Enter God

There's something about doing nothing for an entire day that feels so dangerously relaxing and brings the threat of complete passivity. Having slept all of yesterday, not without company, and done close to nothing for all of today I have decided it's time to shake off whatever has taken over me and get to work. I'm feeling far better than two days ago, and although I feel a bit bad about not returning home to see my master off, I know I wouldn't have found him before he left either way. I know how he is, I know he would fall off the face of the earth when his time neared. He hated goodbyes.

Outside the day is bright, the sky is blue, the streets are busy and fluffy clouds litter the sky. In my lap rests the journal Master Lao had given me, not yet opened and heavy in my lap. There's a feeling of foreboding whenever I look at the old journal, a feeling that has it sitting unopened since I obtained it. So I let it sit there and look out the window in thought, wondering what to do next. I know what to do next, I'm simply wasting time sitting here. We've gathered all the dragon balls, we know where Kami is, we're stronger - I know for a fact I'm stronger than the old watcher - and the longer we wait the longer Kakarot has to spend without his parents. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it no matter what happens.

I just need to get up and go.

"You've been sitting there for an hour" Bulma nudges me away from the window as she climbs onto my bed and sits next to me. She leans against the windowsill as well and offers me a bowl of minced fruit. "What are you thinking?"

"I should go see Kami now" I grab a piece of watermelon. "I should read my master's journal, I should build my parents' android"

There are things to do, important things that will take time and I should get to it. Building the android could take months, maybe years despite already having one of the most important parts. It's bound to be an easier endeavor with the help of Bulma and doctor Brief. The journal takes up less time, I've always been a fast reader, but the feeling of foreboding has kept me from even glimpsing the first page. And the whole situation with Kami, I'm not even sure how that will go, but I'm going to have to find out today.

"What's in the journal?" Bulma asks around a strawberry.

"My Master's knowledge" everything he knows and has ever known is written in this very journal and I can't bring myself to open it. I've never turned away from knowledge, knowledge is a powerful thing to have, I know this better than anyone I'm sure. "It's bound to be very insightful"

Bulma hums thoughtfully, eyes still on the scene outside the window.

"There's an android to build" she recalls.

"Yes, the first my parents had ever created" my voice is filled with pride, and Bulma lets out a small laugh.

"Excited"

"Very"

"There's a god to see," she says now, gazing at the cherry held between her fingers. "Things to do"

"As I've said"

"What comes first then?"

A valid question and the answer hasn't shown itself to me yet, despite my hour of gazing out the window and hoping for a revelation.

"I suppose I'll go visit Kami"

It has been the first on the list for a year now, best get it out of the way before I proceed with anything else. I'm not confident he'll even want to listen to me, considering what I've done, but Kakarot hasn't done much wrong and he's just trying to see his parents again. And should he turn his back on him I will pester him until he relents, even if it takes me years to do so. And if by some miracle he doesn't deem me unworthy of his time I'll gladly train under him. He's old, knowledgable, likely knows some great techniques, and is quite obviously a skilled magic-user.

With that in mind, I'm off my bed and grabbing my capsules in almost one motion, and Bulma's quick to follow me. First stop is Roshi's place to collect Kakarot if he's there. If not it's off to old man Gohan to collect the kid.

"You're coming?" I'm not surprised Bulma follows me all the way out of the house or that she scrambles onto my nimbus without much thought. She thirsts for adventure as much as she thirsts for scientific advancement. After recent happenings, one would think her to be a bit more hesitant about following me on my journeys, however.

"Of course I am," she says it as if my concern were ridiculous, as if she couldn't imagine doing anything else and I don't bother questioning her on that. She has quite the tendency to get into danger as well so I'll leave her with Korin while Kakarot and I go see Kami. She won't like it - I don't expect her to - but it would be better for her to remain with the old cat creature.

She's just as shaken now as she had been when she first boarded the nimbus and holds onto me as if I were her lifeline. Her slight fear and her tight grasp on me has an overwhelming urge to do loops in the sky overtake me and I resist it just barely. She'll likely suffer something close to a heart attack should I do something as reckless as that.

"This is terrifying and exciting at the same time" Bulma mumbles, practically hiding behind my back in the face of the sometimes intense winds that would take us. "I don't get how you can be so calm"

Shrugging, I shift enough to fully shield her from the force of the wind and fully enjoy the feel of the cool air against my face. It's refreshing in my opinion and I had gotten used to it almost as soon as I attained my fluffy cloud. If Bulma makes it a habit to follow me on my journeys she'll grow used to it in the blink of an eye.

The journey to Kame house is shorter than it would be had we taken normal forms of transportation and soon we're drifting above the pink house with Yamcha waving at us after having been knocked off his feet by Krillin.

"Yo!" he calls from where he lies on the ground and Krillin tilts his head back to look at us.

"Oh, hey Durian!" Krillin smiles this big thing when he sees me. "You're back!"

"Yeah, got back yesterday" I inform and lean over to get a broader look over the tiny island. "Where's Kakarot?"

"He went back to Mount Paozu," Krillin says, voice loud as he addresses me. "Left since yesterday"

I suspected as much and thank Krillin for the information before patting Nimbus to signal our leave.

"See you later!" Yamcha and Krillin call when we take off and I offer a quick wave and verbal promise. I'll likely return to them after the whole Kami situation and if luck is on my side I'd have convinced him to train us by that point.

"I wasn't even acknowledged" Bulma complains when we're a good distance away and I try not to let my amusement show.

Our trip to Mount Poazu is a shorter one and soon the scene is nothing but tall hills and low valleys either covered in sand or decorated with lush forests. Mount Paozu is literally a breath of fresh air and I would not mind spending some time in this area. Master Lao would have loved it I'm sure.

On the very top of one of these mountains rests a very small house next to a smaller building and on the open yard, Kakarot sits by a fire, poking a large creature with a stick. His tail moves behind him languidly and his usual armor has been switched for some casual clothes that are soaked and creating a pool of water at his feet. His hair falls down, barely resembling the spiked oddness I'm used to and it looks like he can barely see past the hair hanging in front of his face. Nearby, carrying herbs and wood in a basket tied to his back is old man Gohan who disappears into their small house.

When we get closer, Kakarot looks up, hair in front of his eyes and a grin splitting his face when he sees us. His tail moves excitedly, before settling around his waist in a tight grip.

"He's excited" Bulma comments, chin on my shoulder and amusement in her voice.

He always is when he sees me and it's still as heartwarming as all the other times.

Nimbus descends to the ground and I barely set foot on the dirt before a ki ball is heading straight for my face and it is but instinct that has me slapping it upward and ducking away from his assault, falling under him and slipping around to pull him down by the tail.

He laughs, despite it all, and jumps up to face me.

"You're back" he pats me on the back, far harder than would be considered normal. "And you're here just in time too," he says pointing at the creature he has cooking over the built fire. "I caught a wild boar today"

And what a fantastic boar it is.

"Hey Bulma" while I'm greeted with the threat of a broken nose, Bulma gets a strong hug from the boy and she's as giddy as she is surprised when he lifts her off her feet.

"Kakarot come on, put me down" she squeals in laughter and Kakarot relents, gently placing her back on the ground and leaning into the hand she places on his head. "Geez, we saw each other just two days ago"

"I don't get your point," Kakarot says as he returns to the boar he has roasting in the middle of the yard. "I have friends and I'm glad to see them"

I'm starting to relate heavily to those words.

"What brings you here?" He asks, voice muffled around the shirt he's attempting to pull off. "Have to do with Kami?"

"Yes indeed"

He makes a sound, struggles out of his shirt, and sits on the log in front of the fire, thoughtful.

"How are we doing this?" He asks, turning the boar over the fire. "I don't think we can just go up there and tell him to train"

"Yeah, well, that's what we have to do" there's no way to go around it and I'm sure he already knows. Kami oversees the earth and its people, he's bound to know exactly what we are up to by now. "We just have to convince him"

"I guess so"

Kakarot's way of cooking the boar is very simplistic and he makes it an amusing thing by recounting how he had caught the poor creature today. He had been out in the woods running when the urge took him and the animal decided to chase him which ended with his demise, poor thing. Once the boar is cooked Kakarot appears with two knives, hands me one, and sits down to cut everything off. Bulma sits and watches with interest, not willing to participate since this is not her territory. I realize after we've removed as much meat as possible that he intends for me to cook something with his catch and is more than happy to be my assistant for this task. He fetches a bucket of herbs that Gohan has gathered, all of which I recognize and can easily cook with. He helps me cut the meat into smaller pieces, runs off to gather some veggies I had requested, and mans the fire while I prep everything. All the while Bulma had disappeared with old man Gohan and it is only when I look around for her that I find her sitting opposite the old man. He talks - she furrows her brows, either confused or determined and they go about whatever it is they have gotten into together.

"The smell is making me hungry" Kakarot says eyes glued to the pot resting above the fire we had nursed back to life.

"Be patient" it shouldn't be too hard since I had grilled some of the meat for this very occasion. He snacks on that while the main course cooks and his tail sticks up behind him as he watches.

"How long do you think it will take?" He asks.

"A couple more minutes"

"Not that"

"Kami situation?"

"Yeah" he nods, unsure. "He needs to be stronger for the dragon to be stronger but how much stronger does he need to be? How long will it take to reach that level of power? And will it even work in the end?"

Those are questions I cannot answer and he is aware of this fact, yet he asks, perhaps needing to voice his worries to someone. Those are all good questions and I have been mulling over them as well. How much stronger does he need to be for the dragon's abilities to increase? And how long will that even take? Not to mention he's a pretty old guy - I apologize if you hear me Kami - and his age would make growing stronger take quite a bit longer than it would have had he been a young thing again. The solution to that problem are the very orbs he has created, but how does one convince a god to regain his youth and train for who knows how long for a single person?

I don't know - it's terrible not knowing.

~~~~~~~

Kakarot has packed enough food to last a normal person a month and knowing him it will likely last a week at most. Grandpa Gohan had done some stretches with me before we left, smiling and wishing us the best on our journey. I remind myself to ask Bulma what they had been talking about in time. After Kakarot has changed into his gi and properly said goodbye to his grandfather he hops on his nimbus with Korin's tower in sight. I follow closely behind, Bulma hangs on for dear life once again.

"You're gonna have to get used to this" because from what I've noticed, she plans on following me as long as I let her, and should I voice my concerns she'll find a way to convince me.

"I will" a promise to me as much as it is to herself.

"I've gotta ask" I start. "Why did you decide it a good idea to come with me again?"

After what we had gotten ourselves into just some days ago, I really thought she would think twice.

"Am I not allowed to?" She's not defensive, I'm not sure what her expression is though.

"It's not that, rather, it's more of a concern" I voice. "I mean, we got into some trouble last time on what would have been a simple adventure. You never know what can happen"

"And no harm had come to me" she points out. "You protected me, didn't you?"

It would be quite dishonorable not to seeing as I'm the one who got her into such a situation to begin with.

Bulma trusts me with her life it seems, and I'm going to have to make sure that trust isn't misplaced.

"Can you teach me more about ki when you get the time" A sudden and unexpected question that has me silent long enough for her to continue. "It's interesting"

"Is that what was going on with old man Gohan?"

"Something of the sorts" I can feel her shrug. "I just want to know a bit more and you know quite a bit about it"

I nod "okay"

When Korin's tower comes into view, Kakarot dips down for the familiar village nearby and promises to meet us at Korin's place. Going up with the nimbus is quite the enjoyable ride for me - not so much for Bulma who feared she would fall off when the cloud shifted and tipped.

"You again" Korin doesn't sound very impressed when he lays eyes on me, but he doesn't hit me when I step into his home. "Here to see the big guy, eh?"

Of course he would know so I nod. Bulma quickly makes herself at home and greets the cat like she would an old friend.

"I'm not sure if you're lucky or cursed" He then says and he hits me on the back of my knee, forcing me down to his level. "But Kami will see you two"

Oh, well, that is great, that is amazing, it is splendid.

"He does not favor humans" Korin reveals when he reads the smile on my face. "I'm not sure he likes you lot either, with your tails and destructive ways"

That's a bit hurtful.

"But you're not humans, not fully in your case," He says. "And your reasons for acquiring the dragon balls are not selfish. You're a tricky one and you must give him a headache"

"How so?"

"You have no issue killing another living being" He points out.

I say nothing, which must be answer enough.

"Yet, you show kindness not found in many" he pokes my chest with his cane, gentle this time. "You are not a malicious person, kind and compassionate, caring and selfless"

He's saying such nice things about me and I'm expecting a but. It never comes, he simply watches me for longer than what would be considered normal before nodding and turning his back to me.

It is then that Kakarot arrives, smiling and greeting the old cat creature who returns his hello with a simple nod.

"He'll see you now" he points up. "But only you two, the girl stays here"

"I'm not even surprised," says Bulma around a mouthful of food. "I'm not that special in this situation and apparently the guy doesn't like us humans"

"Don't worry, we won't leave you for long"

"You better not"

~~~~~~~~

Kami is no creature I have ever met before, and there are a lot of odd creatures roaming this curious earth. He's not like the animal people I've come to know - he looks like something else completely. Green with yellow patches on his skin and twin antenna on his head. Odd-looking creature to be frank, curious too. He's not human, and not like anything I've ever seen on this planet, so is he even from this planet. Would it be so far-fetched to think him a creature from beyond like Kakarot and my father had been? With what has been happening these past few days - this past year - that idea would make a great deal more sense than anything else.

Beside him is someone I cannot explain. I've never seen someone like him either and I'm not sure what to make of him. Master Lao said that Kami is always accompanied by an assistant diety, just as the former overseers had been as well and he has made it very clear that there has only ever been one such assistant for centuries. That makes me wonder how old this odd being is and would he answer should I ask that question? What's worrying is the fact I cant sense his power and the way he's watching us is making me feel more than a little uneasy.

Ah, Kami doesn't look very pleased to see us, despite giving the order and he doesn't try to hide much of his displeasure. Wonder what goes on in that head of his.

"Thank you for having us" as always it is respectful to bow to those above you no matter how they treat you or what you think of them. Kakarot follows my lead not a second later, bowing as he would to Gohan and Master Roshi. "I know you don't think us worthy"

And that's why I'm beyond grateful he even allowed us to see him.

But this is going to be hard.

"Very respectful," the assistant says, sounding pleased. "What a pleasure to meet you, I am Mister Popo"

What an odd name.

"You seek my assistance" Kami speaks finally, with the voice of a wizened old man, and regards us with unreadable eyes.

"Yes," Kakarot stands ramrod straight. "I had attempted to resurrect my parents, but that didn't go as planned because Shenron has certain limiters set upon him and the only way to remove them is for his creator to become stronger. And while it is very disrespectful and insolent to ask you - a god - to grow stronger for my own selfish desires it would mean everything to me if you were to humor me, please"

Surprise is the brief expression on Kami's face after Kakarot's words. Kakarot holds his head down in respect and reverence and anxiously awaits his response. Kakarot isn't stupid, everyone knows that, he acts dense and every bit childish and wild and everything else, but he had been raised by a wise old man and I have been helping him read and write since we started training under Roshi. So I'm not surprised by this show and quite a bit proud, to be honest.

And then Kami looks at me and I'm not sure what he wants for me.

"And what is your reason for being here?"

I don't have much of a reason safe for wanting to help my friend.

"I promised to get him here. I'm the one who planted the idea in the first place, so I'm simply here to fulfill that promise" I say. "And while I would truly be happy to train under one such as yourself, if you were to turn me down I would understand completely. However, I cannot leave until you agree to Kakarot's request"

Really there is something unnerving about his stare and it has become just as unsettling as Mr. Popo's gaze. I wish I knew what he thought of this, of Kakarot, of me, of his wish and his request. Alas, I'm not trained well enough in the arts of magic to be capable of such prying and I doubt I would be capable of doing such a thing in the face of a god.

"Oddly enough you have a pure heart" Kami then says, his attention back on Kakarot, he tilts his head in question. "Despite what type of creature you are and the violence that you crave"

"You on the other hand" his heavy stare lands on me and I straighten on pure instinct. "You would kill without a second thought"

If it's deserved then yes, I won't apologize and I won't go back on my thinking. If Tao had been left alive, more were likely to die in the future as that man would never be capable of changing his ways. And those of the red ribbon - I won't even start with them.

"You are not allowed to decide who lives or dies" it's a warning, a threat, I'm not sure.

"I am aware"

"You don't care"

"I do not"

I did not expect the look of amusement that colors his face nor the small chuckle that escapes him.

"You'll be useful then" he decides with a tap of his cane. "You're allowed to train here, the both of you and I will humor this pure-hearted Saiyan"

Oh wow, that was a bit easier than expected. Popo smiles at me when I look at him and I wonder if I've gotten myself into a questionable situation.

Kakarot beams and almost jumps for joy when Kami agrees, but quickly composes himself.

"Would it be terrible if I suggested you regain your youth?" He asks.

Kami seems offended, as does Popo and they settle their heavy gazes on poor little Kakarot who stands his ground.

"No disrespect, but you are very old and that would make this a bit harder, wouldn't it?" He says, questions?

"You have quite the nerve"