The warm sun bathed us in light, the air fresh and calm It was a welcome change, but we weren't here to relax. We kicked off the ground and flew toward Capsule Corp, knowing it would be our first stop before anything else since I couldn't sense any of the others that mattered. I had us practice hiding our ki just in case. The building came into view quickly, its familiar dome-like structure gleaming in the afternoon sun. The vast complex stood out against the skyline of West City.
As we landed in the courtyard, the doors slid open, and we were greeted by Dr. Brief, Bulma's father, puffing on his ever-present cigarette. Behind him, his wife, Panchy, waved enthusiastically, her usual cheerful demeanor making her hard to miss.
"Well, well, look who's back!" Dr. Briefs said with a calm smile, adjusting his glasses. "Bulma told me all about you lot. Saiyans, right? Goku's family?"
I shook my head quickly, correcting him before that misconception could go any further. "We're not Goku's family. Same race, but we're not related. Just Saiyans who came from the same planet."
"Oh! My mistake, dear," Panchy chimed in, her voice bright and airy. "Bulma talks about you all the time, so I just assumed. But it's lovely to meet you properly. Welcome back to Earth!"
"Thanks," I said, offering a small nod. "But where is everyone? Goku, Bulma, Krillin, Gohan, and the others?"
Dr. Briefs scratched his head, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Ah, you just missed them. They're all off-planet, Bulma, Krillin, Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and even Nappa."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear Nappa's name included. "Nappa? What's he doing with them?"
"Seems he had a change of heart," Dr. Briefs replied, as nonchalant as ever. "They all headed to a place called Namek. Bulma's been working on some new tech and apparently whipped up a spaceship fast enough to get them there. Something about dragon balls and someone called Freeza."
Hearing the mention of Namek and Freeza made me tense. I knew exactly why they were heading there, the Namekian Dragon Balls, probably to revive those who died during the Saiyan invasion. But… no one had died in this timeline. That confused me. "They really went all the way to Namek? Did anyone here die or something?"
Dr. Briefs shook his head. "Nope, they didn't mention anything about death. Just said something about wanting to help the Nemakings and to Stop Freeza before he moved his sights here. I didn't ask for details."
I crossed my arms, thoughtful. I understood Goku and the others wanted to be prepared for anything, but it was surprising that they managed to leave so quickly. Namek wasn't exactly next door.
Panchy beamed at us, her smile wide. "And don't worry, dears. Launch is here at Capsule Corp! Bulma gave her a job, so you can find her around if you're looking for her."
Raditz, who had been unusually quiet since we arrived, finally stepped forward. His usual serious expression softened, and I could tell he was eager to see Launch again. "Thanks," he said, his voice a little rougher than usual. "I'll go find her."
I smirked, nudging him playfully. "You sure you don't need me to guide you, my prince?"
Raditz rolled his eyes, a faint flush creeping up his cheeks. "Shut up, Celera. You know damn well I'll be fine on my own."
I laughed as Raditz stalked off toward the main building, his pace quickening as he disappeared into the corridors of Capsule Corp. He'd been waiting for this moment for a while now, and it was good to see him finally get some time with Launch. The rest of us, though, had other things to handle.
Tato glanced over at me, his arms crossed. "So, what now? If they're all off-planet, we've got time to train."
Hanasia disagreed. "No, if they left and well end up facing Freeza we should head towards them as soon as possible."
I considered our options for a moment. We needed to head to Namek, but we had a little breathing room before things got crazy again. Training was something we needed to do as well.
"Yeah," I agreed, looking around at the familiar Earth skyline. "We'll keep training. There's always room to improve. but how long ago did they leave?"
"Oh its been only a day, they left on Kami's old ship." Dr. Briefs shook his head. "They couldn't wait until I finished building the new ship." Oh perfect we had a way to get over there now.
As the afternoon sun shone down on us, I felt a rare moment of calm. That was shortly Lived as I felt some power levels landing on Earth. It seemed the Z fighters were already heading over there, the ones that hadn't gone to Namick. ah they should be able to handle it, I thought as I sat down and enjoyed some nice ice tea.
A Few Hours Later
I felt something wrong, I had been teaching Tato and Hanisa when I felt the other Z fighter's energy begin to fall to nothing, Quickly I dashed into the air and flew in the direction they had been. With Tato and Hanisa following me.
The Moon hung high in the sky as we flew over the familiar landscapes of Earth, thankfully it wasn't a full moon. Something was off. The usual vibrant energy of the planet felt... drained. I glanced over at Tato and Hanasia, both wearing matching expressions of concern. Raditz flew slightly ahead
.
"Do you guys feel that?" Hanasia shouted over the rushing wind.
"Yeah," Tato replied grimly. "It's like the planet's energy is being sucked away."
Raditz nodded. "Agreed. Whatever it is, it's massive."
As we drew closer, a massive tree came into view, its dark branches stretching into the sky like grasping hands. The air around it was thick with an oppressive energy, and the ground below was scarred and barren.
"That's... impossible," I muttered, my eyes widening.
"You recognize that thing?" Tato asked, glancing at me.
I nodded slowly. "It's the Tree of Might. It's a parasitic tree that drains the life force of a planet to produce powerful fruit." "I whispered the last bit. "But it shouldn't even be here, its not Canon...."
Hanasia's eyes flickered with anger. "Who would plant something like that here?"
Before I could answer, we descended near the base of the tree. The sight that greeted us made my blood run cold. Scattered around were the bodies of the Z Fighters who had remained on Earth. Tien, Master Roshi, and Chiaotzu lay motionless.
"Damn it," Raditz growled, clenching his fists. "They didn't stand a chance."
Hanasia knelt beside Tien, checking for any sign of life. She shook her head, her jaw tight. "They're gone."
I felt a surge of anger rise within me. "He is going to for this pay."
Just then, a mocking voice echoed from above. "Well, well, look who decided to show up."
We all looked up to see Turles standing on a high branch of the Tree of Might, his arms crossed and a smug grin on his face. His squad of henchmen flanked him.
"Turles," I spat, my eyes narrowing. Memories flooded back, his bullying of the younger Saiyans, his arrogance, and the satisfaction I felt when I beat him down as a kid.
He smirked. "Celera. I must say, I'm surprised to see you alive. And Raditz! It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Raditz scowled. "I could say the same for you. Last I heard, you ran off to play pirate."
Turles chuckled. "I prefer 'liberated.' And Tato, Hanasia—you've all grown. Especially you, Hanasia. Ready for another round? Or are you still sore from our last encounter?"
Hanasia's eyes flashed with anger. "I'm not the same weakling you beat back then."
He laughed. "We'll see about that."
I stepped forward. "Turles, stop this now. You're destroying Earth!"
He raised an eyebrow. "Why should I? The fruit of the Tree of Might will grant me power beyond imagination. Power to rival Freeza."
"At the cost of an entire planet!" I shouted.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Sacrifices must be made for greatness."
Tato clenched his fists. "We won't let you get away with this."
Turles smirked. "You think you can stop me?" Truth be told he was only slightly behind me in power but he wasn't worth my time, I needed to focus on the tree.
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my anger in check. "Hanasia, he's all yours. Show him how much you've grown."
She grinned fiercely. "With pleasure."
Turles looked amused. "Sending your friend to fight your battles, Celera? How disappointing."
I shot him a cold look. "Trust me, you're not worth my time. You never were."
He bristled at that, but Hanasia wasted no time. She launched herself toward him, her aura flaring as she closed the distance in an instant.
Turles barely had time to react before she was upon him, throwing a barrage of punches and kicks. He blocked the first few strikes, but the force behind her attacks pushed him back.
"Not bad," he admitted, smirking. "But you're still outmatched."
Meanwhile, I turned my attention to the Tree of Might. The ground beneath it was cracked and lifeless, the very essence of Earth being consumed. We had to stop it before it was too late.
"Tato," I said, nodding toward the tree. "We need to find a way to destroy this thing."
He nodded. "Agreed. Any ideas?"
I frowned, recalling what I knew about the tree. "Its roots go deep, absorbing the planet's energy. We need to cut it off at the source."
Raditz joined us, his expression serious. "I'll handle Turles' men. You two focus on the tree."
"Be careful," I warned.
He smirked. "Don't worry about me."
As Raditz charged toward Turles' henchmen, Tato and I flew toward the base of the tree. The closer we got, the more I could feel the overwhelming energy being siphoned away.
"This thing is massive," Tato remarked, eyeing the colossal trunk.
I nodded. "We need to hit it hard and fast."
We landed near the base, where the roots twisted and burrowed deep into the earth. I placed a hand on the trunk, feeling the dark energy pulsing within.
"Lets do it!," I instructed.
Tato stepped back as we both began to gather energy, our aura flaring brightly. concentring the ki into our hands, we took aim for the core of the tree.
"KAMEHAMEHA!!!!!!!!!!!!"
We Shouted, as the beam of light shot forth and struck the trunk. The impact caused the ground to shake, and for a moment, it seemed like the tree might break.
But then, the energy was absorbed, disappearing into the tree's depths. Causing small fruits to appear on its branches.
"What the?" Tato exclaimed.
I clenched my fists. "It's absorbing our attacks."
He grimaced. "Then how are we supposed to destroy it?"
I thought quickly. "We need to cut off the energy flow. If we can sever the roots, maybe we can stop it from draining the planet."
"Right," he agreed. "Let's give it a shot."
We split up, each targeting different areas where the roots were exposed. I gripped the thick rootAnd began to rip them apart. Each one severed caused a slight tremor, but the tree remained.
"Celera!" Tato shouted. "We've got a problem!"
I looked up to see Turles' henchmen converging on us, having broken away from Raditz.
"Seems he didn't keep them all busy for long," I muttered.
Raditz was engaged with two of them, but the others were heading our way.
"Guess we'll have to multitask," I said, readying myself for a fight.
As the first henchman lunged at me, I dodged his attack and countered with a swift kick to his side, sending him crashing into a nearby boulder.
Tato was holding his own against another.
"Hold on, Hanasia," I thought, glancing toward where she was battling Turles. "We need to end this quickly."