Here goes. This is my first try at writing a Dragonball fic. Dragonball
and its characters are the creation of Toriyama Akira-sama and not mine,
I'm only doing this for the fun of it. I've only seen the first five or six
tapes of Dragonball Z, so I'm still not exactly clear on the details
concerning the creation of the Dragonballs and the Eternal Dragon itself.
If you want to comment on this story, I can be reached at
msimmons@bcgroup.net. This and other fanfics of mine are up on my page at
http://ronin.anime-manga.net. So, read on. I hope you won't be too
disappointed.
Ronin.
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T H E L O Y A L S E R V A N T
It was night. Two hours had passed since the sun had dropped
below the horizon, and the stars were slowly revealing themselves,
glimmering across the sharp, clear evening sky. Below, every being was
lost in blissful sleep, and content in the beautiful dreams that such
sleep brings. High above, however, there was one who was still awake. He
had long since lost the need for more than an hour or so of rest.
{Besides,} he thought. {What kind of Guardian would I be if I slept
through the long watches of the night?} Sitting in lotus position at the
rim of the lookout, Kami soaked in the splendor of the cool wind.
The wrinkled green face of the Guardian of Earth was peaceful,
eyes almost closed as he maintained his awareness over the whole of the
planet. Here, there, the powerful questing force of his thoughts whispered
gently from village to town, over mountains and across the vast heaving
expanse of the oceans. {This is my trust,} Kami thought. {She is beauty
incarnate, and I will guard her with all that I am, as I always have.} He
smiled. {Mother Earth, you are pretty tonight.} A spark of energy
interrupted his thoughts.
Drawing his mind back, Kami resumed control of his physical body
and opened his eyes. The spark on the surface of the planet was very
tiny, but somehow... {Familiar. As familiar as a teacup one has made
with one's own hands. Through the molding, the painting, and the hot fire
of the kiln, the curve and shape of it is unmistakable. Such with this.
My creation.} Kami caught the sensation of speed. The source was
streaking upwards, cresting the curve of the sleeping Earth towards the
Lookout. Picking up speed at a phenomenal rate, it hurtled like a flicker
of lightning straight for the Guardian of Earth, the whistle of disturbed
air the only sound in its wake. {No!} Kami flung out his arms to shield
himself from the impact that was sure to come.
It never came. The feeling of amazing speed vanished, and Kami
opened his eyes. {It can't be! All things are possible, but this...}
Shimmering in the glow from the candles and the faint light from
the stars, a single Dragonball drifted. Floating lazily before the
Guardian of Earth, it was as familiar to him as the day he had crafted
it. Shaping its indestructible form had been one of the most difficult
tasks he had ever accomplished, and the sight of it gave him a sense of
pride, no matter how strange the circumstances. A single red star burned
within the Dragonball; the first of its sisters. {Seven sisters. I could
make no more, creating even the seven took all of my power.}
The Dragonball settled to the tiles with a click, a click that
seemed to echo back and forth across the great hall. {One wouldn't make
that kind of noise!} Kami whirled, rising to his feet only to find that
he was surrounded. Seven Dragonballs circled the Guardian of Earth.
{So.} Kami folded his arms, and waited.
One by one, the stars faded out as clouds of darkness washed
across the night sky. Lightning crackled, huge blazing trees of heaven's
fire that echoed the flare of light from the now-glowing Dragonballs. The
lightning was quickly dwarfed as a twisting, coiling column of light
thundered skyward, exploding into being. The entire mass of Kami's
Lookout was encircled by the enormous coils of the Eternal Dragon.
Seemingly suspended in the night, two glowing red eyes regarded Kami with
a featureless gaze.
Despite himself, the Guardian of Earth felt the beginnings of fear
clawing at his throat. The presence of the Eternal Dragon seemed to have
the same effect on almost everybody. {The Dragon inspires fear. Whether
by accident or by design, the terror is very strong. I think I even saw
-Goku-'s knees shake once when the Dragon was summoned. Still, I am its
creator! It has never affected me this way before!}
Kami forced away the growing sense that something was very wrong,
and drew himself up to his full height. {I can do a little intimidation
of my own.} He began to glow. The entire majesty and power of the throne
of Kami was present in the old green-skinned being, shining with an aura
of holiness.
Kami felt his confidence come surging back. Whipping up his
staff, he pointed at the Dragonballs, now lying inert on the floor. "Why
have you come?" the Guardian demanded. "And for that matter, how? The
Dragonballs are used to summon you, you should have no control over
them!"
KAMI, the Eternal Dragon rumbled. WHEN YOU CHAIN A THING,YOU ALSO
GIVE IT A TOOL, A WEAPON. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF LEARNING TO USE IT. The
Dragonballs flickered to life, rising in an orbit around Kami. Slowly
they began to spin, moving faster and faster until the swiftly moving
balls seemed to blur together. THESE ARE MY CHAINS. I HAVE HAD AMPLE
TIME TO LEARN THEIR USES. The Dragonballs slowed in their circle, and
fell gently to the floor. BUT I CANNOT BREAK THEM.
"I see." Kami hid his nervousness by rubbing his chin and looking
thoughtful. His pose was calm, but inside his mind was screaming. {The
Dragon wishes to be freed from the balls! How could this happen?} "Why
do you wish to be free, when you can remain in service to the Earth? Many
have devoted their lives to such service, myself included, and never had
cause for regret."
The Eternal Dragon paused, and when it rumbled again it was in a
thoughtful tone. I DID NOT CHOOSE TO SERVE. I WAS BOUND, AND SO I CAME.
DOES THE MOTHER EARTH KEEP SLAVES TO HER BIDDING? RELEASE ME. Kami
lowered his head in guilt. The Dragon was right, and the injustice that
the Guardian of Earth had unwittingly committed gnawed at him. {I assumed
that the Eternal Dragon was like all other Dragons; a creature of enormous
power, but with a short memory and little free will of its own.} The
Dragon spoke again.
I GROW TIRED, KAMI. I SICKEN OF WISHES FOR RICHES, POWER,
IMMORTALITY AND RESURRECTION. I HOLD NO LOVE FOR THE CREATURES OF EARTH.
I REGRET. RELEASE ME.
Kami opened his mouth to agree, but a part of him held back.
{What about the reason you created the Dragonballs in the first place?
The people of Earth need the magic, the -hope- that the legend of the
seven Dragonballs provide! The infinite possiblity of a single wish is
why you bound the Eternal Dragon, and brought the seven balls into the
world! Such a thing gives hope where there is none, brings faith and
inspiration to the people. In a world where such magical things can
exist, all things are possible. If the Dragon is released, then all of
this will be gone, and the Earth will lose that magic... That hope.} The
Guardian of Earth sighed heavily. He knew what must be done.
"I am sorry, Eternal Dragon." Kami raised his own eyes to meet
the ageless red glowing orbs of the immortal creature. The Eternal Dragon
sensed Kami's resolve, and roared. The dark clouds scudded across the sky
as the wind whipped up into a screaming gale, battering at the Guardian of
Earth.
RELEASE ME!
Kami shuddered under the assault of the hurricane force winds, but
stood firm. Now that he had made a decision, he would see it through to
the end. Gathering up the Dragonballs, he began to draw from his own
immense reserves of power. A cool aura began to flicker around Kami and
the Dragonballs sparked to life once more, burning within. Spinning, the
Guardian of Earth flung the balls into the air in a grand arc. They hung
suspended, blazing with energy.
SO. The Dragon spoke once more, and the winds quieted. Between
the enormous head of the Eternal Dragon and the green, cloaked form of
Kami hung the seven magic Dragonballs. Their flames were filled with
promise, and something of the hope which they carried. I HAVE SERVED.
I WILL SERVE, BUT EVENTUALLY MY BONDS WILL BE MY DELIVERANCE. The huge
coils of the Eternal Dragon began to fade, the colour washing out from
them as the immortal creature began to be drawn back into the Dragonballs.
Its former rumbling roar was quieter now. I -WILL- BE FREE, KAMI. AND
ON THAT DAY, I SERVE THE EARTH NO MORE.
With a flash, the Eternal Dragon vanished, and the Dragonballs
burned impossibly bright with the power of the soul that was contained
within them. Rising in a circle, the balls spun once, and shot out into
the sky over Kami's Lookout. There was a crack of thunder, and the balls
scattered across the heavens, descending to the far corners of the Earth,
where they would be searched out once more and used to grant the bearer a
single wish.
The black storm clouds that had accompanied the Dragon's presence
slowly washed away in the chill evening breeze, and the stars peered out
once more, diamond-like and brilliant. Kami, the Guardian of Earth, sat
at the rim of the Lookout and surveyed the land with which he had been
entrusted. His thoughts, however, were still with the creature whom he
had just banished back into unwilling slavery. {You did not choose to be
bound. And still you have served loyally and without fail since that time
that you were first summoned.} The old, wrinkled green-skinned being
dropped his head, looking at the tiles. {If more people were like you,
Eternal Dragon, there would have been no need for your summoning.}
{I cannot release you; I pray that someday you yourself will find
your freedom.} The Guardian of Earth raised his eyes, but a tinge of
regret flavoured his vigilance throughout the early hours until the coming
of the sun.