The blast was immense. The four of them had to shield themselves. Even Vegeta threw up his arms in defense.
"What was that?" cried Krillin, struggling to stay upright as the ground shook and rumbled.
Gohan clung to his daddy's knee. "A . . . spaceship?" His voice trembled.
They waited for the dust to clear a little. Before them spread a vast crater but the cause of the blast still couldn't be seen.
"Stay here," ordered Gokou. He jumped into the hole, sliding down the slope to the bottom.
Krillin leaned cautiously over the edge. "Gokou? Gokou!"
No answer, then: "Vegeta! Give me a hand, will ya?"
Vegeta frowned and leapt nimbly into the crater. Gohan and Krillin could hear the sound of rocks moving and the two Saiya-jin groaned as they lifted something heavy. Then they climbed out of the crater.
"Daddy-" Gohan cut off when he saw the motionless form in Gokou's arms. "It's . . . a girl."
"I found her down there," said Gokou. He laid the funny-dressed, long-haired girl gently on the ground. "She's alive, but badly hurt. I-I think her left ankle is broken."
"I don't like this turn of events one bit," said Vegeta, crossing his arms.
"What can we do, Dad?" asked Gohan, looking at the girl.
"Well," said Gokou. "If I don't close up that wound, she could bleed to death."
"But how?"
"I didn't want to have to do this to her, but I see no other way." He knelt beside the girl's fractured ankle. "Gohan, Krillin, each of you get along her sides. Vegeta, hold her head still."
"I don't take orders from you, Kakarrot," the Prince seethed.
"I'm not ordering," said Gokou patiently. "I'm asking."
Vegeta threw him a dangerous look, but bent to his knees at her head.
"Now," said Gokou. "Keep her from hurting herself. This is going to be very painful for her. I-I hope she can take it." He relaxed himself, letting his breath out slowing. Sweat glistened on his brow. "Kamehameha," he breathed and his hands began to glow. He lowered his hands to her swelling ankle. "All right. Here we go." They braced themselves and Gokou, in one swift movement, closed his hands around her ankle.
Immediately, the girl's eyes flew open and she screamed wildly. Krillin clapped his hands over his ears but then had to restrain her flailing arm. The girl thrashed violently, trying to escape. Suddenly she was still, thrown unconscious from the pain.
Gokou stood. "I fused the bone together the best I could."
"Is . . . is she going to be ok?"
"I don't know, Gohan."
"Hey, Gokou," said Krillin nervously. "What do we do with her? I mean, we can't take her with us into battle against Frieza."
"You're right. We'll have to leave her at Guru's place."
Vegeta, not able to stay silent anymore, exploded. "But that will give Frieza a chance to prepare for us! We may lose our surprise!"
"We don't have any choice," said Gokou.
Vegeta was about to argue the issue further but at that moment, the girl began to sir . . .
* * *
The first thing I saw when my eyes fluttered open was a blur of blackness and fleshy tones and then my vision adjusted to the blinding light of the outside and a face took shape. A sob escaped my throat for I recognized the face. The sharp, angular face, trademark ears, and big, messy hair were all familiar to me. But that was impossible. He couldn't exist. He couldn't be there standing before me with those large eyes so concerned. My hand trembling, I reached to touch that face, to reassure myself that he was just a dream.
The movement caused a sudden shift in weight and a great pang of agony shot up my leg. I cried out in incredible pain and tried to hold onto consciousness.
I heard a voice say to my left, "What should we do?" I jerked my head around. I knew that voice just as I knew the man in front of me. Someone once said that his voice was obnoxious but I had always thought the voice fit the character perfectly.
Character. That's what they were supposed to be. Cartoon drawings. I was almost afraid to look and see if the person who spoke was who I thought he was.
"Dad, what's wrong with her?" The new voice popped up from my right. Before I could stop myself, I looked at the speaker.
"Gohan . . . " the word was out of my mouth instantly.
Now I looked. He was very short, only as tall as my waist. Six dots, ceremonial burn marks, adorned his bald head. "Krillin. And- and . . . Gokou," I whispered, making myself put the name to the face before me.
I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. I had somehow fallen into the world of Dragon Ball Z.
"She knows all your names," sneered a calm, smooth voice.
Oh no.
I tried to get up on my hands and knees to see who belonged to that distinct voice. The movement brought tears to my eyes but I didn't care. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of pointy black hair and an arched eyebrow. Flashes of this man raced through my head; his transformation he used to beat Gokou, his escape and recovery from that battle, and then his teeming up with Gokou and the others not because he turned good but to save himself. A Saiya-jin Prince whose individuality is controlled by his hatred toward Gokou and the mountainous pride of his heritage. He had always been my favorite character but he had also been my worse fear.
"V- Vegeta," I stammered and my blood turned cold.
Suddenly, he pushed past Gokou and grabbed the front of my shirt, bringing my face close to his. I gasped in pain and shock.
"What did you say?" he demanded.
"Y- you're V-V-Vegeta."
"How do you know that?" He certainly wasn't happy and one better stay out of the way when Vegeta grows angry. The short Saiya-jin couldn't have been but a little taller than me and lean but he was monstrous when provoked.
And I had provoked him.
Gokou laid a hand of Vegeta's shoulder. "Let's find out who she is first," he told Vegeta calmly. "And maybe she will tell us how she knows our names."
Vegeta, breathing hard from his rage, threw Gokou a look of pure hatred. But he complied, setting me back on the ground roughly and walking away. Gokou followed him.
Shaken, I held my head in my hands. Vegeta was strong, terribly strong. I had felt his power when he had threatened me. But that was impossible. You can't feel dreams and this was all a dream.
Wasn't it?
Krillin came over and touched my arm, smiling reassuringly. His hand was warm and- and alive and I could feel the wisps of air as he breathed.
These Dragon Ball Z people couldn't be real. But they breathed and felt real and responded to me like no dream could.
Gokou came back; Vegeta had returned too but stood at a distance with an I'm-not-beaten-yet look on his face. He caught me staring and his eyes narrowed. Then he laughed.
I looked away. The Saiya-jin was even more intimidating in person than he had ever seemed on TV.
"Vegeta is concerned about who you are," said Gokou and I wondered what he had said to the proud Saiya-jin.
Should I tell them where I came from? No. Back home they didn't really exist except in a child's cartoon in America. I didn't want to give them my real name either.
"Ally," I said finally, using the name David, a friend of mine, had given me. "My name is Ally."
Gokou smiled.
"How did you get here, Ally?" asked Krillin.
"Yeah," piped Gohan. "Where's your spaceship?"
"I don't think I got here by a ship," I said slowly, trying to think. "Actually, I have no idea how I arrived here at all." I gasped. "Is this Namek?" I didn't wait for their answer. I already knew. My mind whirled with what knowledge I had of the DBZ series. Vegeta obviously has been forced to join with Gokou and the others because- I froze, growing fearful.
"Ally? What's wrong?" said Gokou.
"Frieza," I murmured. "Frieza's here. He has all the Dragonballs. The- the battle hasn't happened yet, has it?" That awful battle, the death of Krillin and Vegeta. The destruction of the whole planet. Gokou could go Super Saiya-jin now but no. It wouldn't be enough. I couldn't have come at a worse time. When the battle started, there would be no place to hide.
"I'm trapped!" I cried, making the others jump. "Frieza's here!"
And then I knew nothing more.