Primal Power Unleashed; Kakarot Reborn!?

As she sat with Goku's head in her lap, Bulma really wasn't sure what to expect after hours seemed to pass since Lapis' journey up Korin's Tower. Obviously, the young genius wanted to believe that the haughty teen would return with some magical cure for her friend's terrible condition, while the practical part of Bulma's brain raised by science argued that such a thing was only truly possible with the world's most talented medical staff.

She'd seen, and studied, just what humans were capable of recovering from when treated correctly but with the nearest major city so far away it may as well be on the other side of the world, the Capsule Corp. heiress found she could really only turn her hopes to Lazuli's twin brother, and pray to anyone listening that he returned with something that would pull Goku from the brink of death.

Just thinking about it made the beautiful girl cringe, her stomach bubbled and all air vanished from Bulma's lungs as she envisioned Goku's funeral; his strong, alien body dressed in the suit she'd bought him. Yet, it looked so wrong on him, but then so did her image of the boy's face without its perpetual mask of aloof superiority.

'No, that's not right anymore'

In the time she'd come to know him, Bulma could say that at least around her the monkey-tailed martial artist no longer carried such a look.

Oh sure, Goku's nose still found its way into the air more often than not, but there was definitely an easier crease to the boy's brow now with a much less harsh glint to the alien's dark eyes. Goku's muscles weren't as tense anymore, and Bulma's memory easily recalled the day she'd noticed her friend's shoulders no longer pressing against the fabric of his gi.

Yet, the one thing Capsule Corps. heiress was most happy to remember, was how Goku's tail had come undone from his waist while they'd been spending time together between rounds at the tournament.

He'd laughed, albeit mean-spiritedly, because Bulma had turned away the advance of a young man he later told her reminded the boy of Yamcha and for a moment Goku's furry appendage swished around freely in the air before constricting its owner's waist once more.

And while a secret part of her, once Bulma vehemently denied, wanted to believe he'd subconsciously been about to wrap his tail around her waist, the blue-haired cutie headed herself off by rationalizing that it was just Goku's way of expressing his amusement.

However, unbeknownst to Bulma, she wasn't the only one worrying themselves sick about the warrior from space.

Watching enviously from outside the capsule speeder, Lazuli's azure eyes were hard like sapphires as she looked on at the older girl running her fingers through Goku's wild mane. Of course the blonde knew that the boy's heath an safety came first, and her brother needed to return quickly with something to get Goku back on his feet, but the teenage girl inside couldn't help wanting to be the one with his head in their lap.

For Lazuli it was much easier to admit that she was crushing on the monkey-tailed fighter; the hard part came in actually telling him.

Goku always seemed to be beyond such feelings, and the cute blonde didn't wish to embarrass herself in front of him with a cheesy confession, but Lazuli also wasn't keen on letting a guy like Goku get away when it was so obvious her only competition wasn't ready to even admit their feelings to themselves.

Hearing the object of her affections groan in pain, before breaking out in a bloody cough however quickly swept such thoughts from Lazuli's mind and filled her with worry as she swiftly closed the distance between she and the capsule car.

"What happened; is he alright!?"

"I-I think so," Bulma answered hastily, "he shifted a bit right before, so it may just be that Goku agitated his injuries trying to get comfortable."

Lazuli wanted to snap at the older girl, to ask why Goku wasn't already comfortable, but she swallowed those angry retorts with a pinched look when the blonde realized that starting a fight while the spiky-haired boy was in distress would look horribly selfish.

So instead, Lazuli tried something different/

"Well, maybe I should let him rest in my lap for a while; to give you a break and all. Your legs are probably getting numb, this way you'll get the chance to stretch a bit before my brother comes back down..."

"A-Ah, um, thank you but no; I'll be fine. Besides, like you said, Lapis shouldn't be too much longer, so moving Goku wouldn't have a point; I can stretch after he's better."

The blonde wanted to counter, but honestly wasn't sure what she could say to Bulma's own blocking of the blonde's true intentions, so Lazuli was left to simply mumble an understood response before turning her back and staring up into the clouds. Part of it was to see if she could spot Lapis, while a slightly larger part was so that the cutie from Jingle Village didn't have to keep watching Bulma play with Goku's hair.

After another ten minutes of silent waiting however, and hope was becoming something both girls were having a hard time keeping hold of as the sun found its way into the middle of the sky.

Which just meant that, when Lapis could be seen finally descending from the vast blue, the pair's hearts jumped into overdrive while they shouted at the boy with excited yips. Only Bora, who'd remained silent throughout the waiting period, seemed to take notice of the dark-haired teens battered disposition; at least, until the boy's sister got a closer look at him.

"Lapis, w-what the heck happened to you!?"

"Apparently, climbing that damn tower is part of the training people g through to get stronger; or so that crazy cat says. I don't feel a lick stronger, but the fur ball did give me this."

Bulma and Lazuli's eyes narrowed at the single bean they saw produced from Lapis' open palm.

"You're telling me," Bulma wondered in disbelief, " that this little, green bean is that 'senzu' thing Bora was talking about earlier? This thing is really going to make Goku better?"

The answer came from the tower's guardian himself.

"It will; senzu beans are very potent girl. When your friend ingest it, the healing properties will boost his recovery exponentially; enough that he will be standing tall again by morning at the earliest with proper rest."

Lazuli couldn't help eyes the large man warily as she asked him, "Do you really mean it; he'll be better that fast?"

"They are said to be grown using blood from Earth's guardian, it's laced in the fertilizer used by Master Korin, and while I've yet to meet our planet's highest power I've seen the senzu beans in action enough to know they do indeed work 'that fast'. Rest easy you three, your friend Goku will recover, just feed him the bean and let him sleep."

"B-But, if it's so powerful," Bulma countered, "why would this 'Korin' just hand it over to you Lapis?"

The boy wondered if this companion had just chosen to ignore his mention that Korin was a cat, but ultimately pushed the thought aside and let both the genius and his sister know about the catch that had come with being handed such a powerful aid.

"Because, once he's better, Korin wants Goku to climb the tower and meet with him; something about a dangerous force walking the Earth. He thinks monkey-boy is our best hope against it, but the damn bastard wouldn't even tell me what the danger even was!"

"Well, Goku can tell us himself," Bulma hissed as she reached over the speeder and snatched the bean from Lapis' hand, "after he's feeling better tomorrow!"

"Last I checked" Lazuli's twin scoffed, "the kid just got done getting his butt kicked you spoiled princess; what sort of savior does that make him!? Besides, I may not have been strong enough to help back at Muscle Tower, but I'll be damned if I let monkey-boy do the whole 'hero' thing on his own this time around too!"

With that, Lapis turned and sprinted off further into the woods, ignoring the call of his sister until he was fully out of sight.

"What is it with that kid," the heiress huffed, "one second he sounds like a total jerk, but then your brother says something that makes him almost sound like he actually wants to help Goku."

"Because he does; Lapis is just too proud to admit it. Saving Jingle Village was very important to my brother, and I know it burns him to know an outsider was the one to break Muscle Tower's hold on us, so now Lapis is going to try and make up for that by helping Goku with whatever 'evil' Master Korin was talking about."

"Well...he could have just said that."

Sighing then, Bulma turned soft, crystal eyes upon the mangled form of her best friend. Running her fingers through the shockingly feathery locks for the umpteenth time, the blue-haired teen caressed a single palm over Goku's bruised cheek before gently prying his mouth open.

"Alright you stubborn little monster, time to take your medicine..."

xXx

Goku knew by now whenever he was having a dream; there was always a sense of floating that came with it. And as he walked through the dark, empty void Earth's world champion could sense that there was no air to breath or ground to step over.

Yet, unlike the dreams before, Goku found that there was a...weight baring down on him.

It was a chore just to move, each and every step bogged down by an invisible force, but the wild-haired boy fought against this with the thought of it as a challenge. Teeth grit and jaw locked, Goku's muscles strained as he moved further into the vast blackness.

And while normally this would be enough, the prideful alien silently admitted to himself that he was far more exhausted than even after his fight against Dr. Gero. Everything hurt, and a hint of metal copper lingered against the boy's tongue despite there not being a scratch on him.

It took a moment, one that seemed to last an eternity thanks to the pain, but finally Goku was able to piece together just why he felt like this; Tao.

The mercenary had...beaten him. He, the 'world's strongest', had been defeated by a man Goku had never even heard of almost without being able to put up a fight! This...it was...unacceptable!

But, there was no escaping it, and as the truth burned at the back of his throat like bile, the alien martial artist found himself filling with a rage the likes of which he'd never experienced; his knuckles popped painfully, and it hurt with how hard the boy ripped a snarl from his nostrils. Dark, deep pools of black hardened into round chunks of coal and Goku's tail whipped about behind its owner like an antsy serpent.

How could I lose!?

The question echoed around inside his skull, becoming like a mantra, before seeming to spill out into the dream void like a taunting whisper. The words hissed at Goku's ears, ringing for his attention alone and driving the boy further down his furious spiral.

It just...it wasn't possible! How had he been defeated by a mere human, when Goku himself was from beyond the stars and had clearly been bred for a life of combat!?

It was here, right before a strange warmth enveloped him and the sound of Bulma's voice seemed to break through the void, that Goku swore an oath to himself; one that would see him set off on a life of blood and battle.

An oath...that he would become the strongest in the universe!

xXx

"A-Ah, Goku, are you...are you okay now," was the first thing Bulma thought to say when she watched her friend's eyelids flutter, "C-Can you hear me?"

The boy's response was a non-intelligible grunt as he rolled his head around against the girl's soft lap. Bulma's scent filled his nose, and Goku had to fight the desire to simply lay back and let himself slip back into the world f dreams. It was only Lapis' smart mouth that finally pushed the boy to sit up.

"If he can't, then maybe monkey-boy isn't as tough as he wants people to think."

"Funny," Goku scoffed, "since I even with my eyes closed I'd beat you without a seconds hesitation Lapis."

Lazuli's scolding went unheard then by the wild-haired alien as he realized that all the horrible pain he'd felt before blacking out was just...gone. All the aching bones, bruises, and open wounds had vanished, leaving Goku feeling better than he could ever recall.

In fact, he even felt stronger; an interesting tidbit to be explored later, for sure. At the moment however, Goku and his group found themselves watched over by a gaping Bora. The mountain of a man seemed to look at the monkey-tailed boy as though he'd truly just been brought back from the dead.

"I-I don't understand; no one has ever recovered this quickly! T-The senzu bean is powerful, b-but never has it brought someone back from the brink of death in less than a whole day and those were warriors like myself! So how, how could a child like you be so easily repaired!?"

"Well, to be fair," Bulma sighed, "Goku isn't your average kid; I'd have been more surprised if he needed the full day after eating that bean. Although, are you sure it's okay to be moving so much Goku? That Tao guy really did a number on you..."

The pretty genius trailed off as she watched the boy with the tail make his way over to the dead body of the very man Bulma had just been mentioning. He was quiet, face an unreadable mask, and the older girl of their group could sense air around them grow a bit heavy then.

"He's dead."

It wasn't spoken like a question, but Lazuli could sense the underlying desire for an explanation the same as Bulma and beat her to the punch in giving one.

"Bulma shot him as the freak went to walk away after you passed out-"

"Defeated," that one word was spoken like poison on the tip of Goku's tongue," Tao defeated me, and he did it almost effortlessly. Someone tell me, what good is that damn belt, if a single stranger can just appear out of the woodwork and nearly kill me!"

Neither girl had an answer, and Goku's anger was just about ready to bubble over after only a few seconds of silence before Bora's heavy voice carried through the air to him.

"It means that you have defeated one, small, group of fighters in this world boy; but our planet is a big place. To think that winning one tournament grants you the right to be crowned 'unbeatable' is foolish; something you do not strike me as. Rash, proud, and headstrong yes...but not foolish. So as you've manged to escape the jaws of death this day simply ask yourself. 'is this my limit'? Are you content to hold onto that belt, and its false title, or will you learn from your mistake and push yourself to be better prepared for the next enemy?"

Goku already had his answer, but hearing someone tell him such things to his face only helped cement the boy's earlier decision.

"Well," Lapis shrugged, "if you're going to keep fighting then I may as well tell you; Korin wants to speak with you. The same freak who gave me that bean wants you to climb that tower so the two of you can have a talk about some 'scourge' that's descended upon the world."

"And is that everything you know, or are you hoping I'll embarrass myself if you withhold key information?"

"Don't flatter yourself monkey-boy, that really is all he told me, now either take the invitation or let's go back to Jingle Village; your stupid scuffle cost me breakfast, and I'd rather not miss dinner too."

"W-Wait," Bulma gaped, "you can't seriously expect Goku to make the same climb you did after only just recovering from nearly getting killed! L-Lazuli, talk some sense into your idiot brother, please! We can go back to the village now, and Goku can climb the tower in the morning-"

"I'll be fine," the boy in question intervened. "Besides, that bean you gave me worked like a charm; I feel brand new. And if this 'Korin' is so interested in meeting me, I don't see any reason to deny his request; I may even learn a new trick, to help me put an end to this 'scourge'."

The young teen didn't consider himself any sort of hero, rather, he refused to hand over the world to anyone other than himself. Earth was Goku's planet, and no one else had a right to claim it.

From there it was an encouraging good-bye between he and Lazuli, as well as a tight one-sided hug from Bulma before Goku finally began his ascension of Korin's Tower.

Unlike before, with Lapis, this time the boy was stronger as well as faster than the native of Jingle Village so he made much quicker time with no mistakes on the climb. In about an hour Goku finished his task and popped his spiky head over the railing of the tower to get a peek. Unlike Lapis though, what he discovered only intrigued the boy further.

"So then, Master Korin is a talking cat?"

"I am," the staff-wielding feline confirmed, "but don't let this small stature fool you Kakarot; my abilities far outclass any mere human."

"Yet you allowed a man like Tao to terrorize Jingle Village, and nearly kill me, without so much as lifting a paw?"

"A bit funny to hear that coming from the likes of you, boy. Low on the totem I may be, but all divinity have a special way of reading those who stand before us, and I can see that your aura is particularly...cloudy. Had it not been for that girl, I wonder, just what sort of monster would you have become?"

Goku's body tensed at those words, but did his best to hide it as Korin continued speaking.

"Though I suppose the past matters little; it's your future we of the upper-realm should be worried about. For now however, we need your tremendous strength to help deal with a very dangerous threat, one that could very quickly lay waste to the Earth if not stopped quickly."

"And you divine either can't take care of it, or wont."

He could see Korin's fur bristle at his condescending tone, but Goku mentally shrugged it off as this only proved him correct.

"Should a deity interfere in mortal affairs, it could bring about even greater calamity than what they descend down to stop! It's a very dangerous thing for us to meddle, though why is an explanation I fear fool like you couldn't hope to understand!"

A grin found its way to Goku's face as he stared down at the enraged cat, his dark eyes gleaming with mean-spiritedly mischief as Korin's tiny paw nearly splintered the staff in his grip. Clearly, the beings of the Upper-world had indeed interfered before then, and the resulting disaster saw them banned from ever doing so a second time.

This bit of information prodded at something in the deeper, darker corners of the boy's heart. However, now was not the time for such thoughts and Goku pushed them and the feelings they brought with them away to better focus on the newest challenge before him.

"As you say, but enough about that, clearly you witnessed what happened down below. After such a...mediocre showing, what makes you or any other deity believe that I can help against an enemy who I'm sure is even more powerful than Tao?"

"You may have bitten off more than you could chew then, but what makes this time so different is that you'll be getting a bit of very special help; me. First, I'll be giving you a drink of Sacred Water, and then you'll undergo a very rigorous training regiment under my watchful eye, together these will both be more than enough to grant you enough power to defeat King Piccolo."

Goku followed after Korin when he saw the feline move over towards a cabinet that stood out in its opulent design, eyebrow raised and curiosity on the tip of his tongue.

"Sacred Water; what makes it so special?"

"I suppose 'water' is a bit of a deception; it's more of a juice, or even nectar. The stuff comes from the fruit of the Tree of Might, after they've had their seeds removed and squeezed, and is used to help augment a God's strength for those who wish to train and become a Destroyer."

"Destroyer; sounds a bit dark for a god, don't you think? Besides, didn't you just get through saying that none of you could interfere in mortal affairs, what good is a 'Destroyer'?"

"Never you mind about that; it's not something a kid like you should worry about."

The boy scoffed, "And yet you're about to hand me something that could help turn me into one?"

Korin's laugh was mocking and scornful, "You? Down here on Earth you may be a bit stronger than the rest of the world, but out beyond...you're nothing kid. I've known many that would obliterate you with a snap of their finger, and wouldn't even think twice about it for that mouth of yours."

As the feline pulled out a small, clear bottle filled with a crystal-clear red liquid Goku's face twisted into a mask of fury at his condescending tone.

"No, Kakarot, the Sacred Water will not make you as powerful as a Destroyer, but it will help give you the strength to defeat Piccolo and keep your friends safe. The only question is, do you think you are up to the challenge; because once you drink this, there's no going back. Failure in your training will mean not only your demise, but also the deaths of anyone you even remotely care for."

With a click of his tongue the boy snatched the bottle from Korin's paw and uncorked it; the aroma was sweet, and its pleasant fragrance reminded Goku of the shampoos he'd scented from both Bulma and Lazuli. Their eyes looked at him through the mirror of his memories, and just thinking about their demise was enough to reaffirm his oath once again.

"Then I wont fail."

xXx

Korin watched Kakarot as the boy stared down into the bottle and once again wondered just what Kami was thinking giving something at powerful as Sacred Water to such a clearly troubled alien.

The cat knew just where this monkey-tailed boy hailed from, knew about how disgustingly vile his blood was thanks to the Council meetings held by the Grand Priest, and shuddered internally at just what would become of him after their time together was at an end.

His darkness, while clouded, reminded Korin far too much of someone very dangerous; someone who'd been refused the chance to ascend as Universe 7's Destroyer. Korin had seen it in Kakarot's eyes, the fire and desire for more power, the belief that all were inferior to him, the cruelty. Korin had watched the boy suffer through those horrific episodes on Kame island and afterwards, they'd been what he'd warned Kami about years ago when the boy's pod had crashed to Earth, and now feared that his worries were soon to come true.

The Sacred Water wasn't nearly as potent as the Divine Water, or anywhere close to eating from the actual Tree of Might, but as Kakarot drained the container dry Korin could easily feel the massive boost in power it granted the boy right before the shock to his system knocked Kakarot unconscious.

And as he stared at the seemingly lifeless body of Earth's unwitting savior, Korin had to wonder if punishment from the Grand Priest was worth simply ending Kakarot's life right that instant.

Because, surely, there was no such thing as a good Saiyan.

XXX

Goku was getting tired of dreaming; it never seemed to do him any good! And why had he just gone ahead and listened to some stupid talking cat, and drink anything without first truly knowing what was in that bottle? For all he knew, Korin had actually found a way to poison him and now Goku was in hell!

Only the memory of what so many of his other dreams felt like gave the alien boy piece of mind to realize that he was not, in fact, dead though. Instead the world champion deduced that Korin's 'Sacred Water' merely overloaded his system with its potency, and his body collapsed as a result.

'So then, it's only a matter of time before I'm awake again,' Goku surmised, 'and then I'll begin my training with that mouthy feline.'

Forced to accept this as fact, the young martial artist continued to walk the dark void of his mind in an aimless trek. It had been quite some time since his last session of meditation, and it showed in the way Goku found it difficult to pull forth memories from his last transformation; though he blamed a bit of that on those strange black outs as well.

Instead, the things that came vividly to mind were those images of the man he assumed to be his father, and the man's demise at the hands of who Goku assumed was 'Frieza'.

How he held such memories Goku couldn't even begin to fathom, but he kept himself trained on his father's final moments for quite a while, tracing over every inch of the man and his battle-worn appearance; from the scar on his cheek to the tattered armor, and even the man's blood-soaked bandanna. He stared and stared, ultimately unsure of just what it was he was looking for, before allowing his gaze to travel over to Frieza.

Strangely enough, unlike the last time he'd had the dream, the horned demon was near impossible to see beyond a hazy blob surrounded by the endless vacuum of space. Goku attributed this to the lucidity of this particular introspection, and sucked his teeth before willing the images away.

These apparent memories did nothing for him, served no purpose, so why did they settle so deeply in the back of his mind? What was he missing?

Such wonders began to prick at the boy's mind, agitating Goku with their taunting presence until finally he shut the memory away with a snarl. Striding through the void, Earth's world champion stalked his own mind with clenched fists until stumbling upon a most peculiar sight; a cave. It seemed so out of place at first, but when Goku gave another look he realized that his endless void had vanished to be replaced by a barren wasteland littered with rocky outcrops and sky-high stony structures.

The ground was red and muddy, almost clay-like in its constancy, dotted by pathetic attempts at floral life that better resembled dying grass. Up above, the sky was awash with violet hues bleeding into crimson clouds; two suns orbited the sky as well, telling Goku that he was no longer on Earth.

And yet...this did not feel like a memory. There was no tingle at the back of his neck and the hairs along Goku's muscled arms did not raise.

'Then is this my mind? Is this what happens when I don't meditate; this is my mindscape?'

Gohan had taught him about 'mindscapes' before his death, had told Goku about their importance and how to create one that left his mind fully focused when during battle, but the boy had never actually attempted to make one. Even during his sessions on Kame island, Goku's main objective was to try and recapture the power of his ape form as well as settle the blood-lusting inner beast who'd nearly killed Krillin.

So to actually see what his mind looked like before his eyes was a bit surreal to the young fighter; though he was also a bit unimpressed.

Figuring that this was his subconscious instinct attempting to bridge the gap between he and his home world, Goku sighed through his nose before turning to walk away. His past was just that for the time being; with training to undergo, Goku wanted no distractions. The mystery of his birth as well as the inner mechanics of his power would have to be put aside until this 'King Piccolo' was dealt with, and then, the boy could devote himself once more to discovering the truth about himself...

Or so he thought.

Barely two steps were taken before a tremendous weight bore down on Goku's entire body, forcing him to his hands and knees as he quickly found himself struggling to breath.

Never had the young fighter ever experienced a pressure, a power, like this before! It was raw, primal, and spoke of a force similar to a planet-wide typhoon. Even as he pushed with all his might, Goku found that he wasn't able to bring himself back to his feet, and even moments later, when the surge suddenly calmed, he felt a furious anger bubbling up inside at being brought so low.

On tired limbs Goku stood to full height again, his face a mask of pinched brow and tight jaw as he stared into the dark abyss that was the cave standing before him. Clearly, whatever his mind wanted the martial artist to meet, was hidden away within the depths of that cavern.

'Fine then,' he thought with a snarl, 'let's see just what sort of monster lives within.'

It was with sure steps and a chin pointed towards the sky that the alien fighter strode forward and into the mouth of that mental darkness. Met by a rush of cold and the stench of death, Earth's martial arts champion chocked back the gagging sensation in his throat as his enhanced sense of smell was assaulted by the hideous odor of rotting corpses. Clearly, this cave was a place within his mind that spoke to the animal inside, to the transformed state.

And so, Goku walked for what felt like an eternity through darkness and gut-wrenching nausea, before finally being bathed in a pale, silvery glow as he entered what could only be the very center of the cave.

What he found however, was enough to nearly give the young teen a heart attack. Because, standing there seemingly bathing in the moonlight...was himself. Only, this twisted reflection was garbed in a brown, fur pelt and boots; his tail wrapped tightly around the waist. Dark, spiky hair was unkempt while muscles bulged just that much more strongly than what Goku saw in the mirror.

This reflection's had their eyes closed, yet they shifted underneath their lids as elongated canines shuffled over the other boy's lower-lip. It was easy to spot the hint of claws tapering off from his fingertips with the way he seemed to enjoy flexing them, yet one could easily make out that this motion wasn't one of stress...but contentment; this reflection enjoyed being under the full moon.

Goku found himself lost as to what he was supposed to do, supposed to say, as he gazed upon this odd mental image of himself; luckily, it seemed, he didn't need to. The reflection's voice was thicker though, carried more of a rumble to it, as though it carried around a mouthful of gravel.

"I was wondering when we'd finally meet; I've been waiting, for so long. I'd hoped, after fighting that skinny weakling, that we might have the chance to talk but your...friend, they got in the way. But now...now, Goku, it's just you...and me."

"And who are you exactly; what happened to me at the tournament, and against Dr. Gero. What purpose do you serve, if any, that has you rooted here inside my mind?"

"Your mind? No, Goku, this is our mind; I am you. I am where you pull your amazing strength from, I am why you can take the beatings you do and get back up stronger than ever, I am the reason we are the strongest fighter on this pathetic ball of mud!"

"Then where were you while I was fighting Tao; why did he defeat me-"

"Because you shut me out!" The roar echoed throughout the cave, and Goku felt that same weight from before beginning to press down on him again, only this time he tried harder to fight it; to not be seen kneeling before this...stranger."

As he struggled though, the twisted reflection finally dropped his head from staring at the open ceiling, letting the shaggy bangs of his already wild hair shadow the things face before turning to look at Goku with newly opened eyes.

Gold, instead of black, with a single circle of coal settled dead-center. These were the eyes that met Goku's own wary facade with a glinting stare of bitterness. The tail that had once been around the reflection's waist now bristled as it waved through the air like an agitated snake, and when next he spoke, it was as though venom burned the very tip of his tongue.

"Back then, on that old fool's island, you awoke me from my slumber; you tapped into your true power. But then, all because some dried-up fossil threatens not to train you, you shove me back into a box and try to forget about me! While I am grateful to the one with blue-hair for showing you a world that helped you find me, they have clearly made you soft, Goku."

"Listen, I may not fully understand what's going on here, but one thing's for sure; stop calling me Goku! Just because I let Bulma call me that, doesn't mean some weird shadow of myself is gonna do it too, my name is-"

"Your name," the reflection sneered, "is Goku! I am Kakarot! You, who have forgotten himself, have no right to carry that name any longer. You, who have become content with being second best and running around on silly little adventures, simply because something pretty bats their eyes at you, has no right, to carry the title of a warrior!"

The gi-clad boy's temper was starting to get the best of him, and he stepped forward in challenge as he matched the nasty look being aimed at him.

"And what makes you so much of an expert; any time you come around, I black out! So tell me, why would I want you anywhere other than locked away in here so that I could win my fights!? You say that you're supposed to be the real Kakarot, that I've forgotten myself, well maybe that's a good...thing..."

He stopped, eyes widening to the size of baseballs as those words sunk in, and as his reflection's own face shifted into a smug mask 'Goku' realized that what the mental image has been saying was right; he'd gone soft.

"You see now," the reflection prodded, "Even if your goal is never to destroy this world, even if you choose one of these weaklings to sire your offspring, your true nature should never be ignored; you are different, and you must remember that, accept it. You hold your nose in the air, but do not know why, your pride s a warrior has waned; you've become content with squandering your true potential to sit around with weak fools!"

"So then what would you suggest; should I simply throw Bulma away!?"

There was a snort from the doppelganger, "By this point, that would simply destroy us, destroy you. No, what I 'suggest' is to stop denying who you truly are; to re-embrace all that makes you truly special."

A single hand, raised to shake, now settled between the two monkey-tailed boys. Onyx eyes shifted between it, and the glowing amber orbs of their owner's reflection, a wary look settled over Goku's face.

"So, what, I just need to take your hand then?"

"Seems a bit simplistic, doesn't it," the mental construct chuckled, "but it's simply a visual of you opening up to me and accepting this part of yourself again after so long. I'm not too sure how it'll feel, since I don't know anything you don't, but once you reawaken I'm sure you'll be interested in finding out just how much more powerful you've become."

"Oh," Goku countered with a grin, "so sure are you that I'll agree; how do I know this isn't really just a trap by that fat cat?"

"Heh, because you're nose is too good for such a silly trick, you'd never be caught by something so...human."

That did it. A slick, devilish grin found a home on the alien warrior's face as he went to clasp hands with the more wild-looking copy standing inches in front of him. There was a rush, like a force of fresh air being pumped into the teen's lungs, before he watched the doppelgangers eyes begin to glow. Brighter and more luminescent until finally there was no choice but to look away...

...and then, he awoke.

xXx

It felt like hours, but Korin would find that he'd only needed to wait a half-hour before his newest student re-awoke from his impromptu slumber. Yet, even before Kakarot opened his eyes Korin could feel that something had...changed about him. The cloud that swirled around his aura had settled, leaving a smooth flow of violet in its wake; cold, certain, proud. It was an aura Korin had no real experience reading, so it was difficult to tell what sort of person would be in possession of such an energy, but knowing that it belonged to a saiyan of all things was enough to make the feline wary.

"Hngrh..." That single groan signaled Kakarot's return to the land of the living, and with it came a wave of power the likes of which Korin would have once believed impossible for any living thing so small. The sheer presence of so much power, its stifling thickness as it layered over the air like a blanket, furry paws were forced to tighten around their owner's staff just to keep the cat from falling on his face!

Yet, before Korin could swear his bones were about to break...it all vanished, leaving him panting as though in heat as the grower of senzu beans knees wobbled.

'W-What in the...'

"Damn it all," Kakarot hissed as he pushed himself up onto his palms, "I guess one side-effect is a throbbing headache; though I suppose I should have seen that coming."

Instantly Korin could tell something else was different; Kakarot's voice. It was lower, a bit more guttural, and rumbled a bit reminiscent of a brewing storm. And as narrowed eyes watched, they noticed how the boy even seemed to move differently; seamless, smooth. Almost like watching a jungle cat slink through tall grass, only, this time Korin felt the creeping vines of fear beginning to make their way through his system as he continued to watch this predator.

"So then," Korin jumped at the sudden address, "you mentioned before I drank that nectar that we'd begin my training once I'd rained the bottle. As you can see, the Sacred Water has been drank, and now I stand here ready to begin; so don't you think we should get started? I'm sure you don't want this King Piccolo to destroy too much of the Earth before I'm ready to face him, hmm?"

The cocky attitude was still there too, Korin mused as he agreed in a disgruntled manner, but now it seemed layered with a new self-assurance that hadn't been present before; though this only sharpened the cat's already negative opinion of the boy.

But, he was right, there wasn't enough time to dwell on such thoughts when Piccolo was already so far ahead of them and with such a devious plan in mind as told to him by Kami. It wasn't what the cat wanted, he wished for more time so as to meditate on Kakarot and just what might become of the boy if he should actually defeat the Demon King, but Piccolo's defeat needed to come sooner rather than later and such a luxury just could not be taken.

So instead...

"Very well then, if you feel you're truly ready then we'll begin immediately; follow me."

Together the pair moved towards the center of Korin's tower where, for the first time, Kakarot noticed a raised platform came up from the tiled floor. It didn't look like much, even with how shiny the copper looked, yet as he stepped closer the alien boy began to feel a tug at the back of his navel.

"We're going to do all of my training on this rise? It's not much of an arena, even with us being so small, I doubt we'd have much room to move, cat."

"Then I guess it's a good thing that's not what we'll be doing. Instead, this platform is going to take us to somewhere new; somewhere we don't need to worry about anyone on Earth feeling worried about your power. No, instead we'll be going to a special place known as the Dead Zone."

Kakarot's eyebrows pinched together even as he stepped onto the platform, opposite Korin, and waited to see just how their transport would work.

"What sort of name is that; sounds more like a child's version of Hell rather than a training spot for a warrior."

He watched the cat tap his staff three times, and then a flash of light similar to the one that awoke Kakarot saw them suddenly surrounded not by Korin's tower, but a barren wasteland devoid of any hope to sustain life. Dead tress dotted the dry, clay-like earth while black clouds hung like smoke over a blood-red sky. Kakarot found he couldn't even hear the crickets chittering in the distance.

"This is the Dead Zone; a place bordering the mortal plain and Other-world. Here is where Kami sends the souls of Earthlings who require time to bleed out their negative feelings before taking them to King Yemma for sentencing, though only if he first believes they deserve such a chance, so we'll be pretty undisturbed here."

Korin moved off the platform then, silently motioning for Kakarot to follow, before the two stood facing one another a few feet away.

"Now then," the feline announced, "your training will prioritize both your speed as well as your reaction time, while carrying a secondary purpose of helping to harness that tremendous power Kami seems to be relying on so heavily. Fighting technique as well as raw strength are not my forte, so any such advancements you hope to make will need to be done on your own time."

"So about what I was expecting then," Kakarot sucked at his teeth, "considering your shape and stature practical martial arts is a bit beyond you, isn't it. Very well then; if you are the best Earth's guardian has to offer for my training then let's get on with it, what am I going to be doing first?"

The talking cat's answer was a single word, though one Kakarot had silently been hoping for since he'd awoken. His power had indeed been noticeably increased, yet it was difficult to keep a lid on so as not to have it pouring out in a mass tidal wave; its force had very nearly even crushed the alien's own heart with the amount of pressure that bore down on Kakarot as he opened his eyes!

So, being told that their training would begin with meditation, he allowed a very dense weight to lift from his shoulders.

He would learn to control this power. He would make it his own, and then, he would defeat King Piccolo to become the undisputed power of planet Earth!

All would come to know the name Kakarot and, either through fear or respect, accept him as their true ruler!

xXx

A month; Tao hadn't sent word back in over a month. As Tien worked furiously through a kata he could sense his master's fury even as Shen stayed locked away inside the study; the middle-aged master having begun combing through every contact he had in order to find his wayward brother.

After the man had left to collect on his late payment both of them believed he'd be back within that same day, and even after the first two days it was believed Tao merely needed to track down his runaway benefactor before breaking their arm, retrieving his money and killing them, before finally returning home.

A week later, Tien began to wonder if perhaps his master's kin had found himself a more dangerous foe than he'd been expecting and would be coming back a bit late; it was rare, but it'd happened before.

But then...one week turned into three, before becoming seven, and now Shen's negative feelings weighed down all of the Crane House; students found it difficult to even enter the dojo with how heavy their master's rage.

Unable to contact Tao, and with no true knowledge of what truly became of the man, the Crane-style's creator began to grow sour. He snapped at the smallest thing, and any student who made a mistake was punished severely, to the point some of them began to whisper of quitting if things got any worse.

Only Tien understood his teacher's predicament, knew about the true connection Tao shared with the Crane hermit, since he'd been with them since he was a young boy. It was this past, memories of being taken in when all hope seemed lost and his village burned around him, that sowed the seed of rage within Tien's own heart.

Tao had been as much a father to the bald martial artist as Master Shen, and even went so far as to be the first to of the two to tell him about the 'Dodon-ray' after noticing Tien's vast potential. The young, prodigious teen understood the man's distaste for the Tenkaichi Budokai, which made him respect Tao all the more when he would spend any time at all helping him to prepare; even if it was under duress.

So to think, even for a moment, that someone may have very well killed Tao?

Tien swore on his life, as a powerful beam of yellow energy shot from his fingertip and erased a training dummy from existence, that if something bad happened to his new family, then whoever was responsible would pay with their life!

xXx

Bulma sighed, miserable, even as she worked on the rejuvenation tank that had become the genius beauty's most important project after Goku's near-death experience almost six months ago. However, thinking about the boy with the monkey tail only caused the girl to let out another sigh.

Six months; she hadn't seen or heard from Goku in six months.

There was a brief time, thanks to a telepathic link forged through Master Korin, that she and the boy had been able to speak and say their 'good-byes', but even then it was hard for Bulma because she hadn't physically be able to see Goku let alone give the alien fighter a hug before being left with Lapis and Lazuli.

Yet, as she went back to trying to reverse engineer the power of the senzu bean into liquid form, Capsule Corps. heiress couldn't help but recall just how different Goku had sounded over the mental conversation; it was almost as if he'd been a different person!

'But then, maybe it's just because that's the first time I've ever heard his voice through a telepathic talk before,' Bulma rationalized, 'like hearing someone over the phone rather than in person.'

But even still, the blue-haired inventor couldn't help wondering how much longer it would be before she'd get to see her best friend again, or how he'd change while under the tutelage of this 'Master Korin' who Goku revealed was nothing more than a talking cat with a walking stick!

A loud crash barely registered in Bulma's mind as she made this recollection, and this time the huff was one of annoyance as Lapis has clearly decided to drop his weighted vest on the floor again rather than put away like she and his sister constantly reminded him to do.

Having the twins around wasn't all bad however, as it gave Bulma another girl around the house besides her ditsy mother to talk to, and Lapis turned out to be a big help when it came to the heavy lifting Bulma's father could no longer do without struggle. Although, sometimes, Lazuli came off as a bit guarded when they'd be at the dinner table in the morning or even later on at night right before bed; almost like she were hiding something from her.

Shaking off those thoughts though, Bulma turned her attention back to the computer screen that was currently analyzing the bean she'd received from Bora at after they'd been gifted more of the magic medicine during winter.

She'd put together the actual machine, modeling it after the cloning pods she'd seen in a couple sci-fi movies growing up, and now simply needed to transform the senzu into a serum that could be reproduced en mass in case something horrible happened to Goku, or either of the twins, again. Bulma was done being helpless, and planned to be more than capable of being there for the wild-haired martial arts champion with whatever he needed.

Yet even as her crystal-blue eyes attempted to concentrate on the numbers being run through the computer simulation, a traitors thought that had begun to rear its dangerous head lately made itself known.

It was one Bulma fought with on a near nightly basis, a single question that warped the girl's dreams and clouded her mind during the day until sometimes there was nothing to do for it but for Bulma to lock herself in her room and attempt that meditation stuff Yamcha used to yammer on about. It worked, sometimes, although others it simply made the problem worse!

At those instances, Goku would return to them, return to her, as if like a god descending from the clouds. He'd have hit a growth spurt, he'd be taller than her, with no more puppy fat to hide that strong jaw she'd noticed him developing after the tournament and muscles that pressed firmly against the top of the alien man's gi.

Such dreams always ended with a single, soul-burning, kiss but they always left behind that one traitors question that seemed stuck in the back of Bulma's mind now forever...

'What if, when he returns, what Goku wants is you?'