Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ So Many Steps to Death... ❯ Rising ( Chapter 1 )

Summary: An old enemy of Kami's rises from the dead zone and has plans to invade Earth and murder Kami. The Z Senshi are in the way, of course, to ruin his plans, but a mysterious woman shows up with quite different intentions... Without Goku and Vegeta around, what are the Z Senshi to do? What's to become of Piccolo?

Notes: So sorry if my little use of Japanese annoys you...or if I don't get any of it right (I'm still not very sure if adjectives come before or after the verb...). Especially with the attacks and all, but I can't help but throw in a bit of Japanese...

~

Billions of stars cast pinpricks of light into the infinite reaches of the far heavens. They all fought against the endless darkness, for at any possible moment, the darkness could overcome their brilliant radiance. Some of the stars seemed to flicker every now and then, as if they themselves knew that one day, their life span was to end, as the whole universe would one day. A threat of that end appeared out of Earth's moon's enormous shadow, its smooth surface glinting in the light of the sun. What evil that was contained in there, hardly anyone on Earth knew.

Inside the spaceship, a large, shadow bends over a huge, lighted control panel. Squeaks, squeals, and even some odd singing rang from the depths of the antique piece of machinery. Behind him, a group of shadowed shapes stood, waiting patiently for a command from their master. One of the smaller figures stepped forward, towards a light cast from a single bulb that managed to pierce the darkness. The light shone on the small one, revealing what might be considered surprising. It was a girl. Black hair tied into pigtails framed her pale face set with ocean-blue eyes. Her outfit was a simply navy blue T-shirt and sweats. The only frivolous item was a cord with two crystals.

"Can you fix it?" She asked the larger figure in an annoyed and commanding voice.

Irritated at the interruption, the figure turned towards an equally annoyed girl, the light illuminated his features. His skin was rich yellow, with spots of even paler yellow dotting the sides of his bald head. Pointed ears twitched in annoyance.

"Of course I can," he said, with some sarcasm in his voice, "This spaceship will get us all the way back to Namek if you like."

"But can you fix it?" the girl persisted, brushing a few loose strands of hair from her face.

"Sure, sure," came his reply as he turned back to his work, "We still be ontime, if that's what you mean. Then..."

He paused a moment and smiled to himself.

"...Then, Kami-sama will finally pay for what he has done..."

~

It was a beautiful day at Kami's Lookout. A perfect hue of blue took the sky, with sparse clouds and a slight breeze stirring the flowers of Mr. Popo's garden. The temperature was an ideal tepidity; warm, but comfortable. One of the two residents of the lookout was caring for his garden. Mr. Popo, garden tools at his side, knelt down by his box of pansies. Watering can in hand, he proceeded to speak to his precious flowers, as if each could ever talk back to him

"Oheyo (good morning)," Mr. Popo's lovelies," he cooed to them, "Would you like some water?"

There was a small silence.

"All right, then," he started up again, "Mr. Popo will give you some."

He tilted the watering can. A familiar voice interrupted his quiet activity.

"How are the flowers today, Mr. Popo?" inquired Kami, the other occupant of the lookout, "Are they well?"

"Oh, they are wonderful," replied Mr. Popo.

"That's..." began Kami, then suddenly nearly collapsed.

Kami's sentence drifted off as a queer expression overtook his face. Beads of sweat suddenly appeared on the sides of his head as his features took on a tone of fear. His knees felt shaky, as if they had abruptly lost their ability to function. Suddenly weak, Kami leaned on his staff, breathing heavily.

"Oh my god..." he wheezed.

Mr. Popo, confused, began to stand up.

"Kami, are you all right? Is it Piccolo?" he questioned.

Concern was written all over the genie's face, but Kami just kept saying things to himself, deaf to Mr. Popo's words.

"I thought he was gone..." he panted again, "Dead...I destroyed that ship..."

"Gone? Who is gone? Who is dead? What ship?" inquired Mr. Popo, getting a little desperate.

He reached a pudgy hand to his friend, but Kami turned away from him.

"...Demon..."

Kami nearly choked on the very word. Mr. Popo drew back his hand, but his worry only increased.

"When I was young..."

Kami drew himself up. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. After several minutes, he turned to Mr. Popo. His breathing was a still a little ragged, but at least he wasn't sweating anymore.

"Sorry, Mr. Popo," Kami apologized, "It's just that...well, I might as well tell you what's going on. What is coming is another evil. Maybe not as great a threat as the Saiyajins taking over the universe, but the intent is the same. He..."

The elderly Namek shivered slightly.

"…He plans to take over Earth for a martial arts school."

Mr. Popo blinked.

"Is that it?"

Kami nearly fell down. Recovering quickly, he shook his head vigorously.

"No! You don't understand!"

"Mr. Popo thought this had to do with a great evil approaching Earth."

His friend nearly fell down again.

"It does! Listen, you know that when I was a very young boy, I had to escape to

Earth in a spaceship from that disaster on Planet Namek. Well, on the way here, I met a demon. He had a whole fleet of ships and fighters just waiting to conquer Namek for Freiza. Being the evil demon he was, the demon liked above all things was torture. In taking over Namek, like all other planets he had acquired before, he planned to kill the population slowly, making sure that all died a very gradual, painful death. By whatever method he chose, each death served as part of a favorite hobby. When I was captured, he actually gave me a tour of his latest machines...and had a young girl murdered before my very eyes. It was horrible...that girl..."

The old Namek flinched at the flashback. Whatever vision he was remembering, Mr. Popo did not feel he should ask.

It's no wonder Kami-sama never talks of his past...

"He was truly something of a devil incarnate...taking innocent lives and moving on to the next planet without a care, continued Kami, his teeth clenched with anger, "That...that..."

Kami breathed a sigh of quiet rage.

He had to finish his story.

"…Well, I managed to create dead zone, and his entire army were all sucked in...or so I thought at the time. I escaped, of course, and I came here... For all those years afterwards, I never forgot that experience. That demon and his sick ideas..."

Mr. Popo was silent, taking it all in.

"But what is the school itself for?" he asked.

Kami said to him: "The martial arts school was a duty given to him by some past ancestor of Freiza's. I imagine he wanted good warriors to work for him with the Saiyajins."

His listener's eyes widened.

"So...we call on the Z Senshi?"

"Yes, Mr. Popo. At this point, it is imperative that we do just that. It is a terrible time for this happen. I have no knowledge of where Goku or Vegeta may be, for I've no news of them since of the fight with Freiza on Namek. Vegeta, I believe, went off somewhere away from Earth to train, so there is no way we can find him... Besides, I don't truly believe Vegeta could be on our side anyway. But there is still Tienshinhan, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, Kuririn, Gohan, and Piccolo left. I sense their powers have significantly increased since some of them returned from Namek, but I don't know if it'll be enough..."

Kami suddenly trailed off from his sentence again. He gave a sudden groan as he clutched his heart. Mr. Popo caught Kami by the arm as Kami dropped his staff, which fell on the tiled floor with a clatter.

"Kami-sama!" yelled Mr. Popo. "I'm...I'm all right," said Kami, his voice a little weak as he struggled for support, "But, I felt...I felt this sting of pain in my heart..."

"Nan desu ka (what is it)?"

"An evil..."

"Was it the demon?"

"No...here...on Earth."

"...Earth!?... But...but how!?"

"Mr. Popo, I simply don't know. Where ever this newer evil is, I hope it does not intend to attack now, for we've already got enough problems..."

~

Throughout the Earth, Kami sent a telepathic message to all the Z Senshi.

<Come to the Lookout at once, Z Senshi! There is a new evil approaching Earth!>

The Z Senshi need not asking twice. They all immediately picked it up and dropped whatever what they were doing to go.

Kuririn was tossing Muten Roshi's ninety pounds worth of porn magazines into a fire when he heard the message. Annoyed, Kuririn just threw the remaining sixty pounds of porn at Roshi from the thirty he had already burned. Stupefied, Roshi stumbled backward, sat in the fire, leapt up screaming like Britney Spears, and waved his arms and legs in the air as all the magazines went flying all over the place. He actually hovered for a few seconds, but he realized that his arms were getting all cut up from the magazine pages. And that his shorts were on fire. So Roshi ran outside, but tripped over Turtle and landed on Yamcha. Yamcha, of course, screamed at Roshi touching him and went flying after Kuririn, begging him to hide him from Roshi. Roshi, of course, didn't care, but ran into the ocean still yelling his head off, but as soon as he ran waist-deep in the water, a huge jellyfish stung him....

With Gohan, and Piccolo, Chi Chi smacked Piccolo on the head with a frying pan for making her spill milk all over the front of her dress. Chi Chi then forbade Gohan to go with Piccolo, who flew off without waiting for him, so Gohan was left to argue with his mother. By the time Gohan managed to convince his mom that he wasn't coming home maimed or mutilated ("Kaa-san, you've been reading too many missing children stories!"), Piccolo was well on his way to Kami's.

In fact, as he was flying over a forest, something a little more sinister happened. Located in the heart of the forest was a waterfall. The waterfall flowed into a small pond, which turned into a stream. By itself, the place looked very peaceful. However, if one looked hard enough, one could spot the entrance of a cave behind the waterfall. Not a very big cave, but it had ample enough space for a few people. The inside of the cave was dim and cold, but dry. In the deepest, darkest corner of the cave, something stirred. The something lifted her head, her icy eyes searching the shadows. She tilted her head slightly.

Have I heard correctly?

She closed her eyes and focused. What was that she had just heard? A telepathy of some kind, no doubt. It mentioned the Z Senshi... Her eyes snapped open.

"Of course," she scolded herself, "How could I be so stupid? It's them..."

The woman got up and walked out of the cave, her concentration graver and a renewed fighting spirit.

"Finally..." she said, as she stood in the sunlight, "The time has come..."

Her eyes suddenly blinked as the woman sensed a ki power. She saw Piccolo, his white cape flapping in the wind and his eyes full of determination. The woman nearly smirked at the sight.

"Piccolo," she said, sounding out the name she had been taught to memorize, "Can I kill you now?"

Only half of her wanted to do just that. That half hated the Z Senshi and embraced the idea of murder. The other half, however, was infuriated she should have to kill people she had never even met. This half obviously possessed some other ideas. She sighed with exasperation at the upcoming prospect.

"What the hell am I doing," she said to herself as she rose in the air to

follow Piccolo, "I'm not anyone's toy..."

She gritted her teeth at the image of her commander, her tormentor really.

"...Oji-san (uncle)," she continued, her tone becoming hateful, "Bastard..."

She flew on for a few moments, her eyes beginning to burn with the stinging tears of silent rage.

You're the one I hate," she spat at no one, "Why can't I just kill you instead of them?"

Nothing answered. Well, almost nothing.

(Do you mean yourself or your tormentor?)

The woman's anger fluctuated again. It enraged her that her human side was talking to her again.

"Shut up, you," she snapped at her human half, "Can't you leave me alone?"

*You have to do this* echoed a different, but all-too familiar voice in her head, *It is your mission; your destiny*

She scowled.

"What am I to do when I'm done?" she asked the mechanical voice in her head.

*Then you are free*

"Liar," she spat angrily, "I'm never going to be free from this... Next, you'll be having me conquering the world for you, maybe even the universe!"

*The universe isn't a bad idea, mei (niece)...*

"That's not the point!"

*In spite of the way you were mocking me, you do as I say...*

"It's only because..."

She trailed off. Why was she doing this?

DAMN IT!!! Why does he make me question my existence? How does he do it? Is it just because he made my mind...or is it still mine, only...different? Ancient damnation!! I never used to be like this... So vulnerable...So pitiful!

"Because I want to," she finally said, sounding out every hateful syllable, "...Are you happy now?"

*Perhaps...perhaps*

~

Kami gripped his staff tightly as he watched a silvery ship land on the tiled floor of the Lookout. Little semicircles from his nails cut into the wooden staff, for he was that hateful. He didn't need a psychic to tell him who was in that ship. With a clunk, the ship gave a loud groan, and a little coil thing sprung off the side. A door slid open, a light shining from the entrance. The yellow demon appeared and walked towards Kami and Mr. Popo, a wide smirk slapped on his face. As soon as he stood a little ways from them, a group of aliens followed, progressing from the ship in single file.

Then they lined up behind their master according to rank, their attention on high alert. There were six of them in all: the demon, of course, as their leader. The girl, too, who was standing at the right end of the line, which indicated she was the best of the other four.

Second to her, there was a tall, pink alien named Colipoc. He had long, smooth golden hair with pointy ears. His outfit mainly consisted of a bulky body suit and boots, with earrings to match. A rat-like tail twitched behind him.

Next to him was Colipoc's purple counterpart, Ukugo, who was his sister with short, black, spiky hair. Her outfit was similar except that she donned spandex leggings and that her armor was smaller.

After Ukugo was Eden, less than a head shorter than Colipoc, but a little larger. His skin was a light peach, with a small widow's peak framing his hairline. The silky, white hair was a short, chin-length cut, and his fighting gi a minty green and yellow shirt, tied with a yellow belt.

Second to last was another boy, by the name of Arden, who was about Eden's height, but was slightly less built and skinnier. He was of the same alien breed as Eden, but had shiny blonde hair that was braided back into a long queue (braid). His narrow blue eyes were like slits, which didn't exactly flatter his oval-shaped face.

The weakest of them all was Nhago, who was about a head shorter than Colipoc, and thinner. She was three-quarters human, so she looked relatively normal with her short brown hair and feminine features. However, her alien side was easily revealed through a growth that resembled something like dirty mercury growing on the right side of her face. It started right where her eyebrow should've been, spread to temple and her cheekbone, and down the side of her cheek to end at near her chin. One of her eyes was maroon, while the other took a shade of navy blue. Nhago, who hated wearing anything that was a gi or had armor on it, wore a dark red, quarter-sleeved shirt with leather pants that reached past the ankles. She also sported some light makeup and a pair of boots.

The demon gazed at Kami and spoke: "Oheyo (good morning), Kami-sama, 'old friend'. It's been a long time."

Kami gritted his teeth, not bothering to answer. A drop of sweat slid down the side of his face.

His old enemy chuckled.

"You haven't changed a bit, haven't you," he said, "A fine fighter when you were young... You would've made a good student of mine if you had the brains to join me."

"Not bloody likely," replied Kami, finally addressing him, "You were working for Freiza's family, probably the most evil beings in the universe! I would've never..."

"Nameks! Hell with the lot of them, they're so stubborn," interrupted the demon, dismissing Kami with a wave of his clawed hand, then added unexpectedly, "Why did destroy my entire fleet, Kami-sama?"

The old Namekian narrowed his eyes. "I couldn't let you torture my people, like you did to that girl, you monster. I would've rather died than let you harm any one of them!"

"Such loyalty," commented the demon with a shake of his head, "What a pity...that is good quality in a warrior....You remember the girl?"

"Yes... I remember." A mixed look of rage and sickness came across Kami's face.

The demon smiled with genuine enjoyment. "You remember how she died, Kami-sama?" "Yes." "How sad that you couldn't save her, Kami-sama…"

"Yes..." Kami's features hardened, pure hatred for this demon becoming more and more apparent.

"Did you ever care for her?"

At this point, Kami practically exploded. White ki flowed from him and formed an orb around him. He tossed his staff aside and gripped his fists tight, ready for battle. The demon folded his arms and grinned in amusement. A battle cry flew from Kami's lips as he charged at his tormentor, who coolly moved to one side so that the old Namekian was charging at the group of students instead.

They scattered, but the head girl stayed, and drew a sword from her side. No emotion was expressed as she gripped the sword tightly. Kami was in front of her now. A movement from her, a flash of light, and it was over. The old guardian was past her now, still clutching his staff. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes betrayed his astonishment as he stared at his staff, which was sliced in half. A drop of blood splashed on his withered hand, causing him to put a hand to his face. The source was a clean cut into the green flesh from near his ear across to near his chin on the left side of his face. A small gasp escaped Kami's lips as he turned around in amazement to gaze at the girl, who calmly put her sword back into its sheath. A small cut had been made under her eye, but it was too small for anyone to notice.

"Pretty good," she said plainly, not looking at him, "for an old Namekian."

"Yes," replied Kami, who was still in shock, "and you..."

"...Are the best of the best," finished the demon, who came forward and patted the girl on the head, "Only eight years old and already the most powerful child student of any pupil I've ever trained..."

His bare chest puffed out with pride. As he spoke again, a nostalgic look came across his eyes as he stroked the girl's hair.

"I found her as an infant, abandoned, on some drifting space colony of Earth's. That hunk of metal was headed for a black hole, so I took her with me to train. Ever since she's been under my care, and look what's happened. It's good..."

He paused and looked at the girl, pausing in mid-stroke on the girl. The girl's eyes hardened like ice.

"...For a human, that is."

The girl took a step forward, brushing away her sensei's hand. She continued to walk forward, and though only Mr. Popo saw it, her eyes glittered with hatred as she spoke, her voice full of resentment.

"Stop trying to flatter me, bakayarou (fool, idiot, stupid...). It's no use trying to get me to kill Kami for you."

Her back remained to face them, as the demon smiled and shook his head.

"That girl," he said to Kami, who was still examining his wound, "Don't you mind her much, Kami-sama. She's just in one of her moods. She'll come around eventually to kill you..."

Kami remained in silence, his eyes fixed on the girl's back.

Who is she? Where did all that power come from? Is she really human?

"Come now, Kami-sama, we should fight," cut in the demon's voice, "We'll start by killing off your fat friend here..."

The demon started to step towards Mr. Popo, but a huge, silvery blade of an ebony scythe met him. He backed up, his eyes wide.

"Hell?" he started, as his focus shifted from the blade to its owner, "What's this?"

A woman stood before him, in a fighter's stance, held the scythe in hand. Long, flowing hair draped over her shoulders, giving the impression that she was younger than what she really was. Pink eyes stared at the demon, their cat-like shape adding to an evil nature. Her all-black outfit was simple, but it showed off her elegant figure. A furry belt was the only superficial item to the whole thing.

"Don't even try," she warned the demon, "Unless you want to end up in pieces."

Finally taking in his attacker's appearance, the demon only smiled.

"Why would a little girl like you walk around with a flashy scythe like this," he teased, "With such threats, too. Is it too heavy for you, honey? You know how to handle it?"

He tried to take a hold of the handle, but the woman thrust the blade back next to throat.

"I know perfectly well how to handle this, bakayarou," she said, her voice cold, "So would you just leave with your useless lot you call fighters in your poor excuse for a ship and leave the old Namekian and plump genie to me. Or I'll kill you and everyone else here without a second thought."

"Oh, come now," responded the demon, trying to maintain good humor, but that little drop of sweat running down the side of his face revealed his nervous condition,

"Don't insult me, now, girl. You must be at least sixteen or seventeen, and you can't really mean that, could you?"

"Twenty-six," she corrected, "And I mean every word I said. Now go, before I change my mind and destroy all of you now!"

"Oh, please, Onna (woman)," pleaded the demon, more drops of sweat appearing, "You don't want to kill the Namekian and the genie for us, do you? I mean, it would be awfully nice of you, but it'd also be very cruel to me. I've carried this revenge in me for years and years, and I want to make sure the deed is done by both me and my..."

"I don't care what you're here for," snapped the woman, the blade coming even closer to slitting his throat, "You leave, or you die. Is that complicated for your puny mind to comprehend?"

"No, no...it's not that. It's just that..."

The demon's eyes desperately wandered around. His pupils, Mr. Popo, and Kami were standing in a ring around the two, waiting for something to happen. All eyes were on them, but all seemed afraid of the woman, her threats, and especially that huge staff of hers. Four of students badly yearned to run away, not caring what their master might do to them for abandoning him, but they were rooted to the spot they were standing on. Kami was too flabbergasted to take it all in at once, as was also Mr. Popo. All were curious, though, of what the demon would do.

The demon gazed at each of his student's faces, hoping for some sort of answer from them. None suggested anything. However, as the demon's black eyes passed over Nhago, the other girl, his prize pupil, came back. She immediately assessed the situation, but made no comment. Nevertheless, she smiled very, very slightly, something she hadn't done in a long time. It was all very understandable to her, and was secretly grateful to the mysterious woman for this.

Now this insanity can finally end... she thought.

The demon's eyes came back to the girl, hopeful that his head student would think of something. The girl's small smile automatically disappeared. She placed a hand over her hip and frowned.

"What do you want, fool?" she asked him, her resentful voice beset with irritation.

"Help me," choked her master, as the woman stood before, waiting for the appropriate moment to strike.

"Why should I?"

"I am your master, your caretaker, I at least deserve some payback from you, brat!"

"So? Who cares? None of your other students have done anything, have they?"

"But they didn't try and leave me like you! At least they are loyal to what I teach! Not like you...You defy me in every way you can, little baikin (germ)!"

"Because I am not as blind and stupid as they are to what you truly are."

Nhago jerked her head at the girl, her face twisted in anger. Her eyes flashed with fury as a flush of pink surfaced on her face. She shook her fist at the girl, her manicured nails digging deep into her lotioned skin.

"You baka (stupid, fool, idiot...)!" she yelled the girl, who didn't even flinch, "You dare to call me ignorant!? Sensei (teacher) is not a fool! You're the one who is blind! Baka na (stupid)! You don't deserve to be the best!!"

The girl's cold eyes gazed into Nhago's own mismatched ones.

"And you do?" she replied coolly, "Like you can actually try to scratch me with those painted nails, Nhago..."

"Why, you..."

Nhago charged at the girl, a punch aimed her lips, but the girl was faster. She went low at the last second, and delivered a hard elbow strike to Nhago's stomach. The would-be-attacker groaned heavily and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach. Trickles of blood and saliva dripped from the corners of her mouth. The girl looked down and smirked. Nhago gazed up at her, her fiery eyes furious.

"Bitch," she managed to say, but the girl turned her back to her.

"Like I care," she replied, then added, "Slut."

~

While that little spat was occurring, the demon watched his two students fight it out. It seemed particularly interesting that it was a contest of the strongest and the weakest of his pupils. This suddenly gave him an idea. As soon as Nhago finally struggled to recover from the assault, he had formulated a plan in his head.

"Onna," started the demon, waving his hands in the air, trying to act friendly.

"What?" asked the woman, who had hardly moved during the whole thing.

"Why don't we have a contest?"

"…Go on."

"You fight each of my students and me, one at a time. If you manage to defeat all of us, and me, then we'll leave you to the Namekian and genie. But if you lose, you have to promise to beat it and leave us alone."

The woman was silent for a few seconds. She withdrew her scythe slightly, but only enough for the demon to breathe easier. This was a sign of her consent.

"I will accept," she said as soon as the demon showed signs of relaxing, "on one condition."

The demon stiffened again.

"If we fight to the death."

"What!?"

The demon stared at her like she was crazy.

"You want death matches!?!" he exclaimed, "I protest!"

"What? Are your students afraid to fight to the death?"

"It's not that..."

"Oh, what then? Are you scared to fight me? A mere woman?"

The demon gritted his teeth. This was not going as expected.

What am I going to do? I can't risk getting killed! I have a revenge to take care of!!

"Y-you sure you won't accept any alternate?"

"Yes."

All right, so this crazy woman expects to kill every one of us. That really can't be possible, can it? No, wait... What am I so afraid about? All of my students have some reasonable fighting skills, so she should be all worn out by the time she reaches the third fight! After all, human energy can only last so long... Heh, we'll just see how long she can last against all of them...

"All right then," the demon grunted, "To the death."

The woman smiled, perhaps for the first time.

"Done."

~

The borders were drawn, the fighters were set, and the grand 'tournament' was to begin any second. It had decided that Ukugo would fight first against the mysterious woman. Students were gathered at one end of the rectangular arena, and the woman, alone, at the other. The demon stood somewhere near the middle, just outside the line, with Kami and Mr. Popo. As for the head girl, she preferred to stand close to one of the corners on the woman's side. Ukugo warmed up, while her brother lectured some last minute reminders.

"And you remember Shiroi Ribon (White Ribbon)?" inquired Colipoc, "And Tora Shuugeki (Tiger Assault) would be for..."

"Onii-chan (big brother)," complained Ukugo, "I don't need any help with this! I'm sure I can handle her myself!"

"All right, Nee-chan (younger sister)," replied Colipoc, waving a hand at her, "You go ahead and do it your way. But seriously..."

He put a hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear:

"...I'd be really watchful around her... There's cold murder in her eyes, I've seen it..."

"So what?" retorted Ukugo, "That's no problem. It's not like I haven't killed before."

"I mean it! We aren't playing around with cultivators (a.k.a. Saibamen) anymore! This is the real thing...no more rules, no time limit, no Sensei to rescue you! You have nothing! You're fighting it till one of you dies! As soon as you step into that arena..."

"Oh, stop it! How many times do I have to tell you that I can handle her!? You're just like Kaa-san (Mom) sometimes!"

"I just want to..."

"Enough! I have to go now."

Ukugo stood up from her stretch and strode past her brother---or rather swaggered--- full of pride, and confident that she could easily win this. Somewhat stocked at her response to his warning, Colipoc watched her. Then his face transformed into a scowl.

"Fine," he whispered, "You don't want my help...that's just fine."

Ukugo stepped into the arena and smiled demurely at her opponent. The other met her gaze and did the same.

"Would you rather I do this with a weapon?" called out the woman to Ukugo.

"Doesn't matter to me!" Ukugo yelled back, "Because I'm gonna kick your ass anyway!"

"Whatever suits your needs," replied the woman, and held it in her hand, poised for battle.

Ukugo's ki (air energy) flared into a shield around her. Ukugo smirked, wondering if the other was amazed to see a technique like that, and sped towards her adversary. Her energy grew slightly as she picked up speed, and a battle cry sprang from her lips as she pulled back a fist to aim at the woman's face. The other hadn't moved still, that same, wide smile still smacked on her pretty face.

She's scared, Ukugo leered on, I was right... I can't wait to slice those pretty lips of hers and throw them off the Lookout after she dies.

At the last second, Ukugo threw the punch. She was so close to the other that she could smell the faint perfume of flowers in the woman's hair.

"SHINEI (die)!!!"

But all she felt was air. All she heard was the soft whistle of her technique sailing through the stillness. She almost lost her balance as she tried to stop, for much power was put behind just that one method. Ukugo steadied herself on one foot, and when she felt regained her balance, put the other foot down. Her obsidian eyes strayed wildly from side to side.

"Doko... (where)?" she said.

"Doko ka (somewhere)," was the reply, though Ukugo wasn't sure of the source.

She whirled around, expecting to find her. Nothing. Ukugo jerked her head from side to side, then turned around again. Again, nothing.

"Doko kara (from where)?" the alien snarled, beginning to get frustrated, "Doko made (how far)?"

"Above you," said the woman, and thrust the bottom end of her scythe on Ukugo's head.

Almost immediately, Ukugo was in pain. Her nervous system seemed to explode at the moment, the agony spreading from her head to everywhere else, forcing Ukugo's body to lose muscle function. Her knees became wobbly, her arms shaky. She attempted to make a fist to strike back, but her fingers felt like water...unable to move at her command anymore.

"You..." gasped Ukugo, as she felt her eyes roll to the back of her head, "...Bitch..."

She collapsed on her knees and fell on her face. Colipoc took half a step towards his sister, but stopped. Eden, always the sensitive one, started towards her. The other stopped him with a firm grip on the shoulder.

"Leave her alone," he said shortly to him, "Nothing you can do."

"But she's your own sister," Eden retorted, "Don't you care?"

"So what... She wouldn't even listen to me in the first place."

"What is that supposed to mean!"

The taller alien glared at the smaller one.

"Anata baka o iu (you talk nonsense)," replied Colipoc slowly, "She doesn't deserve another chance."

Eden didn't answer him. Instead, he just forced himself to look at the fight before them. The woman stood towering above his fainted sister, a scowl outlining her face.

"You weakling," she spat, and gave a small kick to Ukugo's arm, "From what your sensei had bragged, I expected better of you."

She took up her scythe again, blade end facing down.

"Die."

A flash of light, a whistle in the air, and Eden looked away. A second later, he heard the explosion, and the stench of dead and smoke filled his nostrils. Only then did he dare to turn back. What only remained of comrade was a six-foot crater and wisps of smoke rising from it. The woman looked up, the shadow of a small smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth, the sheath's blade stained with lime-colored blood.

"Who's next?"

The demon's jaw just dropped. He had partially believed the woman to be what she claimed, but this was certainly far beyond of what he had anticipated.

"That fight couldn't have lasted more than a minute...or less. What power!"

He shook his head vigorously in disbelief.

"Masaka (impossible)!"

"Well?" the woman's voice penetrated his thoughts.

"C-colipoc," he croaked.

His selection said nothing, his face emotionless. He simply nodded and walked into the arena. The woman wiped her blades clean, and looked him up and down. She pressed a red button on her staff, and in a cloud of smoke, it shrunk to the size of an earring, with the handle curved as a hook. With that, she bent down and clipped the now tiny weapon to her ear. She set up a stance. Colipoc did the same, his arms crossed in front of him and in a crouched position. He began to concentrate, focusing on an energy ball forming in front of him. In a matter of seconds, a small orb had forged from nothing. It glowed a brilliant green, the same color as the blood that flowed within him. He straightened up, cradling the orb with one hand. A small smile curled his lips, revealing obvious pleasure in this.

"Can you do that?" he asked the woman across him.

Without a word, the woman held up hand, and a blood-red silver-colored orb materialized. A demure smile shone back at him. At that, they charged at each other, Colipoc's battle cry echoing in the air, the woman's continuing smile. The expression was beginning to annoy Colipoc, and he drew his throwing arm back, which still held the orb.

"DIE!!"

He released the orb and forced himself to a halt. After righting himself, Colipoc looked to see what effect his attack had. The rapid ball of energy traveled so fast, and the woman was still charging towards it.

"What's she trying?" wondered Colipoc aloud, "She's still smiling..."

What the woman did was surprisingly basic. With one smooth motion, she merely brushed the green ball with one hand, and the other came closer to her side. The ball sailed through the air, nearly hitting Kami and the girl, and smashed into a column of Kami's palace. That one column collapsed, the entire residence did also, and in a matter of seconds, it was a total junk pile. This didn't shake Colipoc a bit, so he held his ground. As the woman drew nearer, Colipoc got into a fight stance.

This is it...

She slowed her pace, and Colipoc leapt forward and swung. Accurate as it would've been, his punch missed, and she did a back flip. As her foot touched a tile behind her, she pushed against it, and vaulted towards him again. This time, Colipoc fired a beam. She waited, then suddenly went low in an awkward crouch leaning forward, sliding across the flat surface still on her feet. The beam had barely missed her, charring maybe the ends of a few strands of hair. She slid until she was almost under Colipoc and thrust her orb smack into his stomach.

There was a small explosion, lime blood bursting all over the place like a water balloon. Colipoc stood, frozen, where he was, his eyes wide as the thick liquid poured out in a river from his wound and dripped onto his hand and into puddles on the tiled floor. Everyone looked on the strange scene, the air thick with the smell of blood, smoke, and burnt flesh, the air silent as a tomb. A slight breeze whistled, sending shivers across Colipoc's skin and through the hole in his stomach.

It was obvious that he would die, but the woman, standing unscathed and unstained of blood some seven feet away from Colipoc, wasn't finished. Colipoc shifted his stare to the woman's expressionless eyes.

"Nice shot."

He fell on his hands and knees, the blood still flowing freely. A final gasp from Colipoc, and his limbs gave way to the hard tiles, and twisted over on his back in pain. He finally died, his stubborn spirit beaten and body broken. The woman, unsmiling now, walked towards the corpse. She stood over it, arms crossed, and shook her head a little.

"Mijime na (pitiful)," she said plainly, and bent down to run a hand over the alien's bloody face to shut his open eyes, "But a good fight."

She straightened up and raised a hand. With a simple energy blast, she destroyed the body. After the smoke cleared, she tossed her head back and looked at the wide-mouthed demon.

"Sanzen Sakebigoe (Three Thousand Screams)," she explained to the stunned sensei, then with a somewhat reluctant sigh, which was strange compared to some of her earlier smiles, "Next..."

Kami raised an eyebrow ridge.

Why the sudden change?

Kami closed his eyes and breathed slowly, as if in meditation. After a moment, he reopened his eyes and looked at the woman, who took no notice of him.

"Akushitsu na (evil)," he said to Mr. Popo.

"Is she of this world?" inquired Mr. Popo. "I'm not sure. She has human behavior..."

"Shut your mouth, old Namekian!" shouted the demon at Kami.

He snapped his head back at the woman, desperate thoughts running in his head.

All right then...two fighters gone, Ukugo and Colipoc... Oh, just as well, I've still got four left... Let's see, NOT Nhago, she'll never be ready until she starts wearing sweats...Eden? No, he's too short...

"Arden!" The boy calmly floated into the arena, his hands clapped together as if in prayer. Being of a more amiable and benign disposition than the rest, Arden wasn't really looking forward to this. His race had been a spiritual type, choosing enlightenment and psychic concentration over blood and war. However, the sensei's advertisements had intrigued him to join the academy, and here he was. He had trained hard, perhaps even harder than the rest had, but no more powerful, sad to say.

"Sensei," he called out, his eyes still shut in last-minute meditation, "I feel I have not trained enough for this. I sense that I will..."

"Triumph?" entered the demon hopefully, "Good boy, then. Now kill her off!!"

Arden sighed and opened his eyes at the opponent before him.

So the old man was right...

What he was referring to was a prophecy told to him by an ancient diviner in his old temple. Before Arden left for the academy, the elderly priest fortold of Arden's death if he dared to leave the temple.

"I guess I'll die," murmured Arden.

He set his fighting stance. The woman twirled a lock of hair around her finger. A brief moment of silence elapsed between the two, each sizing the other for potential weaknesses. The woman charged first, Arden waiting. He crossed his arms in front, concentrating on an energy shield.

However, the woman was faster than he expected, and punched him in the nose. His head jerked back at an awkward angle, his body flying backwards and stream of blood flowing from his nose. He bounced on the pavement with a hard and lay there. For a few seconds, Arden laid stunned. His mind felt clouded, as do most when the body has been suddenly attacked. It suddenly occurred to him that his nose was broken, but the pain didn't stop him from getting up again. The woman stood in front of him, smiling at him in a mocking way.

This irritated him, so he delivered a kick to her side. However, his assault sailed through her body, for it was only an illusion. Arden cocked an eyebrow in surprise as the image continued to grin at him. He whirled around to find her again. Scowling, he repeated the attack, but to no result.

"Another illusion," he muttered.

Frustrated, Arden looked to his left. Another shadow. Also on his right, yet another challenged him to fight.

"Onna! Where are you!"

One of the shadows smirked at him.

"Right here," she said, and pointed two fingers upwards.

A huge explosion erupted the ground beneath Arden, bursting his senses and burning his body. The ground shook and rocked, the people struggling for balance. Even Korin, who lived someplace down the tower, felt the quake. Clouds of smoke and dust provoked their sensitive eyes and into their hair and clothes. Worst of all, though, was a scream. A truly, utterly horrible shriek that left a ringing in their ears and in their minds, full of pain and blood and memory of worst existence. It tore at them all, wanting them to run away and hide, but their curiosity restrained them. Finally, all cloudy debris settled, but the sight left them stunned.

There was no body to be viewed. It would've been nothing at all, except for the colossal crater that had bored into the ground. If one looked into it, one would have a grand view of light blue sky and puffy clouds beneath. Such display would not be suitable for one who is afraid of heights, but it was a breath-taking scene. The woman hovered a few feet above the gigantic hole, arms folded, and something twitching…

"A TAIL!?" the demon nearly shouted.

"Yes," replied the woman, annoyed, "A tail."

"It's about time you found out," she added, her tail lazily making little circles.

What everyone thought had been a belt was the tail, casually making aimless motions in the air while the spectators stared on.

"A...A Saiyajin!?" stammered Nhago.

"That explains..." started Eden.

"...The power," finished the head girl, who was the only one of the whole lot who didn't look too surprised, "No wonder."

"B-but I-I thought you were..." stuttered the demon, beginning to shake.

"Human?"

Just then, a noise was heard towards the edge of the Lookout. Heads turned as the source, a certain round-headed man in an orange uniform, flew and landed on the ground.

"Hey," he said, "What's going on here?"

Others appeared besides him: a boy with jet-black hair, another man with a scar over his eye, and a Namekian in a white cape. The man's eyes widened at the scene before them.

"Whoa, Kami's palace is gone!" he observed.

"No, really, Yamcha?" said Piccolo sarcastically, "Did you bother to look over there?"

He nodded his head towards the three remaining students and sensei. Two he didn't care a heck about, because their power levels were that of Yamcha and Kuririn's anyway. The black-haired girl and the demon seemed to fit Gohan's power level. But the Saiyajin...

I can't sense her power level…

Piccolo gazed at the woman, who in turn was overlooking the newcomers. Somehow, their arrival didn't seem to affect her at all. Her face?

Cold...

Everyone else seemed to have reacted: Kami and Mr. Popo were grateful and hopeful. The demon was desperate, sweaty, and panicky. Nhago and Eden were just plain surprised and fearful, but too obedient to their master to run away. The black-haired girl was reaching for her sword, but paused in her action, as if waiting for something else to happen. Piccolo cocked an eyebrow ridge. It didn't matter to him who the others were; just the woman. Those eyes of hers...

What is she hiding?

The woman sensed his staring and locked eyes with him.

"What are you staring at, bakayarou?" Piccolo felt a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks. The feeling felt unnerving to him, the unfamiliar warmth heating up his face. Gohan looked at him.

"Sensei," he said, with the small smile tugging at his mouth, "You're blushing." His former teacher glared at him.

"Shut up, kid."

However, Gohan wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, he was interrogating the woman.

"Who are you, anyway," he inquired the woman, "You a Saiyajin?"

"Who I am doesn't matter to you," she answered, "But, yes, I am a Saiyajin...I thought the tail would be truth enough."

She peered at Gohan a little closer. "I know the rest them, but are you...Whatshisname, that kid who fought Raditz..."

Gohan drew himself up a little. "I'm the son of Son Goku. My name's Gohan."

"Now I remember... I know Goku...Is Vegeta still around? Or did he die in that battle with your father?"

"How do you know about my dad or Vegeta? You couldn't have been around to know them..."

The woman's eyes glinted a moment.

"There are some who survive better than others."

"Wait," Gohan suddenly interjected again, "How can you really be a Saiyajin? I thought there weren't any female Saiyajins..."

Her eyes lit with silent anger at his ignorance.

"I never said I was a pure blood." "...oh..."

~

Meanwhile, the demon himself was silently deliberating what to do. After, he was near frantic since the woman revealed herself to be a Saiyajin and Z Senshi showed up.

WHAT DO I DO!? WHAT DO I DO!? There's a Saiyajin loose, Earth fighers have shown up, three of my fighters gone... WHAT DO I DO!?! WHAT DO I DO!?! I have to think of something!!

The demon visibly shook, his fists clutched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, and a cold sweat bathing him.

"There's a way out, I know it!" he told himself, "Now..."

He looked around for ideas. His gaze fell upon Kuririn.

The bald man? No, no good...

His eyes found Gohan.

Hmmmm... The kid could prove to be useful at some point. But not now.

Thirdly, the demon looked at Piccolo.

"Piccolo..."

He looked back and forth between Kami and Piccolo.

"Of course...the two are connected, aren't they? Kill one..."

He motioned to his two remaining students. They obediently came over, one on each side of the master. The head girl, reluctant, but willing, came, too, though stayed a decent distance.

"All right, here's the plan," began the demon, motioning them to come closer, "I'm going to get Kami..."

"But what about the others," interrupted Nhago, "Don't forget the Saiyajin..."

"I know that! So, while I get Kami, the rest of you distract the others: Nhago, you take on the bald man; Eden, the other guy..."

"What about the boy and the other Namekian? And the genie?" cut in Eden, "They..."

"I'm counting on the fact that the Saiyajin will take care of the Namekian, and the genie is no concern. As for boy..."

At this, the demon glanced at the girl.

"...I'm sure it will be taken care of. Attack on my signal."

"On your command," replied Nhago and Eden together.

The girl's eyes shifted from the demon to the boy.

He seems strong enough, she thought, ...Not bad.

She shook her head in surprise at her own thoughts.

No. What am I thinking? He's an ugly boy, isn't he? No, I don't mean that...he's...he's...kinda kawaii...

"Hey, pay attention!" someone's voice cut in.

The girl snapped to attention, slightly confused.

"Nani...?"

"What are doing?" asked Eden, "We're getting ready to attack!"

"Oh, yeah, okay..."

She took a quick look to see that Eden and Nhago were ready, and the demon off to murder Kami.

We are ready...

~

A high-pitched whistle sliced through the air like a knife. Nearly everyone clapped their hands over their ears, for it was so shrill.

"What the heck is that!?" yelled Kuririn at Yamcha.

"Hhhhhhhhhhhhnnnnnnnnnnn..." was all Yamcha could muster from his gritted teeth, "N-nails on a ch-chalkb-board..."

"Couldn't agree more!" Kuririn would've shouted back, but he felt a punch contact with the side of his face.

"Hey! What..." Kuririn felt a boot make a kick at his chin.

He flew back, rubbing his cheek.

"Who...?"

Some distance away was Nhago in a fighting stance.

"C'mon!" she barked at him, "Fight me!"

"Nani...?" Kuririn blinked.

Angered, Nhago charged---and fast. She swung, but Kuririn dodged just in time. Finally, the dawn of comprehension swept over Kuririn that he had to fight her, so he did. And, out of the corner of his eye saw Yamcha taking on a boy who was barely shorter than Kuririn himself.

"Yamcha's not gonna make it," Kuririn muttered to himself, "That guy's holding back his power."

Meanwhile, Gohan was standing by Piccolo, both of them looking at what battles Yamcha and Kuririn had gotten themselves into. Suddenly, Gohan thought he heard something move behind him. He turned his head ever so slightly, and fist met him.

"Oh god!" he exclaimed, tilting his chin back to move with the fist's momentum, then found his feet being kicked out from under him.

"Kamehameha!" shouted Gohan, a fat beam of energy firing from his hand.

The blast took the head girl by surprise, hitting her smack in the face. She quickly recovered, throwing her sword at Gohan. He barely got out of the way, the blade ripping part of his gi. The sword ended up nearly hitting Piccolo, but he, too, dodged it.

"Hey! Not fair!" Gohan wanted to complain, but the girl was charged at him.

The two went head-on, fist to fist, kick to kick. Piccolo watched them in amusement. He suddenly sensed the curve of a blade next to his throat.

Cool nonetheless, he said: "You're still here, huh?"

The Saiyajin next to him drew the scythe blade back a little.

"Yes," she replied shortly, "Now we fight."

"What?"

He cocked an eyebrow ridge.

"You want me to spell it out?" woman said curtly, an edge of steel in her voice, "You... fight... me."

Ordinarily, Piccolo wouldn't have blinked an eye. This time, however, he hesitated.

What's the matter with me? She's just a Saiyajin, and not even a pure one at that!

"What's the matter?" she taunted, "Are you scared?"

Piccolo's eyebrow twitched. Now that struck a nerve.

"Of course not," he answered simply, "I'm just not one to fight a woman."

"What did you say?" she responded, a little annoyed.

"You heard me."

Piccolo couldn't help but smirk to himself.

So I've struck a nerve there...

"You bakayarou," she said, "You ARE afraid to fight, AREN'T you?"

"WHAT!?"

He nearly fell down in surprise. The woman shook her head, smirking.

"All right then," he said, his eyebrow ridge twitching slightly while setting his stance, "If you want it, come and get it…"

~

Gohan flew back another step, allowing himself room to dodge the girl's kick. She was good, persistent and always trying to find an opening.

"God, you're good," he said, aiming a roundhouse kick at her head (which she blocked), "Did you learn from that demon?"

"Yes," she said sharply, "I had no choice."

"What does that mean?"

"It was a matter of survival. You didn't know what it was like…"

She paused a moment. Gohan stopped, too, to listen. The girl continued, drawing out a long story that made Gohan's eyes nearly pop from all the horror and abuse she had gone through. His mind was numb when she finished, and she was teary-eyed.

"Wow…" was all Gohan could say, "I never thought…I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she sniffed, wiping her tears on the back of hand, "It's…"

The girl suddenly burst out crying and grabbed Gohan around the neck, sobbing like crazy. Caught off guard, Gohan fell on a block of cement, still holding her. Besides holding her, he had no idea what to do. She tightened her grip around him, wailing even louder. A hot flush of crimson covered Gohan's face.

"Hey, it's all right, it's okay, I'm...I'm here," he said awkwardly.

The girl looked up, her face red and wet with tears.

"You don't have to stay with him, you know," continued Gohan, referring to the demon, "You could just leave..."

"But he's all I got," she responded, looking away, "I've no family and no place to live. I don't even know what planet I'm from!"

Gohan sat next to her.

"Well..." he said, "Why don't you just stay here?"

"Huh?"

She looked beside her to look at him.

"Stay on Earth," he said, "It's an awfully nice place to live..."

"But where will I live?"

"You could stay with my family for a while..."

"Really? Oh, thank you!!!"

The girl's eyes shined with happiness and she leaned over and hugged Gohan (who blushed).

"I'm so glad..." she whispered, "...that I can actually count on someone..."

Gohan smiled at her.

"Hey, it's no problem. I won't let you down."

~

Piccolo grunted and rubbed his side. The Saiyajin sensed his injury and drew back (Unusual behavior… Piccolo thought). Not wanting to appear weak, Piccolo tried to straighten up.

"You okay?" the woman suddenly asked.

The other raised an eyebrow ridge, but smiled slightly.

"Just a scratch," he said, "Just a scratch..."

He turned and drew his hand away. Blood dripped from a gash in his side onto his hand. His eyes widened.

"Where the hell did this come from?"

Piccolo looked back at the woman, who was trying to see what happened.

"You're hurt, aren't you?"

"Yes, if you have to know."

"Maybe you could ask Kami."

"Kami? Oh god, I forgot..."

Piccolo looked around for Kami.

"Kami!" he shouted, in hopes of answer.

A strangled cry managed to reply.

"Oh, great," Piccolo muttered as a stinging pain shot across his back,

"That's just great..."

A blur of dark hair rushed past him towards the source.

"HEY!" yelled Piccolo, "What are you doing!?"

"Saving your ass!" shouted back the Saiyajin, who now had her sheath out, "I'll be right back!"

"What!?"

~

"But I want to kill them!" complained Nhago, "How come I never get to do it?"

"Because you're a weakling, that's why," said Eden sharply, annoyed that Nhago was in his way, "Plus the fact that you can't aim properly. Now, if you don't get out of my way..."

"Oh, Eden!! Let me do it!"

"Do 'it' somewhere else with somebody else where you won't be in the way!" shouted Eden.

"But I..."

"Look, you better shut your trap or you'll be seeing your liver in my hand!"

"Eden..."

"Just move!"

"At this point, Eden shoved her out of the way and----got his legs sliced off from beneath him. Eden screamed in pain as the Saiyajin silenced the shrieks of Nhago. Helpless, Nhago fell dead, her mismatched eyes black without life and blood trickling from her mouth. Her comrade couldn't help but stare at the corpse and looked at his own legs just a few feet away from him. A light suddenly shone in his eyes, and he narrowed them to look up at the light of a blade staring at him. A pair of eyes stared into his, a death sentence.

"Shinei."

So the top half of Eden was blown to pieces, his parts scattering all over place. Yamcha woke up at just that moment and stared at a detached eyeball near his hand.

"Oh my god," he said, then fainted.

Kuririn had an entirely different reaction. He had woken up and just stared, too sickly to even try and vomit. The woman, having no time for such nonsense, flew off towards the direction of the demon.

"Hey wait!" shouted Kuririn after her, getting up and leaving the mess behind with Yamcha.

He flew after her, then was joined by Gohan and the other girl. Piccolo didn't see what happened, but he had definitely heard it. He managed to fly a few feet above the ground and painfully made his way towards Kami and the demon.

"Now you finally die," the hovering demon said to Kami (who was on the ground again, barely breathing).

A sort of spear suddenly materialized out of nowhere in his hand. He smiled, then charged from the air towards the ground. Nearer and nearer he drew, the spear point closer and closer to Kami's heart.

"At last..." he began to say.

His sentence was cut short by a cold sensation in his stomach. He grunted, then felt a strange warm thing drip onto his pants. Staring down, he saw an ebony handle, which lead to a pair of pale hands that belonged to…

"You," the demon said, his eyes wide and stupefied.

She nodded, pulling her bloody staff out of the demon.

They both floated back to the ground, the demon still in shock. He felt the hole, amazed at what damage the blades had done.

"You," he repeated, "You did this..."

The woman gave a small smile.

"I've killed off all the weaklings, demon. Now you die."

She held up her hand at eye level, and making sure he was watching, she did a little hand motion. A small, sparkly thing suddenly appeared in her hand. It was like a willow-o-wisp, except maybe even smaller. It floated around a bit in her hand and eventually to the tip of her finger. The woman pointed it at the demon, and the wisp began to go the demon. Its motions were like a lone spark spat from the fire, going this way and that. The demon's beady eyes were transfixed on it, as if under a spell. He even reached out for the spark, cupping in his hands. As for the woman, she backed out and began to sprint the other way.

"RUN!" she shouted to the others.

The first explosion confirmed her warning. Everyone scattered, taking refuge behind still-standing pillars, chunks of walls, and piles of rubble. Yamcha grabbed the unconscious Kami, swing him over his shoulder, and hiding them both in the shield of what used to be a desk. More explosions followed, sending more waves of dust and slit through the air, causing some of them to cough. The very force of the blasts ate away at the pillars and walls, sometimes even carrying away whole chunks (one of them hit Yamcha in the face). There were no screams to be heard. This created some doubt among the group: "Could the demon be alive?"

They found that out when the dust clouds cleared. There was no trace of a corpse anywhere. Just a massive crater bearing a hole deep enough to break out at the bottom.

"Oh…my…God…"

The girl's eyes were huge.

"How can…?" she tried to ask, but the words were stuck in her throat.

"It's possible," interrupted Gohan, crossing his arms, "For the stronger of us, anyway."

"I could never do that!"

"With practice…"

"Hey, where's Kami?" said Piccolo, looking around.

"He's right over there," said Yamcha, "And he's in pretty bad shape…"

He looked Piccolo up and down.

"…And so are you," he finished, "I'm going to Karin's to get some senzous."

"All right. Be back soon," said Kuririn, "I'm going to go check on Kami."

"I'll come with you," said the girl jogging after him.

The three left, leaving only Piccolo and Gohan standing around. For a few moments, Piccolo assessed the damage inflicted on him. LOTS of huge gashes, bruised ribs, and numerous bruises, but nothing was broken…he hoped. There were so many minor scratches on him, too, and his head hurt. He even limped a little when he walked, causing pain with every step.

"You okay, Sensei?" asked Gohan, his eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine," replied Piccolo in his usual manner, "I've been worse."

"You sure…"

"YES, I'M SURE."

"Okay!"

Piccolo took another glance around.

"Where is she?"

"Who? The girl?"

"No, you know who I mean…"

"Sensei, not the…"

"Yes, that's who I mean."

"Didn't you see what she did to that demon, Sensei!? She must've done some other awful things to the other ones, because Yamcha and Kuririn kept away from her with…"

"She tried to kill me, too, kid, but I want to see her."

"Sensei! You're in no condition to fight!"

"I just want to talk to her…"

Piccolo jerked his head towards a direction. His ears twitched. There was a sound…Kind of like…

Crying?

"There…" he said simply, "She's still here."

"Sensei…" spoke up Gohan.

He grabbed his teacher's hand.

"Don't! You can't trust her!"

"She saved my ass, Gohan, not to mention Kami's."

"But…"

"Look, I can take her, Gohan."

Piccolo looked into the child's black eyes. Gohan was so young…too bad he had lost his innocence so soon. Now he was scared, instilled with an old fear of losing his friends. An old fear of attachment… The huge Namek knelt down by his 'foster child', painful as it was, and ruffled his messy hair.

"Hey, I'll be okay."

Gohan couldn't help but cry a little. He was nine, after all. Here he was, the only thing blocking his sensei from what could possibly be his second death.

I have to protect him… I don't trust that Saiyajin. …Sensei…

"Gohan, please," Gohan heard Piccolo say, "Let me go."

"…"

"I'll come back…it's a promise."

Gohan looked up at him.

"Really?" he asked in his old childish voice, "Will you?"

Piccolo smiled.

"Yakusoku (I promise)."

Gohan bit his lip.

Wasting it all if I let you go again… But I trust you.

Gohan nodded. Piccolo smiled again and ruffled his hair. He stood up and flew a few in the air into the opposite direction.

"See ya, kid."

~

When he got there, what Piccolo had sensed was right: she was crying. Piccolo was taken aback a little, never had seeing a Saiyajin cry…especially a pretty female one at that. He couldn't help but stare.

"Hey," he called out, "Are you okay."

"What are you doing here, bakayarou?" she said, her back to him, "Go away."

"Why? I don't have anything to do."

He crossed his arms. They spent a few moments in silence.

"You don't seem like the type to cry," Piccolo remarked.

"My race isn't the type to do so," she replied, "It means that you're weak."

"What's wrong with crying? I don't see anything wrong with it: if it hurts, what's wrong with showing it?"

"I don't want to be..."

She whirled around, her eyes full of tears. Piccolo was taken aback. The sight of those tears startled him, coming from such a hardened source. Not knowing what else to do, he crossed his arms. Maybe in a fit of insane compassion, or trying to be understanding, or maybe just out of plain annoyance, Piccolo told her:

"If you think you are a weakling, go ahead. No one's stopping you. When I first saw you, I didn't think you were a weakling. I thought that you weren't someone to mess around with, and the scythe proved true. But now, all alone out here, I see that you're crying. Then you tell me that you're a weakling. I'm convinced that..."

"Would you just stop it!" she nearly screamed at him, more tears streaming down her cheeks, "I heard what you said! You don't need to act like I need help!"

She took a wild swing at him, but he easily caught her punch. Sotari's other arm swung around his neck, burying her wet face in his gi. Piccolo felt a strange, uncomfortable feeling in him, and he didn't like it…not really, anyway. Plus, that weird, hot feeling was back in his cheeks again. His arms awkwardly hung at his sides. No one had actually hugged him before, even Gohan. A real beating was the set price for such an action. He looked down at her.

"Um…"

Sotari looked up, eyes still slightly wet. Piccolo seemed to echo a distant memory. A memory she couldn't quite remember...A tear slid down Sotari's pale cheek. She could almost grasp it... And almost lose it again...

"Thanks…" her eyes seemed to say to him, "I needed that."

Piccolo stared at her blankly. He was at a loss for words.

"What hurts?" he finally said.

"I'm not going to tell you that---ever."

Sotari's eyes hardened again. She withdrew, back to the distance she had stood only moments before.

Why the hell is she like this? thought Piccolo, What are you running from?

"Well," he said a little gruffly, "If you don't trust me to listen to your problems, then at least tell me your name."

She narrowed her eyes, almost fully distrustful again.

"Sotari," she said curtly.

Sotari…pretty.

"I already know who you are," she said, "You're Piccolo."

"And how did you know that?" asked Piccolo with equal contempt.

"Beat me then, and I'll tell you."

"…Fine."

~

"Is he okay?" asked the girl to Kuririn.

"Kami'll be all right," said Kuririn, checking Kami's pulse, "He's been worse."

"Hey, you two," called out Gohan from somewhere behind them.

"Hey!" said the girl, smiling at him, then seeing his face, "What's wrong?"

"It's Piccolo," said Gohan a little dejectedly, "He's gone off to look for the Saiyajin."

"WHAT!?" the girl and Kuririn shouted together, "HOW COULD YOU LET HIM!?"

Gohan flinched.

"It…I…He…I just did."

"B-but why?" said Kuririn, suddenly standing, "We should go after him!"

"No!" Gohan said, waving his arms, "We can't!"

"Why not? That Saiyajin can kill him! You should've seen what she did to those two aliens!"

"Which ones?" asked the girl.

"What? There were more than three?" asked Gohan, incredulous.

"Yeah…Six, including me."

"But…what happened…?"

"The Saiyajin," finished Kuririn, clenching his fists, "We can't let her get Piccolo…"

"I felt the same way," sighed Gohan.

"Huh?"

"He said he only wanted to talk to her. I'm sure if he needs help, he ask for it," said Gohan a little sharply, "Just leave him."

"Gohan," said Kuririn, taken aback, "What…?"

"Just drop it!"

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Okay, then," said Kuririn finally, "I trust you know what you're doing…But I still think you're crazy!"

"I know," said Gohan, sitting down, "That's what I'm wondering myself…"

The girl sat down next to him.

"I don't understand," she said, "What's the thing between Piccolo and Kami?"

Gohan explained it to her.

"I see…what's your name?" she asked Gohan.

"I'm Gohan," said Gohan, extending a hand, "And this is Kuririn."

"I'm Videl," she said, shaking Gohan's hand, then Kuririn's, "Nice to meet you."

"What were doing with the demon?" asked Kuririn.

"It's a long story," she said.

Kuririn took the hint.

"Hey, Gohan," said Videl, changing the subject, "You want to help me dump Nhago's body?"

"Why would we want to do that? It's disrespectful," responded Gohan, "We should bury her."

"Nhago never gave me any respect. I don't see why I should give her corpse any. Besides..."

"HHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" screamed a blur rushing at them.

"What..." began Gohan, then got smashed in the side of his head with an iron pole.

"Gohan!" cried Videl, but got punched in the stomach so hard that she had the breath knocked out of her.

Videl fell to her knees clutching her stomach, blood and saliva flowing freely.

"You..." she gasped at the figure above her, "Damn you to hell, Nhago!"

"I know," smiled Nhago, "That Saiyajin forgot, didn't she?"

"So did I," replied Videl, "That you can resurrect yourself."

"I'm soo glad that I'm Aral!"

Nhago picked up Videl by her clothes with one hand, and holding Kuririn with the other.

"Now I can finally pay you back for all the times you've humiliated me,

Videl," she said slowly, "I'll treasure this moment."

"KAMEHAMEHA!!!!!" shouted Gohan.

Nhago smirked, and threw an unconcious Kuririn at the beam. Gohan tried to cancel the attack, but wasn't in time. The blast hit Kuririn full power, shredding his clothes and frying his skin.

"Kuririn!" yelled Gohan, rushing to his friend's side, "Are you all right? Wake up! I'm sorry!"

Kuririn's eyelids slowly opened.

"Kuririn!" said Gohan happily, "You're alive!"

"Yeah, kid..." said Kuririn, smiling despite his wounds, "Nice Kamehameha...Nearly fried me back there..."

"I didn't mean to hit you!"

"I didn't know I was in the way."

"C'mon, get up, Kuririn! We've got to save Videl!"

"Okay."

Kuririn painfully got up, Gohan helping him. The two set their fighting stances. Nhago only smirked and laughed.

"Weaklings!" she chuckled, "I'll make this a long fight for you... You'll be begging me to let you

die."

"Look who's talking!" said Kuririn with a laugh, "You're the one who had to have someone else beat me for you."

"Eden just got impatient, that's all," said Nhago slowly, her teeth gritted, "Everyone thinks I'm weak, that I'll never get anywhere... Heh, but they've only seen my first form."

"First form?" asked a confused Gohan, "You aren't like Frieza, aren't you?"

"I hope not," muttered Kuririn under his breath.

"It means that every time she dies she transforms into something more powerful than the last!" shouted Videl.

"Which makes me sort of like a demon," said Nhago.

"But you're only a quarter," cut in Videl.

"Shut up, Videl! I'm still Aral, and I can still do all the things they do!"

"Like transform into a man?" mocked Videl, "Or that..."

"I said SHUT UP Videl!"

"You freak of nature!!" said a shocked Kuririn (who took Videl's claim literally) to Nhago.

"You asked for it!" yelled Nhago, "You've made me mad!!"

Still holding Videl, she began to power up. A light aura shown around her and in her eyes. Holes of light began to pierce her skin, as if something was forcing itself out. Even when she opened her mouth, a light beam fired itself at Kuririn and Gohan.

"Look out!" yelled Gohan, jumping out of the way.

Kuririn did, barely missing it. The beam just managed to burn some of his skin. It sizzled like frying grease.

"Aaaahhh, hot!!" whimpered Kuririn, clutching at his burning shoulder, "IT HURTS!!!"

"Kuririn!" shouted Gohan.

"I'm all right, just stay away from those beams!"

Gohan looked back to see something that resembled a dinosaur with a long, scaly tail and a huge skull.

"Oh, shit..."

What was supposed to be Nhago now was a bulky, but powerful blue body, with an enormous, dinosaur-like skull with a long bone in the back of it. It had no eyes---just two gaping holes and a smaller one for the nose. The mouth was lined with three rows of sharp teeth and fangs. The only things that actually remained of Nhago was the arm that held Videl, and it looked abnormally small and weak compared to the rest of her body. And the mercury growth, still on the side of her face---skull---ugly and disgusting as ever.

"I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!!" boomed Nhago's new voice, husky and with a growl.

She opened her mouth again and fired another acid beam straight at Gohan. He dodged, only to have to avoid another---and another---and another. It was a shower of beams, Gohan and Kuririn jumping all over the place. Nhago turned to the still-helpless Kami.

"Starting with the Namekian!"

~

Piccolo wanted to walk away, but he couldn't. He was just standing there, his back to her, wondering what he was supposed to do now.

I could just walk away... It's not like it'll matter to her. She doesn't seem to want to be trusted. I don't have to stay...

"What aren't you going, bakayarou?" she asked him.

"Stop calling me names," replied an irritated Piccolo.

"What are you going to do about it, bakayarou?"

"...Beat the crap out of you?" he said, with the lack of anything else to say.

"Nice try, but I don't think you could in that condition."

"Those are all Kami's fault! I can take a lot more than this..."

"But you'll still die, won't you."

Piccolo paused.

"Yeah...I would..."

Sotari walked towards him, stopping beside him to place her hand on his bloody shoulder.

"You know, it's a real weakness to have... Having both of you die at the same time and all."

"He's my half-father..."

"But in that way, it's a shame. No wonder that demon fool chose to attack Kami instead of you... Hey, are you okay?"

Piccolo had knelt to his knees, clutching his chest, breathing even harder than before.

"Piccolo, what's going on!" said Sotari, now getting worried, "It's Kami, isn't it?"

He managed a nod.

"Damn, it's like a huge pressure on my chest...my whole body. It hurts..."

Sotari immediately stood up, her ki beginning to flare up.

"What hell is going on over there!!"

She started to fly, but Piccolo grabbed her ankle.

"Sotari, don't leave," he gasped, "I'm dying here..."

"So is Kami!"

"So," Piccolo smiled weakly, "You care more about the old Namekian than me? You do have feelings, don't you?"

"No, I don't!"

"That's really damn mean of you..."

"Piccolo!! I could care less crap about Kami!"

"Then why are you going...? You afraid to see me die?"

"..."

"That's what I thought."

~

"KAMI!!!" yelled Gohan, "VIDEL!!!"

He watched in utter horror as Nhago lifted her colossal foot off of Kami for a moment.

"What, brat, you think crushing him is too good?" jeered Nhago, "I think it's perfect...it'll only waste my energy to use acid blasts."

"You monster!!!" shouted Gohan, "You're gonna pay for that!!"

He started to fire another Kamehameha, but Nhago simply held up Videl in front of her gigantic mouth.

"One move, and Videl's a mass of veins."

"Grrrrr..." said Kuririn, "Damn---darn---I hate it when there's a hostage!"

"But it's Videl, Kuririn!" rebuked Gohan, "We gotta save her!!"

"That's easier said than done..."

"God damn it, I don't care crap!!"

"Gohan, what the---Don't!!! What do I tell your mom!?!?"

Gohan's ki flared up and he charged. Nhago, not being the fool, acid-blasted him. He countered with an energy blast. The two beams collided, then flew in opposite directions. Gohan's flew near Kuririn, and the other...

"KAMI!!!"

~

Piccolo's screams echoed the air, making Sotari a wreck of nerves.

"Piccolo, can't I just..." began Sotari.

"God damn it, I'm...AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!" was Piccolo's response.

He began to writhe and twist on the ground, screaming even louder and more terrible than before.

"I'm...I'm..." he kept saying.

"What!? What!? What do you want me to do!?!?"

"...burning..."

"Hell!?"

"...you...heard me...AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Sotari could only sit back in shock. Here she was, helpless to do anything... Her mind raced, but the time seemed to have lost track of itself...dragging on for minutes, hours, maybe days. She didn't know, for all she saw now was a dying Piccolo...

Damnitdamnitdamnit, what the hell am I doing here!?!?!? I should be helping him, but I don't know what to do!! All I'm doing is sitting here...watching him die. I'm so stupid!!!!

*Mei (niece), you haven't forgotten your mission, have you* came the voice.

"God, not you again..."

*Don't you recall that you are supposed to rid me of this enemy*

"Don't you remember that he's your enemy, not mine?"

*That doesn't matter. We're family, Mei. My enemy is your enemy*

"I don't see how that makes any sense."

I can't do anything...I don't belong here. I shouldn't even be here. I should just kill him right now and get it over with. Or, better yet, just walk away and let Kami's death do it for me to save the agony... I can just deal with the rest later.

She got up, dusting her pants.

"I can just go..."

Sotari took a step towards the opposite direction.

"I can just leave..."

She couldn't stop staring at Piccolo.

<Sotari> said Piccolo in telepathy.

<Piccolo> Sotari replied back.

<Have you thought about saving me yet>

<C-can't... It's not what I've been told to do... I'm sorry, Piccolo>

Sotari took another step, but something made her stop. It was a force, an emotion that caused her to wince in pain. For another moment, something in her had snapped, fighting against that horrible voice in the back of her head...

Hell with it!

And this time, her feelings prevailed. She turned around. The voice's orders kept screaming in her head, trying to force their 'toy' to obey, but Sotari ignored them. It obviously didn't matter now. For once, she felt all her own, capable of making her own decisions... Capable of being human...

"Piccolo, hold still for a second!!" she yelled to him.

Another shriek was her answer.

"Oh, do SHUT UP and HOLD STILL!!"

She grabbed one of Piccolo's writhing arms and held it down. Then did the same with the other. Next, she used her knees to pin the rest of him down, but he kept shaking his head from side to side, screaming.

"Oh, Piccolo!" she said with exasperation, "Just because you're burning up doesn't mean---oh my god, you're burning up!"

Sotari couldn't help but wrinkle her nose, too. The stench of burning flesh wasn't very pleasant either.

"Okay, Piccolo... Ready or not, I'm gonna do this!"

You won't know how much this will hurt me...

Concentrating all her energy to one purpose, Sotari could already feel a hot energy balloon swelling up inside of her. If she didn't know how to handle it, the balloon could burst, causing her to accidentally self-destruct. But Sotari closed her eyes and felt the rippling flow of energy curse through her Saiyajin veins and form a ball of crackling, flowing energy around her. As she grew accustomed to the sudden change, Sotari opened her eyes, and stared into Piccolo's suddenly calm ones.

<What ARE you doing> shouted Piccolo in telepathy.

<Relax! It's only an energy transfer>

She gripped onto Piccolo even tighter, as if she was afraid she'd lose her grip. Slowly, as if hours had passed, Sotari could feel the beads of energy slip quietly into Piccolo's body.

Come on, come on…

Sotari's ki flared up, hotter and more forceful than ever. The energy swirled around her, dancing in her eyes like waves of fire. Her head began to swim. She closed her eyes tight, trying to stay concentrated.

No! I can't lose my concentration now!

She felt herself slightly relax, but then tensed up again. It was harder to stay conscious now. The voice in her head was screaming louder than ever in a last-ditch effort, making it even more difficult.

*MEI!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? YOU'RE…*

…So…hard…So damn irritating, that bastard in my head!

The last bead went into Piccolo. Sotari suddenly froze, and her body cooled down. Her ki waves vanished, and Sotari collapsed on top of Piccolo bathed in a cold sweat, shivering like crazy. The sweat went into her eyes, causing her eyes to water and to cry the excess tears.

I did it…

She closed her exhausted eyes, preparing to release herself to the drowning sleep that was engulfing her…

As if by magic, the seemingly unconscious Piccolo placed his hand on her back, stroking it in a tender way.

<Sotari-san…>

Piccolo blacked out. Hearing his thoughts, Sotari smirked in self-satisfaction.

<Who believes in forever, Piccolo-san…>

The voice died, taking Sotari with it into blackness.

~

"Huh?"

Nhago saw a bright light shining from Kami.

"What's that?"

A white beam of light answered her. It shot like pistol and aimed like one, too. The beam cut off her head! With a horrible scream Nhago's head tumbled to the ground, and her body fell backwards and lay still.

"KAMI!" shouted Gohan, hopeful, "PICCOLO!"

Kami practically rose from the ground, his robes sparkling clean and all of his injuries gone. The light faded as Kami began to walk towards the little group. When he finally stopped, he smiled, and the light completely disappeared. Videl suddenly sprinted over to Gohan and threw her arms around him.

"Gohan, you did it!" she squealed in happiness, "Thanks!!"

"Aww, it was nothing," he replied, his face turning red, "Um, it was Kami's victory, really..."

"Still, you're the one who tried to save me!"

"But he's the one who got me blasted," said Kami under his breath, then louder to Gohan, "Good work, Gohan. I'm eternally grateful to you."

"You're welcome, sir, I just hope that Picc---Aw, crap!! I forgot about him!!"

As much as he liked Videl hugging him, Gohan broke away from her grasp and flew in the opposite direction.

"I have to see if he's all right!"

"Wait for us! We're coming!" yelled Kuririn flying after him.

"Hey!! What about me??? I can't fly!" shouted Videl running after them, Kami behind her.

He'd better not be hurt, or that Saiyajin is gonna pay!! thought Gohan.

Gohan put on another spurt of speed. Even from a distance, he could see the green of his friend's skin, but...

"What's that covering him?"

As he drew closer, realization struck him.

What's the Saiyajin doing on top of Piccolo?"

He halted and touched lightly, then immediately knelt down to feel his friend's pulse. Kuririn landed beside him, Videl puffing next to him, and Kami looking concerned at his half-son's condition.

"Is he all right?" asked Kami.

"Yeah," said Gohan with a sigh of relief, "He's alive. Not to mention fully healed..."

"I wonder how that happened," said Videl, looking over Piccolo, "Last time we saw him, he was all bloody and cut..."

"The Saiyajin," pointed out Kuririn, I think...an energy transfer, wasn't it? Gohan, is she all right?"

Gohan's hand flew to her wrist. After a few moments, his face grew grave.

"No pulse," he said flatly, "And her skin's dead cold."

Silence fell on the group.

"What...what do we do with the body?" asked Kuririn.

"We bury it, of course," replied Gohan his voice devoid of any emotion, then added, "I'll tell Piccolo..."

Videl suddenly gave a gasp.

"Look!" she pointed, "He's coming to!"

Everyone gaped on as Piccolo slowly stirred from his unconsciousness.

"Sensei!" shouted Gohan in ecstasy.

Piccolo's eyes fluttered open. He only had to look to his left to see the grinning face of his former student. His hand reached up to touch Gohan's tear-stained face.

"Gohan," he said, "I..."

"You're alive, Sensei!" cut in Gohan, "I'm so glad!!"

"Your old sensei's hard to get rid of... By the way, what happened?"

"Uh, one of those aliens resurrected and changed into something, and Kami cut off her head."

"...I see."

Piccolo looked up to see Kami beaming at him.

"Nice to see you, old man," Piccolo said, smiling slightly.

"Nice to see you, too, Piccolo," replied Kami, "I see you've met the Saiyajin..."

"Her name's Sotari."

"Yes, well..."

"She's dead, Piccolo," finished Gohan, looking down.

Piccolo fell silent----for four seconds.

"You lie," he said.

"What?"

Gohan snapped to attention.

"Why would I lie, Sensei? She's dead, can't you see? I even checked her pulse and breathing!"

"No...she can't be!"

Piccolo sat up, Sotari sliding off him. He looked down at her, his eyes full of mixed denial and sadness.

"Sotari-san..."

Before he could stop himself, Piccolo found himself stroking her long, dark hair. It was silky and well cared for, shining in the morning sun. Even when he ran his fingers through it, there were no tangles or knots. He stayed like that, in one, rare, silent moment of tenderness in the formerly tough Piccolo Daimaoh.

You give your life for demon, Sotari...

A familiar roar suddenly interrupted the moment, ringing through the still air with a terrible rage. The ground even shook a bit.

"Gohan," said Piccolo in an accusing tone, "What did you say about that alien coming back to life?"

"Whoops..." was Gohan's only answer.

"HHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" screamed Nhago's skull, her bulky body holding it under one arm, "YOU'LL ALL PAY FOR CUTTING OFF MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Aw, crap..." said Kuririn.

A fat purple beam suddenly pierced the air, along with an echoing cry: "Ko~oga~a~suu~u Fo~oku~~ushuu~~uu (Burning Revenge!)!!!"

"What..." started Nhago, but her body was hit with the beam.

The body stumbled back, dropping the skull. Unrelenting, the beam bore into the flesh, finally succeeding piercing a clear hole through it. At this point, the body just fell altogether, with the skull still cursing.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH MY BODY!?!?!?!?!?" she screamed, but nobody listened to her.

Instead, they were all gaping at Sotari, who was up and about firing the beam from a splayed hand.

"You damned bitch, you don't die very easily," she said in an irritated tone, then to Gohan, "You didn't destroy the entire body, did you?"

"Uh...No."

"That's what helps her resurrect, stupid! Her soul just simply goes back into her body and wakes up!"

"You left her body behind at..." began Kuririn.

"I hoped that you would've taken care of it, baka!"

"But Gohan said to..."

"You shouldn't have listened!"

Sotari took her earring and the scythe grew to its full size again.

"Now I have to do it myself."

"Sotari, wait!" shouted Piccolo, reaching out for her, but she charged.

"You don't know what form she'll transform into!!" yelled Videl.

"All the more fun for me," was the response.

"You are so dead..."

Sotari ignored her and raised her scythe back over her head. She could see that Nhago was starting to change again, the lights shining through the holes in her skin...

"FOOL!!!" bellowed the transforming Nhago, "YOU WILL DIE!!!!!!"

"KI~~IINI~~IIRO~O NO~O KAMA!!! (Golden scythe!)!!!"

The blades glowed gold, shining its rays at Nhago's own beams. Nhago's eyes sparkled this time, then shots of flames came out. They took the form of dragons, roaring with fiery fury at Sotari. She only smirked and flew straight at them.

"Sotari!!" Piccolo nearly yelled, watching the Saiyajin figure disappear into the consuming flames.

Nhago smirked and laughed at the effect.

"That's one!" she licked her lips, "Who's next?"

She took a step closer to the group, the searing heat making them bathe in sweat.

"Oh my god..." whispered Videl, at a loss for words, "We're so dead..."

Nhago's jaw opened, the flames dancing in her mouth. She took another step forward to gobble up Videl... And drew back?

"What..." began Piccolo, his eyes widening as Nhago felt her stomach.

A thrashing movement could be clearly seen beneath the skin, like a desperate, wild animal. Suddenly, the stomach just burst all at once, the lava-like fluids and acids splashing all over the place. Nhago screamed as Sotari burst from the flames, positively covered in the fluids and looking really pissed.

"Dirty little whore," she cursed, "You didn't have to do that."

Seeing that Nhago wasn't listening to her, Sotari leapt up and brought the scythe down on Nhago's head. It split, the fiery body literally ripping in half. Nhago's shrieks of pain rang like the echoing in the ears, but Sotari wasn't finished. She hovered a few seconds to see that Nhago was really splitting in half. Then, she raised her arms above her head, forming an energy ball the color of red with silver traces.

"I think we'd better run!!!" shouted Gohan, grabbing Videl and flinging her over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Kami!!" apologized Kuririn as he flung Kami over his shoulder.

"Wait!!" resisted Kami, "What about Mr. Popo!?"

"Forget him! He's toast!!"

Gohan and Kuririn (plus passengers) flew as fast as they could away from the Lookout, definitely sensing that it wouldn't be there if they dared to stay.

However, Piccolo just stood there, still staring at her. He didn't need words to tell anyone what he was thinking.

"PICCOLO!!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!!!" shouted Gohan and Kuririn, "LET'S

GO!!!!!!"

"Coming..." he said airily.

He turned, but looked back to see that Sotari was still charging her ball while Nhago was almost nearly done ripping in half. Sotari, sensing him, looked back at him. They locked eyes for a second, sharing, perhaps, their last moment together.

"Just move, bakayarou," said Sotari, smiling at him, "Just live."

She winked at him.

"Or I'll kick your ass!"

~

The explosion that followed sent shockwaves that could even be felt by the people hovering in the air fifty feet away. Of course, fifty feet doesn't seem much, so the effect almost sent them hurtling another fifty, but they kept their ground. Their eyes widened at the destruction. It was like watching a live volcano eruption, with fire spurting everywhere, the smoke and dust spreading out in choking clouds, and the screams. But whose screams, nobody could tell the difference. What seemed to be hours, the clouds cleared, and what they saw shocked them out of their wits. There was nothing left of the Lookout. What had been a beautiful palace on top of a colossal base was now just an empty space in the sky. A full minute of quiet was on the group as they took in the effects. Suddenly, Videl turned her head to Gohan's, shaking it with a grave smile.

"Told you to dump the body," was her remark.

"I don't anyone could've survived that," said Kuririn, his eyes so wide that they looked like they would pop, "No one..."

Piccolo said nothing.

"Well, where to now?" said Gohan.

"Let's go to Karin's," suggested Kuririn, "I just hope his tower's not been destroyed, too.

The little group flew to Karin's place, which wasn't too badly damaged, but it was still there. Karin made chamomile tea for them all to calm their nerves, but Piccolo stayed away from them, by the balcony and looking out to the sky.

"Did you see that explosion, Master Karin?" said Kuririn, "It wasn't like anything I've ever seen!"

"Poor Mr. Popo," said Kami sadly, "I'll miss him..."

A tear crept out of his eye.

"I'm sorry," said Videl, putting her hand on the old Namekian's.

"Thank you, dear," said Kami, patting her on the head, "But just imagine what it must've been like being destroyed in that..."

"Yeah," added Piccolo, "Just imagine..."

"Hello, everyone!" cut in a cheery voice.

Everyone immediately turned to look at Mr. Popo sitting on his magic carpet on the other side of the room. Jaws dropped, eyes popped, and Kami knocked over his chair to exclaim: "Mr. Popo! You're alive!!"

"Of course Mr. Popo is alive," replied Mr. Popo with his wide smile,

"Thanks to that gracious woman who rescued me..."

Piccolo's eyes widened. He literally flew over there and grabbed the genie by the arms to shake him.

"Was it Sotari!?"

"Mr. Popo doesn't know what 'Sotari' is..."

"Well, did she have a tail?"

"Mr. Popo thinks so..."

"Mr. Popo THINKS so!?"

Piccolo's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Um...Mr. Popo is SURE that there was a tail..." corrected Mr. Popo nervously.

"Oh my god."

Piccolo dropped Mr. Popo.

She's alive...?

Piccolo ran back to the balcony and wildly looked around for any sign of her.

"Sotari's alive..." he said to himself, "She's alive..."

The others just stared at him.

"Your sensei's gone mental," whispered Videl to Gohan.

"I couldn't agree more..." he whispered back, cocking an eyebrow.

Piccolo's ears twitched.

"Do you think the Saiyajin did anything?" whispered Kuririn.

"Except save him, who knows..."

Piccolo hovered a few feet. He flew over the railing and down through the clouds below.

"Hey, Sensei!" called Gohan, getting up to look over the railing,

"Sensei!"

"I don't think he'll back for a while," remarked Kami.

"No kidding."

Gohan came back to the table.

"Is he going to be okay?" asked Videl, searching Gohan's face.

"I don't know...I don't know."

~

Late that night, at Goku's house, mostly everything had gone well. Goku still wasn't home, but Gohan was sure that he'd like Videl. Chi Chi had taken her well enough, but Gohan couldn't help but notice a funny look in his mother's face every time he and Videl were in the same room. Whatever it was, he couldn't figure it out.

"Oh well..." he yawned, rolling over in bed, "At least she didn't kick her out."

He listened to the crickets chirping outside his window, the sound lulling him to sleep. Far away, he could even sense out the ki of his still-moody Sensei.

I hope Sensei will be okay...

A slight crunch outside suddenly caught his ear. Gohan immediately jumped out of bed, ready for battle. He looked out the window. It was Videl. She glanced around to see if anyone was watching (she didn't see Gohan), then began to run away from the house. Silently, Gohan followed her, flying well above her head to keep track of her easier. Unfortunately, she found out he was there.

"Gohan!" she nearly shouted "What are you doing up there!?"

"What are you doing running away?" replied Gohan.

He landed next to Videl.

"I have to go, Gohan," said Videl, looking in the opposite direction, "I can't stay here."

"Why not? My mom doesn't hate you, and I'm sure my dad'll like you, too once he gets back!"

"It's not your parents, Gohan. I like your mom and everything, but I really can't impose on you like this..."

"It's no trouble..."

"I don't belong here..."

"Is there something wrong with our air or something?"

"No, you don't understand, Gohan. I feel fine..."

"Is it me?"

Gohan suddenly envisioned Videl laughing at him behind his back.

"No," said Videl, slightly annoyed at all the questions, "It's just that I feel like I have to find my parents."

"Your parents?"

Gohan felt somewhat relieved.

"But I thought you said you don't know what species you are..."

"I only said I didn't know what planet I was from. That doesn't mean I didn't know what I was."

"So you're...human?"

"Of course, do I look like anything else?"

"No, but Nhago looked human...sort of."

"I won't even get into that..."

That takes a load off my mind... thought Gohan.

"How are you going to find your parents, by the way?" he asked.

"I don't know... I'll just find them," answered Videl.

"What if they're dead?"

"Gohan!"

"Sorry...Just being realistic."

"You sound like your mom."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Not really... Anyway, I'll see you later."

Videl started again.

"Wait, Videl! said Gohan, grabbing her arm, "When will I see you again?"

She paused a moment.

"I don't know," she said quietly, "Someday, I suppose."

"I hope it's soon..."

"Maybe. Could be even years from now until we meet again..."

"But... I like you an awful lot, Videl, and I don't want you to go."

Videl took her arm away, not looking at him.

"Good night, Gohan. Thanks for everything."

"Just wait a second..."

Gohan leaned over and pecked her cheek.

"...Okay then. Bye, Videl. See you...someday."

He hovered up for a few seconds, looking on as Videl ran away again.

Smiling a little sadly, he started to turn back, but something else caught his ears that made him smile a little wider.

"I LIKE YOU, TOO, GOHAN!!!!!"

~

Piccolo tried to concentrate, shutting his eyes even tighter, as if trying to block the image of that Saiyajin dancing around in his mind. Those eyes of hers seemed to be burned within his mind, torturing his concentration...and his place. His voice had rocked his mind from its comfortable state, banishing it to a world of hellish unanswerable questions and awkward feelings. This wasn't him, this distracted, perhaps insane Piccolo.

I'm better than this, he kept thinking to himself, She's only a woman... a damn good fighter at that...shit, there I go again!!

His eyes snapped open, his face full of anger. Angered, Piccolo knew he couldn't let a woman…a Saiyajin woman that he barely knew…get in his way. She meant nothing (NOTHING!) to him. It was over!

"ENOUGH!" he said aloud, "ENOUGH, SOTARI!!"

He got himself out of lotus position and flew upwards as fast as he could, the wind whistling past his ears. His speed didn't slow until he was far above the clouds and the light of the moon (?) shining in his eyes.

Maybe up here, I'll be able to concentrate.

Unfortunate for the poor Namekian, he couldn't. The Saiyajin only grew harder on his head.

**You know, it's a real weakness to have…**

"At least I can trust you about that, Sotari," said Piccolo to no one, "Since I can't trust anything else about you…"

Sotari watched him from behind a cloud.

"…It only takes one word or idea to send me in real deep… So if you think you're clever," she heard him say aloud, "Better use the right words when you talk to me."

What the hell's he talking about? thought Sotari, Does he know I'm here?

I'm going to close my eyes…Maybe it'll go away, thought Piccolo, All I can do…Is wait for you…

What the hell's he thinking, burning solitude?Hell, what am I thinking!? I don't even make any sense… IT'S ALL HER FAULT!!!

She watched him split into two forms and spar with himself. His copy was good, but his original was ANGRY. Angry at Sotari, angry at himsef… He beat the crap out of counterpart so badly that he could barely hover when the two merged again. Piccolo felt sick, a nausea swimming before his eyes. His entire body ached from his own thrashing. There wasn't enough time for him to heal himself. He could feel himself fading out of consciousness…

It's all her fault…

He began to fall, plunging down to the Earth below. Sotari's eyes widened. She hurriedly flew over there and caught him.

"Oof!" she grunted when her arms filled with an eight-foot Namekian.

She knew he was huge, but so heavy…

"Damn, Piccolo, you just like to make things difficult for yourself? DON'T YOU?"

Sotari gazed on his face for a few moments.

Such a handsome face…even for an alien.

She flew slowly, due to Piccolo's weight, until she finally came to the forest near Goku's house. Sotari set him down gently by a brook. Satisfied, she stood up, and saw Goku's house in the near distance.

I could…No. I can't. Not tonight…

A small smile graced her lips.

Not tonight…

She looked at the sleeping Piccolo. Kneeling down, she touched his face, feeling the smooth texture of his skin. As if sensing her touch, Piccolo tensed, then suddenly relaxed, breathing a deep sigh.

"You got lucky this time, bakayarou," she teased in mock revenge, "This time…"

The Saiyajin stood up and began walking off in another direction.

Maybe next time…

~