Chapter 8

Vegeta's scouter bleeped. "Well, time's up. It seems we've been stood up.

"Of course the traitor Kakarott would also be a coward." Nappa remarked.

"My daddy is not a coward!!" Gohan yelled.

Trunks watched on, almost feeling like he was on the outside of these events, as if he were watching them on television or something. This was it, it looked like sooner or later he's have to go one on one with either Nappa or Vegeta, something he really didn't want to do. Trunks was content with staying out of the fights as much as possible. Even though he knew that if he could unlock his strength again he'd beat them both in an instant, the complications it would cause to history would be irreversible.

That's what Trunks told himself anyway…

The second reason, what was truly holding Trunks back, was that he didn't want to hurt his father. Indeed, he could not help but be curious about not just his younger father but Nappa as well. He wondered if Nappa was like his father, corrupted on the outside but not pure evil.

"Finally, its pain time! Said Nappa, cracking his knuckles, "I'm just sorry Kakarott isn't here to see it!"

Gohan, Trunks, Piccolo and Krillin stood side by side.

"Without Goku, we still have one chance, although it's a long shot." Said Piccolo, "Listen, Trunks. You draw his attention…while I go for the saiyan's only weakness, the tail. Once I have him powerless, I want you two, Gohan and Krillin, to double-team him. Strike him with all you've got."

"I won't run away I promise!" Gohan declared.

"How about it trunks, you up for this?" Piccolo asked.

"Yes…of course I am." Trunks replied.

Piccolo had been somewhat suspicious of Trunks since Vegeta and Nappa had talked with him. Gohan and Krillin hadn't heard what they were saying, but with his big ears Piccolo heard the entire conversation. It seemed Trunks was a saiyan after all, and though he never said he'd join Vegeta and Nappa he didn't say he wouldn't either.

"Well…Here goes!" said Trunks, as he charged at Nappa.

"Eager to get your death over with are you pretty boy?" taunted Nappa.

Trunks continued to charge, but just before reaching Nappa he jumped upwards. This startled and distracted Nappa and as he looked up Piccolo grabbed his tail. Gohan and Krillin then prepared themselves to charge at Nappa. But just as they began to rush toward him, Nappa's mighty elbow came down hard on Piccolo's skull. Gohan and Krillin skidded to a stop as Piccolo collapsed.

"Hahaha! Tail grabbers eh? Oldest trick in the book! That might have worked on Raditz, but not us!" Chuckled Nappa as he tossed Piccolo aside." Well if he's gonna take a nap looks like I'll have to play with his little friends then. Hey little kid, you're Kakarott's son aren't you? I bet you could at least put up a fight."

Gohan stood frozen in fear, and Trunks didn't know what to do. If this was how history was supposed to go, he knew he should let it be, but he couldn't bear seeing Gohan go up against Nappa.

"Heh, you don't look like you're in a fighting mood eh kid? Who needs a little half breed mutt like you anyway." Nappa said as he kicked Gohan into the air and swatted him away, "Hopefully your friend Trunks will be more fun!"

"No! What are you doing Nappa? He's just a kid!" Trunks shouted.

Gohan slammed into the side of a cliff, coughing up blood. Trunks looked toward Vegeta, hoping his father would put a stop to this madness. But Vegeta just stood with his arms crossed, a smirk across his face. Nappa charged at Gohan as he got up, but Krillin kicked Nappa away. Nappa flew back but regained his footing. As he did this, Krillin produced an energy disc and hurled it at Nappa.

"Heh, parlor tricks." Remarked Nappa smugly as he prepared to take it head on.

"Nappa!! Duck!!'" Vegeta yelled.

Nappa sidestepped it just in time, and it went on to cut the top off a nearby hill. It left a cut on Nappa's cheek.

"Why you little…you cut my face! Now you pay!!"

Nappa tossed a ki blast at Krillin, who jumped out of the way. Suddenly someone blasted Nappa from behind. It was Piccolo, having regained consciousness. Krillin was caught in the explosion however and injured, and he fell to the ground.

"Why you back biter!" Nappa yelled.

Suddenly Piccolo and the others could feel a great power approaching. Trunks felt it too, is was pretty strong, but familiar.

"It's Goku! He's coming!" Piccolo exclaimed.

Nappa looked around, "Kakarott? But I don't see him!"

"They seem to have the ability to detect energy without the aid of a scouter. " said Vegeta, checking his scouter. Suddenly Vegeta looked shocked.

"Hey Vegeta, are they telling the truth?" asked Nappa, " I hope they are!"

"I don't know if it's Kakarott, but whoever it is will be here shortly…"Vegeta explained, "…with a power level of 5000!"

"5000?! That can't be right can it?!" Nappa exclaimed. "Your scouter must be broken!"

"Heh, I do believe you're actually worried." Said Piccolo.

"Nappa, kill those two immediately! Leave the saiyan alive though!" Vegeta ordered.

"I still say that machine is broken." Said Nappa, " But it's a good enough reason to finish these pests off!"

"Piccolo, you have to run!" shouted Gohan, "Me and Trunks will hold them off until daddy comes! If you die, then the dragonballs…"

"Don't be ridiculous boy, neither you nor Trunks can take them alone." Said Piccolo, choosing not to add that he didn't fully trust Trunks.

"So, the boy is going to hold me?" Nappa asked with a grin. He then lunged at Gohan, "Don't make me laugh!"

"No!! Vegeta make him stop!" yelled Trunks as piccolo rushed to intervene. However when Nappa reached Gohan, he kicked Nappa away sending him crashing into a cliff and being buried by the resulting rubble. Then Nappa exploded angrily from the debris.

"Now…I've had enough!!" Nappa shouted. He let out a terrific blast of energy, headed straight for Gohan. Gohan tried to brace himself helplessly, but just as it was about to reach Gohan Piccolo stood in front of it, taking it head on. As the smoke cleared Piccolo stood, charred. He collapsed as Gohan and Trunks rushed to his side.

"Why did you save me?" asked Gohan tearfully.

"Run…Gohan…" said Piccolo.

"Oh if only I had helped more!" Trunks yelled, angry with himself. But he remembered that this is how it was meant to be.

"Don't die Piccolo! Daddy will come soon!" said Gohan sadly.

"Oh the shame…Piccolo the great…the incorruptible evil…saving a child….how pathetic…heh heh." Said Piccolo, "Its because of you and your father…your softness infecting me. But you know…you were the only one who ever…really talked to me. Those months we spent together…weren't really that bad….Gohan, don't die…"

And with that, Piccolo took his last breath and died.

Gohan stood up and let out a loud scream of fury. Trunks was startled by his rise in power. He let out a huge masenko blast at Nappa.

"Power level at 2800! It has changed tremendously!" Vegeta exclaimed.

The blast soared toward Nappa, but he knocked it away.

"Not bad for a shrimp, that actually made my hand hurt." Said Nappa, rubbing his hand."

"His power is back down again. It seems he used it all up just now." Said Vegeta.

"Stop this! Gohan is helpless now!" Trunks yelled, standing in front of Nappa. "I know you must have some shred of decency in your heart somewhere, no one is pure evil."

"Outta my way boy!" Nappa yelled as he slapped Trunks away into a pile of rubble and began walking toward Gohan, who had fallen to his knees. He raised his boot, "I'll always have a soft spot on the bottom of my boot for you."

His boot came down just as Trunks sat up, but Gohan was gone. Nappa looked around, and there he was, floating on a yellow cloud.

"Kinto un?" Gohan said with amazement. Nappa and Vegeta looked upwards, and there in the sky was Goku. He came down to the ground.

"Goku you're here!" exclaimed Krillin, who was unable to move.

Goku walked up to Piccolo, and saw that he was dead. Trunks got to his feet.

"He died trying to save me." Gohan explained. Trunks walked up to them.

"Goku, these guys are monsters." Trunks said, "But…just don't kill them…"

But Goku wasn't listening. He looked around and saw the dead bodies of Yamcha and Tien.

"Don't tell me you're shocked that your weakling friends are dead!" said Nappa. "Come to think of it, there was another little clown guy, blown to bits.

"His power is increasing…" Vegeta warned as Goku walked toward Nappa.

"What is it, ready to die already?" asked Nappa. He lunged at Goku, but Goku moved at lightning speed and was then standing next to Gohan. Trunks flew over, following him.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Goku said. "I'm glad you're still alive. But I only have one senzu bean for the…" Goku turned to face Trunks, "…three of you?

"Don't worry, I'm not hurt bad let them have it." Said Trunks.

Goku broke it in two and gave a piece to Gohan and Krillin.

"So, who are you?" Goku asked, bewildered.

"He's a saiyan, daddy. He came here a few months ago to help us fight the mean saiyans. His name is Trunks." Gohan explained.

"A saiyan? So why are you on our side?" Goku asked.

"Well…it's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you when we have time." Said Trunks.

Goku nodded. "Right, business first." Goku walked back toward Nappa.

"I hoped you wouldn't want to die so quickly." Said Nappa as Goku approached.

"There will be no mercy for you!!" Goku yelled.

"His power is…8000!It can't be!" yelled Vegeta.

"8000?! It can't be!! It's a mistake!!" yelled Nappa. He lunged at Goku "You'll never be a match for me!!"

But suddenly Goku got behind Nappa somehow and kicked him down.

"I will destroy you!" Nappa yelled as he got up.

"You talk a lot. Let's see you back it up." Said Goku.

"WHAT?!! WHAT DID YOU SAY?!!" Nappa screamed. He powered up and charged again at Goku. They exchanged punches at lightning speed, but Goku struck Nappa into another cliff, which collapsed. Nappa exploded from the rubble. "Curse you!! CURSE YOU!!!!"

"Well you're still pretty tough I guess." Said Goku.

"I am an elite warrior of nobility!!" shouted Nappa. "I shall not have a lower-class punk like you push me around!!"

"Nappa, get a hold of yourself!" shouted Vegeta.

Nappa stopped and began breathing slower. He then rose two fingers, and created an explosion using the same attack he used on the city. Goku took to the air, avoiding the blast, and Nappa followed. They again exchanged punches. Then from Nappa's mouth came a huge blast of energy, but Goku countered it with a quick kamehameha.

"That was…my ultimate attack!" exclaimed Nappa.

"That's enough Nappa, get down here!" ordered Vegeta. "I'll finish him myself, it will take forever with you."

Nappa looked up at Goku, "Curse you, making me surrender your execution to Vegeta. You'll be sorry…there's a reason he's named after the Planet Vegeta itself."

Nappa floated down in dismay, "Well now I've got nothing to do. Well, I guess I could have fun with the weaklings!" Nappa zoomed down at them.

"No!! Gohan and Krillin!!" Goku screamed. "Its no use, I'll have to use my kaio ken attack!" Goku turned red and his energy multiplied. He zoomed past Nappa, and rose his fist. Nappa landed on it, and hung in the air before Goku through him down. He had the wind knocked out of him. Trunks looked on in amazement.

Vegeta walked up to Nappa, who layed motionless on the ground in pain. He could not bear seeing Nappa being beaten by a lower class saiyan. It was about the biggest dishonor an elite saiyan could have. It wouldn't be long though until Kakarott finished Nappa off, Vegeta assumed. In his mind Vegeta had no choice, but to give Nappa the honorable death he deserved, death by the Prince of all Saiyans.

"Vegeta…help…" wheezed Nappa, stretching out his hand.

Vegeta grabbed it silently. "Good bye, old friend."

Vegeta hurled Nappa into the air suddenly. Goku and the others looked up in horror. Trunks couldn't believe his eyes.

"Vegeta what are you doing?!" Trunks shouted.

"Vegeta!!! Noooo!!!" Nappa screamed.

Vegeta powered up, preparing to blast at Nappa. Trunks lost himself. For some reason he had held hope that Nappa had some good in him, so without thinking, he ran and tackled Vegeta down.

"Get off of me boy!" Vegeta yelled as he blasted at Trunks. Trunks fell back, his skin burning from the intense energy. Meanwhile Nappa tumbled down, into the bottomless pit one of his explosions had created earlier.

Trunks struggled to his knees as Goku helped him up. Trunks clutched his stomach in pain.

Why did I do that…?

Note: Sorry I hadn't realized how long its been since I updated. I'm on vacation now so I'll start writing these ahead of time.