Four years go by…

"Tonbo, get back here!" Kori yelled after the scurrying animal. Kori chased after the dragon as it ran into the woods nearby the palace. After running for a few minutes Kori stopped and looked around. Oh, great, he thought, where am I? "Tonbo!" he called. "Where are you?" Kori groaned. "Stupid dragon," he muttered. Oh, well, he thought, giving up the search for the time being, he can fly. He'll find his way home come dinner time.

Kori turned and began walking in what he believed to be the general direction of the palace. He looked around as he walked in the unfamiliar part of the forest. "Oh, wow!" he said as he knelt beside a patch of beautiful cobalt-blue flowers. Mom would really like these. I wonder if she's ever seen a blossom as pretty as this. He picked one of the flowers and was about to start walking again when he heard a branch snap not too far away from him. He looked around nervously. "Tonbo?" he timidly called out. Hearing no reply, he backed up a few steps before turning and continuing at a more rapid pace. Suddenly, he stopped.

The forest was quiet once again as nighttime descended upon the land.

Nashi sat at the dining table - elbows on the tabletop and chin upon clasped hands. Zarbon walked over and gave her shoulder a reassuring rub. Both looked up as Akai entered the room.

"I'm so sorry, milady, my lord. There is no sign of Kori," she said, despairingly. She turned as Sabi entered the room. She looked at her sister and then at the king and queen before shaking her head. Nashi lower her head again and closed her eyes. Zarbon sighed.

"Go and get a team ready to search for him," Zarbon ordered. Akai and Sabi nodded and left the room. Zarbon knelt beside Nashi and took her hand. "I will assist them in the search," he said. He massaged her hand and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "It hurts me so much to see you like this. Do not worry, we'll find him - I'll make sure of it." Nashi looked at Zarbon and forced a small smile. Zarbon stood and took the side of her face in his hand and kissed her forehead. He held out his hand. "Come on," he said. Nashi took his hand and stood. They both walked out of the room and met up with the newly formed search team. He pointed to Akai and Sabi.

"I want you two to continue checking the palace and the grounds outside. Notify others not in the team to keep an eye out in case Kori returns." Zarbon pointed to another group of Kobitians. "You check the village and you," he pointed to the other half of the group, "come with me to check the forest. We'll meet back here in two hours." He turned to Nashi as she began to speak.

"I'm going…" she started. Zarbon stopped her.

"I would prefer if you stayed here, love. Let's head out!" he called to the others before Nashi could get another word in.

"That's your 'search team?'" a light, pleasant-sounding voice called out as the team began to leave. "That really is quite pathetic, but that's all right. It makes it all the easier for me in the end," the voice finished quickly. Zarbon stopped and watched as a black figure with wild, stark-white hair descended from the ceiling. The being's feet touched the ground. It folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall, grinning and exposing one of a pair of vicious-looking fangs. "Your race isn't very strong, is it?" it asked. It's eyes, deep maroon in color with catlike pupils, laughed with the knowledge that he was more powerful than the inhabitants of this wealthy planet. Zarbon scowled at the creature.

"Who are you and what do you want here?" the king demanded. The creature smiled again.

"My name is Akuma," he said, bowing deeply. "I'm working for a group who is fairly interested in your planet. I was sent to scout it out." Akuma looked around the palace. "They were right, this is a nice place," he said approvingly.

"Excuse me, sir, but I think not," Zarbon said. He walked up to Akuma. "Now get out of here, pirate."

Akuma looked down at Zarbon regardless of the fact that Zarbon was quite tall for his race. "Now, now, lord, let's not be too quick to judge." Akuma grinned again. "We both have something that the other wants." Akuma jumped back. Zarbon, Nashi, and the other Kobitians gasped as he disappeared through the wall. Suddenly, Akuma appeared above them - restraining a frightened Kori.

"Kori!" Nashi yelled. Zarbon inhaled sharply.

"Ah, so that's the name of the pesky brat. He almost found my ship, and it's always nice to have something to barter with, ne?" Akuma laughed. "Well, Kori, how'd you like to help me out, hmm?" Kori let out a muffled response and began to squirm in Akuma's grasp. "I would think that this boy would be stronger, but I'm obviously mistaken." Akuma looked to Zarbon and Nashi. "Well? Have we a deal?" he asked. He looked back down at Kori as the boy tried to speak and began to squirm again. "Hm, feisty one, isn't he?" Akuma then cried out sharply and dropped Kori to the floor. "Damn brat! He bit me!" he yelled as Kori ran over to his mother and the other Kobitians. Akuma glared at the boy and the rest of the people as they stood defiantly.

"Leave now, pirate," Zarbon repeated. Akuma folded his arms across his chest again and frowned.

"I'm sorry, but I don't intend to just leave, not after what that little whelp just did." Akuma smiled and gestured to an adjacent wall. "Shall we take this outside?" he asked innocently before firing a blast that left a gaping hole in what used to be the wall. Akuma landed on the floor gently and calmly walked outside.

Zarbon gritted his teeth as he stood, enraged. Nashi turned and looked to Zarbon, worried. Kori stood behind her, his hand resting on her hip. Nashi brought her hand around and rested it upon Kori's shoulder. Finally Zarbon began to walk to the pre-made exit. Nashi brought her hand to his arm to stop him.

"Zarbon, don't!" she said. Zarbon turned.

"What am I supposed to do, Nashi? He abducted Kori, threatened me and my people with impending doom, and he's blasted a hole through the palace wall! He's but a space pirate and I won't stand for it!" Zarbon turned again and continued walking. He stopped as he heard Nashi and Kori following him.

"Don't think we're not going to help," Nashi stated. She joined Zarbon at his side as he began to protest. She stopped him from doing so. "Zarbon, we three are the strongest fighters on the planet now that Piccolo has gone to earth for a while. I told Akai to call for him. For now, we'll make do with us three." Zarbon looked at Nashi and then at Kori. He gave a small grin.

"Well, if all else fails, we can get Kori to bite him again," he laughed. Kori frowned at the comment and Nashi smiled.

Nashi and Kori had combined their power together to block a blast fired by Akuma. Zarbon had long since transformed into his stronger, although more appalling, state. Either way, it had made little difference. He's pretty strong for a space pirate, Zarbon thought as he joined Nashi and Kori. Akuma landed on the ground, folded his arms across his chest, and laughed.

"Oya ma! You are a weak race!" he grinned. Again angered, Zarbon raced towards Akuma with a fistful of energy aimed straight for the pirate's face. Akuma simply disappeared and reappeared behind Zarbon. Akuma, with his arms still crossed, spun around and delivered a kick to Zarbon's lower back. Zarbon just stopped himself against a wall before he was able to crash through it. Kori, angered like Zarbon, started to run at Akuma. Nashi stopped him.

"Kori, stay here," she said before leaping up to prepare her own attack against Akuma. She fired a well-aimed blast at the pirate who caught it easily and, literally, tossed the energy aside. He grinned and was about to make another arrogant comment when he noticed that Nashi was not to be seen. He then spun around quickly as he sensed her power behind him. He saw her, ready for another, much more powerful, assault. But, before she could fire the attack, Akuma gave her a brutal punch to her waist.

"Mom!" Kori cried.

"Nashi!" Zarbon yelled. He winced as he stood.

Nashi lost her attack and doubled over in pain. Akuma jumped up and kick Nashi aside. "I only know of one successful female fighter, and you, lady, are not her," he said. Enraged, Kori ran and leaped up to give Akuma a direct punch to his face. Akuma saw the attack coming and, spinning, caught Kori with an elbow-jab to his chest, pinning the boy against the wall. Kori gasped as he heard and felt a number of ribs break. He looked up as he felt Akuma's eyes drill through him.

"Stupid, weak little child," the pirate said icily. "Leave the fighting to others." Akuma grabbed Kori by the throat and threw him savagely aside, much as he did with Nashi.

"Kori!" Both king and queen called out simultaneously as they watched the child fall. Nashi propped herself up painfully upon her elbows as she cried out to where her son landed roughly - unmoving.

"Like I said before," Akuma said, laughing as he walked between the fallen queen and her child, "very weak."

Zarbon stood, eyes closed, breathing slowly. He shook violently with waves of anger. Suddenly, Akuma stopped laughing and turned to face Zarbon. The smile left his face as the pirate stood, rather confused as he sensed Zarbon's power increase - greatly. Just then, Zarbon screamed as energy exploded around him and he transformed out of his monster-like state. Zarbon appeared to return to his normal state except for a few minute differences. His blue skin was now mottled with patches of darker and lighter blues. His once golden eyes now appeared a glowing silver, as was with his green, now silvery-blue, hair. His loose black pants and saiyan-styled armor now fit him better since he had transformed out of his larger form.

Nashi looked up and gasped as she saw Zarbon transform. Zarbon finally opened his eyes in his new Ultra Kobitian form. He looked at Akuma.

"Now look," Zarbon said, admiring the new appearance of his hand and arm. He looked back up at a wide-eyed Akuma. "You've gone and made me angry."

Akuma gulped - his race was excellent at reading power levels. He shook as he realized Zarbon's measured in at over three million. More than… he felt the blood drain from his face as he calculated the score. Eight times my own.

"Kyuri didn't mention this," he whispered. Akuma watched as Zarbon walked up to him and stopped, looking straight into his eyes. Suddenly Akuma inhaled sharply as he felt a pain at his midriff. He looked down to see that Zarbon had driven his hand completely through his waist. Akuma's legs grew weak. He leaned forward, resting a hand on Zarbon's shoulder. Zarbon then withdrew his hand and stepped back as Akuma collapsed to his knees. A trickle of dark-colored blood dripped from the pirate's mouth as he slowly sank to his side and he closed his eyes tightly in pain.

Zarbon looked at his blood-covered hand. He then went over to Kori and knelt beside the child. Kori's breaths were shallow and his face was contorted in pain. Zarbon looked around as he noticed a handful of Kobitians and Nameks had gathered, now that the battle was done. One of the Nameks came forward and bowed deeply.

"My lord, my name is Tetsudai. I can heal the child."

Zarbon nodded to the Namek. Tetsudai walked over to Kori and knelt down. He held his hands over the boy as his antenna began to glow with a golden hue. The aura soon enveloped Kori's form as well. Eventually, the aura faded. Kori moaned gently and shifted his body to a more comfortable position.

"It is done, my lord," the namekian healer said.

"I thank you, Tetsudai," Zarbon replied. The healer stood, bowed again, and joined the crowd once again. Zarbon gently picked Kori off of the ground as he heard one of the onlookers begin to give directions to the others so that they could begin to clean up the palace. Zarbon carried Kori over to Nashi and laid him beside her. Nashi opened her eyes and took Kori into her arms. The boy rested his head on Nashi's lap and rested his hand upon her knee in slumber. Nashi rubbed his back softly as he slept before looking at Zarbon. Zarbon, who had been watching Kori, looked to her as she brought her hand to his face.

"Zarbon," she started, amazed and at a loss for words, "what… how did…"

Zarbon took and kissed her hand as she continued to admire his new transformed appearance. "I do not know, my love. But it is done." Suddenly, Zarbon and Nashi looked up as they heard the entire group of spectators gasp and cry out. They turned to see Akuma struggling to sit up, completely engulfed by a sparkling white aura. Just then, Akuma disappeared without a trace. Zarbon looked at the spot that the pirate had formerly occupied, angered by his failure to defeat the intruder. Nashi gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I don't think he'll be coming back for a while. If you had seen the look on his face - he was more than terrified, Zarbon." She smiled. "And, if you're so worried, we can have Piccolo come back to protect us," she finished off jokingly. Zarbon turned his head and looked at her in a calm, almost eerie way. Nashi looked back at him, troubled. This new transformation, although awesome, bothered her. It changed Zarbon in a way that almost scared her. Zarbon, sensing her unease, leaned down and kissed her. He then broke away and, closing his eyes, transformed back to his original state, his skin briefly turning bumpy as he passed visibly through his monster-like phase. Zarbon caught himself as he nearly fell over and brought a hand to his brow as he felt extremely lightheaded.

"That was a trip," he moaned quietly. Nashi brushed his arm gently. Zarbon moved beside her and brought his arms around her waist, embracing her. He rested his chin upon her head and closed his eyes.

"No, it was another transformation - one beyond the monster-like form."

Akuma stood in a dark room, healed, though still weak, from the battle that had taken place months ago. He had teleported himself to his ship after the battle and had fallen asleep as his ship healed him and carried him to it's pre-determined destination - this far-off planet, light-years from the Kobitians' home. The pirate was in the process of making his report to his superiors.

"Hm, I didn't know Kobitians could do that," a female voice answered him. "Oh, well - it makes no difference…"

"Lady, his power was over three million!" Akuma cut her off. Akuma watched as a feminine figure stood and walked towards him. The female stopped in front of him. Akuma stared into angered brown eyes.

"Are you calling me that weak?" she asked. Akuma looked at her and shook his head slowly, confused. Suddenly he felt a light brush of air and then a complete loss of feeling below his waist.

"I haven't even shown you half of my power, you fool!" she whispered in his ear before Akuma fell over - in two halves, dead. The female walked up to her temporary throne, holding a blood-stained sword out in front of her.

"Here's your sword back," she said to the figure standing beside the throne. The figure took the sword and walked over to Akuma's corpse. He wiped it clean on the form's pants and placed it back in the scabbard that lay across his back. The being looked at the dead body of Akuma.

"Why did you do that, Kyuri?" he asked, adjusting the sword-strap across his bare chest. "I liked that one, he wasn't that bad of a fighter."

"No, he wasn't, but he was still weak." Kyuri playfully wagged her furry tail behind her as she walk over to the male. "Never again will we have any others besides saiya-jins join us - all others are just too weak." The male looked at her.

"Will you replace me, or the others, just as easily?"

The female laughed. "Tamanegi," she brought a hand to his clothed arm, "I could never replace you! Now, we must go to prepare Komek so that it may be sold. Akuma confirmed that it was a wealthy planet!" Tamanegi frowned as Kyuri's gentle laughter echoed throughout the chamber.