The three Ginyu Force members had taken Gokou and the others by surprise. When Captain Ginyu, Burter, and Jeice landed in front of them roughly on the ground, the surviving Ginyu Force members struck a silly pose together, shouting, "We are the Ginyu Force!"
"As if we didn't already know," Vegeta muttered.
Burter was the tallest of the three, towering over Gokou who wasn't short himself. He was a startling shade of dark blue which contrasting greatly against Jeice's red skin and long white hair. Jeice was the smallest and made up for the lack of height with his loud, obnoxious Aussie voice. Their leader was Captain Ginyu, the strongest of the three. After their arrival, they struck another assortment of poses, introducing themselves one by one.
Vegeta held a hand to his forehead, not believing how easily they made fools out of themselves.
Gohan stared at them in disbelief, repeating something he'd said the first time he'd seen their act. "They're a bunch of goofballs."
Vegeta overheard him and frowned. "Goofballs, yes. But a strong bunch of goofballs."
Now Jeice and Burter had disappeared, leaving Captain Ginyu gloating over his apparent defeat of Gokou and the others.
"I don't like this one bit," said Krillin.
"Be ready, guys," Gokou told them, widening his stance.
"Hey, Captain Ginyu, look what we found." Jeice and Burter came back, carrying someone between them.
"It's Ally!" cried Gohan.
"How did she get back here?" Gokou wondered outloud.
"I don't know," said Krillin. "But now Frieza's goons have her."
Ginyu chuckled. "Looks like we caught ourselves a snoop. What do you say, guys, should we take her to Frieza or do away with her now?"
Jeice sneered. "Frieza's too busy to mess with a puny female. And I could use the target practice."
They all laughed horribly.
"Don't you dare-" began Krillin, but Gokou laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Look at Ally," he said in a low voice.
Krillin caught the glint of open eyes. "She's awake!"
"Shh. Yes, I've been watching her. She knows what's going on."
"What should we do?"
"Dad," Gohan interrupted. "I think we should move back."
"What? Why?"
"I can't explain it, Dad. But I think Ally wants us to move back."
Gokou saw that his son was serious. "Ok, everyone."
"Look, Burter," said Ginyu. "They're running away."
"Ha ha! They're scared of-" Burter stopped.
"Put me down," the girl hissed.
"Hey, she's awake."
"Put me down." A bit louder.
"Yeah, right." Ginyu rolled his eyes.
"Uh . . . Captain?" said Jeice, his voice wavering.
From the girl's wrists and hands where they held her up came a dim glow. Then it began to grow brighter and brighter, spreading from her hands to theirs and down their arms. A weird tingle was in the air. Jeice and Burter began to yell wildly, trying to dislodge their hands but it was as if they were stuck to the girl. Ginyu just stared in horror as his companions began to disintegrate.
* * *
I can't explain what began to happen then. When the two Ginyu Force soldiers captured me, I had thought I was done for. In a word, I played dead, hoping the time would come when I could escape or Gokou or someone would rescue me.
And then suddenly I had it. This power within me was awakened, as- as if a key had been turned and a secret unlocked. I was afraid to use it at first, afraid I might not be able to control it and then blast us all into oblivion. But when I saw how horribly the odds were stacked against the good guys, I had no choice. I let Jeice and Burter take me to Captain Ginyu and I allowed the power to take hold of them . . .
* * *
The glow had spread from their arms, across their chest, and continued down to their feet. Captain Ginyu, in a panic, took off into the sky and Gokou let him go. The glow had become so bright that they had to shield their eyes. Then it abruptly left.
Ally collapsed on the ground. The two Ginyu Force soldiers, Jeice and Burter, were gone. Two smoking rings were all that was left where they had been.
Everyone stood there blinking until Krillin ran forward and they all followed.
* * *
I lay there unmoving. The power that had risen within me had left without a trace. The key had again been turned, relocking. I heard people running toward me and someone calling, "Ally! Ally!" With great effort, I raised my head.
"I'm fine, guys," I managed to say, giving a small smile.
All of them, except Vegeta, crowded around me.
"Do you know what you did?"
"They disintegrated!"
"What happened?"
"Can you do that again?"
"Slow down!" I said above them. "This changes things a bit, doesn't it? Don't ask me to explain what just happened because I don't know myself. What I did to those two I- I had no control over. That . . . power has vanished, gone back to wherever it came from. There are so many questions I need answered but I don't know who to ask." I tried to get to my feet but found I could not without Gokou and Krillin both supporting me. "I do know one thing; Frieza better watch his back. Let's go get that tyrant and stop him once and for all!"
* * *
We hadn't been traveling long until Gokou halted for a break. He took off as quickly as he landed, saying he wanted to scout the area. I knew he was just restless. We all were. Gohan and Krillin were picking some kind of odd fruit. I managed as best I could over to one of the many lakes around. I was so grimy, I felt like I was covered head to toe in a layer of fine dust. Washing my face and hands, I tried to ignore the unfamiliar face that was my reflection. Was I doomed to be stuck like this forever?"
Rinsing my face yet another time, I suddenly caught the reflection of Vegeta standing over me. I yelped, spun around, but he was gone. Krillin and Gohan could be seen still gathering food for our meager supper.
Shaken, I wandered along the lake, deciding to explore a bit to brush off any thoughts of Vegeta. I passed through a small valley between two mountains of rock and stopped dead in my tracks. My gaze traveled up and up and up. I couldn't believe what I was seeing: Frieza's space ship.
I rubbed my eyes to make sure it wasn't a dream then suppressed a cry. Captain Ginyu stood not ten yards away surrounded by the seven Dragonballs! He moved and I dived behind a rock crevice. Then I heard the swoosh of a door opening and closing. I peeked out. He was gone.
Then I smiled to myself. The idiot had left the Dragonballs unattended. Now was my chance to stop Frieza before he became invincible. I crept forward, my eyes on the door to Frieza's ship. But wait. I couldn't wish on the Dragonballs for the same reason Frieza hadn't either. They were only activated by the Namek language and I didn't know one word of it. Still, I could steal one of the balls so Frieza couldn't make his wish. Reaching out, I touched one of the smooth, marble-like balls and a bright light burst from all seven.
What the- I fell back, scrambling away. The light grew brighter, so bright I threw up my arm to shield myself. Then the light vanished as quickly as it had came and I slowly raised my head to meet the powerful gaze of Shenlong, the Eternal Dragon.
"How- how-" I stood quivering. He was huge!
He spoke in a low, rumbling voice. If he had talked normally, he would have blown everyone away. "How, you ask? The Eternal Dragon may call himself when needed. You have finally arrived."
I jumped. Shenlong had never said anything more than "What is your wish?" and "Your wish is granted."
Wait a second. What had he said? "You- you were expecting me?"
"I sent you here."
I choked. "You mean . . . "
Shenlong chuckled. "Are you really so surprised? Who else has such power?"
"But- but why?"
"I watched you for some time, Alicia Hernandez, in your own world, the world of riaru, when I discovered your passion for a small cartoon called Dragon Ball Z. So I sent you here."
"But you still haven't told me why. Or for that matter, when I can go home."
"You may return to riaru when you have accomplished what I sent you here for."
"And what is that?"
"You will know when you know. Here, you have the best of both worlds within you. I believe you have found this world of anime, now you must find your own."
"You speak in riddles," I said, becoming frustrated. "Why me? Why here? Why now? Just why and how and when and-"
He cut me off with another chuckle. "You will know when you know."
"Yes, yes, but please . . . "
"I must go now, impatient one. But first, what is your wish?"
"What?"
"I am here because of you just as you are here because of me. I will grant one wish. Make your wish!"
"Umm, ok . . . "
What if I wished to be sent back home? Would he grant it? But he had said I could go home if I accomplished . . . something. So that would be a waste of a wish.
Gokou and the others needed desperate help in the upcoming fight with Frieza. They needed more people to fight with them but the wish could only bring one person here. So I chose the guy who could help them the most. The Namekian whom I had hoped to somehow meet and now could.
"Bring Piccolo back to life," I said. "And bring him here to Namek."
Shenlong nodded his great head. "Your wish is granted. Farewell . . . for now."
I watched in fascination as the Dragonballs sucked up the Eternal Dragon and vanished in different directions as they always did after a wish was made. Standing there, I stared long after their disappearance.
The Eternal Dragon was the source of this crazy dream? That in itself was insane! Plus he knew my real name and claimed he had been watching me for some time. Now I had found out my ticket home was through that mile-long dragon and only after I did some task of which I had not been told. How could things get any worse? As if in answer, twig snapped behind me, but before I could spin around, I was hit on the head and knew nothing more.