Krillin groaned and slowly pulled himself back up to his feet as well, standing next to Piccolo.
"You want her then come and get her." Garlic Jr. taunted Piccolo. Piccolo growled and so did Krillin and the two quickly charged at Garlic Jr. Garlic Jr. tossed Ocarin to the side and she collapsed on the the ground. Then he grabbed Piccolo by his head and Krillin by his neck, capturing them.
"Let's see who will pop first!" He chuckled gleefully and slowly began squeeze. Piccolo and Krillin groaned, still too weak to fight out of his grasp.
"Hey, ugly!" Gohan shouted. Seeing Garlic Jr. was distracted, Piccolo and Krillin quickly kicked him, and Garlic Jr. released the two. Piccolo quickly hopped on top of Garlic's head while Krillin grabbed his leg.
"Now! Blast him!" Piccolo shouted.
"B-But I can't!" Gohan cried out, scared that he might hit the two of them if he fired at Garlic Jr.
"Now Gohan! What are you waiting for!? Do it before he gets away!" Piccolo shouted.
"Do it! Now!" Krillin shouted.
The four spirit guardians stopped blasting Kami with lightening and he fell to the ground. Mr. Popo immediately ran over to him. "Kami, let me help you!" Kami groaned and sat up then held out the sacred water to the genie. Mr. Popo took it from him, wondering what Kami was up to.
"Here, hold onto this. It's up to you to pour the sacred water. If these guys want me, they can have me." Kami spoke.
"Kami! I won't leave you! I can't do it! Let's get out of here, now!" the genie cried out.
"I can't! I told you to go! I'm going to stay here and distract them!" Kami shouted. The four spirit guardians fired another lightening at Kami, pulling him up to them. Kami screamed in pain as they continued to attack him. He turned back to see that Mr. Popo haven't moved from his spot. "Don't just stand there! Get moving!"
"But Kami!" the genie shouted, not wanting to leave Kami with the spirits.
"Forget me! Just go!" Kami hissed.
Back on top of the Lookout, Piccolo started to feel the shocking pain again as Kami was being attacked. "Hurry!" Piccolo shouted. "Gohan! Take a shot! Come on!" Gohan gritted his teeth in frustration as he still didn't fire, his hands shaking, hesitantly.
"Hurry, Mr. Popo! Hurry!" Kami cried out as the four spirits continued to fire their energy at him.
"No, I can't! Kami!" the genie shouted.
"Pour the sacred water, Mr. Popo! Do it!" Kami insisted.
"Do it!" Piccolo shouted. Then he groaned in pain as he felt another wave of painful shocks coursing through his entire body. Garlic Jr. tossed Piccolo off and kicked Krillin off of him. At the last second, Gohan quickly fired only for the blast to sail above Garlic's head, missing him.
"You missed me!" Garlic Jr. cackled, smirking at Gohan.
Mr. Popo quickly rushed over to the air current and uncorked the sacred water and placed the vial over the vent. "Oh, Kami! I hope it's not too late to save him!" the genie exclaimed, worried. A yellow mist poured out from the bottom of the Lookout and spread fast, scattering all over the Earth.
"What's happening!?" Garlic Jr. demanded, seeing the mist spreading out. Piccolo smirked.
"He did it! Good job!" Then Piccolo looked over at Ocarin, seeing her, still unconscious. He struggled as he fought through the pain and crawled over to her. Piccolo picked her up, holding her in his arms, lightly shaking her. "Come on, wake up!" He spoke, weakly. Ocarin groaned, hearing his voice and slowly opened her eyes and sat up.
"Piccolo?" She saw Piccolo collapse next to her and she immediately went to his side. "Piccolo!"
The four spirit guardians released Kami and he fell to the ground again, landing on his back. "The threat's over! At last!" Kami smiled.
"My plan!" Garlic Jr. roared, furiously, glaring at Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin and Ocarin. "You meddling fools have ruined everything! I'll make you pay for this! For what you did to me and my father! And this time I'll finish you off for good!" He flew into the air, floating above them and started to scream, gathering up his energy. The sky began to turn dark as the star began to get closer, making Garlic stronger. A small rift began to tear in the sky and the wind began to pick up, blowing wildly. Ocarin's eyes widen, realizing what he was doing.
"Don't tell me he's planning to-!" The rift opened and the wind blew faster and slowly began to suck everything into it.
"It's...the Dead Zone!" Piccolo shouted.
"The Dead Zone will swallow you up and keep you for all eternity! There's no escape!" Garlic Jr. laughed, evilly. "I know you can't hold on much longer! There's no use in resisting! Just think, you'll spend the rest of your lives in total darkness, in the Dead Zone! At last, I will have my revenge! Yes! Know the lonely horrors of the void!"
Gohan quickly brought up a shield made of his energy as he struggled to stay on his feet, Piccolo, Krillin and Ocarin and himself within it, to keep them from getting sucked into the void.
"Gohan!" Krillin cried out. Piccolo groaned as his entire body was fading in and out.
"No! Fight, Kami...you can't give in." Piccolo murmured.
"Kami! Kami! Please! Let him go!" Mr. Popo cried out to the former guardians to release Kami until he realized. "He did it for...them." He stared at Kami in disbelief as he was being shocked again by the former guardians.
Gohan struggled to keep the barrier up as the void began to grow even more stronger. Gohan's feet started to slide a little as everyone felt themselves about to be sucked in. "Man! Whoa! Hold on tight, Gohan! I'm sorry but we can't help much!" Krillin shouted. Piccolo groaned as he struggled to keep his eyes open and was starting fade even faster now.
"Piccolo!" Ocarin cried out. Krillin quickly ran over to them.
"Don't give in, Piccolo! You have to fight it! Stay with us!" He shouted, telling Piccolo to stay awake.
"That's enough! Please!" Mr. Popo pleaded. Then the ceiling started to crumble and fall down. The genie screamed as he tried to dodge from the falling debris, trying not to get flatten. Kami groaned as he sensed that something was wrong coming on top of the Lookout. A feeling he felt before.
"What? How can this be?"
"The Dead Zone! Yes, Garlic Jr. has reopened the Dead Zone!" the genie exclaimed. Kami groaned as he stared at the four guardians.
"You fools! By hurting me, you're helping Garlic Jr.! Are your egos so big that you can't see past your nose?" He shouted at them.
"Piccolo!" Ocarin cried out, seeing Piccolo let out a scream in pain. She hated seeing him like this. Gohan gritted his teeth as he felt his barrier starting to weaken a little, getting tired.
"Seems you're having trouble maintaining that, aren't you?" Garlic Jr. taunted in a sing sony voice. "It won't be long now! That little pimple of a shield is going to pop and the four of you is going to ooze into the Dead Zone like the puss that you are!" Gohan felt his feet starting to drag a little more as he struggled to stay in place to keep his barrier up.
"Guys, I'm slipping!" Gohan cried out.
"Oh, man! This is it! We've got to think of something fast! Gohan! Don't give in!" Krillin shouted. "We need all the time that we can get!"
"N-No...Gohan...Makyo Star!" Piccolo groaned, weakly.
"What?" Krillin questioned. Ocarin realized what Piccolo was talking about. She quickly turned to Gohan.
"Gohan shoot the star!" she shouted.
"Blow up the Makyo Star, it's the source of his power!" Piccolo told him as well.
"But he's barely able to hold the shield!" Krillin spoke unsure. "I don't know, Piccolo, that plan sounds half-baked to me."
"No, it's fully baked. It's the only way!" Piccolo insisted.
"Yeah, but shoot-if he let's go to attack, we're goners!" Krillin shouted.
"Just do it, Gohan! There's a whole world of people down there to consider!" Piccolo exclaimed. Garlic Jr. began to unleash more of his energy and the void began to grow larger. The Lookout began to move as it was slowly being sucked up towards the Dead Zone!
"Fools! I'll suck the whole sanctuary up if I have to!" Garlic Jr. laughed.
"Hold on, Gohan! You can do it!" Krillin shouted.
"Oh, what's the matter? It's a little different this time, isn't it, you brat?!" Garlic Jr. mocked Gohan, seeing the boy struggling. Gohan glared at him.
"I'm not sure how much longer I can hold this, but I'll die before I give in!" He shouted.
"Hey, don't talk like that! Go for the win!" Piccolo shouted. "Destroy the Makyo Star, kid!"
"I can't! I just can't let this shield down!" Gohan shouted. "You guys mean too much to me! I won't let you go!"
"Please! Do it!" Piccolo insisted, again.
"I can't! I won't!" Gohan shouted, shaking his head.
"Attack that star!" Ocarin shouted.
"I can't!"
"Piccolo's right, Gohan! I don't like it any more than you do but there's too much at stake! There's a whole planet full of people down there, Gohan! This isn't about us!" Krillin shouted.
"I can't! No way! Don't ask me to do that!" Gohan shouted. "NEVER!" Gohan unleashed a large amount of energy, creating a bigger barrier but he was slowly being drained as well, getting exhausted.
The four spirits continued to attack Kami, firing at him. "Please! He was only trying to help!" Mr. Popo shouted. "Let him go! Please! I beg of you! Kami! Kami!" The spirits released Kami and he fell. Mr. Popo quickly rushed over to him, picking Kami up in his arms. The four spirits whispered quietly to each other. "Kami, no..." the genie cried as he saw Kami was about to disappear. However, just as Kami was about to vanish the four spirits unleashed an energy, engulfing Kami and Mr. Popo in it. Kami's body slowly began to stop disappearing and he groaned as he opened his eyes.
"What happened? I'm alive..." Kami sat up, looking at his hands, wondering. Mr. Popo wondered as well before he looked up at the four spirits above them.
"I think they decided to let you go!" Mr. Popo told him, surprised as well. "As long as they don't change their minds again! They've never done this before... It's a great honor, Kami! To be pardoned for coming here! They've forgiven you!"
Kami growled and stood up, glaring at the four spirit guardians. "Oh, yeah? Well, I haven't forgiven them! Get a life, you stubborn old fools!" All four guardian spirits eyes glowed red.
"Kami!" The spirits zapped Kami and Mr. Popo, teleporting them.
"You're starting to lose power! I can feel it! I won't be long now!" Garlic Jr. laughed. Suddenly, everyone sensed something coming.
"Oh, man! What now!?" Krillin shouted. Kami and Mr. Popo landed on the ground with a thud.
"It's Kami and Mr. Popo!" Ocarin shouted. Garlic's eyes widened as he growled.
"What? Kami?!"
"Hey, Kami's back!" Krillin smiled.
"I know." Piccolo smirked, standing up, feeling his energy returning back.
"Piccolo! You're okay!" Ocarin cried.
"Yeah, I'm fine! That's to Kami I'm better than ever!" Piccolo spoke.
"So be it! You'll all diiieee!" Garlic Jr. shouted. The wind blew stronger sucking everything. Kami and Mr. Popo tried to grab onto a pile of rubble, hanging on. But they soon began to lose their grip and were being sucked up towards the void! Piccolo's eyes widen and he quickly flew out the barrier, heading towards them.
"Piccolo!" Ocarin shouted.
"Piccolo!" Gohan and Krillin shouted as well.
"That's it! Embrace your destiny!" Garlic Jr. cackled. Piccolo reached Kami and Mr. Popo and knocked them out of the away, sending them flying down to the ground. The two quickly grabbed onto a pillar. Piccolo turned back towards Garlic, heading towards him.
"Kami, I can't promise I'm going to make it through this one!" He spoke telepathically to the guardian.
"I...understand!" Kami groaned as he struggled to hold on. Ocarin watched him, worried.
"Yes! Come, Piccolo! Come to your death!" Garlic Jr. shouted. "Yes! Perfect! Now just a little bit closer, you fool! How 'bout a belly-blast!?" Garlic unleashed a blast from his belly and a purple rings flew at Piccolo. Piccolo groaned as he struggled against them.
"Gohan, do it! Attack!" Piccolo shouted at Gohan.
"What about Krillin and Ocarin!?" Gohan exclaimed.
"Don't worry about us! We'll be fine!" Ocarin told him.
"You know it's the best thing to do right now!" Krillin shouted. Gohan shook his head.
"I can't! I need to protect the both of you!"
"Forget about us!" Ocarin shouted. She quickly flew out of the barrier, heading towards Piccolo to help him. Krillin followed behind her.
"Krillin! Ocarin! Don't go!" Gohan cried out.
"What's wrong? Can't take the heat!?" Garlic Jr. laughed. Piccolo growled and quickly fired a ki blast at Garlic Jr. Garlic Jr. caught it with his hands. "What a nice gift! Here you go! Right back at you, Piccolo!" He fired an even more powerful beam at Piccolo. Krillin quickly appeared in front of Piccolo, blocking a little of the blast. Ocarin appeared in front of the two, putting up a barrier as well, holding the blast back.
"Gohan, now!" Krillin shouted.
"Fire!" Piccolo shouted.
"I've got you now!" Garlic Jr. growled. Gohan yelled unleashing a large blast of energy and fired it. It passed Garlic Jr., hitting the Makyo Star!
"What!? No! It can't be!" Garlic Jr. cried out.
The blast exploded the star, destroying it. Garlic Jr. screamed as he shrunk down back to his normal size. He was instantly sucked into the Dead Zone, again, and the rift closed up sealing him inside. The Earth was saved! The mist began to reach every human and animal turning them back to normal.
Gohan groaned as he crawled himself from out of the rubble. He looked around the see the entire completely destroyed. He slowly began to worry, not seeing everyone. Where they sucked into the Dead Zone!? Was he too late?
"Piccolo! Ocarin...Krillin, you too-Piccolo! Where are you!?" Gohan cried out. "Krillin...Why didn't you stay under the shield?"
"Calm down, we're right here." Gohan eyes widen and saw Ocarin coming out from the pile of rubble. "Ocarin!" Kami and Mr. Popo came out of the pile was well.
"Kami! And Popo!" Gohan smiled at them in relief running over to them. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you made it!"
"Yes, by a whisker." Kami groaned.
"But my plants got sucked into the Dead Zone!" Mr. Popo cried.
"You can plant some more, even better ones this time!" Ocarin told him.
"Gohan! Have a little respect would ya!? It's hurts bad enough as it is!" Krillin shouted from underneath him. Gohan quickly hopped off and Krillin lifted the rubble off of him. "Whoo! Hiya!" He smiled at them.
"Man! I can't believe it!" Gohan smiled. "Krillin it's really you! You made it!" Gohan tackled Krillin with a hug, crying. "You made it! Thank goodness!"
"Yeah! Thank goodness you saved us, Gohan!" Krillin spoke.
"Hey! Knock off the mushy stuff, you sissies!" Piccolo called out. Everyone saw him sitting on a pile of rubble smirking at them.
"Piccolo..." Gohan murmured. "Piccolo, you're alright!"
"Yeah, well, thanks for blowing up the Makyo Star, kid. Because of you, Garlic shriveled up like a raisin."
"I see! So, the lion's share of his energy was actually coming from the Makyo Star!" Kami spoke. "Well, I'll be a green pointy-eared monkey's uncle!"
"With the star gone, he's through. I hope he can learn to like the Dead Zone..." Piccolo said and hopped down, joining everyone. "Since he's now a permanent resident."
"Piccolo! Ocarin! We did it ourselves!" Gohan smiled. "We didn't even need my dad this time!"
"We needed your dad, very much, kid! And he was here the whole time!" Piccolo smiled.
"That was all you, Gohan!" Ocarin said.
"What? Are you sure?" Gohan asked.
"Of course, I'm sure! He was here, inside of you, Gohan!" Piccolo said. Gohan laughed tiredly. "Hey, Piccolo?"
"Yes?"
"Gosh...you're such an incredible friend." Gohan murmured. Piccolo chuckled.
"You, too, Gohan. You too." Gohan smiled before he fell into Piccolo's arms. Piccolo quickly caught him. "He's okay. He just needs a little rest." Piccolo told everyone.
"Sleep well, Gohan. I'm proud of you."
And so, the planet Earth was back to normal again.
Roshi and friends began restoring his damaged house. Krillin and Maron broke up. Gohan was being more closely guarded than ever by his mom, making sure he kept to his studies, along with Piccolo and Ocarin who came to visit him every now and then while Chichi wasn't around.
And Piccolo and Ocarin...well they continued training and meditating together, getting even more closer. Piccolo helped Ocarin get in tuned with her newly discovered powers and she soon began to grow more stronger with each day. And though he didn't accept Kami's offer, to officially take over as guardian of the Earth, nothing can ever escape from Piccolo's ever-watchful gaze.