadly. "Anger, pain, sorrow… These things can make monsters of us all. Trust me." She kissed his forehead and lifted his chin, wiping the tears from his cheek with her thumb. "I know."
Hasana dismounted and joined them on the ground, one hand on Sanshiva's shoulder and the other rubbing the little one's back. Himura paced in a wide circle until settling around them, like a scaly embrace that warmed the three Namekians as they remained huddled together in the dappled light of the afternoon sun.
Suspended high above cloud cover by potent magic, Earth's sapphire firmament enveloped the massive circular stone-tiled platform known to a select few as the Lookout. The Earth's Guardian, a kindhearted Namekian healer with a gentle jade face and a soothing voice, announced softly to the little ones that stood beside him at the edge of the gilded temple grounds that Doji had been freed from his dark prison.
"It really stopped?" Hama and Kiba grabbed his pristine white and blue robes.
"Is Doji going to be alright now," Hama queried, pulling one way.
"Was it Sanshiva that stopped him," Kiba probed, pulling another.
"What about Hasana? Is he really alive and with her?"
"Is Himura okay? Doji didn't hurt her, did he?"
Together, they asked, "Can you really see all that from here?!"
"Boys, boys, please… Calm down," Dende said gently, "Yes, I can see quite a bit from here, but I sense more than I see. The eyes can deceive, but the heart knows the truth. Now, let's get you two washed up. Your brother should be here soon, okay?"
The little ones' eyes lit up, and they nodded, turning back to the Guardian's attendant, Mr. Popo, who stood underneath the golden awning, holding the door to the living quarters open. They raced past the ebony-skinned man, and he chuckled, happy to see the children's faces finally free of worry. "First door to the right," he called out in a velvety tone, "…and you can take all the time you need. I've laid out some fresh clothes for you. I will fetch you when Doji has arrived."
As the boys disappeared into the washroom, Mr. Popo closed the door and approached Dende, who was now focused on the dark pinpricks that steadily grew, speeding up and around the great tower leading to the base of his temple.
"They seem like such wonderful little boys," Popo chirped. "I'm almost sad they'll have to leave when this is all taken care of. Children bring a different energy, especially when they're at peace."
"Yes," Dende said, nodding. "I wonder… why did they need to help her so much? Do they not think her… capable?"
"Children don't weigh capabilities," Popo advised. "They cling to hope. And it seems these boys have placed much faith in that young woman. With Doji's transformation, time will be of the essence for the young miss. Her training must begin in earnest if she is to teach your kin how to control the darkness within."
"I'm so confused… I thought… I thought there was no darkness left in any of us. That we were all pure-hearted and—"
"Not a chance," said a deep and sharp voice.
Draped in regal purple gi held in place by a shimmering sky-blue belt, a towering and brawny Namekian stepped from behind the main edifice, his crisp white cape billowing out from behind him in the breeze that wafted over the Lookout. He tapped at his turban, chuckling as he said, "I don't think I've ever heard Kami laugh that much."
"Ah! Piccolo! When did you—"
"As soon as you called out to me. I was training nearby, in Yunzabit Heights. Heard the boys tell you everything, and to be honest, I'm… intrigued. If what they say about that transformation is true, I have to help see this through, too."
"You don't hope to control that, do you," Dende asked, anxious as he approached the warrior. "Doji and Sanshiva may be young, but… They've caused so much damage on their own. I shudder to think what would happen if you lost yourself to that…"
"Darkness and demons hold no sway over me anymore, and I intend to keep it that way. But it sounds like Sanshiva has just started to understand this and needs training. The problem is that controlling something like that would take time and effort. Time is something we don't have. The boys mentioned someone called Shiro, following after the men that assaulted their brother?"
"Yes… They didn't expand on that, though."
"We'll have Sanshiva explain. After all, she's apparently the one who started all this."
Dende nodded and returned to the Lookout's edge, peering downward again. He could make out the shapes of a woman and child, a young man, and a dragon with something clenched in its mouth. He backed away and remained by Piccolo's side.
Himura arrived first, landing atop the warm tile with a great thud, her indigo wings spreading heat waves around her body and to the ground. Clenched between her teeth was an unconscious soldier dressed in broken armor - Saba. Piccolo gasped, recognizing armor eerily similar to those of Frieza's men, save for the viridian shoulder pads and the strange crest at the center.
She hissed and dropped the man, and he coughed and groaned as the sun streamed down on his face. "Ugh," he grumbled. "Now I smell like… dragon's breath."
"Dragon's breath is usually fire," Piccolo smarted. "You're lucky she didn't fry you for what you did to her friend."
"Huh? Who the hell are you?!"
Hasana joined them, dashing forward and slapping Saba across the face. "Watch your tongue! You're in the presence of two of the greatest people our kind have ever known. Mind your manners, or I'll mind your head."
Piccolo's brows raised at the sight of the young man, eerily reminiscent of the Namekian warrior Nail, whom he'd fused with at the time of Frieza's conquest of Namek. Dende inhaled sharply, recognizing the black gi and golden sash. Elder Hiro had lamented the loss of his favorite son, the bright and intelligent Hasana, who'd disappeared shortly after his people's relocation to New Namek. Mr. Popo was pleasantly surprised by his prim and proper accent, something he hadn't heard since he last spoke with Kami.
"Hasana," Dende exclaimed. "It really is you!"
Hasana kicked Saba away and greeted the Guardian like an old friend. "Dende! My word, I haven't seen you since… Well, since I left home, really. I trust you've been keeping well?"
"A lot has happened since you left. I was brought here just a few years after the relocation, and I've stayed ever since. The little ones that came to us… They mentioned a woman—"
Sanshiva landed just behind them all, cradling Doji in her arms. The boy nuzzled her neck and sighed deeply, sadness emanating from his little form in great waves. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'll never do that again, I promise."
"Stop apologizing, little brother, it's alright. I'll figure this out for the both of us." She kissed his forehead again and held tight, greeting Piccolo, Dende, and Mr. Popo respectfully. "I am so, so sorry if we've caused you any trouble at all. I'm… Sanshiva."
The three gasped at the sight of the first and only female Namekian, her slender arms wrapped around the scarred and trembling little one, the jewelry on her face and ears shining in the light, her deep purple cloak swaying in the breeze behind her. Piccolo nodded to her while the Guardian and his attendant bowed deeply in turn.
"So you're the one that's behind all this?"
Slightly insulted, Sanshiva responded to the warrior in a stiff tone. "If you think I'm having fun, I'm not. Hear me out before you judge me, yeah?"
Piccolo bowed his head and sighed. "Alright, alright. I just…" He looked at her and said, "Listen, we've been through a lot here. I don't have a problem helping. I have a problem if it starts to get out of hand. Majin Buu was a handful as it was."
"I know, Vegeta said the same," the young woman said, "But still, I'm trying, Piccolo. I'm really trying and could use all the help I can get right now. If I knew then what I know now, I would have asked Porunga to destroy my soul long ago. No one deserves a curse like this… Especially not this one," she finished and hugged Doji tighter.
Mr. Popo was the first to approach, holding his wide, dark arms out as if to take the little boy from her. Doji shook his head and buried his face in her neck. "I don't want to let go," he said quietly.
"Oh, that's alright, Doji," he said, holding his hands poignantly behind his back. "I understand. You know, your brothers would be so happy to see you. They were ever so worried. They'll be glad to see that Sanshiva and her friends brought you back."
He sprang up, and the crown of his head smacked against the young woman's jaw. They both winced, and she chuckled lightly at the sight of an energized Doji, who separated from her and looked about the vast temple grounds. "Where are they? Can I see them? I need to apologize! Oh, I've been a horrible little brother to them and—"
Two small, dark forms whizzed by Dende and Piccolo, and Popo gracefully sidestepped as Hama and Kiba – now clean and sporting fresh black gi with glimmering purple belts and matching scarves – tackled their brother to the ground.
"Doji! You're back," they cried. "You're back!"
Doji stared at the sky in shock; Hama held fast around his neck, and Kiba wrapped his arms around his waist, squeezing tight as he began to shake and hyperventilate, his tears dripping onto the tiles beside his head. His heart ached, and he felt a deep shame wash over him. He'd tried his hardest to control the darkness; instead, it had nearly destroyed everything he had worked to protect all this time. He cried and apologized profusely, and they shushed and held him, whispered forgiveness in his ears, and lent their energy to rid his body of the dark scars covering his little frame.
Shocked, Sanshiva's mouth gaped open, realizing that the little ones had chosen to wear their colors as if to solidify their adopted role as her brothers. Tears formed in her eyes, and she sniffled.
Saba groaned at the display of emotion between the Namekians. "Ugh… Are you done yet? This teary-eyed crap is making me sick."
Himura snarled and smacked him with her fiery tail as hard as she could, bruising and burning his face and sending him tumbling backward. Hasana took several long and quick steps, grabbing his cuirass and shaking him angrily before dangling him over the edge of the Lookout. "You and I both know you don't have enough energy left to keep yourself aloft. One more word, you putrid, scaly piece of garbage, and I will not hesitate to see you splashed upon the ground like chum across a dock. Are we clear?"
Doji sat up and smiled, recognizing the same insult he had spat at Saba at the start of their journey to Earth. Hama and Kiba giggled and grinned, watching the angry soldier stutter and shudder in the young hero's grasp.
"Aw c-c'mon, Hasana… Y-you wouldn't d-do that, would you? You're t-too nice for that."
"Not after what you've done, I'm not." He loosened his grip ever so slightly, and Saba flailed and whined.
"N-no! No! Don't drop me, please! You're right! I… I'm too w-weak to fly right n-now…"
Hasana threw the soldier back towards Piccolo's feet and said, "This one tortured that poor boy the entire way here."
Disgusted, Piccolo grabbed up the sputtering soldier and held him at arms' length, dangling him above the ground. "Did he, now?"
"Did he now," Saba mocked. "Of course I did, you dumb—"
Piccolo rolled his eyes and swiftly punched Saba in the mouth. "Keep talking, fish man. I might be tempted to drop you from even greater heights than this." The soldier gulped and looked indignantly towards the ground before he was forcibly flung towards the violet firedrake's feet. "Himura, is it?" She nodded and offered a wide grin, light grey smoke trailing from her nostrils and disappearing in the air. "If you can do me a favor and keep an eye on this guy, I'd be in your debt. You hungry?"
She nodded again enthusiastically, her stomach growling as if to answer him resolutely. The warrior smiled and walked over to her, his hand gliding across her scaled face. Piccolo nodded quickly to her, launched away from the Lookout, and headed northbound, disappearing in the distance somewhere by colder seas.
Hama and Kiba lifted Doji from the ground and asked Mr. Popo if he could help make him new clothes and draw another bath for him. The portly man smiled and nodded, ushering the boys back inside the main edifice as they chatted about one another. For a moment, Hasana swore he could hear them saying, "It's really him, from the story," and blushed ever so slightly.
Himura chuffed and reached out to the young man. 'Doji said that Sanshiva's name is a…. con-track-shun… I don't know what that is, but something about… The Star of Life…?'
"Sa Hoshii Viirva! My gods!" Hasana's eyes lit up, and he smiled wide.
Startled by the young man's sudden exclamation, the group gazed at him in wonder. They could sense his heightened energy, feverish and bright as he explained himself. "Sanshiva… your name is a contraction, taken from a phrase in the Breath of the Ancients! I don't know why I didn't think of that before!"
"Uh… Okay? Wait… What does a dead language have anything to do with me?"
"It has everything to do with you. Everything that you are and what you're capable of. Your name comes from a story called, 'Sankouma ito Direigin.'"
Dende gasped loudly and translated, "The Demon and The Dragon!"
"You remember it," Hasana asked cheerfully.
"Only bits and pieces, unfortunately…"
The young man chuckled and placed a hand tenderly on Dende's shoulder. "That's alright—"
Before he could begin the story, the group heard the whir of helicopter blades and the distinct sound of a furious and cursing old woman through a crackling speaker. "You're damn lucky Sanshiva taught me how to sense your ki, you son of a bug," Yumena called as the helicopter soared around the tower and above the Lookout, "You've got some explaining to do, damn it!"
Bowa burbled angrily from beside her, his furious and red-toned body mass shaking as he grabbed the microphone from her and said, "Hasana, explain! Explain!"