~*****~

"This wind sure feels nice..." I hum softly.

"Yeah," Goku agreed as he took in a deep breath. "Well, if we leave right now, it'll take us just about five days to get home."

"Yay! I can see my mom again!" Gohan shouted happily. "And I'll see all my friends!"

My mind catches up and I scream shrilly. The others panic and whip their gazes onto me. "WE FORGOT ABOUT BULMA!" I shout. "SHE'S GONNA KILL US!"

"Sheesh," Goku whined. "Don't scare me like that, Mara! For a second, I thought you saw Frieza again!"

"Bulma is worse than Frieza sometimes..." Krillen murmured.

Goku, Piccolo, and Gohan began laughing. "It's-- It's not funny!" I stammer. "She gets irritating when she's upset!" I whine as I start hitting Goku's shoulder again.

"Don't hit me so hard--" Goku complained again.

"Oh please, I'm literally the weakest person on this planet." I mention irritably.

"Well, it looks like we were too late to save the Planet Namek. I just hope Guru and all of his loyal follows who were destroyed can rest in peace." Piccolo hummed.

"Wh-What? How in the world do you know about Guru, Piccolo?" Krillen questioned.

Piccolo doesn't get a chance to answer, because Krillen begins shaking visibly. "What is it, Krillen?" Goku asked.

"He's-- He's-- S-S-Still A-Alive?!" My blood goes cold as I follow Krillen's gaze.

"It's Frieza!" We all bellow.

"Th-That's impossible! You made a direct hit with your Spirit Bomb!" Krillen stammered. "No one could survive that!"

"M-M-Mommy!" Gohan cried out.

"Goku!" Piccolo cried and shoved Goku out the way, and taking an attack head on. It blew a hole straight through his chest.

"Piccolo!" I exclaim. I start crawling towards him, shaking violently. "Piccolo?" I turn my gaze up to Goku, tears burning down my face.

"Gohan, Krillen, Mara-- Listen up!" Goku commands. "The spaceship I used to get to this planet shouldn't be too far from here." Goku explains. "Find Bulma and the ship, and then get as far away from here as you can." We hesitated to move. "Come on! What are you waiting for?!"

Gohan finally snapped to. "I'm not going!" He bellowed. "I'd never let you fight Frieza alone!"

"Listen, Gohan!" Goku snapped. "You have to get out of here, now! You don't have a say in the matter!"

"B-But, Goku--" Krillen stammers as I pull Piccolo's body upwards into my lap.

"We can't leave..." Gohan murmured.

"If you think that your little friends can escape me, you're sadly mistaken." Frieza hummed.

"Krillen!" I shriek as he lifts into the sky immediately.

"This time, you won't come back!" Frieza shouts.

"Krillen, no!" Goku screams.

"Krillen!" Gohan and I scream.

"HELP ME, AHH---" Krillen is cut off by an explosion that destroys his body completely.

I scream out. My stomach is twisting violently, my heart is thundering against my chest. "Krillen! Krillen, no!" I scream.

Goku doesn't speak for a moment, until his power level begins to climb very quickly. "I... I won't let you..." Goku grits out, and it's like he's having a hard time controlling his anger. I'd never seen him like this. "Get away-- with-- this!" He continues to growl, and snarl. I clutch Piccolo desperately as Goku's hair begins flashing from black to gold in rapid succession. Thunder is booming in response to his anger. He finally lets out a powerful shout, and his hair stands upright. His eyes turned bright blue, and his hair is bright gold. He turns his gaze on me, and I have to swallow the drool that had pooled in my mouth. "Mara. Listen very carefully. You must take Gohan and leave this planet, now, and take Piccolo with you. Got it?" He said in a serious tone.

"Y-Yes," I squeak and stood up with Piccolo supported on my back. "Gohan, let's go." I quickly urge.

"Hurry!" Goku bellows.

"Help me with, Piccolo!" I shout at Gohan. He follows me quickly and helps me lift into the air after we have each of Piccolo's arms over our shoulders. "We need to get far away, soon!" Gohan glances back at his father. "Do you want to save Piccolo, or not! Hurry!" I shout at him.

"B-But what about my dad?"

"Don't worry about him!" I snap. "He's where he needs to be. Goku will find a way to get back to us, I promise you."

"Just do as Mara says, do you understand me?!" Goku shouts.

Gohan was silent before nodding. "Whatever you say, Dad...."

We take off with Piccolo. I glance over my shoulder as we continue to fly. "He's... He's a Super Saiyan..." I murmur to myself. With his newfound power, Frieza suddenly felt like a miniscule threat. My body relaxed for the first time since arriving.

~*****~

We found the ship as the planet continued to shake and rumble. We gently laid Piccolo on the ground. "Gosh, this is bad." Gohan exclaimed as the ship shook again. "Gotta focus; There's no time to waste!"

A monitor slid down from the ceiling as I peered at the control console. "MY BABY!!" Chi-Chi's unmistakable voice rang out.

"Mom?!" Gohan yelped as I peered at it incredulously. "Is that you?!"

"Gohan, I can't believe it!" Chi-Chi stammered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's really you! You're still alive!" She sobbed loudly.

"Ask him about the others!" Roshi's voice echoed out. "Are they okay?!"

"K-Krillen..." I stammer as fresh tears bubble in my vision. "Krillen's gone..."

"KRILLEN!? HE'S GONE?!" Roshi exclaimed. Chi-Chi tried shooing him away. "Mara! What's going on?! Is the fight over?!"

"No, Dad told us to take off while he handles Frieza!" Gohan explained. "Frieza got Krillen... He's gone now..."

I cupped my face tenderly and began to sob again. "Is Goku winning?" Roshi asked.

"I don't know! And I'm sorry, but I don't have time to answer any more questions right now!" Gohan stated.

"Where are your manners, Gohan?!" Chi-Chi bellowed. "This is your mother, speaking!" They all began to shout indistinctly as I gazed after the young boy.

"You-- You be careful, all right?" I snap at him as I pull him into a hug.

Gohan nodded swiftly and took off. "Mara? Are you all right?" Roshi asks softly. I shake my head and curl my arms around my waist.

"Please... I need silence... P-Piccolo needs medical attention..." I murmur. The call cuts out immediately, and I let out a soft breath. I go and find the med kit before tending to Piccolo's wounds. The ships lights were flickering wildly as the ship shook, but I managed to stabilize Piccolo.

~*****~

I sit in the captain's chair, my arms curled around my knees as I waited for Gohan to return. Piccolo was resting peacefully on the ground. My head flies up as I hear Bulma's scream of relief. I stumble to the door and grasp at the frame. "Hurry up! It's very unstable!" I shout at them.

"Gosh, I don't know about this, Mara, are you sure?" Bulma asked nervously.

"GET YOUR ASS INSIDE!" I shout.

"OKAY, OKAY!" She screams back and stumbles inside.

Bulma screams again as she spots Piccolo. "Gohan! Look right there! It's Piccolo!"

"Yeah, I know," Gohan hummed.

"Oh, I see how it is, well, I'm not traveling across the universe with a shady character like Piccolo on board!" Bulma retorted. "Who do you think I am? There's no telling what he might do once we're in deep space in the middle of nowhere! There's just no way! If he stays, you can count me out!"

"EITHER YOU SIT DOWN AND HELP ME GET THIS SHIP IN THE AIR, OR I'LL MAKE YOU!" I scream.

"Okay, okay," Bulma chided again. She gingerly sits in the other seat and we start working to start the ship. "Sheesh, you're moody..."

"Wait, we can't leave without my dad!" Gohan exclaims.

"Gohan--" I growled as I spun in the chair, but when he looked at me with those puppy dog eyes, I couldn't say no. "You're lucky you're cute!" I snap at him. "But only two minutes, understood?"

"Thank you, Mara!" Gohan sighed and leapt over to hug me.

"Yeah, you're welcome, kid." I sigh irritably as I pat as his head.

~*****~

Bulma's shriek rattled through my ear drums. I snapped my gaze towards her from looking out the window. "Oh my gosh!" Bulma shrieks. "Three minutes! Gohan, the computer says that this planet is going to be history in three minutes!"

"This is bad..." I murmur.

"It's over!" Gohan suddenly gasps.

"What?!" Bulma asks. "What do you mean, it's over?!"

"My dad's power signal... I can't sense it..." Gohan trembled. "Gone!"

"What does that mean?" Bulma asked.

"It means that... That he's dead..." Gohan stammered.

"Gohan, you need to have more faith in your father!" I express.

He doesn't respond to me, he just walks towards the door. "You two leave with Piccolo. I've got to stay." Gohan states calmly.

"That isn't funny, Gohan!" I bark at him.

"I'm part Saiyan, Mara..." Gohan answers. "Frieza is gonna hunt me down wherever I go. The last thing I wanna do is lead him back to Earth. I don't want to be a danger to anybody... I know what I've got to do."

"That's-- That's nonsense!" I snap at him.

"Yeah, you're not sure that he's going to follow you! We really should get out of here before it's too late! Gohan, no!" Bulma shouted. "Don't go! You can't put this all on yourself!"

I grasped at his arm as he tried leaving. "Listen to me, Gohan, I'm responsible for you! You can't just leave! You're just a kid! You shouldn't have to deal with this by yourself!"

"Don't worry about me, Mara," Gohan hummed politely. "This is the way I want it. I'll be all right. You take care of Piccolo."

"Gohan, this is suicide!" I shout.

"No way! This is life!" Gohan retorted. "Piccolo would understand. And so would my dad! Besides, I don't intend to die! Frieza's bound to be hurting if he was fighting my Dad! Maybe I can beat him! I've got to give it a try! So long!" He manages to slip away from my grasp and rockets off.

"GOHAN!" I shriek. "GOHAN, COME BACK!" I bellow. "Bulma, delay take off! I'm going--" In an instant, we're back on Earth. "Wh-Wha--" I stammer as I tumble onto my butt. "We-- We're b-b-back! On Earth!" I stammer.

"Mara! Bulma!" Gohan's voice echoes out.

I gaze around wildly, looking for the source. Gohan's head pops out from a tree. "Get down here, right now!" I snap at him as I stumble to my feet. He grimaces and leaps down, and yelps when I slam my fist against his head.

"OW! What'd you do that for?!" Gohan complained with tears bubbling in his eyes.

He stops complaining as I drop to my knees and hug him tightly. "Shut up!" I snap at him. "You're-- You're just a kid! I understand you're strong, but you need to be more careful! We all care about you!"

"Aw shucks," Gohan chuckled as his face flushed slightly. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Mara. Anyway, where are we?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I ask softly. "We're on Earth!"

"Hey!" A familiar voice cries out. "GOKU!"

"Oh, wow! Piccolo! It's me!" Gohan barked. "Wow, it's really you! And Dende! That means that..." Gohan quickly tugged his cheek. "Ow! Nope, I'm alive!" I slumped against a tree and sighed. "Bulma, Mara, Piccolo--" Gohan cheered. "Come on!" Bulma and I shared a curious look before following after him.

"Where are we, Guru?" One Namekian asked.

"Yes, that's a good question," Guru answered. "We are on a planet called Earth, my son."

"How did we get back on Earth?" I ask.

"Did Goku win, or did Frieza beat him?!" Piccolo questioned.

"The two of them are fighting as we speak, writing the final chapter to a story, that neither you nor your children will soon forget. Th Super Saiyan could have come with us, but decided to remain on Namek. You see, it's like this..." Guru began explaining. My gaze trailed off to the forest and I nearly screamed. Vegeta was walking around, breathing and completely healthy. My heart began hammering as I recall the last moments I'd shared with him before he flew off to face Frieza. Vegeta caught my gaze and smirked. I quickly adverted my gaze and curled my arms around my waist nervously.

~*****~

My gaze kept wandering over to Vegeta as the others talking about the current situation. I shook my head and began slapping at my cheeks. "I understand Kakarot's blood!" Vegeta suddenly snapped, making me flinch.

"Vegeta!" Gohan gasps.

Vegeta just laughed. "Kakarot just can't turn down a good fight, it's against his Saiyan Nature!"

"Why did you have to come back..." I groan unhappily.

"Now that wasn't very nice," Vegeta snorted. He stood up, and Bulma suddenly screamed in my ear. I winced turned my glare onto her.

"You're here, too?!" Bulma whined. "GO AWAY!" She bellowed as she kicked Frog Ginyu sky high.

"This is a nightmare..." I whine audibly.

"Oh, is it?" Vegeta scoffs as he approaches us. "You're all so foolish to assume Kakarot would abandon a good fight! Because the blood of a Saiyan flows too strongly in his veins! And now, as that idiot martyr is becoming a Super Saiyan, his hunger for battle is even greater! Nothing will stop Frieza and Kakarot from fighting, that is, until Namek explodes and they both go out with a bang!" Vegeta throws his head back as laughter erupts from his chest.

"Don't laugh!" Gohan barked.

"Meanwhile, since I was revived from death, I should become even stronger. And once Kakarot and Frieza are both completely out of the picture, I'll be the most powerful fighter in the universe!" Vegeta boasts.

"You little--" Piccolo growled.

"I must admit this was unexpected, but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy it!" Vegeta exclaim as he began to chortle again. "So, now that you and I are the only Saiyan's left, why don't we have a little fight to celebrate? I'll be a perfect opportunity for me to test out my new strength!" He suggested to Gohan.

"Just stop talking to me, jerk!" Gohan barked. "I don't wanna have to listen to your stupid voice anymore!"

"How can you talk about fighting right now, anyway?" I ask angrily. "Goku is risking his life right now against Frieza!"

"Hey, it was Kakarot's choice to stay, not mine!" Vegeta retorted. "And from now on, you're all going to do exactly as I tell you to do!"

"Absolutely not," I retort angrily. "You must have some screws loose if you think I'm just gonna roll over!"

Vegeta just smirked at me and laughed. "Wait, as I recall, there are Dragon Balls here on Earth, aren't there?" Vegeta questioned. "So, I'll just call for the Dragon and make him grant me immortality! Then I can rule the universe for eternity!"

"It's a little too late for that, moron," I retort. Vegeta grunts in confusion. "The Dragon Balls were used to revive you, so now they've become ordinary stones. You won't be able to find them as they are." I snap at him.

Vegeta began growling at me. "Mr. Guru! Please, tell us what's happening on Planet Namek!" Gohan pleaded.

"Goku's okay, isn't he?" I ask. "Frieza can't possible beat him, now that he's a Super Saiyan, right?"

"I'm sorry, but I can no longer sense what is happening on Planet Namek." Guru explained.

I wrapped my arms around myself and frowned. "Don't worry." Piccolo hummed softly as he braced his hand on my shoulder.

"What do you mean?" Gohan asks.

"Goku will be okay." Piccolo stated.

"But... how do you know?"

"I know." Piccolo simply retorted.

I scoffed. "Yes, because we need you to be vague right now, don't we?" Piccolo chuckled at me.