What's Good About Life? (Dragon Ball Z SI Chapter 4)

"So, kid," Raditz said while taking a break from training. "What was your dad like?" He sat next to Gohan and asked him.

"Oh, he was the best! My daddy was the strongest in the world. He was so cool." Gohan looked down, suddenly remembering that he was gone, but spoke in a hopeful tone. "I can't wait to see him when he gets back."

Raditz surprised Nach by showing tact, in not mentioning how he was able to beat Goku.

"Goku was a fierce warrior, his fighting spirit was second to none, and his drive to improve and fight strong warrior was, begrudgingly, something to admire." Piccolo stepped up as he recounted some stories about the fallen Saiyan.

"Ha!" Raditz grinned, growing more happy and excited the more he listened. "Even without his memories, he still had his Saiyan Warrior spirit. That's my brother!"

Nach wanted to hit him for his callousness since they were responsible for that "brother's" death. The other Earth Warriors seem...to accept Raditz's words in the intended spirit at least.

Working with the warriors of Earth was not an easy prospect. Yes they were technically on the "same side", but it was obviously an alliance made, because a greater threat loomed over everyone.

Nach just focus on training, growing stronger, while also helping the Earthlings prepare for Vegeta and Nappa. They were...interesting.

While the humans were weak in body, they still hunkered down and trained with the Saiyans, even while knowing stronger foes were coming. Their improvements were astonishing. As if once they knew a new power level was possible, they were able to strive towards it. Their spirit were commendable if nothing else.

Raditz and Nach had grown leaps and bounds, as they trained together and with the Namekian. Piccolo was the one with the greatest rise in strength among the Earth Warriors. While the others might be helpful, Nach only counted herself, Raditz and Piccolo as the only real fighting force.

Even then, it will likely come down to her and Raditz to face Vegeta, if everyone together managed to take down Nappa.

And then...they die to Vegeta's hands. Probably.

Pessimistic? Maybe. But Nach didn't want to lie about their chances.

Then...the absurdities of Earth began.

"I'm...I'm sorry, what? The Otherworld? There's an...Otherworld? And Goku is training there, and knows about our problem." Nach had never faced a situation as...bizarre as this.

"Yeah! That's how a son of Bardock should act. Fighting and growing in strength even after death!" Raditz shouted with a grin, just accepting the news without question.

"No, no! Don't just accept this." She pointed at Piccolo who delivered the news. "I call bullshit on this stuff. Where's your proof?"

"The Dragon Balls, we have brought people back from the dead before. As to how I know? Kami told me." Piccolo gave his usual gruff another.

"Kami? God?" Nach asked with her jaw dropped. "What, you're religious?"

"It's not being religious. Kami is literally there on the Lookout and you can actually meet him." Yamcha pointed out. "Besides, where do you think Dragon Balls get people back from?"

Nach just stood there dumbfounded.

"...You know what, prove it."

Nach met the Guardian of Earth, and while he looked weak he was able to communicate with the afterlife-which was a real place-and even ask King Kai (basically the God of North Galaxy) so she can talk to Goku.

"...So yeah I should be seeing you in a few months. It will be a close call, but the Dragon Ball should do it." Said Goku from the Otherworld.

"Huh..." Nach replied the same as she's been doing for a while.

"Are you okay?" Asked Goku.

"I'm talking to a dead guy because his world's god asked the God of North Galaxy if I can talk to you, which you are doing by using his telepathy, like it's a phone line. I'm...processing here." Nach explained.

Goku just laughed.

"Oi, watch it! You're already on thin ice kid." King Kai said back.

"Y-Yes, my, um...L-Lord?" How exactly is she suppose to address him?

"Oh just call him King Kai, that's what I do!" Said Goku cheerfully.

"R-right."

Goku spoke to King Kai placating him for a bit, before he turned to Nach again.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something." Goku said. Nach nodded before realizing he can't see her and said for him to go ahead. "How's Chi Chi and Gohan doing?"

"I don't know the first one, but the boy is doing good. Raditz is really trying to do the whole 'cool uncle' thing." Nach rolled her eyes.

"Hehe, that's...kinda hard to imagine." Goku laughed.

"You're lucky." Nach said back, to which Goku chuckled some more. "The boy is growing strong," Nach felt like she should say something more. What do you say in this situation to a dead father, who isn't gonna be dead soon, to reassure him his kid is fine. "...He misses you." She settled on the simple answer. "And he...can't wait to see you when you get back."

"Thank you," Goku's sincerity made Nach feel awkward. They were enemies months ago, and now they're just...chatting. While one is dead. That is not gonna stop being weird."I have to get back to training though. See you when I'm back, Nach. Thanks for letting know how things are going there."

Nach wanted to asked him something, but could feel the mental presence disconnect, and let it go. She wanted to ask if a certain Saiyan she knew was on the other side. Now that she thought about it, given how Otherworld works, as she just learned, would he even still have his body?

"Yo, you done?" Yamcha, who had come with her here, asked.

"Yeah, let's go." Nach nodded.

"Hmm, farewell then." Kami made a grunting noise, before nodding at them. Yet his pointed stare irritated Nach.

"What?" She said with a frown.

"You and your friend, Raditz-"

"Not friends." Nach felt the need to point out, but Kami just continued as if she didn't interrupt him.

"Are the third and fourth Saiyans I had ever seen. I'm trying to ascertain what a typical Saiyan is like." He commented.

"'Fourth', you met another Saiyan than us and Goku?" Nach asked in interest.

"You call him 'Goku'?" Kami asked.

Nach waved him off. "He uses the one he gained here in his life on Earth, rather than his old one. He didn't even know he was a Saiyan till Raditz and I showed up. I don't particularly care, I call him 'Goku' because that's who he is now, an Earthling. Raditz uses 'Kakarot' because he's family, so that's fine as well."

"I see," Kami nodded. "To answer your question, it was many years ago. Years before I even met Goku. A young man with a tail wrapped around his waist appeared here, without any warning. He demanded to use the Room of Spirit and Time, and would have likely fought me, if I refused, and just went ahead anyways."

"What happened? And what the 'Room of Spirit and Time'?"

"Let me answer the second one first. The Room of Spirit and Time," Kami pointed back to the building in the middle of the Lookou. "Is a room in which for one day that passes here, one year passes in their once the door closes." Nach's eyes widened as she immediately understood the implication. "However the room has a few conditions in how it works. For one, there is only enough food in there for two people for one year. I say two people, because going in there alone without someone to talk to will drive you insane. Thus I always recommend for someone to go in there with a partner, or not spend the full year inside." Nach nodded slowly fully listening now.

"Right, I'm guess it's tough in there?" Nach asked.

"The further you move away from the building on the other side, the harsher the environmental condition become. Now, I'm sure you just can not stand still, without asking why I'm not letting you use it. The original reason I would have told you was because the conditions there are just that harsh. With your current power, you will likely die than grow strong. Now?" Kami paused. "Remember when I said there are conditions to using the room? This is the second one, you can only use it for 48 real world hours. Only two years inside, then the door shuts and you're sealed in forever."

"Wait, you mean...!" Nach looked to the room's door.

"Yes." Kami nodded. "The Saiyan man entered and I do not think he had any intention of leaving." He sighed. "It took a year of work, to make it operable for a one-time single use for Goku when he was younger, but he could only stay there for one month as the conditions were too harsh." He said. "I've been working for close to 28 years now to completely make the room operable again. It would take me two and a half years to be done, so it should be working again soon."

"And the Saiyan inside?"

"I'm afraid that I can't fix, without a greater deal of time, or power." Kami paused. "Then again if he's alive after all this time, I do not know if he would still be sane. No, it might be for the better that he can't leave."

Nach just deflated. Here was a ticket to power and it was unusable. She let out just a amused reigned huff.

"Did he tell you his name?" She asked. "Can you remember anything at all about him?"

"He did not say his name, no." Kami shook his head, before a thoughtful look came to mind. "However that Saiyan he looked...resolute, resigned, yet at peace with himself."

"...I see." She didn't know what that told her. It wasn't an answer, or even a clue about Dive, but it was something.

Still though, as Nach turned to leave with Yamcha, she thought about Kami's description of the mysterious Saiyan. Resolute and resigned? That sounded like Dive.

At peace though?

She wasn't sure what that pointed to.

The fight...actually didn't look that bad. Somehow...one might even say they were winning.

Nach had a constant feeling that things were too good to be true.

When Nappa and Vegeta had arrived they berated and insulted Raditz and Nach for "going native", but the two Saiyans were resolute in standing against their former bosses.

It felt...good. Fighting for a good cause. Or at least, kicking an evil asshole's...ass. She couldn't think of good quips at that moment.

The humans, Tien, Chiaotzu and Yamcha had fought the Saibamen, along with Piccolo and somehow survived, after Nach and Raditz warned them about the plant monsters.

The humans thankfully retreated afterward so they don't become a liability. It was honestly infuriating to Nach that it slipt her mind that Gohan was also on the battlefield. The boy grew yes, and maybe Piccolo might have been counting on young Gohan's rage as a secret weapon, but looking at him now, he definitely wasn't ready.

Nappa fired his Break Canon from his mouth, a surprising attack in the middle of the chaos.

Piccolo jumped in front of Gohan, ready to sacrifice his life for the kid.

Only for Raditz to jump in front of Piccolo and tank the ki blast head on.

An explosion occurred, and when the smoke clear, it showed Raditz standing tall. Singed and steaming from taking the blast but smirking at defiance.

"Is that the best you can do, Nappa? What, you can't fight a real battle?" Raditz said with a grin.

"Raditz," Nach spoke with her teeth bared. "Stay there, be ready to defend against anything."

Nach's tone left no room for argument. It was time to end this.

Gohan was an annoyingly emotional kid. Not that Nach could tell much about kids, she never spent much time with them. But the boy was also smart, helpful and just have that annoying quality where you can't help but be, if not attached, then friendly with him.

Plus Raditz never stopped trying his "Cool Uncle" shtick, which unfortunately...endeared the duo to her.

So now she was pissed.

As Vegeta's scouter showed. Raditz grew from his former power level of 1500 to 6000. As for Nach? She went from 2000 to 7500.

Nach dashed in at full speed body slamming Nappa, before moving behind him, and stopping his momentum with a kick.

"Y-You fucking-" Nappa shouted as he forced himself to stand up, only to be hit by Nach's new move.

Rather than gather ki into her hand, she send it to her foot. It took much longer to learnt to do this way, but it was worth it. After all, feet are stronger than fists, right?

Her foot glowed with purple energy, and once she spun and delivered a roundhouse kick to Nappa's chest, she released that power all at once.

"Brutal Ram!"

Not just the force of the initial kick, but the ki beam afterward, slammed and pierced right through Nappa's chest.

The large bald Saiyan laid on the ground begging Vegeta for help, but the result was obvious to all present. Vegeta killed Nappa without any thought or care.

"A Saiyan that can't fight is useless to me." Vegeta said as if brushing aside a bug.

Nach clenched her fist something fierce.

"Piccolo," Raditz thankfully was on the ball. "Take my nephew out of here, quick." He looked at Nach, and they both nodded. "We'll deal with this."

Unlike Vegeta, Raditz and Nach had learned to sense energy. Goku had arrived.

It was time for three Low-Class Warriors to take down the Elite Royalty.